Recognized for its ability to improve sustainability in the supply chain, the Business Intelligence Group has named Flowspace’s Network Optimization “Sustainability Service of the Year” in the 2023 Sustainability Awards program.
This award marks the second time Flowspace has been named Sustainability Service of the Year, and is yet another testament to the company’s ability to reduce emissions, energy consumption, and fuel usage within the supply chain. Flowspace has also been recognized for excellence in sustainable fulfillment solutions by the SEAL Environmental Impact Awards, the SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards, Inbound Logistics, and others.
What is Network Optimization?
Network Optimization is Flowspace’s proprietary network design algorithm that determines the ideal configuration of warehouses and fulfillment locations, along with inventory allocation, that maximizes efficiencies including delivery distance and environmental impact.
By optimally distributing goods across a fulfillment network – either a merchant’s owned and operated locations and/or utilizing Flowspace’s flexible network of 150+ locations nationwide – merchants are able to keep their shipments within nearby zones (“Zone 1” or approximately a 50 mile radius vs “Zone 8” which is across the country), increasing sustainability impacts by minimizing shipping distances and related carbon footprint.
Real-World Impacts of Network Optimization
Encompassing more than three million shipments over the last three years, Network Optimization has saved Flowspace customers more than 2.52 billion miles in transit and 242,000 lbs in carbon emissions.
For an individual brand, shipping an estimated average of 130,000 orders over the course of a year, Network Optimization can reduce approximately 7.7 million miles in transit and 741 pounds of carbon emissions. That is the equivalent of 19.8 acres of U.S. forests preserved from conversion to cropland in one year according to the EPA.
Sustainability Matters
The Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards honor the people, teams and companies who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission, and Flowspace is proud to earn recognition from this esteemed organization. The organization’s proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
Per McKinsey, it is crucial that retailers evaluate business decisions using an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) lens to endure amid industry change and disruption, prioritizing investment in those that support ESG-related goals.
As brands and retailers – particularly those with a brick-and-mortar footprint – continue to turn to Flowspace and its best-in-class fulfillment software, they’ll be able to apply the Network Optimization model across their entire network of stores and fulfillment locations, improving sustainability and environmental impacts industry-wide.
Find out how Flowspace can help your organization improve sustainability in the supply chain. Get in touch today.
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