News

Despite the current economic climate, being green is still a key concern for businesses and the majority expect their transport providers to bear the cost of greening their logistics operations, an environmental survey from Transport Intelligence (TI) reveals.

Three-quarters of respondents who awarded contracts said that their tender documents contained sections on green competence, with 70% stating that environmental  compliance from transport providers was either 'reasonably important' or 'very important'.

However, 54% failed to make provision for the extra costs that could be involved. John Manners-Bell, TI's CEO, tells MT: "While clients are making all the right noises about being green, when it comes to picking up the tab, they're washing their hands of it.

"A lot of clients are adopting green policies and just expecting their transport providers to become ISO-compliant or get audited, and a lot of these initiatives take time and money to implement."

Neil Rushworth, operations director at Expect Distribution, says: "We are finding that blue-chips are more conscious about including the carrier in their green agenda and using a carrier who 'ticks the boxes'.

However, when push comes to shove, the client is still far more interested in what you provide for them within the day-to-day operation rather than meeting a theoretical green standard."

Tony Hourigan,  development director at Wincanton, finds that most businesses want their transport providers to provide a solution that provides both CSR and cost benefits, while Robbie Burns, chairman at Nightfreight, feels it's all a matter of prioritising. "In this economic climate you really need to get the balance right between good business practice and being green," he adds.