C.H. Robinson began its sustainability journey more than two decades ago. The company’s early initiatives developed naturally and were spearheaded by passionate advocates. Now, their green strategy spans the entire company internationally.

Brittany Brama, Principal Sustainability Program Manager at C.H. Robinson, states that sustainability is core to the company’s values and business strategy. As one of the world’s most connected logistics providers, she believes the company plays a crucial role in driving positive progress for the environment.

“Our goal is to reduce waste and increase efficiencies within supply chains. These two concepts go hand in hand. We work every day to reduce supply chain waste for our customers, carriers, and operations,” says Brama.

47% emissions intensity reduction in less than five years

This year, C.H. Robinson reached a huge milestone. The company reduced its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions intensity by 47%, exceeding its goal two years earlier. Five years ago, C.H. Robinson set out to reduce emissions from its own offices and warehouses by 40% by 2025 against a 2018 baseline.

“We were proud to announce earlier this year that we reduced our emissions intensity by 47%, meeting and exceeding our target two years ahead of schedule. We know our work doesn’t stop here, and we are currently evaluating what’s next, so we can build on our goals and progress,” says Brama.

Alternative fuel pilot program

In July 2023, the company launched an alternative fuel pilot program to accelerate decarbonization in the supply chain. This program is built on the “book-and-claim” methodology, which was spearheaded by the Smart Freight Centre and World Economic Forum and supported by C.H. Robinson and a coalition of industry leaders. 

Program participants contribute to the guaranteed use of sustainable fuels, helping to reduce their absolute emissions as they work toward their sustainability goals. This effort is audited for a transparent chain of custody and stored on a blockchain platform to ensure the highest level of credibility.

“Many of our customers share our commitment to sustainability and are eager to reduce emissions further. Alternative fuels can reduce absolute emissions by 80% or more, so our pilot program is an exciting new point of entry for companies that are exploring emissions solutions,” describes Brama about the program that will complete its first cycle in the following few months.

25 years in Argentina and Brazil

Over the last quarter-century, C.H. Robinson has expanded into Brazil and Argentina, experiencing exponential growth in the last several years.

Two years ago, the company also began implementing sustainability programs in LATAM and in a short period of time, are already noticing the positive impact of these initiatives both within the company and in local communities. 

Argentina

In 2020, C.H. Robinson efforts in Argentina became aligned with the company’s global sustainability strategy, and, in 2022, the company’s local sustainability efforts expanded even further. 

Green International Land Logistics

Around 65% of the company's business in Argentina is concentrated in surface transportation. Approximately three thousand five hundred truck trips are made across the country each month. This is why C.H. Robinson is focusing efforts here to offset the carbon footprint.

This year, through tree planting, they project a 60% offset, and next year, the goal is to achieve an 80% offset. By 2025, the company expects to reach 100%.

Gustavo Diez, Managing Director GF in Argentina, explains that tree planting is just an initial stage, and starting next year, they will begin a much more ambitious plan that will include various projects, such as research in solar energy, recycling of tires, waste reduction in all local offices, and working with clients to make greener choices. The goal is to offset the carbon footprint left by the company in Argentina.

"Something that sets us apart from all the competition is that, in addition to our footprint, we offset that of our clients in Latin America. That is super attractive and allows us to align not only our needs in terms of the strategies of the companies we work with but also offer a logistic solution. So, any movement from a new client in Argentina has the option to be green," says Diez.

Brazil

This year, C.H. Robinson in Brazil celebrated having received Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification and is currently in the process of obtaining ISO 14001 verification.

The company started its local sustainability program in 2020 with social actions and, during the second half of 2021, with other sustainability goals. Initially, C.H. Robinson Brazil implemented a social agenda supporting the local community and, later, the company took a significant step forward by partnering with Green Farm CO2e Free in Brazil.

"Green Farm allows us to contribute to the environmental education of more than 3,000 children per year, participate in the rehabilitation and release of over 3,000 wild animals, and plant 300,000 native trees in areas equivalent to 4,600 football fields. Thus, we generate internal and external impacts that we believe are beneficial for the environment and our society," explains Deise de Luna, Integrated Management System Manager of C..H Robinson Brazil.

Positive Impact

These programs have been in progress in Latin America for more than two years, and the company has already noticed a positive impact locally and beyond.

"We've significantly enhanced team engagement within the company. Our employees feel more empowered as they recognize their contribution to planet preservation by becoming agents of change and sharing their learning within the company and their social circles, thus enhancing our culture," states De Luna.

Furthermore, there is a heightened awareness of the importance of caring for the planet. "We conduct surveys at a corporate level, and sustainability consistently ranks among the top three key topics on the agenda," adds Diez.

Challenges

Despite these advancements, challenges remain. One crucial issue is getting stakeholders to commit more to sustainability policies on an economic level.

"One of the main challenges is the change in society’s mindset. From the moment a customer understands that there is value value-added to everything we consume, choices will be more conscious to benefit the planet. It’s important to understand that we need to reduce the environmental impact whenever we can and mitigate carbon emissions when we cannot eliminate them," notes Deise Luna.

Based on this awareness, an adaptation of society will be required, which will gradually implement more sustainable practices in general. The main challenge is to get all parties on board to invest in sustainability.

By MundoMaritimo