Climate Action 2011-2012

sTandards oF excellence
Barloworld Logistics is also heavily involved in the
implementation of best practice benchmarks for the road
freight industry. The focus on environmental awareness in the
road transport industry is in danger of becoming equated with
carbon emission reduction targets in most business people’s
minds. It is well known that South Africa’s road transport
system is heavily overloaded, and carries too much traffic that
cannot be accommodated by rail freight. This leads to overuse
of the road infrastructure and damage to roads, as well as
the dangerous consequences of too much heavy freight traffic
on our roads, such as accidents and overloading. All these
factors need to be addressed, in addition to carbon emissions,
if the industry is to continue to be sustainable. The key point
about ‘greening’ a road transport fleet is not only to reduce
emissions, but to make the fleet safer, more efficient and less
costly – all factors which make the business more sustainable
as well as more environmentally friendly.
The ongoing efforts to change the freight mix in South
Africa away from road transport to other modes will take
a long time to become effective. In the meantime, efforts
to make the road transport industry more sustainable
continue. Despite concerted and ongoing efforts for an
effective law enforcement strategy by the road and traffic
authorities, the sharp increase in heavy vehicle traffic and
the effects of overloading continue to be a major problem
on South African roads. Overloading causes premature
road deterioration and, together with inadequate vehicle
maintenance, high levels of driver fatigue and poor driver
healthcare programmes, contributes significantly to South
Africa’s poor road safety record.
In response to these dangers, the industry has devised
and implemented the Road Transport Management System
(RTMS). This is a self-regulation initiative that has already
shown outstanding results since its implementation, and
supports the Department of Transport’s National Overload
Control Strategy (NOCS).
RTMS is an industry-led, government-supported,
voluntary, self-regulation scheme that encourages consignees,
consignors and road transport operators to implement a
management system (a set of standards) that demonstrates
compliance with the Road Traffic Regulations and contributes
to preserving road infrastructure, improving road safety and
increasing productivity. Barloworld Logistics has been an
enthusiastic supporter and early adopter of the standard.
Bringing suppliers inTo The
green Fold
The company has also been concerned to develop wider
supply chain management programmes which fit into a
holistic environmentally sustainable business strategy. One
of these is the launch of a revolutionary accreditation and
benchmarking programme for transport suppliers to large
businesses, in a concrete and practical effort to positively
address South Africa’s energy-intensive and carbon-rich
sustainability profile. The Green World initiative provides
businesses with a hands-on resource to assist them in
reducing their carbon footprint through helping their
transport suppliers become more energy-efficient and
environmentally aware.
Responsibility for sustainability now has to be seen more
holistically, in the context of the wider business network. A
perfect example of this is the relationship between businesses
and the transporters who supply them with services in
moving their products to where they need to be, but in the
process impact, sometimes negatively, on the environment.
The business imperative for a supplier accreditation
programme in the sustainability space is therefore more
important now than ever, which is exactly the type of
accreditation and benchmarking that Barloworld Logistics’
Green World programme proposes to provide.
planning For real change
Finally, the business has also been successfully implementing
greener supply chain planning for its clients through the use
of a bespoke software tool, CAST-CO 2
, w
hich calculates the carbon footprint of any supply chain
and provides its optimal configuration, based on cost,
service levels and carbon emissions. This crucial planning
tool incorporates all modes of transport as well as types of
warehouse operations, and the likely future costs of carbon,
thereby providing a comprehensive and environmentally
responsible strategic planning picture.
Responsibility for sustainability
now has to be seen more
holistically, in the context of
the wider business network.
Supply chains offer the biggest risk and opportunity
for clients when it comes to environmental and business
sustainability issues. Barloworld Logistics has existing
strategies and support to underpin its vision to become
market leader in the sustainable supply chain space, offering
real business opportunities and competitive advantage for
clients and the company.
Barloworld Logistics is South Africa’s leading integrated logistics
and supply chain management company, and a fast-growing
global player. Over 70 per cent of potential savings and service
enhancements in a supply chain come from the re-engineering and
integration of logistics processes. The company creates strategic
advantage for its clients by optimising and integrating the client’s
logistics processes and information flows, thereby radically reducing
costs and increasing service levels.
Kate Stubbs, Marketing Executive
Email: kstubbs@bwlog.com
Web: www.barloworld-logistics.com
119 climateactionprogramme.org