6.2

Key initiatives

There are a number of national and international initiatives designed to support decarbonisation of logistics. Highlighted below are a subset of these that might be of value to retailers and their suppliers. 

UK initiatives

• Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership - Developed within the Department for Transport FERG (Freight Emission Reduction Group) the UK road freight sector has adopted a voluntary, industry-supported commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from HGVs by 15% by 2025 compared with 2015 levels. Both the major haulage trade bodies – FTA and RHA – support the commitment as do other freight industry groups.

• The Freight Portal - Provides advice to freight operators and direction towards a range of schemes to help achieve lower costs and emissions. Created by Energy Saving Trust in partnership with the Department for Transport and Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. Supports the Department for Transport's Road to Zero strategy.

• Logistics Emissions Reduction Scheme (LERS) - free-to join-industry initiative to record, report and reduce carbon emissions from freight transport. The scheme is provided by Logistics UK free to the whole logistics industry. BRC members of LERS include The Co-operative Food, Greggs, Morrisons, and many others.

• Sustainable Aviation - Provides guidance to UK airlines, including air freight operators, on industry participation in sustainability efforts, with a significant focus on emissions mitigation. Sustainable Aviation’s decarbonisation roadmap details scenarios to achieve net zero emissions in aviation by 2050. Sustainable Aviation members handled 82% of all freight flown by UK airlines.

Global initiatives

• Smart Freight Centre - Brings together and works with the global logistics community towards efficient and zero-emissions global freight. Includes useful materials to measure emissions in own fleet and from contractors, and lower the overall footprint.

• Climate Group (EV100) - A global initiative bringing together forward-looking companies committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and making electric transport the new normal by 2030. IKEA is the first BRC member to also become a member of EV100.

• Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) - Represents ship owners and operators, as well as manufacturers and marine service providers in the vision to achieve dramatically reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. SSI prioritises the diversification of fuel sources and the adoption of efficiency measures.

• Clean Cargo – A buyer-supplier forum for global shipping sustainability, Clean Cargo provides emissions performance data from freight carriers representing approximately 85% of ocean container capacity. Clean Cargo also publish a carbon accounting methodology for freight shipping.