In the very near future, businesses will need to know their carbon footprints or run the risk of others unwilling to do business with them. Analysis of a company supply chain’s current carbon footprint, along with the different storage and distribution strategies that may be used for reducing it, offer an opportunity for businesses to increase their competitive advantage in the market place. In the ripening information age, a true effort towards improving the environment will certainly be positively recognised by customers, staff and business partners alike.

The uses of energy (fuel and electricity) are large cost centres for most businesses that have big supply chains. As the price of crude oil balloons, knowing your current company’s networks’ costs and emission output is the first step to making positive changes for your business.

Increasingly Australian companies are looking to undertake positive activities towards cutting greenhouse emissions. This, however, may take time. One immediate way to positively contribute is through participation in such carbon offset programs. Understanding your current Supply Chain Carbon Footprint enables companies to purchase the equivalent carbon offsets to make their supply chain a “zero contributor” to carbon emissions – whilst still following strategies to reduce their own emissions.

This conference will aim to address the main issues higher management in sustainability, environmental and supply chain roles are facing. Just what is the accepted measurement of a carbon footprint? How do you quantify in, in supply chain terms into dollars and cents and how to you cost-effectively reduce it? What types of benchmarks should you be looking at?