Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Woodland Group has been providing innovative logistics, e-commerce and supply chain management services since 1988. We have grown by listening to our customers’ needs. Our culture thrives in a drive for excellence, innovation and collaboration.

Woodland Group is a business with a purpose – we are conscious of our impact on communities, the industries we work within, and our planet. It is no secret that the freight and logistics sector accounts for approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or as much as 11% if warehouses and ports are included.

As a company, we are aware we need to take action. As a result, we continue to invest in and develop carbon-conscious solutions in the hope of assisting the industry-wide transition to net zero.

Woodland Group’s Sustainable Supply Chain Solutions Programme outlines our approach to Sustainable Supply Chain Management. Its structure is based on the internationally recognised IEMA Greenhouse Gas Management Hierarchy to Eliminate, Reduce, Replace and then Compensate, and consists of five steps, as follows:

1. CO2e Reporting: Monitoring and measuring customers’ impacts to gain comprehensive insights and analyse the data to drive carbon reductions within their supply chain emissions.

2. Green Supply Chain and Optimisation: Work with our team of experts to identify ways to reduce customers’ supply chain carbon footprints through smarter consolidation, alternative transport modes, and streamlining the movement of goods. This is how we integrate sustainable logistics into customers’ supply chains.

3. Sustainable Fuel Offerings: Fast-track customers’ green transitions with biofuel technology and reduce emissions without changing their operations.

4. Green Warehousing: Implementing low-carbon solutions as the standard across our facilities to pass carbon savings on to our customers as default. Solutions include solar panels, electric material handling and reduced plastic usage, to name a few.

5. Carbon Offsetting: Although Woodland Group does not directly offer customers the opportunity to offset their shipment emissions with us, our internal knowledge and experience allow us to offer support and advice to our customers who are choosing to offset emissions in conjunction with taking direct action to reduce emissions at their source.

Woodland Group offers comprehensive sustainable supply chain consultancy, providing tailored support to navigate the complexities of sustainable supply chain management and achieve meaningful environmental improvements.

We work closely with clients, leveraging our expertise and digital tools like Woodland Online, to develop and implement customised sustainability strategies. By partnering with Woodland Group, companies gain access to in-depth knowledge and practical solutions to drive positive change.

The freight industry's journey to a net-zero future is filled with challenges; the technology gap and infrastructure limitations being the most significant. While electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction for personal vehicles and shorter haul journeys, long-distance transport still relies on fossil fuels. To power trucks and cargo ships over extended distances, significant advancements in battery technology would be necessary, or perhaps more likely, a transition to green hydrogen or biofuels. However it’s important to recognise that developing infrastructure for alternative fuels adds further complexity and cost.

The global nature of the freight industry, with complex supply chains and diverse stakeholders, poses another challenge. Coordinating efforts and ensuring consistency across different regions presents a significant hurdle. The industry's reliance on a wide range of vehicles, from small delivery vans to massive cargo ships, further complicates the issue, as each transport mode presents individual challenges.

Thankfully, shifting consumer preferences towards sustainable products and services is driving demand for low-carbon freight solutions. Raising public awareness about the environmental impact of freight transport has fostered an ongoing demand for sustainable solutions no matter the industry or transport mode.

Like the rest of the industry, Woodland Group is facing these challenges head on, but at the same time, we have seen a huge shift in demand for low carbon solutions. With this in mind, we have completed a vast variety of trials, from biofuels to battery electric HGVs, as well as developed new services that provide our customers with a step by step process to take action in reducing their supply chain emissions.

In recognition of our sustainability efforts, Woodland Group achieved a Gold EcoVadis rating in both 2023 and 2024, placing us in the top 4% of the 140,000+ companies that have been assessed by the scheme. This achievement surpasses our original 2030 target and has inspired us to set a new goal: achieving a Platinum rating by 2030.

We are proud to have been awarded the inaugural 2023 BIFA Sustainable Logistics and The Environment Award. This accolade underscores the growing importance of sustainable practices in our industry and highlights our dedication to environmental responsibility.

As a member of the Smart Freight Centre and the United Nation’s Global Compact, we are actively working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future for our industry, and the wider society we operate within.

Woodland Group is dedicated to fostering collaboration between our Operations and Sustainability Teams to deliver tailored sustainability solutions. Recognising the diverse range of industries and businesses we serve, we adopt a flexible approach to developing low-carbon strategies. By offering alternative fuels, transport modes, and trailer layouts, we can optimise operations and reduce emissions.

Our in-house Sustainability Team works closely with Operations and Sales to identify the best-fit solutions for each customer's unique needs. This collaborative process includes the creation of hypothetical carbon reports, which outline the potential environmental benefits of alternative routes, fuels, or trailer configurations. We provide these reports free of charge to all customers, empowering them to make informed decisions about their sustainability goals.

Beyond our own operations, we extend our commitment to sustainability through our sustainable supply chain consultancy service. This service goes beyond Woodland shipments, offering detailed reporting on shipments carried out by other logistics providers, providing a comprehensive view of our client's overall environmental impact.

Digitalisation plays a crucial role in our sustainability efforts. Woodland Online, our online platform, features a carbon reporting and carbon calculator tool. We continue to invest in the development of these tools to provide even more valuable insights and support our customers' sustainability journeys.