Launch of the Lean & Green Pilot Project in Quebec

MONTREAL, Feb. 2, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - At an initial workshop held at the Port of Montreal with more than 45 participants in February 2020, the European Lean & Green certification program made its debut in Montreal. To support the environmental performance of Greater Montreal's logistics and transportation actors, CargoM is proud to implement the Lean & Green certification program starting in 2021. To do so, CargoM is teaming up with its Belgian partner, Logistics in Wallonia (LiW), to drawing on their expertise, as LiW has already implemented this green certification with more than 500 European companies since 2014. CargoM is also receiving a grant from the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie to implement this certification program.

CargoM is proud to implement the Lean & Green certification program starting in 2021. (CNW Group/Metropolitan Cluster of logistics and transportation in Montreal)

Introducing Connekt  
Since 2013, Connekt has been focussed on reducing CO₂ emissions in the field of transport. To date, the Lean & Green program is active in 12 European Union member states and has 13 local offices. More than 550 companies are involved in the development of more sustainable logistics, including shippers, trucking companies, port terminals, ports, barges, airports and cargo airlines.

"The core that Lean & Green stands for is being part of a lively community in which companies increase cooperation with each other, even between competitors, in order to increase the individual competitive strength and to improve the sustainability of the supply chain as a whole in order to contribute to a better world. I'm very happy to collaborate in Lean & Green with our partner CargoM."

Nico Anten, Executive Chairman of Connekt

Lean & Green certification
Initiated in 2008 in the Netherlands, the Lean & Green program aims to support logistics and transport companies as they cut their CO₂ emissions by at least 20% over no more than five years. To achieve this, a simple methodology has been developed. After conducting an assessment of emissions from transport and logistics, the participating company defines a Lean & Green action plan. The plan must cover at least 50% of the emissions. It then chooses a reference unit (tonne-kilometre, floor metre, pallet, etc.) to properly calculate CO₂ emissions and, most importantly, factor in how its activities develop and grow. 

To assess efforts already undertaken before joining the program, the company can determine a reference year before the year it joins Lean & Green. A crucial issue for the company is to have the necessary data to anchor the action plan in day-to-day business operations. This will ensure that the final result is assessed from both an environmental and an economic point of view alike.

Following its launch in the Netherlands, the program was extended to Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and the Czech Republic. Fourteen countries are now participating in this certification.

Pilot Project in Quebec
CargoM is proud to announce that to establish this program, the Pilot Project will start on January, 22^nd 2021, date on which the agreement was signed. To make this happen, CargoM will join forces with Quebec partners such as InnovLOG - Institut d'innovation en logistique du Québec and Green Marine to facilitate the implementation of this projetc. CargoM also intends to work with members of Greater Montreal's supply chain while the Pilot Project is getting underway. If you are interested in this new project and would like to be in the first cohort, please email us at [email protected]

"To ally sustainable mobility and logistics, we are very pleased to work together on implementing an innovative pilot project for our sector. Thanks to our partner Logistics in Wallonia we have the good fortune to work in collaboration with the Connekt group to establish Lean & Green in Quebec."

Mathieu Charbonneau, Executive Director of CargoM

About CargoM
Created in 2012, CargoM (www.cargo-montreal.ca — @CargoMtl) brings together Greater Montreal's logistics and freight transport stakeholders, including educational institutions, exporters and importers, research centres,  associations and sectoral committees around shared objectives and collaborative projects, with the aim of increasing the cohesiveness, competitiveness and outreach of this sector. Of vital importance to the development of Greater Montreal, it represents 120,000 jobs, 6,000 businesses and over $4.3 billion annually in economic benefits.

CargoM's activities receive financial support from the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC), the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation (MAMH), the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation (MEI) and all its members.

About Connekt
Connekt (www.connect.nl) is an independent network for smart and sustainable mobility with a robust blend of knowledge, creativity and dynamism within a network of key stakeholders. With more than 500 partners worldwide, Connekt develops and implements tangible solutions to make the world a better place, both ecologically and economically.

SOURCE Metropolitan Cluster of logistics and transportation in Montreal

CargoM, Amy Lombard, Project Manager, 514-508-2609, ext. 223, [email protected]

Related Links

www.cargo-montreal.ca