Smarter Transportation, Lower Emissions: The Future of Sustainable Logistics

Every shipment leaves an impact. For companies across the supply chain, reducing carbon emissions remains both a business priority and a corporate responsibility. Smarter transportation decisions can help organizations build logistics networks that are more resilient, efficient, transparent and lower in emissions. 

Importance of Carrier Selection  

When it comes to transportation emissions, who moves your freight can be just as important as how it's moved, whether through steamship lines, airlines or ground carriers. Companies are increasingly evaluating environmental performance alongside service and cost when selecting logistics partners.  

Programs that identify carriers using cleaner technologies, fuel-efficient equipment and responsible operating practices help organizations make more informed decisions while supporting broader emissions-reduction efforts. 

Program Example – SmartWay® Transport Partner 

As a SmartWay® Transport Partner since 2023, Delmar works with ground carriers in North America that prioritize fuel efficiency, lower emissions and environmentally responsible operating practices.

Sustainability is a key consideration when onboarding new carrier partners, and Delmar actively encourages participation in programs that promote cleaner transportation technologies and greater cleaner transparency into environmental performance. 

As industry expectations around environmental accountability continue to evolve, initiatives such as SmartWay® help create greater transparency into carrier performance and provide businesses with more meaningful data to support freight procurement decisions. 

Data at the Forefront  

Reliable data is crucial to understand where transportation emissions occur and where reductions are possible. Without it, businesses may struggle to identify the initiatives that can deliver the greatest impact.  

For many organizations, measuring emissions is no longer the greatest challenge. The real opportunity lies in using data to identify practical actions that can drive measurable reductions. Accessible reporting, verified emissions data and visibility into ocean, air and ground transportation activity help businesses establish baselines, track performance, and make more informed sustainability decisions. 

Delmar helps customers measure verified emissions savings, strengthen sustainability reporting, and reduce transportation-related emissions through solutions such as biofuels. Through Delmar’s ocean freight biofuel program, customers can choose to move their ocean freight with steamship lines that participate in biofuel programs and receive an ISO-compliant certificate verifying the amount of biofuel used and the corresponding emissions avoided. Through the biofuel program, Delmar’s customers have already avoided more than 100 metric tonnes of CO_₂e emissions. 

Turning Sustainable Transportation Goals into Action 

While sustainability commitments are becoming increasingly common, achieving meaningful progress often requires operational changes within the supply chain itself. Transportation decisions made daily across routing, mode selection, carrier selection, and shipment planning can collectively have a significant impact on emissions outcomes. 

Through network optimization and shipment consolidation strategies, organizations can reduce transportation requirements and better support their environmental objectives. Delmar works closely with customers to identify practical opportunities to reduce transportation-related emissions while improving overall efficiency. 

Alternative fuel solutions are also gaining momentum as companies look beyond traditional offset programs and seek opportunities to reduce emissions closer to the source. As adoption continues to grow, these programs may play an increasingly important role in supporting lower-emission freight transportation. 

Delmar's commitment to sustainability extends beyond customer solutions. Across its offices and warehouses, the asset-light company partners with property management teams to implement energy-saving initiatives such as LED lighting upgrades, motion sensors, water-saving fixtures, and recycling programs that support responsible resource management. 

Sustainability in Practice 

There is no single solution for reducing transportation emissions. Meaningful progress requires collaboration among shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, technology providers, and industry organizations, supported by better visibility, informed transportation decisions, and continued investment in lower-carbon solutions. 

While every organization approaches sustainability differently, progress is often driven by a combination of operational improvements, industry collaboration, and customer-focused innovation.  

At Delmar, these efforts are guided by three pillars: Social Commitment, Sustainable Operations, and Customer Solutions. From advancing SmartWay® carrier participation and expanding lower-carbon transportation solutions to implementing energy-efficiency initiatives across our facilities, the company continues to take practical steps to reduce environmental impact while helping customers achieve their sustainability goals. Delmar is committed to supporting initiatives that promote the well-being of its people and the communities in which it operates 

 

To learn more about sustainability and Delmar’s initiatives to support the planet, click here.