The group said the launch was part of its drive to create more sustainable supply chains around the world, by turning 'decades of logistics expertise' into technology and data that any company can use to reduce its carbon footprint.
Emissions IQ is a collaboration with MIT and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that gives companies a standardised way to measure the emissions of their partial truckloads for the first time.
It also offers access to 'unparalleled data' for companies to benchmark their carbon output against their industry and other shippers.
The company explained that, in its pilot phase, Emissions IQ had already helped 125 companies reduce their carbon emissions by a total of 350,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents.
“You can only change what you can measure,” said CH Robinson’s chief human resources and ESG officer Angie Freeman. “Even companies committed to sustainability have struggled to capture their emissions across complex, multi-faceted supply chains.
'By putting useful technology and data at their fingertips, we’re not only increasing the transparency of emissions in our industry, but we’re surfacing the best strategies for customers to make meaningful carbon reductions right now.”
Under pressure
Grappling with UN sustainability goals, regulatory requirements and consumer demand, companies have never been under more pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their supply chains.
A recent CH Robinson customer research study revealed that sustainability is shippers’ second biggest 'pain point' in 2021. Indeed, the number of companies planning to take action to reduce their carbon footprint has doubled since last year.
But to cut transportation emissions, companies first need to be able to measure them.
According to CH Robinson, most aren’t equipped to do that easily across truck, rail, air and ocean transportation. For smaller shipments that share a truck with other companies’ goods, a standard for measuring hasn’t even existed.
'Without the necessary tools and data, many companies haven’t been able to pursue carbon reduction at all or are investing a lot of time and effort that could be automated and eliminated,' the group continued.
Automatic calculation
CH Robinson said that Emissions IQ is a tool that automatically calculates emissions and provides an easy visualisation of a shipper’s carbon output.
Emissions analysis across all transportation modes is available from the group now, and all modes will be available within the self-serve tool once ocean and air are added later this year.
The company is also giving companies a way to benchmark against others and track their progress over time.
With a worldwide network of nearly 200,000 customers and carriers, CH Robinson said that it was offering the largest set of emissions benchmarking data in the industry.
“We’ve helped companies improve how they transport their goods for decades – constantly looking to reduce waste and improve performance in the supply chain,” said Freeman. “A more efficient supply chain is by nature a more sustainable one.
'As one of the world’s largest logistics platforms and the largest mover of truckload freight in the world, we’re in a position to create real impact on emissions now and in the future for our customers, our industry and our planet.”
