Ultra Low Emission Zones – the new direction for European cities? 2024-01-15 przez iLabs - Kamil Clean transport zones in Europe In 2022, there were 320 clean transport zones in European cities, with access restricted to vehicles that meet strict emission standards. Germany and Italy are leading the way in introducing these measures. It is estimated that by 2025 there will be more than 500 such zones across the continent1. Is this an effective solution? Tangible results can be seen in London, which has both low and ultra-low emission zones. Nitrogen oxide concentrations in the city fell by 44% in the few years after the new law was introduced. There has also been a reduction in levels of PM2.5 – a pollutant that damages the respiratory system. As a result, some parts of the city now meet WHO standards. Ultra Low Emission Zones and challenges for courier companies Kraków and Warsaw are among the cities planning to introduce similar solutions. What will be the impact of Ultra Low Emission Zones on the courier industry? Analysing the experiences of other European cities, the authors of the report “Last Mile Transformation. Zero emissions in city logistics”2, published by the Electric Vehicles Promotion Foundation (FPPE), came to several conclusions: Last-mile logistics is the most difficult and costly challenge for courier companies, and the growth of the e-commerce industry will exacerbate existing problems. Zero-emission transport in city centres reduces delivery time. Despite the initial cost of replacing fleets with, for example, electric vehicles, low-carbon last-mile logistics will result in lower costs in the long run. Low and ultra-low emission zones drive the logistics industry towards zero emission technologies. https://transport.um.warszawa.pl/strefy-czystego-transportu-w-europie https://fppe.pl/raport-transformacja-ostatniej-mili-zeroemisyjnosc-w-logistyce-miejskiej/
More progress on decarbonized transport: how political decisions affect the move toward climate neutrality 2023-12-18 przez iLabs - Kamil More progress on decarbonized transport: how political decisions affect the move toward climate neutrality The Paris Agreement aims to have the European Union achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It is estimated that transport is responsible for 1/4 of greenhouse gas emissions within the Union, and it is this sector that is currently doing the worst in implementing the commitment1. What political decisions are about to change that? Only zero-emission vehicles from 2035 In March 2023, the Council of the European Union adopted a rather radical solution to allow only the sales of zero-emission new passenger cars and vans in the Community from 2035. In addition, a 55% reduction in emissions for cars and 50% for vans is to be achieved between 2030 and 2035. Heavy-duty vehicle tolls In November 2021, the Eurovignette Directive was amended. The new regulations went into effect in March 2022, and require the drivers of heavy-duty vehicles to pay tolls for the use of certain parts of the road infrastructure in order to help reduce CO2 emissions. Euro 7 Cars contribute not only to CO2 emissions, but to air pollution as well. For this reason, the European Union has been working on the Euro 7 standard which is expected to further reduce the level of additional pollutants, for example, from tires, brakes and batteries. The regulations, which have been in the works since September 2023, are expected to apply to passenger cars and vans as well as trucks. It is worth noting that decarbonized transport solutions apply equally to passenger car and truck owners, forcing the logistics industry to take radical steps. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/pl/policies/clean-and-sustainable-mobility/#goals
How are global brands adapting to sustainability requirements? 2023-12-04 przez iLabs - Kamil How are global brands adapting to sustainability requirements? ESG, the non-financial corporate assessment model being implemented by the European Commission, has made sustainability a hot business topic in again. How are e-commerce giants approaching it? Here are some examples. Amazon’s ambitious goals US Amazon certainly deserves its title of giant. The company has set itself an ambitious goal – to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. To this end, it is investing in renewable energy, such as the 3,900 solar panels that power its robotics centre in Świebodzin. The company is also committed to green transportation. It plans to be using 100,000 electric vehicles by 2030 to reduce CO2 emissions by several million tons. In addition, Amazon is constantly improving its supply chain, promoting eco-friendly packaging and the idea of recycling1. Sustainability by Allegro How is sustainability being implemented by Polish giants? Let us take a look at the 2022 ESG report presented by Allegro. In terms of ecology, it says that 98% of the warehouse waste generated by the company is recycled. Allegro boasts a 10.4% reduction in CO2 emissions in its supply chain, as well as the introduction of nearly 4 million eco-friendly packages into the market. There is an eco-friendly tint to Allegro’s One Box parcel lockers, as while they are powered by electricity from the grid, the company purchases energy certified with green certificates. In addition, the lockers are covered with vegetation and measure air quality in the area. ESG strategy at Alsendo Group The development of ESG initiatives is a priority for the Alsendo Group. Our business models are developed and implemented in accordance with UN recommendations aimed at minimizing the negative impact of businesses on the global environment. Demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental protection and social responsibility, we are committed to sustainability and environmental neutrality in every aspect of our operations. Part of this process is an emphasis on developing low-carbon forms of courier services, launching educational projects to promote environmentally friendly forms of sending and picking up parcels, and driving change in our daily work. The effects of our decisions are already visible – we have sent more than 50,000 emails encouraging the use of PUDOs and parcel lockers as the most environmentally friendly courier service option, our paper consumption has been reduced by 35%, and electricity by 15%. Alsendo Group expects to continue its sustainability strategy by launching new projects in the area of environmental impact, labour and social relations, and corporate governance. https://mycompanypolska.pl/artykul/7-sposobow-na-zrownowazony-rozwoj-w-e-commerce/12553
Ethics and digital awareness in online shopping: how do consumers respond to privacy and data security issues? 2023-11-13 przez iLabs - Kamil Ethics and digital awareness in online shopping: how do consumers respond to privacy and data security issues? According to the E-commerce in Poland 20231 report by Gemius, of the approximately 30 million Internet users in Poland, as many as 79% make purchases online. Survey participants were asked about factors motivating them to buy online, and 16% mentioned secure forms of payment. At the same time, 16% of respondents who forgo online shopping cite payment security concerns as the second most frequently identified reason. Given this dissonance, is it possible to summarize consumer perceptions of privacy and data security in online shopping? Patchy understanding of cyber security An interesting discussion of the issue of data security in online shopping is provided in the Safe While E-Shopping 2022 report published by Santander Consumer Bank2. The study reveals some paradoxes. 24% of buyers rated their level of knowledge as definitely good, 30% as good, while 33% gave a neutral answer. Against this backdrop, it may come as a surprise that as many as 84% of shoppers have not heard of phishing, and 77% of skimming – arguably the two most important dangers while e-shopping. Perhaps some of those surveyed are familiar with these phenomena, but cannot name them. On the positive side, 80% of those surveyed said they were familiar with dangers present on the Internet, and they mainly relied for their knowledge on online articles and bank and government websites. It seems that the media and institutions have the potential to improve the Poles’ understanding of cyber security. Online security in practice The authors of the report also verified how consumers protect their data. Here are the most common answers: do not open suspicious attachments or links – 78%; use antivirus software – 63%; be careful when sharing information online – 58%; use strong passwords – 54%; do not use unknown WiFi networks – 48%. The fact so many Poles trust online stores is a proof of their safe and informed shopping practices. On the other hand, there is still a considerable reserve regarding knowledge on cybersecurity. https://www.gemius.pl/wydawcy-aktualnosci/id-79-internautow-kupuje-online-raport-e-commerce-w-polsce-2023-juz-dostepny.html https://www.santanderconsumer.pl/gfx/santander/userfiles/_public/raport_ppw_bezpieczni_na_e-zakupach_2022.pdf
Increasing importance of rating and ESG indicators 2022-12-29 przez iLabs - Kamil Increasing importance of rating and ESG indicators ESG aspects are becoming one of the priorities of investors as well as banks. Because of this, today’s entrepreneurs are developing new business models in order to implement sustainability and gain a positive view of corporate social responsibility. The issue is being widely discussed – the 2nd ESG Poland Power of Business Congress has already taken place on 7 November. We explain where the growing importance of ratings and ESG indicators came from! What are ESG indicators and ratings? ESG is an acronym for the parameters that help to produce ratings (risk assessments) and non-financial assessments of companies, but also of institutions, organizations, states, etc. As the name suggests, they consist of issues related to: E – environment (climate issues and good environmental practices), S – social responsibility (equal treatment of employees and shareholders, taking into account their health and safety), G – corporate governance (innovation that uncovers different opportunities and creates more jobs). Based on these, investors can compare different investment directions, with the possibility of comparing the available options on a single level. Why are ESG indicators becoming increasingly important? The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic put companies in virtually all industries to the test and shook the stability of the global economy. However, the research showed that companies taking ESG factors into account performed better in crisis management and were less affected by the consequences associated with current difficulties and new challenges. This was because the units were less exposed to disruptions related to, for example, technological constraints or the need to comply with new regulations. Data analysis minimises the impact of the crisis and speeds up the process of implementing solutions to rebuild losses and better cope with new conditions. ESG parameters are also worth taking into account when making investment decisions, as in this way more long-term sustainability projects can be acquired, mobilising the capital needed to meet the Green Deal objectives, etc. How are the ESG analyses performed? ESG analysis is difficult because this type of data is not always available and, in addition, often only shows a historical perspective. As they tend to be qualitative in nature, it is also not possible to apply a standard approach to them, such as in the analysis of financial data. For this reason, more and more entities are using the services of rating agencies. Investors want to invest their capital in the best possible way, which is why they are keen to finance companies that boast good ESG parameters. However, it is worth being aware of the fact that they do not treat them as a direct indicator. Rather, they are treated as a source of baseline data, which is the starting point for subsequent analyses from which, for example, KPIs (key performance indicators) are created. What is interesting is that there is no one-size-fits-all methodology for analysing ESG data. Because of this it is possible that if you use several agencies, they may give different ratings for the same entity. Entrepreneurs often decide precisely to seek further ‘opinions’ in order to gain as much data as possible. Why should you order an ESG rating? Joining the ESG rating helps to improve a company’s image, putting it in a better light for shareholders, but also of course for investors, business partners and customers. As a result, a greater chance of new investment and a lower cost of capital are gained. Support for strategic business decisions is also a very important issue. The analysis of ESG parameters allows you to run and develop your business in a fully informed manner, limiting the risk of loss and maximising the chances of earning. Moreover, in recent years, consumers have also been incorporating ESG aspects into their choices. Growing public awareness of the need to care for the environment means that customers are increasingly examining the business models of companies and brands and are more likely to choose those that focus on ecology and sustainability.