Optimising operations and enhancing customer satisfaction: How Pledge supports Europa Worldwide's sustainability goals

Introduction

Leading independent logistics operator, Europa Worldwide, is committed to minimising its environmental impact. With sustainability as a core principle within their overall business strategy, they are constantly seeking new ways to reduce their carbon footprint and lead transport and logistics’s transition to more sustainable ways of working. This commitment is evident in their trialling of electric vehicles, operational efficiency initiatives and their devotion to providing customers with carbon reports on their shipments. 

The company also excels in waste management by recycling most waste generated at its UK sites and has achieved its ISO 14001 and 50001 certifications for environmental management and energy management.

In this case study, we explore the impact that partnering with Pledge has had on Europa Worldwide’s operations, customer satisfaction and sustainability strategy.

Challenge: Customers demand accurate, accredited and transparent emissions reports

Before adopting Pledge, Europa Worldwide met customer demand for carbon emissions reporting with an in-house method for calculating their shipment emissions. This method, developed internally over a decade ago with support from industry experts and specialists at a two-day seminar at Cranfield University, involved a convoluted calculation methodology using weighted supply chain data for various markets. While it provided a rough estimate of the overall carbon footprint for a shipment, it had significant limitations in several areas for many customers:

• Calculations were inaccurate: Without the granularity necessary to make impactful changes, customers couldn’t use the calculations to make meaningful carbon reductions in their supply chains.

• No industry-recognised accreditation: This translated to a lack of credibility and trust in calculation results, negatively impacting customer relations.

• Lack of calculation transparency: Without being able to answer customer questions on calculation results, they would grow frustrated, negatively impacting the customer experience.

While customers initially accepted these estimates, demand for precise data soon grew as the system's limitations became apparent. The team at Europa Worldwide realised they needed to move fast to find a more accurate and efficient method or risk losing key customers.

"We quickly realised we needed something that was accredited and accurate, and that we could put in front of a customer and they could use internally or externally to make effective changes to their supply chain.”

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Stuart McKie, Regional Manager at Europa Worldwide

Solution: Shifting to Pledge to meet customers’ carbon reporting needs

The team started looking for an accredited solution that could add value for customers while being easily scalable across the business — which led them to Pledge. With Pledge, the team knew Europa Worldwide could significantly elevate its carbon emissions reporting capabilities by providing:

• Accurate and granular carbon emissions reports based on millions of data points with Pledge’s advanced emissions modelling.

• GLEC-accredited and ISO 14083-aligned calculations, verifying the use of industry-recognised calculation methodologies.

• Ability to seamlessly integrate carbon reporting into their Leonard (Leo) TMS using Pledge’s API.

Since subscribing to Pledge, customers’ carbon emissions reports are significantly more accurate as well as accredited to meet industry standards. 

“Pledge enables us to provide accurate and accredited emissions reports to customers, which is crucial due to increasing legislative demands. This aids both our and our customers' sustainability goals.”

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Tom Jenkins, Central Service Director at Europa Worldwide

Results: Europa Worldwide boosted customer satisfaction and retention

Accuracy and credibility that facilitate positive climate impact for customers

For Europa Worldwide, one of the most significant benefits of using Pledge is the accuracy and credibility it brings to its emissions reporting capabilities. Account managers can now share reports with customers and be confident that the emissions calculations are based on sound methodologies that provide real, tangible value.

"Having a platform that is officially accredited means we can talk to our customers with confidence, without any embarrassment."

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Mat Jobson, Regional Manager for Road

Driving customer satisfaction and retention

The response to Pledge has been overwhelmingly positive, with customers particularly appreciating the simplicity and transparency of the reports. Mat noted, “The platform makes it very, very simple to show our customers how a shipment’s emissions are calculated. You can open a calculation and show a customer all the separate legs and say, well, this bit’s calculated like this and that bit’s calculated like that. And then they quickly understand the whole end-to-end calculation and how it comes together.”

The ability to provide detailed, verifiable emissions data has strengthened Europa Worldwide’s position in the market, aiding customer retention. Stuart emphasised, “Pledge has helped us retain some customers and has certainly strengthened our position within some of our customer base through being able to provide them with CO2 reports."

Integrating carbon reporting into the Leo TMS for the future

Looking ahead, Europa Worldwide expects demand for carbon reporting on shipments to increase — particularly as climate disclosure regulations in the EU and elsewhere come into effect. To meet this demand, the team aims to integrate Pledge directly into their proprietary Leo TMS, streamlining the carbon reporting process for customers even further. “Once we have Pledge inside our system and we can automate the creation of reports, it will be Nirvana,” said Mat.

Pledge helps Europa Worldwide become a sustainability leader

Pledge has significantly enhanced Europa Worldwide’s ability to measure and report customers’ shipment carbon emissions, providing accuracy, credibility and improved customer satisfaction. The platform has not only helped retain existing customers but has also positioned Europa Worldwide as a forward-thinking leader in logistics. As they continue to integrate and expand their use of Pledge, Europa Worldwide is set to achieve even greater efficiency and sustainability in their operations.

Stuart succinctly captured the impact, stating, “Having Pledge means when a customer asks for emissions data, we can deliver exactly what they’re looking for.” This underscores exactly how Pledge is enabling Europa Worldwide to help customers make significant strides towards their sustainability goals.