CARGOCONNECT JULY2024 - Flipbook - Page 73
E-COMCONNECT 2024
“Today, there is a growing emphasis
on sustainability and the circular
economy, highlighting how more
businesses are integrating these
principles into their strategies to
meet environmental standards. Sustainable e-commerce entails online
businesses minimising their carbon
footprint by optimising resource
use. Beyond mere terminology, it
signi昀椀es proactive e昀昀orts to mitigate
environmental impact while promoting long-term planetary well-being and
enhancing business credibility. This shift is critical as consumers increasingly
prioritise eco-friendly choices and favour brands aligned with their values. In
the e-commerce industry, sustainability is no longer optional but essential.
Businesses are adopting a variety of sustainability practices to achieve their
environmental goals, encompassing changes in policies, processes, and
infrastructure to ensure sustainable operations. Some e-commerce platforms
are implementing tailored sustainability practices and incentive programmes.
Technological advancements are further supporting these e昀昀orts by enhancing
systems that optimise processes, reduce waste, and lower carbon emissions,
thereby bolstering sustainability initiatives across the sector.”
“In the context of the circular economy
within the procurement cycle of products like watches or a昀昀ordable luxury
accessories, there's a notable emphasis
on sustainability practices. A signi昀椀cant aspect is the development of a
second-hand market for watches, where
timepieces are valued as collectibles
intended to be passed down through
generations. This approach shifts the
focus from mere sales transactions
to ensuring longevity and meaningful use of each watch sold. For example,
the approach of "reduce, recycle, and reuse" is embedded in Seiko's watch
production from the procurement stage, with the goal of creating timepieces
designed for lifelong use. After-sales services are pivotal in this strategy,
ensuring watches are maintained and serviced to extend their lifespan as
per guidelines. Seiko specialises in automatic watches, eliminating battery
dependence to enhance sustainability and reduce environmental impact.
Additionally, Seiko prioritises the reuse of watch parts for spare components,
fostering resource e昀케ciency and supporting a circular economy model. Our
adherence to government regulations on battery procurement and disposal
demonstrates proactive environmental stewardship.”
UPAMANYU BORAH, Sub-Editor, CARGOCONNECT (MODERATOR)
ULHAS UDAY, Business Head– E-commerce, Seiko-India
“The food industry is focussing on
sustainability across several fronts.
This includes e昀昀orts to reduce calories
in food products, enrich them with
essential nutrients, and improve overall food safety standards. Attention
is also directed towards enhancing
food safety by minimising pesticide
residues and other harmful contaminants that may lead to chronic health
issues. Today, consumers prioritise
food safety and sustainability over traditional considerations like price and
taste. As a result, major food manufacturers are collaborating across the
supply chain to implement measures that reduce salt, fat, and calorie content
in their products to align with daily recommended intakes. Additionally,
there's a growing emphasis on transparency in sourcing claims, such as
sustainably sourced cocoa or speci昀椀c wheat varieties. Tools like Blockchain
are instrumental in establishing traceability throughout the supply chain,
ensuring that claims about sourcing practices can be substantiated and
veri昀椀ed. While progress is evident in sustainable practices within the food
sector, challenges remain, particularly in achieving fully recyclable packaging
and transitioning to renewable energy sources to achieve zero emissions.”
“Currently, IKEA exclusively collaborates with vendors who have de昀椀ned
sustainability objectives. For IKEA, it's
not mandatory that vendors achieve
100% zero-emission deliveries by
a specific date like 2025, but there
must be documented sustainability
goals in place, whether for 2030,
2040, or 2050. This criterion holds
significant weight when assessing
potential partners during tender
evaluations. Moreover, IKEA acknowledges that transitioning to sustainable
practices can be 昀椀nancially demanding for vendors. Therefore, IKEA actively
supports its partners by forging alliances with vehicle manufacturers and
charging infrastructure providers. Additionally, IKEA invests in training and
infrastructure development to ensure vendors are equipped and con昀椀dent
in utilising electric vehicles e昀昀ectively. Over time, this initiative has yielded
tangible results: currently, only two diesel vehicles remain operational across
six cities, with Bangalore, for instance, maintaining just one diesel vehicle
as a contingency. This shift is particularly noteworthy given the nature of
IKEA's products—large, bulky furniture items such as beds and sofas—that
traditionally pose logistical challenges.”
UNNIKRISHNAN VIJAYAN, Head– Raw Material Procurement, ITC
(Food Div.)
KAUSTABH ACHARYA, Project Implementation Manager, IKEA
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