Truck and Track Spring 2025 www.truckandtrack.com 50 PALLET NETWORKS carbon neutral, offering customers and partners assurance of the company’s genuine efforts to reduce environmental impact. Environmental responsibility is embedded throughout UPN operations. Indeed, over the past five years, UPN has achieved significant Green milestones: Electricity Consumption – Down 16%, Water Usage – Down 80%, Waste Management to Landfill – Just 5%, Paper Usage – Down 49%, Fuel Consumption – Down 38%, plus the introduction of electric forklift trucks. These achievements are particularly noteworthy given UPN’s significant growth over the same period during which its nationwide network increased for the first time to a membership of over one hundred Guiding UPN’s sustainability journey is Group Sustainability Manager, Joanna Davila, an expert in the field. “To achieve our successes to date, we have implemented a metrics-based Environmental Management System,” said Joanna, “Environmental aspects identified for focus align with both United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the UK Government Sustainability Strategy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, decarbonising our estate, improving energy efficiency of buildings, and being efficient and sustainable with our resources.” UPN is exploring further sustainability initiatives, including: ■ Improved Vehicle Routing: Optimising delivery routes to reduce fuel consumption. ■ Enhanced Driver Training: Educating drivers on fuel-efficient driving practices. ■ E-Business Approaches: Leveraging digital solutions to minimise paper usage and enhance efficiency. ■ Warehousing Design and Operation: Implementing energy-efficient designs and practices in warehousing. ■ Alternative Fuels: Exploring the use of alternative fuels for trucks and materials handling equipment. ■ Closed-Loop Systems: Developing systems for equipment and packaging to promote reuse and recycling. These initiatives are anticipated to have a positive impact on UPN’s triple bottom line — benefiting the company, its members and its service users. UPN is collaborating with the Association of Pallet Networks (APN) to establish an industry-wide metric for monitoring emissions by pallet or consignment. “We are currently working very closely with the APN to confirm an industry-wide metric for monitoring emissions by pallet/ consignment,” said Joanna Davila, “This collaboration, central to the pallet network model, is a crucial contribution to the sustainability of modern logistics and could serve as a blueprint for more sustainable distribution and delivery methods.” UPN’s commitment to sustainability is highly visible across its branding and its membership. The company has introduced a new “jungle-themed” sustainability livery – a striking “on road” visual representation of its environmental mission. Fleets operated by valued UPN members such as Lescost Transport, ADG Haulage, FSW Limited, Logic Distribution and Burcombe Haulage, now proudly showcase this powerful livery, featuring lush green forests and vivid imagery of thriving wildlife. “We wanted something that visibly signals our commitment to a greener future. Our jungle-themed livery is a powerful statement that sustainability is not just a side initiative — it’s embedded in everything we do,” said David Brown, “This sustainability-focused livery serves multiple purposes. Not only does it communicate UPN’s environmental commitment to the public, but it also encourages other logistics firms to adopt greener practices. The jungle-themed design highlights the direct link between logistics operations and environmental restoration efforts.” UPN’s sustainability journey is an evolving and ambitious initiative, reinforcing its position as a leader in the UK Pallet Network Sector. With its measurable reductions in energy and fuel consumption, cutting-edge sustainability strategies and a pioneering approach to carbon offsetting, the company is demonstrating that green logistics is not only possible but also commercially viable. Through its collaboration with Carbon Neutral Britain, its commitment to tangible environmental action and the bold visibility of its jungle-themed livery, UPN is making a clear statement – “Sustainability is the future of logistics.” As the industry continues to navigate the complexities of environmental responsibility, UPN stands at the forefront, proving that a cleaner, greener and more efficient logistics sector is within reach. www.upn.co.uk
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