Making logistics sustainable – The new ‘Logistics4Future’ initiative

Ramón, where did the idea behind L4F come from?

After the 2019 International Supply Chain Conference, Nele Traichel (BVL’s regional student spokesperson for Saxony-Anhalt) criticized that the conference hadn’t sufficiently dealt with sustainability aspects. The BVL took her criticism seriously, which is why this year, a workshop was organized where students and young professionals from all over Germany had the chance to share their ideas on sustainable logistics. But we didn’t just share notes; we also formulated demands for logistics decision-makers in the form of a video. We released it at the International Supply Chain conference this year, which is what ultimately led to the Logistics4Future initiative.

Who is involved in L4F?

So far, mainly students and young professionals. Most of them have already gained valuable insights from their dual study programs or internships and understand what is important. But now we’d like to see more participation from companies and institutes. That’s where we’re currently working to establish new contacts. Some representatives from science and business have already registered as supporters on the L4F website and are interested in a cooperation. BVL, our umbrella organization, is actively involved. We are also creatively supported by the GfG | Gruppe für Gestaltung, who also developed and executed the kick-off workshop with the BVL. The workshop itself was sponsored by Fiege.

What are your goals?

We want sustainable corporate strategies to become the norm in logistics. Of course there are a number of obstacles. So far, many people assume that sustainable concepts for entrepreneurs are uneconomical and therefore not feasible. We also noted this in our speech at the congress. We are now initiating an open exchange on sustainable logistics to counteract precisely this kind of thinking. We are currently in the process of establishing a platform for this purpose, where best practices on sustainable logistics can be shared and discussed - findings that have proven their value in practice. At the same time, L4F stands for a growing network of young professionals, specialists and managers who want to make logistics sustainable and reach decision-makers in companies. We welcome all supporters and interested parties!

What activities do you have planned?

In the near future, we are mainly planning events where we’ll present Logistics4Future and share our central ideas. An L4F Round Table will make it easier for interested parties to network with us, and will take place roughly every two months. To promote knowledge transfer between companies, there will be a collection of best practices on the L4F website and a series of events. Here, we want to present and discuss practical examples of sustainable logistics. That’s how we want to promote the active exchange of content in order to inspire entrepreneurs and encourage them to become active. In addition, these events will bring together companies who might already have an idea but are still looking for a cooperation partner.    

Have your studies at KLU helped you in your work with L4F?

I think studying at KLU is helpful in a number of ways. On the one hand, I can further educate myself in the field of sustainable logistics and benefit from KLU’s research focus. On the other hand, KLU has an outstanding network, which I can use to get in touch with companies and research institutes to share L4F’s principles. I see synergies especially in collaborations between practice and science through our events and activities.

More information

• Logistics4Future