Supply chain strategies for the UN sustainable development goal (UN SDG) 11: Sustainable cities and communities

The United Nations drafted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. This agenda for sustainable development has been adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, providing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. At country level the UN SDGs are turned into regulations, impacting industries and their supply chains.

How to integrate the UN SDGs into supply chain management practices and to develop supply chain strategies that are meeting the 17 UN SDGs? These UN SDGs go beyond environmental sustainability and also try to close the inequality gap between developing and developed nations.

UN SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

The goal of UN SDG 11 is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Supply chain strategies:
1. Take part in city logistics projects, by collaborating with brand owners and logistics service providers, to consolidate deliveries to the city, hereby reducing the number of trips into the city and deliver with clean vehicles (electric, cycling, or carbon-neutral fuels)
2. Urban farming initiatives to shorten supply chains and hereby the carbon-footprint for HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Cafe) and retailers
3. Central kitchen initiatives for retailers to value-add food products (that are close to its expiry date) into juices, bakery products, ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals, etc.

For more information on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in your supply chain and greening your supply chain, please contact our supply chain analysts at info@lbbinternational.com.