GSCW chat: Using data, collaboration to decarbonize logistics

Data becoming increasingly important, Smart Freight Centre program director says

(Photo: FreightWaves)

This fireside chat recap is from Day 5 of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Data and collaboration can decarbonize logistics.

DETAILS: Tyler Cole, director of carbon intelligence at FreightWaves, chats with Rik Arends about trends in freight decarbonization. Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to accelerating zero-emission freight through training, collaboration and industry guidance initiatives globally.

SPEAKER: Arends is the program director at SFC.

BIO: Before joining SFC, Arends gained more than 10 years of experience as a civil engineer in sustainable transport in Europe and the Global South. He leads development of low-emission fuels and vehicles, data access and exchange and new end-to-end guidance programs.



KEY QUOTES FROM ARENDS:

“We are founding the Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance where freight buyers really can come together and can move in a specific way, create that collaboration, work together, share that knowledge, understand where solution pathways go and collectively drive that decarbonization effort. I think that’s even more important than just setting standards as we go forward.”

“Data is increasingly becoming more important.”

“The more we talk about data you need to be specific about what data you want to get and what purpose you want to get the data for. You can talk about getting access to all the data and then you get swamped in the data. At the same time, if you don’t ask for data upfront in your procurement, you might end up with them saying, ‘Sorry, we don’t want to share this with you.’”

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Alyssa Sporrer

Alyssa is a staff writer at FreightWaves, covering sustainability news in the freight and supply chain industry, from low-carbon fuels to social sustainability, emissions & more. She graduated from Iowa State University with a double major in Marketing and Environmental Studies. She is passionate about all things environmental and enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, ultimate frisbee, hiking, and soccer.