To mark National Logistics Day, Zag turns to three UK sustainable logistics companies to forecast where the sector is going.
National Logistics Day is an annual event celebrated on June 28th which honours those working in the logistics industry.
“At Fin we envision the shift towards sustainability in logistics becoming not just an option, but a necessity,” Co-founder of fin sustainable logistics Rich Pleeth told Zag Daily.
“Increasingly stringent environmental regulations in the UK will push companies to adopt greener logistics solutions. With the UK general election next week, we hope to work with the next government to push for measures which cap pollution and congestion in our cities.”
Rich believes there’s a rising trend of corporate responsibility with companies setting ambitious sustainability goals. This is particularly relevant after the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive strengthened rules regarding the social and environmental information companies must report.
The trend is also visible on the demand side according to Rich, with consumers – “particularly the powerhouse that is Gen-Z” – wanting greener delivery options.
“Sustainable logistics will become the standard but it’s for e-commerce companies and logistics professionals to make the active decision to seek us out. We’re here, we can do it, what are they waiting for?”
Founder of Zedify Rob King, who launched one of the UK’s first commercial cargo bike delivery services back in 2005, forecasts a similar transition to sustainable logistics.
“This is driven by e-commerce demand and a stiff uptick in the importance boardrooms are placing on readying their businesses for a sustainable future,” Rob told Zag Daily.
“You can see this with big carriers’ focus on sustainable fleets, such as Evri and Amazon’s fleets of cargo bikes, and major logistics companies developing services that support brands’ transitions to preloved and rental business models.
“This trajectory is very encouraging to see, but we can’t let up the pace and every part of the logistics sector has a role to play.”
A glimpse at the data
The transport sector is the UK’s biggest emitter of carbon emissions and last week the umbrella organisation Transport and Environment found that greenhouse gas emissions from vans have increased by 62% since 1990.
Zedify is combatting this with a 91% cargo bike fleet, and the sustainable delivery service has delivered over half a million parcels in 2024.
According to recent data from Transport for London, cargo bikes on the whole have increased in Central London. Cargo bike use rose by 42% from 4,915 times a day in 2022 to just under 7,000 times a day in 2023.
Kevin Savage, Chief Operating Officer of last mile delivery firm Delivery Mates, says the importance of transitioning to sustainable logistics cannot be overstated. Delivery Mates sustainably delivers 200,000 parcels per week
“The transition not only addresses pressing environmental concerns but also drives economic efficiency, regulatory compliance, and corporate responsibility. Embracing sustainable logistics is essential for building a resilient, efficient, and environmentally responsible supply chain for the future.”
