Bol.com has reduced CO2 emissions per parcel by 15 per cent over the past year. The e-tailer aims to deliver completely CO2-neutral by 2025.
Wouter Barkman told this on Wednesday during E-Commerce Live! in the Beurs van Berlage. By doing business sustainably, bol.com remains relevant as a brand, Barkman stated during his session. As Director New Capacity, Barkman is jointly responsible for bol.com's sustainability strategy. The e-tailer has set itself an ambitious goal: 0 grams of CO2 emissions per package in 2025.
Last mile on foot or by bike
Distribution is the biggest polluter in bol.com's chain, followed by Energy and Packaging. In order to reduce emissions from distribution, bol.com will talk to suppliers, among other things. Barkman: "Together, we look at what can be done differently. How do they deliver? Which waste can they omit?" bol.com's delivery partners also have to make the switch, although they themselves are often already working on the transition to sustainable logistics. At bol.com, 24 per cent of last-mile deliveries are now delivered on foot or by bicycle, Barkman says.
Solar and wind energy
In the field of Energy, bol.com implemented a number of measures in its relatively new distribution centre in Waalwijk.The location runs on solar and wind energy, the installations used in the DC are energy-efficient, rainwateris collected and used for flushing toilets and urinals. For these efforts, bol.com received sustainability certification BREAAM-NL Outstanding.
Omission of outer box
The e-tailer is also working on making packaging more sustainable. Recently, bol.com announced it will ship 3.5 million items without a box. Only when the blue and white box is necessary to protect the item, the e-tailer packs the product. A packaging machine packs these products to size, requiring less air.
Bol.com introduced a shipping bag made of recycled plastic, a measure that was not received enthusiastically by everyone. It is of course unfortunate that the bag is plastic, acknowledges Barkman. "But chain-wide you do reduce emissions with it. Ultimately, of course, we want to move towards a solution where no plastic is used."
Reduction of 15 per cent
According to Barkman, the measures have borne their first fruit; between 2017 and 2018, bol.com recorded a 15 per cent CO2 reduction per parcel.
