Environmental Logistics Program Expands in Europe

The Lean & Green Europe program is for large multinational freight shippers and their logistics partners; new aviation program supports airline sustainability efforts.

A new version of the expanding Lean & Green accreditation system for the logistics sector was announced at a Lean & Green Awards ceremony in Luxembourg June 27.

Aimed at larger, international shippers and logistics providers, the new Lean & Green Europe program sits alongside the national Lean & Green schemes that currently operate throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany and Luxembourg.

Malik Zeniti of the Cluster for Logistics in Luxembourg, which held its annual Lean & Green Awards Event at the solar-neutral Solarwind building in Windhof, said: “The Lean & Green Europe program is aimed those large multinational freight shippers and their logistics partners operating across national and continental boundaries. It is a logical extension of the existing nationally focused, Lean & Green programs, which are more suited to small- and medium-sized companies.”

The new International program is supported by Lean & Green champions CHEP, AB Inbev, HP, Heineken and Unilever, which have all expressed their strong support for the new program that will foster environmental collaboration and data-sharing across national boundaries.

The 2016 Luxembourg Lean & Green Awards was also the setting for the announcement of a new of a new Lean & Green Aviation program specifically designed to provide major airlines with a practical path towards greater sustainability.

“Airlines present unique challenges when it comes to the serious reduction of emissions and this new program represents a major step forward in gaining commitment and engagement from responsible aircraft operators by providing them with a systematic, targeted, independently monitored means of achieving real improvements,” said Zeniti. “We are pleased to have presented the first ever Lean & Green Aviation award to Luxembourg-based Cargolux, which has committed to an ambitious plan of reducing their CO2 emissions by 11 percent over the next five years.”

Meanwhile, The Luxembourg Cluster for Logistics' Lean & Green event coincided with the news that Luxembourg has moved from 8th to 2nd place in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index. This index ranks 160 countries on a range of logistics best practice criteria.

"Luxembourg is not only committed to a more sustainable future, it is internationally recognized as a global center of excellence for logistics and distribution,” said Zeniti. “It is clear that Luxembourg's support for the new Lean & Green International program will further enhance its recognition as a world-class global logistics hub.”