While even the largest of retailers only has visibility into their own freight, C.H. Robinson has visibility into 19 million shipments annually
Load and mode optimization, consolidation, purchase order aggregation and eliminating empty miles are some of the ways we make supply chains more efficient. As Chief Human Resources and E.S.G. Officer for C.H. Robinson, I’m proud to say that those services are also some of our most effective sustainability solutions.
For example, because C.H. Robinson’s technology is built by and for supply chain experts, we can uncover that a customer’s weekly freight from Los Angeles to Chicago is consistently seven different less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments from seven different vendors. To help the customer save money, reduce waste and achieve their sustainability goals, we can consolidate that onto one truck. That’s six cross-country shipments and a lot of emissions eliminated. More efficient. More sustainable.
Our global suite of services also provides more options. For example, if that customer has bigger shipments that are less time-sensitive, one option would be switching from trucks to rail. On average, a ton of freight can move 470 miles by rail on a single gallon of gas. More efficient. More sustainable.
Just think about the carbon reduction that’s possible in a major national retailer’s supply chain. Let’s say the retailer has hundreds of shipments going from Amsterdam to Barcelona every week, with trucks driving back empty to pick up their next load. Those are wasted miles. Because of our global scope and scale, our supply chain experts can optimize that, too. While even the largest of retailers only has visibility into their own freight, C.H. Robinson has visibility into 19 million shipments annually. It’s an enormous information advantage for our customers. Across our vast network of contract carriers, we can identify hundreds of trucks on similar schedules going from Barcelona to Amsterdam. Pairing up that freight can eliminate those empty miles and the associated carbon emissions. More efficient. More sustainable.
In my E.S.G. role, I have the privilege of seeing how C.H. Robinson’s expertise in solving the most complex supply chain problems is creating a more sustainable future for our customers, our industry and our planet.