Everything You Need to Know about Green Shipping

What is sustainable shipping?

Sustainable shipping involves implementing sustainable practices to every part of the shipping process, from the packaging materials all the way to how returns are managed. The main aim is to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions released into the environment without having an adverse effect on quality, service, profits, or health and safety of stakeholders.

67% check a brand’s sustainability before purchasing

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Why are sustainable shipping solutions important?

Sustainable shipping solutions have so many advantages for your business, but the benefits don’t stop there! By adopting green delivery methods, you are satisfying the needs of the ever-growing eco-conscious consumer market, contributing to help save the planet, and encouraging other businesses to join the sustainable movement.

So, what are some of the main benefits of eco-friendly shipping for your business?

Reduce energy consumption and cut back on excessive resource usage
Increase business efficiency
Minimise waste of both resources and business operation time
Expand profit margins
Attract new eco-conscious consumers and build a loyal customer base
Ensures consistent high-quality products that meet all standards and requirements related to social responsibility and sustainability target

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Sustainable Delivery

What are the advantages for eco-friendly customers?

With 43% of UK consumers experiencing guilt about environmental impact when ordering online, sustainable shipping methods will help to alleviate this feeling
Saves time and effort when shopping online as customers won’t have to keep searching different websites until they find a sustainable brand
Feel connected to a brand that shares the same values as them and creates a sense of belonging to a community
Supporting a brand that is positively impacting the environment and therefore indirectly contributing to this

What positive impact is this all having on the planet?

Combats carbon emissions tied to eCommerce delivery estimated to rise 32% by 2030
Reduces deforestation as less trees will be needed for packaging purposes. A study by Canopy found that 3 billion trees are pulped every year to produce 241 million tons of shipping cartons.
Encourages the use of sustainable packaging materials, helping increase the percentage of recycled plastic packaging from the current usage of merely 14%

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How can you offer green shipping?

Sustainable eCommerce packaging: Ensuring you are using packaging materials that can be repurposed, are biodegradable, or reusable. This includes not only an eco-friendly shipping box, but eco-friendly shipping tape and biodegradable bubble wrap
Offset your emissions: We know that sometimes it is hard to avoid releasing carbon into the environment, but you can invest in carbon offsetting projects making your shipping carbon neutral.
To avoid unnecessary transport, businesses can work to send items in bulk by working with a multi-carrier partner
Ensure your packaging fits the item inside
Set up a good in-house recycling process and ask your suppliers to do the same