What does it really mean to have a "sustainable" supply chain?
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Good morning! It’s World Social Media Day. 🤳
So I guess we will celebrate the same way we do… every day?
Supply chain sustainability may be the buzzword/phrase of the 2020s, but what does it really entail? Science-based targets and UN-led development goals are often mirrored in companies aiming to create a sustainable supply chain - but is it all really for a better future for our world and its environment?
Check out today’s featured article from Logistics Viewpoints to learn more about the common development goals supported by companies looking to “go green”. ☕️
Goals GIF via GIPHY
Featured Article:
Understanding Supply Chain Sustainability | Logistics Viewpoints
“Supply chain sustainability can mean a lot of things to a lot of people.”
Water Cooler Topics
🚂 BNSF Railroad has begun putting limits on commodities, like food & diesel, being shipped westbound amid major congestion issues. The embargo will not include essential items such as water treatment chemicals and military equipment, but will greatly hinder shipments until July 31 to BNSf networks west of Illinois. The railroad juggernaut is citing severe weather conditions as another factor in the decision for this temporary embargo.
📦 According to a recent survey taken by automation vendor ABB, 70% of U.S. companies are seriously considering reshoring. Reshoring is the act of bringing material sourcing, production, and manufacturing back to native soil. The results were concluded from a survey of 1,610 American and European executives. This trend seems to be inspired by the growing need to create flexible business practices amid supply chain issues.
❄️ While Arctic ice melts, global shippers might be quietly celebrating. The drastic changes to the icy landscape in the North are opening new trade routes and relinquishing Russia from its massive control over the area. While ecologically, melting ice caps are not good news… shipping companies are being forced to weigh the pros and the cons.
Narcotics trafficking crackdown begins as shipping companies combine forces with customs agents
The World Shipping Council (WSC) and the Container Control Program (CCP) worked together with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Customs Organization earlier this month to step up the war against narcotics trafficking.
With 275 million people worldwide using drugs in the year 2021 and over 36 million people suffering from drug use disorders, the urgency to quell the surge in drugs traveling across borders has only grown.
Want better driver retention? Ask your drivers what they want
Driver turnover has become a prevalent issue in the industry, and many owners are unsure of what the best method should be to avoid this problem. The answer? Ask your drivers.
Driver feedback is one of the most valuable assets a company can have, encouraging loyalty and an open chain of communication.
Industry Forecast 📊
Catch up on the insights and trends from Zycus' Horizon 2022 | Supply Chain Digital
“The procurement sector has a long history of navigating through challenging times.”
Supply Chain Leaders, Chained to Tradition, Face the Whip | Supply Chain Shaman
“As my arms stretch forward to pull for the next lap in the summer heat, three thoughts circulate in my head.”
Watch: Navigating the Rocky Supply Chain Landscape | Supply Chain Brain
“Mike Jarrett, president and chief executive officer with Jarrett Logistics, talks about how supply chains can overcome the big challenges that they’re facing, as they struggle to get product to market on a timely basis.”
“Larry Gross, president of Gross Transportation Consulting, provided LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman with an overview of key global logistics trends and themes, including Peak Season and the freight economy, among others. “
Supply Chain Disruption, Inflation Causing Challenges for Packaging Companies | MHL News
“A new study showed that 90% of companies are changing how their packaging is sourced.”
Cruise Line Stocks Could “Fall To Zero” Says Banker | G Captain
“While many shipping stocks have seen record profits this year, the stocks of cruise lines are among the biggest losers in the S&P 500 stock index.”
Global logistics round-up: air, sea, road and rail news | Supply Chain Digital
“A global initiative designed to shape sustainable logistics policies has published a report that urges the logistics industry to adopt an open freight data exchange to improve operational efficiencies across the supply chain.”
Complexities in Trucking Supply Chain Cause Shippers’ Logistics to Evolve | TT News
“Shippers are looking at developing their own truck fleets due to low service levels and greater affordability, a leading logistics report says.”
June’s Global Flash PMIs Still Look Ok | Fisher Investments
“With more businesses reporting growth than not, recession still doesn’t look like a foregone conclusion.”
Artificial Intelligence 🤖
Amazon unveils first fully autonomous mobile robot | Supply Chain Dive
“Amazon last week unveiled its first fully autonomous mobile robot, named Proteus, which will lift and move package-carrying carts through its facilities.”
J.B. Hunt trials self-driving trucks in Texas pilot | DC Velocity
“Transportation provider teams with Waymo to haul furniture and appliances for Wayfair on route between Houston and Dallas.”
New NHTSA chief: Agency to scrutinize auto-driver technology | Ap News
“The new head of the government’s road safety agency says it will intensify efforts to understand the risks posed by automated vehicle technology, so it can decide what regulations may be necessary to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians.”
Rail 🚂
“In September 2021, Canada Pacific emerged as the winner in a fierce battle with a Canadian National for the Kansas City Southern railroad.”
White House Rail Comments Ignore Threat Posed by Merger | Real Clear Policy
“The White House has spent the last several months lost at sea in its efforts to arrive at a cohesive plan to address inflation.”
Electric Vehicles 🔋
Benefits and Challenges in Electrifying Medium-Duty Box Trucks | Trucking Info
“Medium-duty box trucks are a good fit for battery-electric vehicles, but some applications will be harder to electrify than others.”
Fuel ⛽️
Road Fuel Demand to Peak by 2027 | TT News
“Global road fuel demand will peak in five years, though it will be decades before shifts in consumption reshape transportation’s reliance on fossil fuels, according to a report from BloombergNEF.”
Shortages 🛒
Resin, packaging constraints create headwinds for medtech: Medtronic | Supply Chain Dive
“Medtronic is seeing signs of a supply chain recovery and is working on its pricing strategy as inflation rises, CEO Geoff Martha said Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference.”
Business Strategy 💡
Does a “Responsible Supply Chain” Mean a Sustainable One? | All Things Supply Chain
“A responsible supply chain is one that takes into account all of the social and environmental impacts throughout every step of the supply network.”
Driver Issues 🚛
Why Driver Satisfaction Matters In Last-Mile Delivery | Talking Logistics
“Creating a superior customer experience has become a significant competitive differentiator across many industries.”
TMS 💻
Box tracking popularity soars – but the big debate is, who owns the data? | Loadstar
“With the rapid rise in the use of container tracking devices, the cargo insurance industry is increasingly concerned over the question of data ownership.”
Fuel Tech ♻️
Decarbonization Efforts in Maritime Transportation are Speeding Up | More Than Shipping
“Everyone knows global warming is getting worse record-breaking heatwaves and the number of unexpected natural disasters are climbing up each and every day.”
Ports 🚢
US Labor Secretary Is “Confident” About Port Union Talks Despite July 1st Deadline | G Captain
“Talks to reach a new contract with union workers at West Coast shipping ports before the existing deal expires this week are going well with no major sticking points, U.S. Labor Secretary Martin Walsh told Reuters on Tuesday.”
Congested Port of Oakland slashing free wait time for import containers | CNBC
“Port of Oakland is reducing its landlord free dwell time for containers from seven to four days before tariffs are applied.”
Sales 🧾
Growth of used truck values rival stock market from mid-2020 to mid-2022 | CCJ Digital
“The used truck market in the first half of this year has started to cool off from the white hot levels seen dating back to early 2021, when prices set their sights on six figures for models that were upwards of four years old.”
Another indicator points to trouble in Class 8 truck market | Fleet Owner
“ACT Research Class 8 Tractor Dashboard dropped again in April, confirming 'steady and steep erosion in prospective business conditions for Class 8 tractors,' according to the industry analyst.”
Safety 🦺
Loram Truck Fleet Deploys Safety System to Deter Distracted Driving | Trucking Info
“As a contractor maintaining railways across North American, Loram Maintenance of Way is held to a high standard of safety.”
Leadership 🏆
How mentoring an experienced employee works | SmartBrief
“A multinational manufacturing firm had long neglected investing in talent development for several groups of outstanding employees.”
Inflation 💸
Who Is to Blame for Inflation, 1-15 | RIHOLTZ
“Who is to blame for the rampant inflation the United States (and the entire world) have been experiencing over the past 12 to 24 months?”
Quote of the Day:
“See things in the present, even if they are in the future.”
— Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for July 31, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.