THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

July 2010

A growing demand for business to “go green” is encouraging companies around the world to reduce their carbon footprints, or the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted in the course of their daily operations.

According to Charles Tasker, MD of MiX Telematics (International), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an initiative aimed at gathering information on what companies around the world are doing to combat climate change, is the first real sign that global business is voluntarily taking action.

“Analysts predict that in the future, businesses will be legally obliged to comply with CDP scorecard ratings by monitoring and publicly reporting on their greenhouse gas emissions. Companies that report high CDP ratings will most likely procure more business and maintain consumer loyalty than those who do not,” he suggests.

Tasker reports that some leading global retailers, such as Tesco and Wal-Mart, have gone as far as placing carbon labels on all of their food lines. This means that greenhouse gas costs will be available on every element of every food product as it travels from the soil to the dinner plate. Others have requested their global suppliers to both measure and report on the environmental impact of the manufacturing and transportation of a select group of products.

Major industry players are highlighting the importance of businesses to measure, disclose and reduce carbon emissions before they become mandatory” Charles Tasker, MD of MiX Telematics (International).

Adding to this, Gert Pretorius, MD MiX Telematics (Africa), says a growing number of businesses are also thinking ahead and looking to reduce their environmental impact before it becomes mandatory to do so.

“Companies who adopt eco-friendly policies now will gain a competitive advantage in the future by having their "green" ducks in a row and having built up goodwill in the market once government and industry regulations are officially put in place,” he says.

“It is becoming increasingly important for transport companies to reduce their carbon emissions wherever possible by implementing fleet management technology designed specifically for this purpose. Companies who adopt this technology are able to accurately measure and report on their carbon emissions.”

Pretorius believes South Africa will soon adapt stringent regulations regarding the CO2 omissions of trucks and other vehicles on the roads.

“Fleet operators should not be overly concerned as the some of the latest fleet management systems incorporate proven technology designed to measure and monitor vehicle exhaust emissions.”

South Africa will soon adapt stringent regulations regarding the CO² emissions of trucks and other vehicles on the roads.” Gert Pretorius, MD MiX Telematics (Africa).

Among the locally available systems is the MiX Telematics FM Communicator which Pretorius says is used by fleet operators worldwide to monitor the CO2 emission of their respective vehicle fleets.

Pretorius says the system is calibrated to work with the strict emission standards set by the rest of the world. “Our systems not only measure CO2 emissions but clearly indicate if the vehicle is over the limits.”

Tasker reiterates that businesses wanting to build goodwill and better their corporate images are beginning to monitor and disclose their carbon footprints with the aim of reducing their impact on the environment. Many of them have also realised that to be environmentally friendly makes financial sense, as reducing carbon emissions means reducing fuel consumption and costs.”

He concludes saying as consumers begin rewarding eco-friendly companies with their business, companies can no longer afford to postpone the implementation of environmental programmes until the day they become mandatory.