What Are the Possible Options for Sustainability in Distribution?

What are the possible options for sustainability in distribution? Use class resources and your own research.

Possible strategies for sustainability in distribution are directly shipped items and intermediate inventory storage points. Directly shipped items come from the supplier or manufacture to the retailers or end customer. With the direct shipment strategy, the retailers avoids expenses of operating a distribution center and lead times are reduced. Some disadvantages are risk pooling effects are negated and the transportation and manufacture cost are increased. The intermediate inventory storage strategy includes traditional warehousing, cross docking, and centralized pooling/transshipment strategies. Traditional warehousing strategy provides customers with inventory as needed. Cross docking means no inventory is held at transfer points, and warehouses hold stock inventory. Centralized pooling/transshipment strategies are useful for companies that have large variety of different products. A class example of sustainability in distribution is Walmart Canada. They run a sustainable distribution center powered by wind and solar power and employs energy-efficient lighting, refrigeration and doorways. Using research, Unilever achieves zero waste across its distribution centers in North America. The company used the 4 “R” approach. First they reduced waste at the source, then reused, recovered, and recycled any non-hazardous waste that remained. Unilever reconsidered every single piece of material that was consumed in its warehouses and distribution centers. Unilever also implemented better inventory management. This sustainable approach is a part of Unilever’s sustainable living plan which aims to reduce the company’s environmental footprint by 2020. What are the types of sustainability adaptations by firms? How do these affect the decision process, criteria for supplier selection? Use class resources and your own research.