Behind the Sustainable Success of France's CEVA Logistics
The logistics sector is always monitoring its impact on the environment.
As an industry reliant on the transportation of goods, greenhouse gases are a practically unavoidable by-product, but resource depletion and pollution are also major concerns for logistics companies and their regulators.
French company CEVA Logistics is one industry player looking to make a change.
CEO Mathieu Friedberg likes to stress the dedication with which his organisation approaches sustainability.
"As a company with a strong CSR commitment, we closely monitor the part that our operations play in climate change," he says.
So, what exactly is CEVA doing to make a difference?
CEVA's philosophy
Firstly, regular, self-reflexive evaluations are a big part of CEVA's pursuit of sustainability.
The company meticulously checks 11 of its CSR KPIs each quarter to make sure things stay on track.
These KPIs align with CEVA's short-term 2025 goals, which look to pave the way to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
It's a responsibility that the team takes seriously.
Benoît Tinetti, CEVA's Global CSR & Sustainability Leader, says: "As a leading global logistics provider, we are responsible for decarbonising our own assets but also play a major role in encouraging our suppliers and subcontractors to invest in the technologies of tomorrow.
"The decarbonisation of the logistics industry cannot be achieved alone — it takes investment and commitment from all parties to make the biggest impact."
Matieu adds: "Our world is changing and we are responding.
"Our decarbonisation efforts are linked to our ability to innovate and collaborate. In the short term, we are reducing the carbon footprint of our warehouses — 84% of our warehouses are equipped with LED, 34% with low carbon electricity — investing in low emission vehicles — tripling the number in operation during 2023 — and finding more sustainable solutions with carriers for the transport we purchase for our customers.
"In the end, the expertise of the CEVA team gives me confidence that we will succeed."
What progress is CEVA making?
CEVA has reached some important milestones in the journey towards sustainability already, garnering some recognition from external regulators.
"One of our biggest points of recognition this year was earning a Gold Medal and an overall score of 76 out of 100 from EcoVadis in its annual sustainability performance assessment," Benoît says.
This level of performance puts CEVA in the top 1% when it comes to sustainable practitioners, and the top 5% for companies from all sectors.
"It represents a significant 12-point improvement from 2023, highlighting our continued progress in CSR initiatives," he adds.
"The assessment evaluated CEVA’s sustainability performance in four key categories: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.
"CEVA scored particularly high in the Environment category, earning a particularly high score of 90 out of 100."
What is the importance of a CSR framework?
When it comes to sustainability, the work of the United Nations is seen as the gold standard.
As such, CEVA has chosen to build its CSR strategy around the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
ou can see this in the three pillars of the company's strategy:
- Act for the planet
- Act for people
- Advocate for fair trade
In its efforts to act on these principles, the company has identified key areas such as low-carbon solutions, fleet management and warehouse operations as key battlegrounds for decarbonisation.
There's also a focus on enhancing the wellbeing of local communities and workforce, in accordance with the principles of ESG work.
This is evident as CEVA is working through its health, safety and environment initiatives (HSE), alongside a company-wide promotion of education and training programmes.
CEVA's value chain is also receiving some special attention, as the leadership team looks to instil compliance and ethical practices across its operations and supply lines.
This commitment extends to influencing partners and suppliers to uphold stringent ethical standards.
Then you have the creation of CEVA FORPLANET, a sub-brand of CEVA which is all about promoting circular economies and low-carbon transport solutions, both of which are rather important when it comes to logistics.
The road ahead
By no means is it all plain sailing, though, and Benoît would be the first to tell you that.
"Regarding decarbonisation, which is a key commitment at CEVA but also for our customers, the major challenge in the coming years relates to the extra cost of low-carbon fuels, whatever the mode of transport," he says.
"This extra cost is directly linked to the availability of these alternative fuels and the required scale-up to democratise their use."
No matter the industry, decarbonising transport is a work-in-progress, especially when it comes to aviation.
The few solutions that do exist right now are far more expensive than their carbon-intensive alternatives, so companies that want to be sustainable are going to have to front up.
Despite this, CEVA stresses the importance of equitable cost-sharing among all stakeholders to ensure widespread acceptance and implementation.
It's a bullet the team is willing to bite, and in an age that demands action, that is an admirable decision.
Explore the latest edition of Sustainability Magazine and be part of the conversation at our global conference series, Sustainability LIVE.
Discover all our upcoming events and secure your tickets today.
Sustainability Magazine is a BizClik brand
