JP Wiggins

The logistics and transport sector contributes about 24% of global CO2 emissions. Considering the push for supply chain sustainability across different sectors, the need for lower emissions has been heating up in recent years. With roughly a quarter of the world’s emissions tied to logistics, this industry will possibly be the final frontier to tackle regarding sustainability. While different strategies can be leveraged to reduce the impact of logistics operations on the environment, integrating eco-friendly practices and reducing Scope 3 emissions are some of the most pressing initiatives at hand. This article serves as a guide that will provide actionable steps for companies to embrace innovative solutions and navigate the transition toward a greener future. Scope 3: Understanding Supply Chain Emissions Modern supply chain management outsources different parts of the operation to leverage the expertise of different suppliers and stakeholders. Logistics operations are usually outsourced to third-party providers, and exercising control over their operations and monitoring their sustainability practices and emissions can be challenging. Here’s the harsh reality: no matter how well an organization manages to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions, the unaddressed Scope 3 emissions can bring the entire process to a screeching halt. This is especially true…

Special Guest Blog Post written by Bernadine Henderson Ms. Henderson, senior director of procurement at Protolabs, lifts the lid on buying in manufacturing and why relationships are central to it.   Simply put, the job of a buyer is really about buying the right thing at the right time for the right price. It sounds simple, but it really is very complicated because everything that’s going on in the world impacts the timing, the availability, and the price of the product. This means that buying has recently got a lot more complicated. World events have very real consequences on global supply chains. Just one example is the way in which buyers have responded to tariffs in the U.S. by re-routing sourcing locations. It takes a certain amount of agility to be a buyer in 2025, and this quick responsiveness is helped along by one key ingredient, and that is strong relationships with suppliers. Relationships Built on Trust A widely held misconception is that buyers are only interested in getting to the lowest price possible. In fact, the most important thing to a buyer is for suppliers to bring solutions that deliver overall value. In my experience, a really strong supplier…