In the first new Logistics with Purpose podcast episode of 2024, hosts Monica Aurora Roesch and Noria Sierra welcome Kaitlin Marian to the show, with In Kind Direct, a charity focused on preventing surplus products from going to waste by distributing them to charities in need across the UK. Kaitlin shares her journey from a corporate career to In Kind Direct, highlighting the charity’s mission to tackle hygiene poverty and its impact on individuals’ lives. Listen in and learn more about: The importance of partnerships with corporate donors and the environmental benefits of diverting products from landfills. The logistics of managing donations for over 5,000 charities and addressing challenges in meeting specific product needs. The practical role of logistics in driving purpose-driven initiatives.

Bobby Holland is a man in the know. Nearing four decades of broad-based data processing, software engineering, and consulting experience, he is now the Vice President/Director of Freight Business Analytics, and in charge of the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index. Published every quarter by U.S. Bank, it has become a go-to source of information for freight shipping trends at a national and regional level. Joining Bobby on this episode of the podcast is the returning Eric Olson, Sales Support Operations Director at Total Quality Logistics (TQL), where he has spent almost 20 years working in a variety of management roles. Listen in as the conversation focuses on the U.S. Bank 2023 Q4 Freight Payment Index, based on billions of dollars worth of spend data. Bobby reveals that one region of the country saw a huge drop in shipments of more than 25% year over year. Insights such as this, underpinned by raw and unquestionable data, are why companies such as TQL and supply chain professionals like Eric turn to it for valuable insights that help to underpin their own strategies. Through the podcast, the duo talk through seven key takeaways from the 2023 Q4 report, explaining some of the trends…