Logistics service providers are driving forward the standards for greener zero-emission logistics in order to achieve the Paris climate targets and open up competitive advantages and new business models. There is currently no standard for the exchange of emissions data between freight forwarders, logistics service providers, shippers and customers that companies along the supply chain can use. Cooperation between national and international companies is crucial for the successful implementation of such a standard. This is where the Open Logistics Foundation, a non-profit and neutral organization, acts as an intermediary. The foundation members work together on an international level to develop open source solutions for simplified data exchange in the industry. In order to implement the sustainability standards, the new Enabling Logistics Decarbonization Working Group was established within the foundation. "The Working Group is not only committed to promoting decarbonization in the logistics industry, but also places a special focus on the implementation of de facto standards and the joint open source implementation that can be used by everyone," explains Andreas Nettsträter, CEO of the Open Logistics Foundation.

Standardization of sustainability data in logistics

The newly established Working Group is headed by LKW Walter and has twelve other members. The first project within the Working Group is called Emissions Data Exchange and is being implemented with immediate effect. The aim of this project is to validate and implement the iLeap data model developed by the Smart Freight Centre and the Sine Foundation for the exchange of sustainability data along the supply chain in various use cases. The Smart Freight Centre is a network partner of the Open Logistics Foundation and an international non-profit organization that focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in freight transport. The Sine Foundation is also a non-profit organization that develops and implements innovative research results in the fields of cryptography and economics. With the iLeap data model, the project participants want to establish a standard for seamless connectivity in the transparency of logistics emissions. The model is based on the already globally recognized GLEC framework and the associated ISO 14083 standard, a calculation method for greenhouse gas emissions in logistics.

"The new working group will be dedicated to establishing harmonized solutions along the entire supply chain," explains Justin Lemmens, Manager for Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) at LKW Walter. "This is because solutions for greater sustainability are now being developed in a network: by working together with companies and using open source software, we are creating greener logistics."

Participants in the working group are LKW Walter (lead), BLG, Cargo Sign, Contargo, Dachser, DB Schenker, DHL, Fraunhofer IML, Gryn, iteratec, Rhenus, Transporeon and Zufall.