Reshaping Warehousing with Purpose: Navigating ESG Transformation for Sustainable Success

There is no topic more central to businesses than Sustainability, and rightfully so. In logistics, the mind defaults to transportation driving the highest impact in this space, however, warehousing is a discipline to not underestimate. This is accelerated, amongst many others, by the “normalisation” of e-commerce, which drives the addition of more than 100 million square meters of new warehousing space each year. To put this into a global perspective, our planet will have to hold more than 50.000 new distribution centers before the turn of the decade.

This hyper-trending topic has numerous implications. These include assessing the sustainability of your facility and energy-efficient equipment and automation. It also involves lean operations supported by smart software management systems. Additionally, it encompasses considerations like right-sized and reusable packaging, the well-being of talent, and the impact on natural ecosystems. Furthermore, it's essential to address the CO2 footprint of the growing landscape of deployed technologies.

"At Deloitte, we believe in the holistic nature of any strategy and method, driven by meticulous attention to detail. This mindset and approach are amplified when we focus on supporting our clients in sustainability matters. We always keep in mind the impact we have on the planet and society, as well as the legacy we leave for future generations.

In the field of logistics, there are valuable opportunities to make a positive impact. While sustainability efforts in this industry often concentrate on transportation, warehousing is sometimes overlooked in ESG strategies. However, we recognise that warehousing can have a holistic impact across multiple ESG aspects. Our new article delves into each of these facets in great detail.”

Stefan Rusu, Director, Warehousing, Automation and Production Logistics