Sustainability

By Sheryl S. Jackson In the quest to improve productivity, decrease costs and enhance safety in the warehouse or distribution facility, owners and managers look to a variety of equipment, technology and training. There is, however, one area that usually does not top the list of actions considered essential for performance improvement. “Batteries and battery charging technology are often overlooked ...

MHI’s Innovation Awards program has seen an increasing number of submissions each of the past eight years since its introduction.

CEO UPDATE: A New Era of Supply Chain Sustainability Is Rising * By George W. Prest, Chief Executive Officer, MHI  * Consumers are becoming more interested in making environmentally friendly decisions when it comes to their buying habits and the brands to which they are loyal. Studies have found anywhere from 80-85% of consumers are more likely to buy from ...

Sustainable Supply Chains Making Big Strides Across Multiple Corporations, Industries * By Sara Pearson Specter * Companies worldwide are putting innovation behind their sustainability mandates, deploying technology, collaborations, innovation and partnerships to work both for the preservation of the planet and to enhance their bottom lines. Here are six real-life case studies featuring green solutions implemented across multiple supply chains ...

A Winning Business Strategy That’s Good for the Earth and for the Bottom Line * By Carol Miller, MHI Vice President of Marketing and Communications  * With the recent media focus (both traditional and social) on pollution, global warming, resource depletion, landfill limitations and food waste, the concept of zero waste is creeping increasingly into the public’s awareness. Likewise, companies ...

Sustainable supply chain programs appeal to customers, boost efficiency and provide crucial, far-reaching bottom-line benefits. * By Tom Gresham * Toshiba America Business Solutions imports a range of products from Asia. In a recent product cycle, the company determined that its product packaging didn’t allow for the double stacking of the packages in shipping containers because the top stack would ...

Supply Chains Worldwide Are Coming Up With Innovative Solutions to Address the Environmental, Financial and Logistical Aspects of Parcel Delivery * By Sheryl S. Jackson * The cost of global parcel delivery, excluding pickup, line-haul and sorting, is more than $78.5 billion, with last mile delivery costs reaching or exceeding 50% of the total, according to a McKinsey & Company ...

Supply Chain Sustainability Goes High Tech * By Mary Lou Jay * The promise of improved efficiencies and reductions in operating expenses are usually the major drivers when supply chain companies adopt digital technologies. But there’s another benefit that they should consider. Tech advances like the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing, robotics and blockchain ...

When weather patterns change or extreme weather occurs, be sure your “umbrella” covers your entire supply chain—not just select pieces of it. * By Fiona Soltes * Marcel Proust famously quipped that “a change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves.” There’s no doubt that the weather keeps changing. So how are supply chains doing with ...

6 Lesser-Known Ways Supply Chain Sustainability Contributes to Business Success * By Mike Ogle * The word sustainability makes most people think about the environment and green initiatives. Business people may quickly think about costs and regulations. Supply chain sustainability articles often focus on sourcing, energy savings, packaging and reducing physical waste. All these things ARE part of supply chain ...