Bleckmann Fashion & Lifestyle Logistics has received its first Lean & Green Star. This milestone came as the result of hard work and dedication to continued improvement initiatives. It reflects some of the CSR related ambitions of Bleckmann. Ron Thijssen, Manager Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): “In the fashion and lifestyle ecosystem it’s increasingly important to work sustainably, which goes beyond business models. Towards the future we will therefore emphasize on partnering with sustainable chain partners to enable and implement further improvements.”
At the start of the Lean & Green process logistics service providers have a choice. They can focus on making transport more sustainable, but they can also involve warehousing activities in the initiative. Bleckmann chose the second approach. Thijssen: “In the calculations we focused both on everything that leaves our Dutch distribution centers as well as on everything that is shipped from the ports via our Dutch DC’s.” Achieving the star is Bleckmann’s second appealing achievement within just one year. Earlier in 2020, the company entered the Top 10 of leading Dutch logistics service providers, and that partly thanks to its efforts in the area of sustainability.
Working together is the basis for sustainable improvements
“Achieving the Lean & Green Star is a joint success of the various Bleckmann departments”, says the Manager CSR. “Our first goal was to find out how we wanted to calculate CO2 emissions and what quantities we had to deal with. Then we started to back calculate everything to the amount of CO2 per package.”
In the process towards the Lean & Green Star various departments have started to cooperate differently and more closely with each other. Thijssen: “This applies, for example, to the Business Intelligence and Transport departments. In the past, the focus was more on performance, monitoring whether the agreed KPI was achieved. Now, as a company, we really have to look beyond and we can only do that if we work together. Therefore, the priority has changed. Furthermore, our clients also show increasing interest in the carbon emissions and impact of transport of their shipments. Thanks to the collected data and Lean & Green calculations, we can now evaluate it in a more transparent way. The guidance from Connekt and Bigmile was very helpful to put it all together.”
Bleckmann also wants to roll out Lean & Green abroad
Bleckmann will not rest on its laurels now that the first star has been achieved. In 2021 the Fashion & Lifestyle Logistics specialist is planning to roll out the Lean & Green approach throughout its operations abroad. “For this to be successful, data discipline is crucial. After all, what do you compare, boxes or pallets? The basis is now in place, we can build on it. This means that we can not only look at where and how we can optimize transport in terms of CO2 emissions. It also means that we can inform and advise our clients and look for possible alternative ways of transport”, concludes Thijssen.
