COMMENT
GREEN DELIVERY
Pressure on businesses to reduce their carbon
footprint has never been higher, be it from
customers, legislators, investors or sta . There is
now an expectation and urgency for companies to
take meaningful steps to reduce their footprints
and adapt accordingly.
In this regard, facilities managers are uniquely
positioned to o er solutions within their operations
that support the implementation of greener and
more sustainable business practices. From assessing
their waste management to cutting out single use
plastics or going paperless, there are a myriad of
ways to reduce the impact business operations have
on the environment.
But, whilst implementing greener processes at
their locations is an important piece of the puzzle,
it’s not the only way FMs can reduce their clients’
impact on the environment. Environmentally
friendly deliveries and supply chains play an
important part in building a sustainable future. In
fact, Scope 3(i) emissions account for more than 70
per cent of the carbon footprint, including energy,
transport and supply chain management.
LOGISTICS IMPACT
This is why logistics companies have a key role
12 APRIL 2022
to play in helping
facilities managers
cut carbon emissions
by incorporating
greener supply
chains into their
network. At
CitySprint we’re
constantly developing
new and better ways
to deliver goods in
environmentally friendly
ways for our customers,
including expanding our green fleet.
By partnering with the right logistics firm, FMs
can take advantage of access to green vehicles to
complete deliveries, including push bikes, cargo
bikes, e-motorbikes and e-vans.
In addition to the use of alternative fuels and
vehicles, the scalability of logistics partners
systems also allows them to build in e iciencies
and therefore emissions savings. They can help
facilities managers expand the range of deliveries
they carry out with the added value of time-definite
delivery services - and importantly, the use of green
vehicles for these journeys. By partnering, facilities
managers can benefit from shorter waiting times
for loading and unloading items, increasing the
e iciency of their supply chain whilst also helping to
reduce CO2 emissions.
Furthermore, a logistics partner can also save
time by providing flexible electronic invoicing
solutions to suit the needs of their client, including
multiple references and matter number uploads
along with variable billing frequencies. And, by
providing appropriate management information
and reporting, they can also ensure that mailroom
spend can be analysed and controlled and clients
can be provided with accurate usage data for
business reviews. Service performance data and
complaints analysis with corrective actions are all
designed to ensure that facilities managers have
the right tools to ensure quality of service for their
clients.
SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT
At CitySprint, we tailor our support to the individual
needs of facilities managers by providing dedicated
vehicles to carry out a variety of jobs such as bank
runs and expenses runs, on-site implants as well as
pouch rooms for mailroom services between o ices.
Within what is a highly competitive landscape, a
sustainable delivery o er can also be a real point
of di erence for facilities managers. Indeed, with
sustainability high on many organisations’ agendas,
sustainability initiatives can help boost
profit and create new business
opportunities for facilities
managers. By reducing
emissions for clients
and demonstrating
the benefits of
working with them,
including the cost
savings and smarter
operational models,
facilities managers
can di erentiate and
attract more clients.
This year we also
began a key partnership
with Carbon Neutral Britain,
the leading carbon o setting
project. This allows each of our clients
to also demonstrate how many miles will be
o set, either monthly or quarterly - helping facilities
managers to highlight the specific improvements
they’ve made on an ongoing basis.
Over the last few years we have seen a rapid
shi‰ towards placing sustainability at the heart of
decision making. If done right, the equation is not
profit versus sustainability. Rather with the right
approach and a proper sustainability strategy,
Facilities Management can be both greener and
protect the bottom line.
(i) https://www.fmj.co.uk/sustainable-core/
Rosie Bailey, Commercial Director at CitySprint explains
why a logistics partner can improve the sustainability of
delivery operations for facilities managers
By reducing emissions for
clients and demonstrating the
benefi ts of working with them,
including the cost savings and
smarter operational models,
facilities managers can
di erentiate and attract
more clients.”
ADVICE & OPINION
/
