Tackling Sustainability with Technology | Partners

Consider this: What if a sleeping mask in a warehouse could tell the IT system that the customer’s order required it to be dispatched with a pillow and a copy of the bestseller, How to Sleep?  And that it needed to reach its destination at a specific time and date, so the fastest and most sustainable method would be via Carrier X?   The signal from this item sets in motion a picking device in the warehouse. A robot then delivers the mask, pillow and book to the packing station where an employee collates them tightly in a box, so no air gets shipped, and fewer packaging materials are needed. Finally, Carrier X delivers the whole consignment to the customer in a single journey, via a quick and fuel-efficient route.  

For a society accustomed to the achievements of a linear economy, the transition to a circular economic system is a hard task even to contemplate. Although the changes needed may seem daunting, it is important to remember that we have already come a long way. However, the history of the waste hierarchy has taught that political perseverance and unity of approach are essential to achieving long term visions in supply chain management. Looking back, it is helpful to view the significance of the Lansink’s Ladder in the light of the sustainability gains it has already instigated.