Greenwashing Under Fire as Shipping Rates Soar

The advancement of the Circular Economy on the African continent faces significant roadblocks, notably a critical shortage of accredited experts and a fragmented approach to implementation. This lack of coordinated expertise presents a substantial barrier to realizing the full potential of circular strategies across the region. - Source

[Policy] 🌱 Kearney & the WEF: Inside the Green Procurement Playbook - Sustainability Magazine A new WEF and Kearney playbook aims to transform sustainable procurement, emphasizing that Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods often exceed 90% of total organizational emissions. It identifies crucial strategies like linking C-suite compensation to sustainability goals, leveraging internal carbon fees, and fostering cross-industry collaboration as key drivers for progress. While successes like Microsoft's supplier decarbonization efforts are highlighted, persistent challenges such as poor data quality and limited customer willingness to pay green premiums remain significant hurdles.

So What? This playbook provides a critical framework for organizations facing immense pressure to decarbonize their value chains, offering concrete strategies and best practices drawn from leading companies. Understanding the power of executive incentives, the imperative of robust data management, and the value of collaborative initiatives is essential for effectively influencing strategy and achieving measurable environmental impact within their supply networks.

[Logistics] 📦 FedEx, UPS pricing tweaks set up ground shipping rates for record 2025 A new report forecasts record-high average package rates for 2025, driven by carrier pricing tweaks, increased fuel surcharges, and new dimensional weight rounding rules from FedEx and UPS. Shippers are facing significant cost pressures, with Ground fuel surcharge rates up 26.1% year-over-year despite a smaller rise in diesel prices. In response, many companies are strategically shifting to slower, less expensive services, exploring alternative delivery, and optimizing packaging to mitigate these escalating expenses.

So What? These rising logistics costs directly impact the total landed cost of goods, pressing professionals to re-evaluate their distribution networks and carrier relationships. Understanding these pricing dynamics is crucial for maintaining competitive pricing, optimizing operational efficiency, and making informed decisions on sustainable sourcing and delivery strategies.

[Policy] ✈️ How IATA is Implementing Airline Supply Chain Sustainability - Supply Chain Digital The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has introduced its Integrated Sustainability Programme (ISP) to guide 350 member airlines towards more sustainable supply chain and procurement operations. This holistic framework provides training, assessments, and tools to embed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measures into airline practices. Early success has seen Air New Zealand and EVA Air achieve Sustainable Procurement certification, marking a significant step towards more responsible aviation supply chains.

So What? This initiative is crucial as it establishes a standardized, industry-wide approach to integrating ESG principles within a complex global sector. The planned expansion to include the entire aviation value chain, from ground handlers to caterers, will embed sustainable practices deeply, driving new requirements and innovation opportunities for all supply chain stakeholders.

[Technology] 🔋 Norway’s Ferry Operator Norled Could Have Saved Money & Staff by Skipping Hydrogen Norwegian ferry operator Norled has incurred €85 million in losses over two years, largely due to its ambitious but ultimately flawed investment in the world's first liquid hydrogen ferry, MF Hydra. Despite initial fanfare, the hydrogen vessel proved significantly more expensive to build and operate, consuming vast sums on fuel and logistics. Critically, it also produced substantially higher CO2 emissions than both a diesel alternative and its battery-electric sister ship, which operates the same short route.

So What? This case study underscores the critical importance of rigorous economic and environmental assessment of 'green' technologies, rather than relying solely on aspirational claims. It demonstrates that direct electrification with proven battery solutions can offer superior cost efficiency and genuinely lower emissions compared to complex, less mature alternatives like hydrogen, even leading to job losses when misapplied.

[Technology] 🔗 Enhancing Traceability in Australia’s Critical Minerals Supply Chain Systems - Discovery Alert Australia's critical minerals sector is undergoing a crucial digital transformation, moving from traditional documentation to advanced traceability systems leveraging blockchain, IoT, and AI. These systems create immutable records tracking minerals from extraction to end-user, verifying responsible sourcing, environmental stewardship, and ethical practices. This digital revolution is essential for Australia to meet stringent international compliance standards, secure investment, and maintain its competitive position in global markets.

So What? This highlights that digital traceability is no longer optional but a strategic imperative for market access and attracting capital in the critical minerals sector. Understanding and implementing these technologies is crucial for ensuring supply chain resilience, demonstrating verifiable ESG compliance, and capitalizing on the premium commanded by transparent, ethically sourced materials.

[Technology] 💡 Oil built Norway’s past, can climate tech build its future? - Sifted Norway, historically reliant on oil, is now attempting to pivot its economic future towards climate technology, leveraging its strong engineering expertise and sovereign wealth fund. Despite a global downturn, climate tech attracted 50% of all Norwegian investments in 2023, though the sector still lags behind Nordic peers in scaling. Featured startups like NoMy (mycelium protein), Völur (AI for meat processing efficiency), and Oda (eco-friendly online groceries) illustrate the diverse innovations driving this transition.

So What? This analysis highlights a national-level strategy for economic transition from fossil fuels to sustainable industries, offering a blueprint for other nations and regions. Professionals in sustainable supply chains can learn from the featured companies' innovative approaches to waste valorization, efficiency optimization, and green logistics, which are crucial for reducing carbon footprints and enhancing resource management within their own operations.

[Policy] 📝 COP30 needs an implementation forum, not another cover decision This article argues that COP30 in Belém should pivot from negotiating lengthy 'cover decisions' to establishing a robust implementation forum. It criticizes cover decisions for often launching poorly prepared mandates and risking 'feel-good posturing' without real-world impacts. Instead, the focus should be on creating a 'Belém Implementation Plan' with clear actions, timelines, and accountability to maximize concrete climate action.

So What? This push for implementation over rhetoric signals a potential shift towards more concrete, measurable climate actions and clearer regulatory expectations from international agreements. A focus on credible follow-up will demand greater transparency and verifiable progress from companies on their decarbonization and sustainability commitments, impacting supply chain due diligence and reporting requirements.

[Policy] ⚖️ French Court Rules TotalEnergies Misled Consumers with Climate Claims A Paris Judicial Court has delivered a landmark ruling against TotalEnergies, finding that the energy giant misled consumers with claims about its carbon neutrality goals and role in the energy transition. The court ordered TotalEnergies to remove specific sustainability statements from its website and display a link to the ruling, imposing daily fines for non-compliance. This decision marks the first time a court has found a major oil and gas company's net-zero narrative unlawful, setting a significant precedent against greenwashing.

So What? This ruling signals a heightened legal risk for companies making unsubstantiated environmental claims, demanding greater transparency and accuracy in sustainability communications across the supply chain. Professionals must now critically evaluate their own and their partners' green claims to avoid legal challenges, brand damage, and loss of stakeholder trust in an increasingly scrutinized landscape.

[Policy] ⚖️ Philippines storm victims to seek damages from Shell in “unprecedented” climate claim Dozens of typhoon survivors in the Philippines are pursuing a landmark civil claim against Shell in a UK court, alleging the oil giant's emissions contributed to the devastating impacts of Typhoon Odette. This unprecedented lawsuit directly links fossil fuel companies to death and personal injury from past climate disasters in the Global South, leveraging advanced attribution science. The claimants assert Shell violated their human rights and acted negligently, seeking to hold the company accountable for its role in anthropogenic climate change.

So What? This case represents a significant escalation in climate litigation, establishing a crucial precedent for corporate accountability regarding climate-induced damages across global supply chains. Sustainable supply chain professionals must recognize the rapidly increasing legal, financial, and reputational risks associated with their organizations' and partners' historical and ongoing carbon footprints. Proactive climate risk management, robust emissions reductions, and transparency in decarbonization efforts are becoming imperative to mitigate exposure to such liabilities and maintain social license to operate.

Despite the challenges, the Africa Circular Economy Network (ACEN) is demonstrating remarkable growth and impact. In just seven years, ACEN has expanded from 7 to 168 members across 42 countries and built a sustainable revenue base exceeding 50,000,000 Rands annually, showcasing the continent's burgeoning commitment and capacity for circularity. - Source

In an era of rising greenwashing litigation and escalating climate liability, how can supply chain leaders balance ambitious sustainability goals with the imperative for verifiable data, genuine impact, and robust risk mitigation?