Mar 03, 2023
POLIS and ALICE Webinar Series 2023 – Consumer Engagement: Provision Consistent Information on Sustainability
Monday, February 6th, 2023
Introduction:
One of the five intervention areas identified by the POLIS – ALICE Joint Guide is Consumer Engagement. The Guide has identified gaps to be addressed as:
- Consistent information needs to be provided to consumers that currently do not have an easy way to understand the implication of their decisions.
- Complexity of quantifying delivery options’ emissions and agreed standards for calculation
- Transparency from online retailers on the emissions of delivery choices
- Not enough awareness of the usual implications of instant deliveries
- Limited role so far from governments/cities to nudge consumers decisions on deliveries.
The logistics sector has not yet created a framework to evaluate sustainability of urban freight transport. There are some works to estimate emissions from delivery vehicles, and environmental impact of using clean vehicles. However, there is lack of a consistent approach to evaluate sustainability covering a wider range of aspects such as energy efficiency of warehouse, workforce protection.
Objectives of the webinar:
This webinar aims to raise awareness of this issue and gather cities and logistics industry to discuss:
- How to create a framework to evaluate sustainability level of urban freight activities: what factors should be considered beyond emissions from delivery vehicles?
- What kind of research and innovation activities is needed?
- What kind of roles governments and cities should play in providing information to consumers and engaging more sustainable delivery?
Agenda:
The webinar will invite logistics practitioners and city representatives to exchange their views that will create a base for future actions that can support establishment of evaluation framework, carrying out awareness campaigns and potential policy measures. The webinar will consist of short presentations and panel discussions.
Invited presentations:
- Emission Calculator by Massimo Marciani (presentation), chair of FIT Consulting and a Member of the Italian Transport Compliance Rating initiative in logistics;
- The thinking behind the so called Amazon Tax by Maria Savall Mañó, Barcelona Municipality (Presentation)
Proposed Panellists from the logistics sector:
- Charlotte Migne – FM Logistic, representing logistics companies
- Fabien Nonnez, IKEA, representing retailers
- Artur Drenk, UPS, representing logistics companies
- Hans Schurmans, PROXIMUS, representing retailers
- Pierre Fils, BPost, representing logistics companies
From the webinar, we learnt that:
- Positive incentive to encourage private sector (retailers, logistics operations) to provide ‘sustainable’ or ‘zero emission’ last mile delivery is more welcome than taxation. Some examples of providing consumers free ticket for public transport or museum to award their actions of sustainable choices can be considered.
- Logistics operators suggest to focus a wide range of aspects of sustainability rather than zero emission only, as protection of workforce is also important.
- Efforts have been made by the private sector to mainstream sustainable last mile delivery, following demands from their customers. However, to change the old practice, i.e. a van from warehouse directly to community to deliver goods, needs time for logistics operators to update their current networks entirely. They need strong supports from local authorities and more dialogues between public and private sectors are needed.
- A unified evaluation framework to assess sustainability of home delivery is needed in order to give consistent information to consumers from various retailers and e-commerce platforms.
- Raising awareness campaigns from retailers and public authorities are needed.
Back to overview
