Effects of a lower demand for ground freight

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—a world event that spiked freight demand exponentially—the trucking industry has now entered a recession-like period due to an inflated number of drivers and a normalized demand for ground transportation. What does this mean for consumers in the trucking industry and the shipping companies that supply them? Let’s find out.

Effects on customers

From the customer end of the spectrum, a lower market demand for ground freight is a positive thing. They’ll get to take advantage of shorter (or non-existent) wait times for shipping, last-minute availability, and more affordable shipping costs.

Effects on shipping companies

Shipping companies, on the other hand, suffer as a result of lower demand.

Global Trade magazine says the decline in demand has “placed the sector at a disadvantage during annual contract negotiations.”

Since there are more trucks available than loads that need shipping, shipping companies have to compete against each other and lower prices in order to secure short-term and long-term contracts.

Digital freight brokerage and AI

Freight brokerage is the business of matching truck drivers to shipping companies and other businesses that require their services. Freight brokerage can occur between independent truck drivers and small businesses, but it is also used within a single company to streamline communication between drivers and warehouse personnel.

The freight brokerage process used to be conducted with paper and phone calls, but the industry has been making a switch to digital freight brokerage, particularly with the use of artificial intelligence technology.

Digital freight brokers can take two forms. Businesses that prefer working directly with people rather than technology can hire a digital freight brokerage company that will gather information about available drivers, as well as the details of the load that needs to be shipped, and then will handle the matchmaking process.  There are also digital freight broker apps that collect the same information and allow businesses to cut out the middleman.

The main benefit of digital freight brokerage is the ability to match customers to freight trucks much more efficiently. Not only does this make the process easier for everyone involved, but it also streamlines the entire supply chain and improves customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Hwy Haul describes five benefits of digital freight brokerage: time savings, less paperwork, better prices, 24/7 access, and optimization of driving routes.

Competition within the shipping industry

Due to changes in demand for ground freight along the entire supply chain, competition in the shipping industry has grown significantly. Most notably, long-standing shipping companies are being pitted against newer startups with a highly digital business portfolio.

Legacy shipping companies are still fairly determined to maintain the status quo and are resistant to change. Unfortunately, slow attempts to digitalize will simply not be able to sufficiently meet the changing needs of businesses on a global scale. While they are currently responsible for a large portion of the market, new digital-based startups are innovating and stirring up interest in a new way forward.

Commerce Ventures summarizes things perfectly:

“The lack of action by the most dominant players to address the industry’s biggest challenges has given rise to a growing number of startups ready and waiting to disrupt trucking as we know it.”

As businesses start to demand faster shipping times, more accessible brokers, and better rates, the newer digital companies will have an undeniable edge over long-standing companies set in the ways of the past. Given the current state of the industry, legacy shipping companies will undoubtedly begin to lose their hold on the market in favor of revolutionary startups.

Expected developments in shipping tech

Although the future is impossible to predict, industry experts can make educated guesses in regard to the expected developments for the short term and long term where digital brokerage and AI trucking are concerned.

Short term predictions

Digital freight brokerage is afflicted by a number of challenges that prevent it from serving the entire industry right now. For example, the shipping solutions available from this source today are heavily skewed towards flat beds and vans and away from niche specializations like refrigerated trucks. As a result, much of the industry cannot be served. In the short term, it is predicted that this problem and others will be solved by a growing demand for the services and advancing technology.

In the field of self-driving trucks, the short-term expectations are as follows: research and development will continue, including road testing and small-scale integrations, and industry leaders will continue to open their minds to the possibilities of autonomous trucking.

Long term predictions

Digital brokers have been called a “solution to improve agility, reliability and performance of supply chains…” by CIFFA. As time goes on, it is expected that the digitalization of freight brokerage will transition from its role as a new trend to an established norm in the industry.

As technology advances, self-driving trucks will also make their way onto roadways through one small integration at a time. Autonomous trucking has the potential to revolutionize the industry as a whole, but it is also fraught with technology-related barriers and the challenge of trust and safety in fully autonomous vehicles.

As the trucking industry continues to evolve toward a digital future, digital freight brokers will become an even more integral component of the supply chain. Innovation in the realm of AI trucking—particularly self-driving trucks—will become more mainstream, and legacy shipping companies will be forced to either keep up with the changing technology or fall far, far behind. The future is coming, and the future is digital freight brokerage and AI technology.

In a world that is constantly expanding and evolving, sustainability in every aspect of life is the way of the future. Governments and customers alike are increasing demands for more sustainable and ethical business practices.

The supply chain industry is one of the leaders in emissions and waste energy, but these challenges have brought with them a new wave of sustainable solutions.

Today there are more options for every company to take action and effectively reduce their supply chain footprint. The innovative, growing companies below are industry experts with actionable solutions to share.

Alt Tex

What they do

Alt Tex is a new company composed of entrepreneurs and scientists that have decided to change the way the fashion industry works. They have innovated a process that uses food waste to produce high-quality, sustainable textile products. Their synthetic material can help reduce wasteful practices in the fashion industry and has the potential to evolve into other industries as well.

Why it’s valuable

The fashion industry contributes an astounding 8-10% of the world’s GHG emissions and the production of polyester (used in over 60% of the clothing textiles and consuming 70 million barrels of oil per year) is a main culprit.

Alt Tex fabric is a ground-breaking innovation that will have long-lasting implications for the fashion industry as a whole and other branches of industry that use textiles, replacing high-waste polyester with their biodegradable textiles.

Whether your company holds a spot in the supply chain that will contribute to the development of these textiles or whether you will be using them to create your own sustainable products, you will be reducing your supply chain footprint and contributing to the health of the planet.

How to implement their solution

While Alt Tex is still in the process of commercializing their product, supply chain companies can still contribute to their mission and implement some planet-saving strategies into their practices.

Whether you would like to receive their innovative textiles to create your products, or you have food waste that you’d like to direct to them instead of to the landfill, the folks at Alt Tex will be happy to hear from you.

Evoco LTD.

What they do

Evoco LTD. Is a company that is replacing traditionally-sourced carbon with sustainable and regenerative plant-based carbon. They use trees and other plant matter to create biomass for ‘green’ carbon that is then used to create various bioplastics and other biodegradable materials commonly used in athletic products and footwear.

When these products are composted, they will contribute to the growth of more trees and plant matter to create a sustainable, renewable cycle.

Why it’s valuable

Evoco’s process eliminates the need for fossil fuel carbon, and this in turn maintains the balance of carbon in the atmosphere and lessens the rate at which climate change occurs. Using sustainable foams and other materials produced by Evoco LTD. will reduce your supply chain footprint and will allow you company to contribute to sustainable carbon extraction.

How to implement their solution

Replacing standard plastic and textile use with products from Evoco is the best way to contribute to their goal of creating a sustainable cycle for carbon extraction and development into various products. All of their products have a high percentage of plant-based carbon, and transitioning to those products will help your company find its way to more sustainable practices.

Genecis

What they do

Genecis is a company focusing on the science of plastic. They divert food waste from landfills, ferment those materials with special bacteria, and use the by-products of that fermentation to create biodegradable plastic.

This plastic degrades completely in 30 days in a compost environment, and if it does happen to escape to the ocean, it will degrade in only 1 year.

Why it’s valuable

Not only does diverting food waste reduce the rate at which landfills fill, but the biodegradable plastic created from that food waste will replace standard non-degradable plastics throughout the globe, reducing pollution and contributing to beneficial compost growth.

Using Genecis plastic in your supply chain will reduce your carbon footprint and divert even more materials from landfills.

How to implement their solution

If you’d like to reduce the environmental impact of your supply chain, Genecis plastic is the way to go.

There are three main ways you can work with Genecis to implement this plastic-reducing endeavor: use Genecis plastic to replace standard plastic use in your manufacturing processes, create new products with their bacteria, or license their technology to produce your own plastic within your facility.

BrainBox AI

What they do

BrainBox AI has developed what is essentially a brain for your HVAC system. Their AI technology integrates into your HVAC system in order to learn the heating and cooling patterns and how your building responds to external temperature and weather changes. Then, it will regulate each component of your system in order to maintain set temperatures and eliminate energy waste.

Why it’s valuable

HVAC systems are one of the most wasteful systems in a building, and they also draw a lot of power: up to 50% of a building’s energy consumption goes to the HVAC system, and as much as 35% of that energy can be wasted.

Using the BrainBox AI technology can lower your carbon footprint by 40% and HVAC operation costs by 25%. Plus, you’ll end up extending the life of your HVAC system and increase the comfort of your staff. Say hello to increased productivity and goodbye to unnecessary costs.

How to Implement the Strategies

If implementing this autonomous AI solution sounds like a good deal to you (and you’re right, it is), get in touch with BrainBox AI staff to discuss installation. It can be integrated into any building size and layout, so no matter where your facility sits in the supply chain, you can start saving energy and reducing your carbon footprint.

Extract Energy

What they do

Extract Energy has designed a heat engine that converts waste heat from industrial factories and power plants into electricity. This innovative technology is easy to install, manage, and scale as your production changes. The engine can be affixed to multiple waste heat streams in order to fit into any company’s manufacturing and/or processing facility.

Why it’s valuable

The Extract Energy heat engine can dramatically reduce the amount of waste heat your facility is releasing into the atmosphere. Eliminating emissions will reduce your supply chain footprint, and converting that heat into usable electric energy can reduce operation costs and improve efficiency.

How to implement their solution

If you’re interested in helping Extract Energy perfect their system, give them a call. They’ll assess whether your site is a good candidate for pilot installation of their heat engine units. If your site meets their criteria, congratulations! You can start reducing your carbon footprint immediately. If not, you can reach out again once they are ready for full-scale implementation across the industry.

Xos

What they do

Xos is a leader in battery-operated transportation vehicles. They make fleet vehicles in all sizes (Class 5 through Class 8) that run off of battery power alone, and they also supply companies with the power solutions for those vehicles and a highly intelligent management software to coordinate and monitor their fleet.

Why it’s valuable

A massive 95% of the world’s shipping energy still comes from fossil fuels, and as a result, the transportation industry accounts for around one fifth of the world’s carbon emissions.

Incorporating fully electric vehicles into supply chain transport fleets is valuable in three ways: it lowers operating costs, reduces downtime, and eliminates carbon emissions. Implementing transportation solutions like this is one of the fastest ways we can reduce our negative impact on the planet.

How to implement their solution

Initiating the changeover from gas-powered vehicles to electric is as easy as placing a call to Xos staff. One of their account executives will discuss your fleet and infrastructure needs to come up with a feasible implementation strategy to get your fleet operating with clean, sustainable energy as quickly as possible.

Norsepower

What they do

Norsepower is a second company tackling emissions in transportation, specifically shipping by sea. The company has designed an auxiliary wind propulsion system called Rotor Sail technology that is highly automated and reliable. They believe that bringing sail energy back into ocean transportation is the way to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions from this transportation sector.

Why it’s valuable

More than 3% of global carbon emissions can be attributed to shipping vessels on water. This is equivalent to what the highest-emitting countries produce. Since the shipping industry is only accelerating, taking steps to counter these carbon emissions is vital.

The Rotor Sails designed by Norsepower can reduce consumption of fuel by as much as 20%, with an average between 5 and 10%.

How to implement their solution

Whether your supply chain incorporates passenger ships, cargo ships, tanker ships, or any other kind of ocean-going vessel, Rotor Sails can be the solution for reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption.

What Are Digital Badges?

Digital badges are an innovative way to display achievements and qualifications to potential employers. They can be attached to resumes and email signatures, embedded in websites, and even displayed on social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Digital badges are more than just an image.

Badges contain metadata that provides extra information beyond just a logo; they tell employers, clients, and coworkers what the qualification is and the process that was required to earn it.

A Deeper Look at FITT Digital Badges

FITT digital badges are a new way to display learning accomplishments, skills, and FITT credentials. They are organized into a five tier structure to capture different types of achievements.

The first two tiers are relegated to achievements in education. You can earn a badge for successful completion of a FITTskills course assessment, or the equivalency thereof and/or successful completion of a FITTskills workshop assessment, or the equivalency thereof.

Both badges indicate that an individual has successfully completed the necessary requirements for a course or workshop covering different aspects of international trade.

Many international trade professionals will acquire a number of these course/workshop badges as they progress through their professional development journey.

The next two badge tiers are awarded to individuals who have successfully met the requirements to obtain the FITT Certificate or Diploma. The FITT Diploma in International Trade and the FITT Certificate in International Trade are both indicators that an individual has dedicated much of their time to improving their skills and knowledge to be a more effective professional in the international market.

The final badge tier is the CITP®|FIBP® designation badge. It is awarded to individuals who have met the knowledge and skill requirements of the designation, but it goes further than that too.

In order to earn this digital badge, and the designation it represents, individuals need to demonstrate “a commitment to global trade” and a “dedication to ethical business practices and ongoing professional development” in addition to their expertise in international trade processes.

This badge is therefore the best judge of a person’s character and investment in their career and will therefore be the most valuable to employers when it comes to hiring.

Get answers to all your questions about FITT Digital Badges here.

How do Digital Badges Help Hiring Managers?

Skills based hiring is the way of the future, and digital badges make this process a lot easier by helping recruiters identify ideal candidates.

No company wants to onboard a new employee only to find out later that the individual does not have the necessary skills to perform the job successfully.

Hiring an individual proven to have those skills, verified through to digital badges, will make the entire recruitment and onboarding process much smoother, saving the company a significant amount of money.

Skills based hiring also eliminates bias and ensures a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Starting your search for candidates by looking for badges related to the skills needed for the job can reduce the hours needed for recruitment. Sorting through resumes, performing background checks, assessing other requirements, and verifying qualifications takes a lot of man hours.

Digital badges provide all of this information right away on a verifiable, trustworthy platform. Unlike paper credentials that are difficult to verify, the hiring team will be able to look at a resume and know whether the candidate actually has the skills and knowledge they claim to possess.

When it comes to ensuring a candidate meets the requirements of a position, this verification is essential.

How Do Candidates with Digital Badges Benefit the Company That Hires Them?

Since digital badges exist for education, skills, and favorable personality traits like leadership, a business will know that the individual they hire will be a positive and productive member of their team. Plus, these individuals may encourage their coworkers to earn badges as well, further improving the overall value of the team to the company.

Employees who have earned and shared their digital badges are also great for marketing, especially if the company offers its employees opportunities to earn badges internally.

Potential clients and applicants for other job openings will be able to see that the business is staffed by qualified and knowledgeable individuals, making the business a great choice to hire or to work for.

One other thing that is important to keep in mind is that employees with digital badges make it easier for the business to meet compliance standards and ensure every qualification is up to date.

For example, some job sites require at least one member of each shift to be first aid certified. If those individuals have digital badges for the first aid certification, it is very easy to check the expiration date and ensure scheduling is done correctly.

Ongoing supply chain woes dating back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019, continue to affect the entire supply chain industry.

The combination of shipping delays and product shortages around the globe means that retailers and consumers alike do not have access to all the products they need. Small and large businesses have been affected all year round, but these problems are only compounded during the holiday season due to the increase in demand.

Why Should You Already Be Prepping Your Supply Chain?

If you don’t prep your supply chain for the upcoming 2022 holiday season months in advance, you will be stuck in reaction mode if anything inevitably goes astray.

As a result, your business will suffer and it may take quite some time to rebound.

Whether you are a retailer planning your holiday inventory, a supplier trying to serve your clients needs, or a manufacturer keeping up with orders, it is important to be aware of the challenges on the horizon and begin prepping your business early. Let’s get into it.

Pandemic Supply Chain Challenges That Get Worse During Holidays

There are two main challenges that have affected the supply chain since the start of the pandemic.

The first is shipping delays.

There are a myriad of causes of these delays, including increased demand and longer processing times for goods. Since online ordering exploded in popularity after the pandemic hit, it was inevitable that standard shipping times from retailers like Amazon and direct orders from overseas would take longer; there simply aren’t enough trucks or cargo ships to meet the increase in demand.

The pandemic also slowed down processing with safety protocols and quarantining for transporters exposed to COVID-19, on top of increased demand for online ordering during lockdowns.

As you can imagine, the increased demand on these delivery routes during the holidays only compounds these problems. Even with lockdowns lifted and people able to shop in stores again, it has not been uncommon to have even major box stores suffering from lack of stock due to shipping delays.

The second main challenge affecting the supply chain industry is manufacturing delays.

Countries need to work together to produce products. Everyone is aware of the microchip shortage that affected vehicle output, the production of PS5 consoles, and so much more.

With manufacturing facilities all over the world working at reduced capacity and struggling to receive raw resources, the supply chain has been affected at every level.

While many of the delays have been resolved with relaxing safety protocols and procedures, the supply chain industry is still playing catch up in many areas.

Until the industry fully rebounds from the pandemic, manufacturers, delivery specialists, large and small retailers, and consumers all need to make some changes in the way they prep for the holiday season in 2022.

Another minor challenge that some companies will face is storage capacity. Below-average sales and overstocking can result in limited storage capacity. Some companies have had to build additional warehouses, issue refunds without accepting the products back, and cut down on the number of products they sell in order to have space to store them.

Stocking for the Christmas holidays is only going to compound these storage issues.

How To Prep Your Supply Chain for the 2022 Holiday Season

Prepping for the holiday season this year has been started as early as 6 months in advance of Christmas eve. Whether your company is involved in only one component of the supply chain or you are responsible for the entire process, there are preparatory strategies you can implement to reduce the disruption encountered during the holidays.

1. Order Early

One of the best ways for retailers to meet the holiday demand is to order early. Since it is impossible to predict what the delays will be like closer to the holidays, placing orders of high-selling products early on is the best way to maximize your ability to meet demand right through the Christmas season.

Giving the supply chain a few extra months to get your products manufactured and delivered is one of the only ways to guarantee that you have the products when you need them.

2. Order Big

Another strategy you can implement as a retailer is to place larger orders less frequently. If you have a product that you know sells well, overstock your facilities so you don’t have to worry about placing an emergency order later on as you get close to selling out.

If you are purchasing items coming from Asia, these two strategies are even more important since the shipping time has nearly doubled from 40-50 days to 80-90.

3. Don’t Accept Labour Shortages

If labour shortages continue to be a problem for your supply chain, it is time to invest in more automated procedures or make changes such as consolidating inventory locations or changing partners to maximise efficiency of your time and money.

4. Track Shipments

Tracking the progress of your deliveries is an excellent way to keep on top of your supply chain and manage any delays that come up. For example, if one of your warehouses has a delay for a certain product but another location has some to spare, you may be able to shuffle the inventory temporarily to ensure both locations are stocked with the supplies they need until your shipment arrives.

5. Improve Yard Efficiency

Yard efficiency is one of the most complicated components of the supply chain since many drivers from many companies may be coming and going at all hours of the day and night.

Optimizing the procedures to limit gate congestion, filling empty dock slots, and tracking the drivers to know exact arrival times are all strategies that will benefit yard efficiency.

Keeping the internal warehouse organized will also contribute to your ability to get the trucks out in a timely manner and reduce shipping delays for every other component of the supply chain.

For years, climate scientists have been demanding that we – governments, businesses, and citizens – accelerate our timeline for going green before it’s too late. They have continued to reiterate that we must all take steps, large or small, to combat the many challenges facing our environment.

But creating real, lasting change seems to require a community response from countries all over the world. We can reverse a lot of the damage that’s been done and prevent things from reaching that irrevocable point we see looming in our future.

Canada has committed to using various solutions to fight climate change, including accelerating the phase-out of coal, curtailing deforestation, speeding up the switch to electric vehicles and encouraging investment in renewables – all with the goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Why should international businesses care about reducing their CO2 emissions?

For starters:

• There is increasing pressure to do so from stakeholders and consumers alike
• Increasing efficiencies that reduce emissions also often reduce costs
• Private and public investment for sustainable ventures is increasing
• Businesses can reduce their reliance on price-volatile fossil fuels by shifting to renewable energy

There are so many solutions out there for businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint. Finding those solutions specific to their industry is the first step, but the real challenge is being willing to take the risk to adopt new practices and new technologies. Luckily, no business must start upon this path alone.

If we have any hope of reaching the 2050 net-zero targets set forth by the international energy agency, we must be innovative in our approach to implementing these clean, green solutions.

To find out more about the solutions and how businesses can integrate them to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions, we talked to Tyler Hamilton and Leah Perry, CITP from MaRS Discovery District, and Evoco, a cleantech venture working hard to usher in the next generation of sustainable goods.

How MaRS DD  is promoting green solutions on a global scale

Those first few steps during a transition to greener practices can be challenging, confusing, and overwhelming. That’s why MaRS DD offers a number of accessible, practical opportunities for getting started.

“We take a very broad definition of cleantech. We work with about 240 different ventures across Canada. It could be any company that’s got water technology, advanced material technologies, circular economy solutions, technologies related to reducing the impact of transportation, the operations of the energy sector, buildings, you name it, anything that reduces environmental and climate impacts, but does so in a way that makes economic and business sense.”

“We work with those companies and provide access to mentorship and advisory support, market intelligence, connections to investors, customers, and potential partners.”

“On top of all that, we also run very specific programs. One is our Mission from Mars program that was launched in February of 2021,” explains Tyler Hamilton – Director of Ecosystem, Cleantech at MaRS Discovery District

Perhaps the most important service they provide is advisory support for startups. Navigating the process of getting to market is difficult, so assistance in getting to market quickly and effectively is essential. They also offer a Women in Cleantech Accelerator program that focuses on scaling women-led cleantech companies.

“The Women in Cleantech program, sponsored by RBC, is an accelerator for women-led businesses in Cleantech. Seven – ten companies are chosen and go through months of programming, typically a monthly workshop as well as facilitating connections to companies, government, investors, academics, and potential customers.”

“We also actually work quite closely with the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS), particularly in New York and San Francisco, to help our participants get connections to investors or corporate partners in the U.S. market,” says Leah Perry, CITP – Manager, Cleantech, Venture Services at MaRS Discovery District

Innovation hubs like MaRS DD play a crucial connector role between international investors and businesses and burgeoning clean technology companies. Together, inexperience is no longer a burden to international businesses who want to go green, or new cleantech startups who want to find national and international partners – meaningful help is accessible for all.

“Because a corporate culture is much different than a venture culture, it’s important to have an organization like MaRS in the middle, doing translation and getting them to all speak the same language. So, for any company that is interested in going down that path, I would encourage them to reach out to us,” Tyler says.

Explore how your venture can work with MaRS.

While these services are priceless (after all, we must be continually innovating), new is not our only option. By focusing on the cleantech solutions already open to us, such as electric vehicles, solar panels, and carbon-neutral shipping, businesses can make immediate changes to how they operate without the risks of new innovations.

Of course, the solutions that already exist do require innovation as well to be scaled and accessible to large and small businesses alike.

Why businesses should be inspired to actively lower CO2 emissions

Historically, international businesses have balked at drastic solutions to climate change and our environmental crisis due to concerns over cost. While understandable, as the risk can be significant when implementing any new technology on a large scale, there are many reasons to take the risk.

First, green practices are often more affordable in the long run. While there is always an upfront expense when implementing new technologies or policies in your business, the long-term result is cost savings on everything from materials to processing to transport. Plus, the price of fossil fuels is constantly in flux, and usually takes a hit when global conditions change for good or bad.

Renewable energy is consistent and more reliable for future budgeting purposes.

Another key motivator to lowering your CO2 emissions is government-mandated emissions goals. Many countries have goals in place for net-zero emissions by a 2050 or sooner, and you may face penalties, fees, and other negative consequences for not jumping on the bandwagon.

Additionally, going above and beyond the current call to reduce your business’ emissions will prevent you from being blindsided and disadvantaged by sudden policy shifts or regulation changes, or from global events that affect costs.

While these are both very good reasons to take inspiration from organizations pushing cleantech solutions, they are not as compelling as protecting your company’s bottom line.

Today’s society is becoming more socially responsible and environmentally conscious. Consumers are seeking cleaner, greener products and services everywhere they can, and businesses who meet this need are going to be able to compete long-term.

The best solutions for lowering CO2 emissions in 2022

There are countless solutions for international businesses who want to reduce their CO2 emissions and work toward a net-zero status. There are even dedicated solutions depending on industry, scale, and future goals.

For those businesses who engineer products, replacing petrochemicals and other harmful materials in your products is an excellent first step. Natural additives are available no matter what material you’re looking to replace, and they’re often more economically viable than your current solution. These include biodegradable, plant-based materials, and polymer upcycling.

How Evoco is disrupting petroleum dependent industries to close the loop in the fashion industry

Cleantech company, Evoco, is disrupting petroleum dependent industries with carbon-reducing technologies – creating innovative and sustainable material solutions for consumer goods.

They operate two different product brands that can both be applied to many industries from fashion to furniture:

FATES, a plant-based bio-foam made up with to 80% plants and reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 70%.

CleansportNXT^TM, all-natural, probiotic odour control product used in a variety of industries from athletics to home furnishings.

“The fashion industry has received a lot of attention for its unsustainable practices. The industry alone produces 8 to 10% of the world’s GHG emissions, (more than the aviation industry which contributes up to 2.5%), that equates to 4000 megatons.” Says Natalie Ashdown, COO of Evoco Ltd.

“We take carbon stored in plants, use it in our chemistry, transform it into materials, brands use our materials as a sustainable alternative, and once consumers are done with their shoes the material biodegrades back into the earth, closing the loop.”

“However, we are just getting started. We will be expanding our technology (over 15 patents) and materials in other verticals. What is innovative about our R&D is that we can manipulate our materials to any specifications, one day your office chair will be made with FATES eco-foam, the mattress you sleep on will be made with plants rather than petrochemicals. Our objective or big, hairy audacious goal (BHAG), is to replace petrochemicals and harmful materials and remove them out of our, our planet earth,” explains Evoco CFO Basima Roshan.

“A common problem with the cleantech industry is that a lot of the products that are coming onto the market are often subpar to the status quo. If consumers are going to take the industry seriously, they ultimately want to have a product that will work and perform. So we work really hard to make sure that our products are performance products as well,” says Natalie.

Today, Evoco works primarily in the fashion industry, with footwear giants like VANS, Timberlands, Keen and Kodiak. But they have their eye on expanding to more of the high-volume retailers like Nike, Adidas and fashion brands like Versace, Chanel, and in the longer-term Tesla.

“People and our planet are inextricably linked. Everyone in our company would love to make an impact and believes that we can actually make an impact. We can make a difference. So I think everyone feels the impact of that every day. Especially when we come up with new, innovative, materials – it’s so exciting for our entire company.” Says Natalie.

One of the most effective ways of reducing your carbon footprint is to invest in new technologies for generating, storing, and distributing energy. These include solar, wind, water, and geothermal energy sources. With this approach, it is equally crucial that you develop new methods of managing your energy and optimizing your consumption, such as using energy-efficient products.

For businesses connected to food production, many new solutions exist for sustainable farming and increased food production without the use of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. These solutions include urban agriculture, permaculture, biodynamic farming, crop rotation and polycultures, natural animal raising, manual weed control such as AI robots, natural pest management, and more.

For the transportation of goods and people, electric vehicles are the top solution. With many countries enforcing EV goals by 2030 or 2040, the technology is being developed at incredible rates. While this area does face its challenges, such as battery life in cold climates and access to charging stations in remote areas, this is one of the most promising areas for reducing global CO2 emissions.

Since one of the largest contributors to a business’s carbon footprint is their waste, investing in innovative technologies for recycling commercial and industrial waste is a key priority regardless of industry or size. Industrial waste in particular can be quite hazardous, whether it’s food waste, liquid waste, or unused materials.

To manage this waste sustainably, we must focus on using microorganism composting, upcycling to new products, harnessing the emitted gas as an energy source, and more. Of course, the first step to waste management is to develop innovative ways of reducing business waste in general.

Offsetting your CO2 emissions is another simple method of reducing your carbon footprint. Though everyone talks about trees when they discuss CO2, and planting trees is certainly a benefit, one of the best things a business can do is focus on protecting and restoring our oceans as they are responsible for a vast majority of oxygen and CO2 recycling.

Other things you can do to lower your CO2 emissions include:

• Switching to online meetings
• Use car sharing or public transport for business trips
• Invest in hybrid or fully electric company fleets and vehicles
• Use sustainable suppliers
• Prioritize the use of recycled resources
• Purchase used instead of new whenever possible

How Businesses Can Begin to Implement Green Solutions

Before businesses can implement any of the above solutions for reducing their carbon emissions, they must first know how to start. There are several different ways to prepare your business for these changes.

Before any solutions are implemented, there are three options for gaining an understanding of the “greenness” of your business. These are the Higg index, a life cycle analysis, and communicating with employees and customers.

The Higg index is a tool for measuring the sustainability of an apparel or footwear business and product. It looks at facilities, brands, and products to determine the sustainability, emissions, and social impact of a business in this industry. This can be a helpful tool for identifying challenges, weaknesses, and areas for improvement to make the most impact right away – although it has started to face some criticism.

More broadly, a life cycle analysis can be used to evaluate the sustainability and environmental impact of a product throughout its full life cycle. This includes extraction and processing of raw materials, the manufacturing process of making the product, distribution of the product, the use of the product, and disposal of the product. This analysis provides a clear picture of how your product affects the environment and where areas of improvement exist at all stages of the life cycle.

Finally, the biggest tool you have when preparing your business for implementing any variety of cleantech solutions is to speak with your employees and customers. These two groups have the most insight and knowledge of how your product operates, its impact, and how it can be improved.

By communicating a desire for change with them, businesses access a wealth of information that will streamline the process and target key problems in the sustainability of your product.

When your business is prepared for change, the best way to begin implementing green solutions that reduce CO2 emissions is to leverage private and government funding options to lower the risk of investing in new cleantech ventures and technologies.

Sharing the risk makes the needed technologies accessible to everyone and encourages businesses to continue innovating, updating, and improving their sustainability practices.

On the consumer side, transparency in your supply chain is the best way to begin showing your customers that you heard their call for sustainability. Consumers want to know where their products come from and being transparent through your supply chain ensures that your efforts are noticed and rewarded through customer retention, word of mouth, and a green reputation.

More than 50% of businesses would do more to minimize their environmental impact if they had more knowledge about how to do so or had more help and access to resources. Companies like Evoco and MaRS DD are paving the way for big changes in how international businesses reduce their CO2 emissions effectively, responsibly, and seamlessly.

Now is the time to get started improving the sustainability of your business. With role models like these showing us how it’s done, we can all feel more confident implementing these green solutions into our day-to-day business.

International trade is often seen by businesses and individuals as an activity – something that happens as part of a job role or an organizations’ transactional processes. But those who have the skills and knowledge to complete international transactions – from logistics to sales and marketing and trade finance – are all international trade professionals.

Trade is not only an activity of exchanging products and services across borders, but a true occupation and profession that takes a specialized set of knowledge, skills and abilities to perform.

The CITP designation was created to recognize the professional competence of those working in any industry within the global market. This article celebrates three successful Certified International Trade Professionals in the food and beverage industry.

Practical benefits of training and certification on businesses

In addition to the common benefits associated with earning a professional designation, such as expanding their network, gaining skills and confidence, and acquiring an additional layer of credibility, these individuals feel they have gained a lot more that’s helped them better contribute to their businesses.

A smoother workload, better communication with suppliers and coworkers, higher profits on a personal and company level, and a more complete understanding of international markets are all things these three CITPs have taken with them after earning their designation.

These individuals are also eager to give back to their community, now that they feel better equipped to help others achieve their goals in the international market, and have access to a platform that lets them share their experiences with the next generation.

Julia (Xia) Zhao, CITP – President, Raintree International Trade Co.

As president of Raintree International Trade Co., Julia (Xia) Zhao has become an expert in international trade with a focus on the food and beverage industry. While she was attending university, international trade became a trending topic and growing field, so she joined a company with a global focus right after graduation. She has been fascinated by the industry ever since.

In 2005, she had the opportunity to help her company expand further into the global market by traveling from her native China to Canada to represent her company there. It was not an easy road finding foreign suppliers, and she credits much of the difficulty to the language barrier. However, she overcame all of her difficulties with hard work and dedication, and achieved excellent results, bringing in revenue and increasing her own salary.

“Don’t just work hard. Educate yourself and work harder.” Zhao believes strongly in this message, and that is why she chose to complete the FITTskills program and apply for the CITP designation. She thanks her teachers for strengthening her skillset and contributing to her knowledge of the structure of a global market. She is more confident now and able to provide better service to her customers and suppliers. Completing the courses gave her a better understanding of the rationale behind decisions and their execution, and provided a significant boost to her ability to collaborate with her colleagues in different roles within the industry.

Now the president of her own company, she has extended their product line into food and beverages with distribution of Chinese cuisine in Canada and the U.S. She is amazed and thankful for the level of acceptance the products have received, and is glad that she can share the food she was raised on with people in other countries.

Expanding her business and creating value was a major motivation for her decision to apply for the designation. She is eager to help others who wish to start businesses in the current market, acting  as the first reliable supplier to help make their dreams come true.

“Earning the CITP designation definitely boosts my confidence and helps me to become more acceptable to the people who seek business opportunities. It makes my name more trustworthy and credible.”

With the added confidence and level of responsibility she has gained through her training and earning the CITP, she is driven to work even harder and continue to elevate herself and her business.

Want to learn more about the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation? See why it’s the world’s most recognized designation for competency and credibility in global business.

Jose Fancisco Barajas Andrade, CITP – Trader, Bassett & Walker International, Inc.

Jose Fancisco Barajas Andrade, a trader with Bassett & Walker International, has been in business since the age of 15. Trading has been a natural skill for him since he was a child, and business remains his passion to this day. Even back then, he told his parents that he would one day sell products between countries, and he has indeed achieved that goal.

Jose is a very well-rounded individual when it comes to international markets. He has travelled to many different countries to witness firsthand the day-to-day life of processing and manufacturing plants. He has also taken part in the best food trade shows around the world in order to “understand the challenges of global trade.” His experiences allow him to identify opportunities for growth in the industry and make it easier for customers and suppliers to trade internationally.

Opening new markets is one of his greatest joys in life, and throughout his career he has worked with entrepreneurs, large corporations, logistics companies, and custom brokers from all continents. He has had exposure to every aspect of the supply chain, negotiation, and business development. Even with all of this exposure and experience, he still saw value in completing the FITTskills program and pursuing the CITP designation.

Jose says the FITTskills courses have helped him reinforce his knowledge and understanding of the difference between low and high context markets, and he feels proud to be part of a group that strives to create positive change in the international trade process.

He feels it is an honor to be recognized on an international level with this designation, and looks forward to the opportunities it presents to expand his network and “contribute international expertise into other industries”.

Hiufan Tsang, CITP – General Manager, DKSH (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

“I am very honored to be acknowledged with the CITP designation.”

As the general manager of DKSH (Shanghai), Hiufan Tsang has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He got his start in the industry right after his college graduation with a position in international marketing. His career received a significant boost when he joined a French distribution company in Shanghai, and now he is the general manager for DKSH in Shanghai.

Tsang believes that all aspects of humanity are interwoven, and his role in international trade serves as a contribution to the stability the world needs to prosper. His decision to apply for the CITP designation came from the belief that his membership in this elite group will help “support dialogue and enable cultural understanding through trade.” He is eager to contribute to the diversity of the international market and encourage the flow of products and ideas between different countries.

More than anything, Tsang recognizes the importance of people. He says that “people management is at the core of getting international trade done.”

His hard work and dedication in earning the CITP designation has given him the platform to share his experiences with people just beginning their careers in international trade.

“Their evolution into future stalwarts of this industry is critical for a prosperous global trade.”

To help them get there, he is happy to contribute in any way possible, providing guidance through writing, consultations, or training, to anyone who needs support along the way. The network he has been provided with as a result of his designation will last years, as he believes that the preservation of relationships is key.

The right training and professional designation can help individuals to achieve their loftiest goals for personal growth and the success of their company, whether they own it or help support it in another role. Networking opportunities, credibility, the knowledge and means to help others, and the tools to streamline company services are the real, tangible results of this practical professional development.

Ask a CEO who has an export growth strategy in place “What do you do?”, and they will answer to their sector: “I am in: agriculture, aviation, mining, fish, French fries, breakfast cereals…” Ask their employees what they do, and they will answer to their job title: “I am a: business development manager; account manager; accountant; supply chain specialist; logistics specialist; compliance officer…”

If you work in the supply chain or logistics fields, you are an international trade professional

Generally speaking, neither the CEO nor the employee will readily define themselves as being involved in international trade, but these individuals are undoubtedly international trade professionals.

International trade is not only an activity of exchanging products and services across borders, but a true occupation and profession that takes a specialized set of knowledge, skills and abilities to perform. And having those skills and abilities recognized formally with a professional designation holds a number of compelling benefits for supply chain and logistics professionals.

No matter what your goals may be for your career or where you’d like to specialize, if your work touches on cross-border transactions, earning a professional designation will promote you as an individual, expand your competency as a professional, and open a lot of doors for your career.

In this article we celebrate five supply chain and logistics professionals, now CITPs, who have taken that step to advance their already impressive careers, inspire confidence in their colleagues and clients, validate their international business knowledge, and join a vast network of other business professionals and leaders.

Michael Wong, CITP – Director, Marketing & Logistics, CST Canada Coal Limited

As a director for CST Canada Coal Limited, Michael Wong is an industry leader with expertise in marketing and logistics. He has always been business minded, and international business was a passion of his early on. He got started as an entrepreneur while he was in university, and his career has been incredibly successful thus far.

Wong’s desire to pursue the CITP designation originated from the wish to validate his international business knowledge. The increase in credibility and business partners’ confidence is invaluable to him and to his career. In his own words, “the CITP designation is recognized across the world as a token of competence and credibility.” Without this designation, he would not be able to promote himself as an industry expert.

Wong is currently responsible for the inclusive needs of global sales, logistics, and business development for the company. Every decision he makes is impactful, whether it relates to product pricing, contract negotiations, or business development planning. With his 15 years of experience, Wong has used his knowledge and skills to achieve all of the growth targets set out for the company.

While Wong is excelling in the business world, one of the goals he is hoping to achieve with the help of the CITP designation, and the community that comes along with it, is to become the expert that others come to for help.

“The CITP community provides me with a network of other international trade professionals that I can reach out to and connect with. I would like to be able to provide advice and guidance to those in need.”

His admiration and appreciation of the designation is summed up perfectly with these words:

“They say one picture is worth a thousand words. To me, the CITP designation is worth more – it encapsulated years of dedication, failures, frustration, blood, sweat and tears, sensation, thrills, gratulation. Words can’t express the mixed emotions.”

Want to learn more about the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation? See why it’s the world’s most recognized designation for competency and credibility in global business.

Gabriel Cruz, CITP –  Global Supply Chain Manager, Vytelle

Gabriel Cruz, the global supply chain manager for Vytelle, was captivated by the industry as early as boarding school cadets. For him, a logistics course was his introduction to the supply chain industry, and his dedication has led to a successful career on an international scale.

His interest in the CITP designation came from its recognition in the global industry; it is an instant way for business partners and potential clients to gain confidence in his experience, knowledge, and abilities.

Cruz recognizes the importance of keeping up with constant change. He values self-improvement and a well-rounded network; the CITP designation has helped him accomplish both.

In a simple statement that really hits home, Cruz says “I believe this is a great designation.” His feelings are replicated in every individual who has pursued this path. The worldwide validation of the CITP designation ensures that his belief that it will create more opportunities for his career is perfectly realistic.

Yuen Wah Wan, CITP – Manager, International Trade Division – Saraya HongKong Co. Limited

“It is essential not only to business, but also to the well-being of mankind.”

Yuen Wah Wan’s powerful words signify the importance of international trade to every country and individual. Her journey towards achieving the CITP designation inspired her and taught her just how much there is to learn about the industry. Her interest in improving herself and enhancing her career was only compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the designation was a great way to further her studies and improve her competency and effectiveness in the industry.

As one of the first people in Hong Kong to earn the CITP designation, Yuen Wah Wan sees herself as a pioneer in her city. “The training, resources, and networking opportunities provided by FITT” were the outcomes she most appreciated.

She did not come into the industry with an academic background in business, but rather with Japanese language skills as her main contribution.

The FITTskills courses helped prepare her for her work in the International Trade Division at her company and facilitate communication between different divisions.

The FITTskills courses and CITP designation were the perfect complement for her work experience, and with her promotion to manager after three years with the company, Yuen Wah Wan is equipped to advance her career even further.

Miguel Murphy, CITP – International Trade & Supply Chain Management

Miguel Murphy is another successful international trade and supply chain management professional. For as long as he can remember, trading and commerce has been a passion of his. The industry intrigued him and never relinquished its hold.

He decided to progress through the FITTskills program in order to round out his knowledge and skills and meet the requirements needed to be successful internationally. He credits the courses for his ability to “meet the Canadian benchmark for doing business in the international arena.”

Courses such as International Trade Finance can equip a person with the ability to succeed where others fail in the industry, and Miguel Murphy recognized its value, saying:

“International Trade Finance is the glue that brings every international trade transaction together to completion.”

Miguel’s goals when applying for the CITP designation were to gain new skills and knowledge, advance career options on a global scale, and expand his network, and he recognizes the role the designation plays in increasing his confidence and the professional recognition he needs for success in a competitive and fast-paced industry.

Ossama Talaat, CITP – Supply Chain, Logistics and Trade Execution

“It’s a great honor to obtain the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation.”

Ossama Talaat is an expert in the intricacies of the international supply chain, logistics, and trade execution. As a winner of the 2009 Best Innovative Idea award from the Cargill Sugar Worldwide Innovation Idea Campaign, Talaat is already recognized as a creative thinker. Since he was given the opportunity to fully implement his strategy in a real-world scenario, his skills and competency are validated as well.

His takeaways from obtaining the designation include career advancement and an expanded network of professionals on an international scale. Adding credibility to his experience and career development were his main motivating factors for pursuing the designation, and his successes speak to the effect it has had on him as an individual and as a business leader.

We are thrilled to welcome these five outstanding international trade professionals to the CITP|FIBP community and look forward to following their careers and celebrating their future accomplishments. Why not connect with them and see how including them in your network can open doors for you?