The Zero Waste World initiative focuses on three shared challenges within the supply chain:
- Eliminating physical waste to tackle global concerns, such as the amount of packaging and food waste;
- Eradicating empty transport miles, such as those accumulated by factors such as empty running of freight transport and poor weight loading;
- Cutting out inefficiency, covering a range of issues in the supply chain such as product leakage and stock movements.
Matt Quinn, CHEP Vice-President, Northern Europe, said: “We want to enable our customers to tackle the three big issues which they tell us are important and respond to the demands of their consumers, employees, investors and social stakeholders. The question is, how can manufacturers and retailers eliminate waste, eradicate empty transport miles and cut out inefficiency?
“The scale of these challenges, such as 91% of the world’s plastic packaging not being recycled, is monumental. The only way that we can be successful in tackling these challenges is by working collaboratively, sharing knowledge, data and assets.
“Progressing towards a Zero Waste World represents a specific commitment by CHEP to all stakeholders in the supply chain that we will tackle those shared challenges to create greater value for society, and save our customers time, money and resources.”
Moving towards Zero Waste World – our initiative in action
In Europe, CHEP’s Transport Collaboration solutions have already helped more than 200 customers save 6.6 million km of empty truck journeys, avoid 6,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and save €8.7 million. In 2017, our circular share and reuse model helped our customers save 1.4 million tonnes of waste in FY17.
But there is more to do. The development of technology and harnessing innovation with concepts like open data sharing, tracking and smart pallet, and how they can combine, is critical.
Peter Murphy, CHEP UK & Ireland Transport Solutions Manager, Northern Europe said: “The pioneers of better supply chain must be ambitious to push the boundaries of what is possible. Only through CHEP collaborating with our customers and with other stakeholders who hold specialist expertise can we make Zero Waste World a reality.
“For example, CHEP is part of the EU ‘Horizon 2020’ Logistar project, working with universities across Europe and the manufacturing industry to examine how horizontal collaboration can unlock live fleet visibility, vehicle utilisation and asset tracking amongst other factors via trailers. This will help us to identify methods to cut ‘empty running’.The study project continues over the next two years and we early await the results.”
