As part of CITT’s formal alliance with CIFFA, we are pleased to provide CIFFA members with preferred pricing on CITT’s suite of courses on Environmental Sustainability in Canadian Logistics. Created in close collaboration with industry, this set of three highly acclaimed courses teaches to practical skills and knowledge needed to understand and advance sustainability in logistics operations. Learn more here
Upon completion of all three courses, a learner will be granted the Environmental Sustainability in Canadian Logistics microcredential from CITT.
All courses are delivered asynchronously and are self-paced.
CIFFA members receive $50 off each course – or $150 when purchasing the already-discounted bundle of all three courses
Upon completion of all three, participants earn a CITT micro credential.
CITT members are entitled to a discount on CIFFA’s highly relevant and practical Air Dangerous Goods and Ocean Dangerous Goods courses.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening industry expertise — advancing sustainability, compliance, and operational excellence across Canada’s supply chain community.
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CIFFA’s Winter Issue of the Forwarder magazine is dedicated CIFFA’s 2025 Conference: Forward Thinking: Redefining Excellence in the Supply Chain. A very well-received conference with tremendous feedback. We look forward to seeing you in the 2026 Conference: Forward Thinking: Collaboration in a Complex World.
Date: October 20-21, 2026
Venue: Universal EventSpace
6250 Hwy 7, Vaughan, ON L4H 4G3
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Each year, CIFFA presents an award to an outstanding young logistics professional who exemplifies the knowledge and skills necessary to excel as a true international logistics leader in the future.
After a review process of industry experience and a written dissertation demonstrating technical knowledge, CIFFA is pleased to announce that Ercenk Atasoy of DSV Air & Sea Inc. has been selected as the 2026 winner of the Canadian Young Logistics Professionals Award.
Ercenk’s journey in freight forwarding started in 2013 while he was still pursuing his university studies in International Logistics and Trade in Turkey. Over more than a decade at DHL Global Forwarding, he held various roles, including Air Freight Operations Trainee, Air Freight Operations Specialist, Ocean Freight Specialist, and Ocean Commercial Centre Specialist. This extensive experience has equipped him with a diverse skill set and deep industry knowledge.
In 2023, Ercenk made the decision to move to Canada to pursue more education. He graduated from Georgian College in December 2023 with a diploma in Marketing Management, and since January 2024, he has been working at DSV Air & Sea Inc. as an Ocean Import Operator.
According to his superior, Ercenk is organized, reliable and committed to going the extra mile to get the job done.
When asked why he entered the YLP Award, Ercenk said:
“The logistics industry is full of challenges and opportunities. Being able to touch people’s lives and support their businesses is my true passion. Challenging myself to grow and build a successful career inspired me to participate in the YLP competition. Having the opportunity to compete for Canada on a global stage is not only a goal, but a true passion.”
As this year’s Canadian winner, Ercenk will receive a cash prize of CA $1,500 and will proudly represent Canada at the FIATA Americas regional competition, which requires the submission of two dissertations. If he is selected as the Americas regional winner, Ercenk will have the opportunity to compete at the 2026 FIATA World Congress in Milan, Italy, in the fall. The TT Club and FIATA will cover his registration fees, hotel accommodations during the Congress, and travel expenses of up to US $1,000.
Additionally, CIFFA would like to acknowledge the exceptional work of the contestant who placed second, Mariana Romo Garcia.
Mariana has established a solid foundation for her career with a diploma in Business Administration and International Business, the FIATA Diploma and the completion of Air and Ocean Dangerous Goods courses. Currently, she serves as a Key Account Manager at DSV Air & Sea, where she has had the opportunity to contribute to the AOG (Aircraft on Ground) program, collaborating closely with overseas colleagues to deliver time-sensitive solutions and ensure exceptional service for their clients. These experiences have allowed her to grow both technically and professionally, while reinforcing her commitment to excellence in every aspect of her role.
Her superior describes Mariana as a standout young professional with the ability to combine operational know-how with commercial insight. Someone who is not only dependable and resourceful, but also a team player who lifts those around her. Her enthusiasm for the logistics industry is clear in everything she does.
Click here for more information on the Young Logistics Professionals Award.
The CIFFA Certificate and FIATA Diploma are prestigious qualifications in the logistics and freight forwarding industry, offering comprehensive training in global trade operations, transportation management, and regulatory compliance. Together, these credentials significantly improve career opportunities and credibility in the competitive logistics sector. We would also like to recognize those students who have achieved the highest average grades in these courses.
CIFFA Certificate – Job Nicolai Award
The Job Nicolai Award recognizes outstanding students who achieve the highest average grades in the CIFFA Certificate courses. The award is based on performance in two core courses: International Transportation and Trade and Essentials of Freight Forwarding. Recipients are selected from regions across Canada, ensuring national representation.
Mr. Job Nicolai, a Central Region Lecturer in the early 1990s, played a pivotal role in expanding access to CIFFA education. Before the advent of e-learning, Mr. Nicolai developed chapter-specific exercises for the CIFFA International Freight Forwarding courses.
To honor his dedication and contributions, CIFFA established the Job Nicolai Award after his passing. This award continues to celebrate academic excellence and Mr. Nicolai’s enduring legacy in freight forwarding education.
2025: Job Nicoli Award Winners:
| Jessica Akhras | Testforce Systems Inc. |
| Marwa Abdelrahman | Bollore |
| Pavlo Mastiukh | Cole International Inc. |
| Sujin Shin | CEVA Air & Ocean Canada Inc. |
| Zibin Guo | Bollore |
FIATA Diploma Course – Advanced Freight Services – George Kuhn Award
The George Kuhn Education Award recognizes students who achieve the highest grades in the FIATA Diploma Course – Advanced Freight Services (formerly the Advanced Certificate Courses). The award is presented regionally across Canada, honoring outstanding academic performance in this advanced freight services curriculum.
George Kuhn was a transformative figure in the international transportation and logistics industry. Originally from Switzerland, he built an illustrious career across England, France, the United States, and Japan. His leadership as CIFFA’s President (1982–1983) and later as Executive Director (1999–2006) left a lasting mark. Notably, he was instrumental in launching CIFFA’s education programs in the early 1980s, including Dangerous Goods courses and specialized workshops.
Mr. Kuhn passed away on November 11, 2019, leaving behind a significant legacy in the freight and logistics sector. This award, named in his honor, celebrates his dedication to education and excellence in the field.
2025: George Kuhn Award Winners:
| Anastasiia Bogomazova | Silfab Solar Inc. |
| Kevin Lauzer | MSCS Inc. |
| Petra Silver-Konecna | Yusen Logistics (Canada) Inc |
| Ross Britton | JDI Logistics |
| Seoyoung Cho | GHY International |
When logistics educators and association leaders from around the world came together in Hanoi, Vietnam, for the FIATA World Congress (October 6–10, 2025), one theme rose above everything else: artificial intelligence—and what it means for the future of learning in our industry.
At the centre of that conversation was Stephen McDermott, CIFFA’s Director of Education and Chief Learning Officer of TraversEd, CIFFA’s international education arm. The Hanoi meeting marked the conclusion of Stephen’s five-year term as Chair of the FIATA Logistics Institute (FLI)—a leadership chapter that strengthened global logistics education and showcased Canada’s influence at the world level.
And fittingly, his final session as Chair was all about the next frontier: AI and the future of logistics training.
AI Steals the Spotlight in Hanoi
The FLI meeting was meant to include a discussion on artificial intelligence—but it quickly became the discussion.
Delegates from every FIATA region shared how AI is already changing their educational work:
What surprised many was how accessible these tools have become. Smaller associations that once struggled to build or update training materials now have the power to do it faster and more affordably.
The room was buzzing with possibilities—AI is levelling the playing field for logistics education worldwide.
But the message was clear: AI doesn’t replace educators — it empowers them
Alongside the excitement, delegates raised important points:
Educators won’t become obsolete—their role will evolve, focusing more on coaching learners to think, question, analyse, and apply information critically.
This balanced, human-first approach mirrors how CIFFA and TraversEd are integrating AI into their own educational programs.
Five Years of Global Impact for CIFFA and TraversEd
With Stephen concluding his term as FLI Chair, the meeting also reflected on how much has been accomplished since 2020—many achievements shaped by CIFFA’s and TraversEd’s leadership mindset.
During his five years:
CIFFA’s expertise—paired with TraversEd’s global education perspective—helped influence many of these improvements. Associations consistently looked to CIFFA as a modern example of digital learning transformation and practical, industry-aligned curriculum design.
CIFFA’s work through TraversEd has extended Canadian logistics education to learners around the world, reinforcing Canada’s role as a leader in our profession.
A Look Ahead: The AI Era Has Arrived
The biggest insight from the FLI meeting in Hanoi was simple:
AI is no longer optional in logistics education—it’s the new norm.
The industry is now entering a phase where the key questions are:
These are conversations CIFFA and TraversEd are well positioned to lead, both nationally and internationally.
As Stephen closed the session—and his term—he thanked the global delegates for their collaboration and shared his confidence that the next era of logistics learning will be more innovative, more accessible, and more globally connected than ever before.
AI will play a major role.
And CIFFA / TraversEd will continue to help lead the way.
After months of planning, CIFFA’s premier annual conference, themed Forward Thinking, Redefining Excellence in the Supply Chain, was held October 29 and 30, 2025 at the Delta Toronto airport. It was a resounding success.
We welcomed 450+ attendees for two days of insight from Keynote speakers such as Economist Alan Arcand, Maritime Expert Lars Jensen, and HR champion Charles Fortier.
In addition to the keynotes and a gala dinner for 500+ attendees on the first evening, CIFFA presented panels with important learnings on the key issues facing our members and associates today: from modal issues relating to rail, truck, marine and air, to insurance, legal, technology, and trade. Thanks to our speakers and moderators for leading these instrumental conversations.
We also welcomed 37 companies to our massive tradeshow and 30 key sponsors lent support for this premium supply chain stakeholder event.
Thanks for the incredible support and looking forward to seeing you all next year! View conference pictures.
BILL S-211, An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff, was passed by the Senate in Canada on April 28, 2022 and received Royal Assent in 2023.
The Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act imposed an obligation on certain government institutions and private-sector entities to report on the measures taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used by them or in their supply chains. The Act provides for an inspection regime applicable to entities and gives the Minister the power to require an entity to provide certain information. It also amended the Customs Tariff to allow for a prohibition on the importation of goods manufactured or produced, in whole or in part, by forced labour or child labour as those terms are defined in the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act.
Forced labour can be found in every country and every sector. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are approximately 28 million victims of forced labour worldwide, including 17.6 million in the private economy. There is a risk that goods entering the Canadian market through global supply chains were produced using forced labour or child labour.
The Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the Act) aims to increase industry awareness and transparency about forced labour and child labour, and to encourage responsible business practices.
Certain entities and government institutions must submit a report to the Minister of Public Safety by May 31 of each year. Reports must describe the steps the entity or government institution has taken during its previous financial year to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour is used in its activities or supply chains.
All reports are made available to the public in two ways:
Who needs to submit a report
An entity refers to any corporation, trust, partnership or other unincorporated organization that:
Those who fall within the above definition of entity are required to submit a report only if they:
In theory, no product produced by child labour is allowed to enter Canada. But Canada does not enforce it at the border-the reporting requirements aim to address any issues.
SME clients should not however ignore the risks even if they are not directly implicated. In a CIFFA webinar on Forced Labour March 4, CIFFA instructor and presenter Christian Sivière noted that freight forwarders, while they have no reporting obligations, can help customers understand liabilities -making sure suppliers of finished products are not importing a product where the raw material comes from a company that is sanctioned/forced labour.
Companies must be vigilant-integrating geopolitical risks into their strategies, putting more emphasis on compliance, and being conscious of what is happening in the U.S.-re export controls, sanctions and restrictions, corruption, money laundering, etc. The extra-territorial application of U.S. laws in Canada and around the world makes this paramount.
In the case of exporters, Sivière noted that they can protect themselves through traceability of their supply chain with upstream suppliers. For example, by knowing their export customers, avoiding ExWorks shipments in favour of FCA shipments, validating end use of the product, validating export permits and using double scrutiny with countries known to participate in sanctions evasion, as well as double scrutiny with dual-use goods (for example products used both in industry and in military applications).
Canadian exporters must ensure that they don’t export goods made in the U.S. or with U.S. technology to any country where the U.S. has an embargo and/or sanctions.
In Europe, in 2023 there was public consultation on proposed regulation to prohibit any products made, extracted or harvested with forced labour, made in the E.U. or elsewhere. The E.U. is targeting entry into force of these regulations in 2025, banning such products for sale in the E.U. market. But again, noted Sivière, screening will not be done at the borders.
Importers, meanwhile, can protect themselves by gathering supply chain information on the goods they intend to import, for example bills of materials, lists of suppliers for each step in the production, commercial invoices and certificates of origin.
Freight forwarders provide a value-added service in the mitigation of forced labour. Helping their customers deal with these issues
Freight forwarders who have done their due diligence have no direct liability.
They have to respectfully turn down requests to pick up from any prohibited entity, and make sure customers are not front companies, but are legitimate entities, while also making sure branded goods are not fake.
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The following is a contributed article from Pledge, which has partnered with CIFFA and other freight forwarding associations worldwide to help forwarders support shippers with their sustainability goals with its freight emissions measurement tools. Helping logistics service providers and enterprises tackle carbon challenges, meet climate goals, and build a sustainable future—powered by Pledge’s accredited platform.
Freight forwarders are facing a number of challenges, including rising fuel costs, increased competition and growing pressure from shippers to reduce their environmental impact. In order to stay ahead of the curve, forwarders need to find new ways to differentiate themselves and create value for their clients.
In this blog post, we’ll explain how implementing emissions measurement and other climate initiatives in the correct way will enable you to make sustainability a core revenue centre for your freight forwarding business.
The rising demand for sustainable supply chains
Shippers are demanding sustainability and looking to work with supply chain partners that share their values. The numbers confirm this — according to the HFW & Panattoni European Logistics & Supply Chain Sustainability Report 2023, 72% of shippers now include sustainability targets as part of their tender process.
Additionally, 56% of shippers insist on terminating contracts if ESG targets are not met and 53% have excluded forwarders from tenders for not meeting sustainability criteria. This trend suggests that shippers are increasingly seeing sustainability as a core aspect of their supply chain strategy, with many now refusing to work with forwarders who don’t meet their climate initiatives.
This trend can be largely attributed to the growing awareness of the environmental impact of global trade from consumers, meaning that many shippers are starting to improve the end-to-end visibility of their carbon footprint for the first time.
But consumers aren’t the only factor pressuring shippers into disclosing their emissions data — an increasing number of regulations that require companies to report their emissions, such as the EU’s CSRD and the UK’s SDR, means businesses now need to meet emissions disclosure requirements. While most of these obligations are yet to come into force, shippers are already aligning themselves with forwarders that can give them visibility of their scope 3 supply chain emissions which fall under emissions reporting regulations.
Sustainability can provide new business opportunities for your forwarding business
While all this talk of needing to meet shippers’ sustainability needs might sound daunting — and expensive — it’s important to recognise that when done correctly, sustainability can provide tangible business opportunities and create additional revenue centres for your freight forwarding business.
Automated emissions measurements as standard
Integrating automated emissions measurement into your customer portal as a standard part of your business offering can help you win new business and drive customer loyalty, resulting in increased revenue. It also greatly reduces the costs and time involved in getting accurate emissions measurements that shippers will soon be more regularly demanding.
Here’s how you can support your clients with automated emissions measurement:
What can you do now?
By promoting automated emissions measurement as a standard part of your offering and highlighting its benefits at the quoting stage of your sales cycle, you’ll raise the value of your service when going to tender. This can give you that competitive edge you need to secure more tenders and increase revenue for your business.
Support shippers’ long-term sustainability strategies
Sustainability isn’t only about the quick wins when going to tender. Providing clients with accredited, granular and transparent data on their carbon footprint can help them to develop long-term sustainability strategies — and you should make sure you demonstrate this to prospective clients. This is a crucial element for modern business’s brand strategies as more and more consumers are purchasing climate-responsible products.
Here’s just a few ways you can demonstrate your long-term value to clients through sustainability:
What can you do now?
Try showcasing your success. For example, adding case studies to your website based on quantitative data is a great way to demonstrate to prospective clients of the long-term benefit you can provide for their sustainability strategy. Clients will see your business as a viable long-term freight forwarding option that delivers more than simple logistics services, increasing client loyalty and building up a revenue pipeline over time.
Position yourself as a sustainability thought leader
Freight forwarders that exhibit thought leadership on emissions and sustainability in the supply chain will benefit more than those that don’t. By offering expertise and advice on how to lower your clients’ carbon footprints in the supply chain, you can gain a competitive edge and increase your bottom line.
What can you do now?
Sustainability expertise is still relatively new in freight forwarding, so there’s a great opportunity to strike while the iron’s hot and take the lead. Try publishing research, contributing to industry discussions and using quantitative data to inform your strategy to position your business as an expert in sustainable freight.
Driving new opportunities in the freight and logistics sector
Sustainability presents much more than an expensive necessity for freight forwarders to meet shippers’ needs — it has the potential to provide forwarders with new avenues for generating revenue. If you take the initiative now to start integrating automated emissions measurement, offering shippers support with long-term sustainability strategies and positioning yourself as a thought leader, you’ll successfully see your bottom line increase through a growing customer base and the ability to charge a premium for your services.
By Ian Putzger
Sustainability goals have been receding into the future. In recent months many large companies, from airlines to retailers and banks, have rowed back from their emissions reduction targets for 2030, although they maintained their pledges for carbon-neutral operations by 2050. It seems that for the logistics sector, even 2050 may be an elusive target. According to the European Environment Agency, logistics will account for up to 40 percent of global CO2 emissions by that year unless changes are implemented.
The new administration in Washington was quick to dismantle sustainability funding programs of its predecessor, but Ottawa remains committed to its net zero goal for 2050.
The first set of courses was oversubscribed, indicating strong interest in the issue from across the spectrum of industry. Moreover, pursuing emissions reduction is good business sense, she remarked.
Without a doubt there is a need for signposts in a landscape of standards and frameworks that is dense and cluttered, leaving many confused where to begin. There have been over 600 different standards and guidelines since the first standard appeared in 1997. Logistics firms brandish a broad array of badges and certificates on their emissions reduction credentials. As recent developments have shown, commitments to emissions targets carry little weight, as they may get pulled back or quietly abandoned for a variety of reasons.
Environmental interest groups that engage with industry about emissions find little merit in green programs if there is no improvement in a company’s carbon footprint. “Ultimately it comes down to numbers, not certifications,” says Jonathan Butler, corporate campaign manager at San Francisco-based Pacific Environment.
Emissions calculators are becoming readily available. Last year CIFFA installed the Freight Emissions Calculator from Pledge on its website to give members an opportunity to trial its technology to measure and reduce emissions free of charge. The calculator’s measurement engine is accredited by the Smart Freight Centre for conformance with the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) framework and covers all modes of freight transport. Other organisations that have partnered with Pledge include DP World and the World Cargo Alliance.
GLEC provides a set of guidelines for the methodology for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It covers all modes for calculations from basic to more granular levels and is regularly updated to capture evolving regulations and requirements.
“There has been a lot of discussion if the data is good enough. It is good enough,” says Kathrin Brost, global head GoGreen at DHL Global Forwarding.
Essentially there are two approaches to reducing GHG emissions – aiming to burn less CO2 through supply chain optimisation, and burning clean through use of compliant technology and/or low emission fuel options, she says.
According to technology solutions provider Epicor, supply chain optimisation will get a boost from the deployment of AI, which can pinpoint emissions hotspots, automate tailored reports, visualisations and dashboards to help with compliance. Eventually, however, companies will reach a level of maximum optimisation of their supply chain and processes, remarks Brost.
While carriers have taken steps to reduce emissions in their warehouses and yards, these gains are negligible compared to the operation of their vehicles. At the extreme end, 99 percent of an airfreight carrier’s carbon footprint is flying. Hence, meaningful progress in GHG reduction can only be made in carriers’ fleets – by bringing in green technology or burning green fuels.
The high upfront cost of most sustainable technologies, combined with their usually slower return on investment, means that their adoption is headed by larger operators, at least in the initial stage. Electric propulsion has made some headway on the roads, but it is only in the initial stage in ocean transport (Chinese carrier COSCO introduced two battery-powered box ships with a capacity of 700 teu in late 2023) and at the conceptual stage in air cargo. While there are some projects for the introduction of small electric cargo planes, battery-powered large widebody freighters are widely seen to be decades away – if at all feasible, as the weight of a suitable battery would seriously impact payload capabilities.
Hence, much of the improvement in technology to reduce emissions in international longhaul traffic has come from the deployment of more modern jets and ships with better fuel efficiency and the use of alternative fuels, although the latter remain at a low percentage of overall fuel burn. The limited availability of eco-fuels has revived the fortunes of liquid natural gas (LNG), but this is still a fossil fuel and therefore seen as a transition solution until green fuels can be scaled up to necessary levels.
On the roads the advance of electric trucks has been hamstrung by their higher acquisition cost and limited range compared to diesel-powered models. Arguably an even bigger obstacle is the lack of a comprehensive charging infrastructure. While local operators like parcel delivery companies can charge their vehicles overnight at their depots, this option does not exist for longhaul trucking. Moreover, charging infrastructure is expensive. Brost points out that a charger costs around 120,000 euros (C$187,740).
“You will not invest in an e-truck if you can’t charge it,” she remarks.
On the airline side the chief focus in terms of sustainability programs offered to cargo customers has been on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Carriers like Lufthansa, Air France KLM and Air Canada offer buy-in schemes that allow clients to select a preferred level of investment. Lufthansa also runs a full charter connection that is 100 percent SAF-powered and has a partnership program with DB Schenker in place that saves 174 tonnes of kerosene a week.
Buy-in programs that allow customers to claim green credits is the way to go, both in air cargo and container shipping, as this allows everybody to benefit from the various decarbonisation levers and helps speed up industry-wide use of low emission fuels. Carrier partners that use sustainable fuels make allocations to DHL, which in turn allocates portions to its customers, who can claim reductions for their use.
Sustainable fuel for air and ocean transportation is only available at a limited number of ports/airports, said Sean Boyd, EVP marketing & sales of DHL Global Forwarding Americas.
“It doesn’t make sense to ship around sustainable fuel, so it’s really important to scale up,” she says. “It’s irrelevant where SAF is used. All that matters is that GHG emissions are reduced.”
Many shipping lines publish their progress in emissions reduction, typically in terms of lower burn of CO2 per container on an annual basis. Carbon-neutral programs are offered by most large box carriers, but those tend to be offsetting schemes rather than buy-in of alternative fuels. Environmental protection groups like Pacific Environment see little merit in offsetting, arguing that the money spent on these would be better used for direct measures. They convey progress where none has been made, comments Butler.
DHL Global Forwarding has decided to phase out its offsetting schemes. “Offsetting has nothing to do with the transportation sector. Our obligation is for transportation to be decarbonised. At some point in time we need sustainable fuel at each and every port,” says Brost.
Still, she stresses the need for a pragmatic approach. “What if someone is willing to fund technology, to pay for sustainable technology but it’s not available in their country? We need to be pragmatic, but there need to be guardrails,” she reflects.
The trucking sector is further ahead in its use of green technology like electric trucks, but much of this is limited to trials and shorthaul markets like final mile deliveries. Overall, it presents formidable obstacles beyond the lack of charging infrastructure and the higher costs. A highly fragmented market with a plethora of small players who do not have the funds and means for advanced sustainability programs, it needs significant changes across the spectrum – from truck manufacturers to fuel providers and regulators – in order to make sufficient headway to reach emissions targets, a study published by McKinsey last September found.
Beyond Ottawa’s Green Freight Program, which aims to help fleets reduce their fuel consumption and GHG emissions through grants for fleet modernization, retrofits and fleet energy assessments, the main focus of the trucking industry has been the SmartWay Transportation Program, a voluntary scheme administered by Environment Canada (and by the US Environmental Protection Agency south of the border) that encourages best practices in supply chains. It is meant to help carriers and shippers benchmark their operations, track fuel consumption and improve their overall performance.
SmartWay uses fuel, mileage and payload data of carriers to calculate their emissions rates according to the fleet category. It does not make actual emission rates public but places companies into performance ranges from the top 20 percent to the bottom 20 percent.
Some truckers participate in the EcoVadis rating program, which measures the quality of their sustainability management system through the lens of policies, actions and results. Based on this, they receive a medal or badge to show their achievement relative to other assessed companies in the EcoVadis database, but it does not track GHG footprint.
Lack of detailed trucker data can often leave a gap in the end-to-end emissions picture. Brost notes that a lot of evidence, including audited documents, is necessary to demonstrate that a mode or leg of a shipment provides the emissions reductions for a shipper to claim. “Unless you can report it, provide something tangible to the customer, you can’t sell it,” she says.
For shippers it is vital to get as a close as possible to a complete picture of their supply chain footprint. An Economist Impact survey of the retail sector warns that piecemeal adoption of supply chain measures can be costly and have unforeseen effects.
The survey also found that 71 percent of respondents partner with logistics providers to integrate supply chain decarbonization solutions, and 65 percent are willing to pay a premium for logistics services with lower GHG emissions, which points to an incidental benefit of sustainability initiatives between supply chain partners.
CIFFA’s Spring Issue of the Forwarder magazine is dedicated once again to the topic of Sustainability. In 2023, CIFFA created a Sustainability Committee comprising of employees of member firms, each having an interest in affecting positive change.
Sustainability has become an increased and important area of focus for CIFFA, , and this issue of the Forwarder magazine aims to display for the membership some of the work we are researching and working on towards the topic.
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