Green or environmental logistics

Résumé du document

For a number of years, environmental issues have been a growing concerns in society, particularly in the business practices. Under influences of lobby, customers or stakeholders, the idea of sustainable development and of ecological respect has become more popular. Thus, as many other activities within the firms, logistics was not an exception, and had to face these new challenges. This concept has been called "green logistics" or "environmental logistics", suggesting that logistics should be more environmentally friendly. In this essay, we will try to discuss about the introduction of this concept and its integration within the firms. First, we will see that logistics is particularly concerned with the problems resulting from the environmental issues. Then, by looking at legislation and norms, we will see that "green issues" are more and more imposed to the firms, and finally we will be able to discuss about the opportunities and implementation of "green logistics".

Extraits

[...] In this situation, the environment is seen as a constraint and can be a big cost for the societies. The second scenario argues that firms can act voluntarily with a “bottom-up” approach. Thus, industries would have an interest in developing the approach, that is to say that industries save time, money or gain favourable image. Even if the second scenario (voluntary systems) can be developed by the appearance of new organisation (EMAS and ISO 14 000), authors argues that a third scenarios is more likely to happen. [...]

[...] So, green logistics will be lead up by all new environmental issues. These issues can involve changes in the all system of a firm and are directed by government or customer. The fact that Exel, the main actor of logistics industry in UK, offer a green option to its customer is a sure sign that logistics will be more and more involved in this process After the reverse logistics, designed to manage the recycling and reusing, next improvement will have to focus on the problems brought by transport, particularly emissions and congestion. [...]

[...] Several categories exists: to recondition if it is a cost efficient option; repair; remanufacture by replacing a component; cannibalize by recovering reusable components and recycle if no components are reusable. - Recover the value of assets in the return chain, by maximising profitability of returned good, surplus, scrap, waste and excess material products. - The financial policy is also critical. - Finally, outsource the return management can be profitable for the firm, which benefit of expertise and investment of specialised operators. [...]

[...] A survey of McKinnon (1998) showed that in British firms, the warehousing decreased by and that third of the firms indicated an increased level of truck traffic”. As transport gained reliability, efficiency and speed, it replaced traditional warehousing, bringing about more ecological problems. Here we need to note that the authors emphasise the fact that “Just in time” and “Door to door” services are particularly damaging for environment because this systems encourage the use of the least environmentally efficient way of transport, to achieve goals of rapidity and reliability. For L Ennarsson the most important problem caused by logistics comes from the transportation. [...]

[...] However, others type of incentives could be used, with reward given to environmentally friendly businesses. After the decision of implementation of a “green logistics”, the firm must look carefully at all its activities, to find opportunities of improvement and environmental strategy. As the environmental issues were taking more and more importance, the first significant consideration has been the reverse logistics. This pre- occupation became a major tool of environmental logistics, to save, recover, transport, transform and recycle (or re-use) wastes, used materials and energy. [...]