Sustainability has become one of the major challenges facing road freight transport. This was the starting point for the second roundtable discussion in the Mirades Sectorials series organised by Banc Sabadell, in which we participated on behalf of Cluster Catalonia Logistics.
The session was moderated by Marta Losada, Managing Director of Cluster Catalonia Logistics, and featured Joan Lluís Rubio López, marketing director at ADER (Supergroup Spain), Adrià Garcia Guerrero, head of transport and reverse logistics at Condis Supermercats, and Jesús Lozano Gil, President of Transcalit and CEO of Lotrans.
Marta Losada highlighted a figure that illustrates the scale of the challenge: heavy-duty transport accounts for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. In response to this reality, the Cluster emphasises the need for a collaborative approach. Sustainability affects many different players across the value chain, and finding effective solutions requires bringing their needs and perspectives together.
For Joan Lluís Rubio, sustainability is a matter of responsibility, but also an opportunity to do things better. However, the market determines the pace of change. Adrià Garcia focused on one of the key questions, who will bear the cost of this transformation. Fuel prices, new requirements and, above all, customers’ willingness to pay more for sustainable transport are all factors shaping the sector’s evolution.
In this regard, the discussion also highlighted the need to better communicate to customers what lies behind transport costs and why certain options may come at a higher price. Sustainability comes at a cost.
Another challenge is ensuring that this transformation remains affordable for the entire sector. Jesús Lozano highlighted the difficulties that small businesses and self-employed transport operators may face in keeping pace with the level of investment made by larger companies. Adrià Garcia reinforced this point, sustainability must not become a barrier to entry for smaller businesses.
The role of public authorities and cities was also discussed. Participants agreed on the need to harmonise regulations and achieve greater consistency among different administrations, as the wide range of regulatory requirements can make it more difficult for transport companies to operate.
Finally, Jesús Lozano highlighted the role of education in this process, stressing that sustainability awareness should begin well before people enter the workforce.
The roundtable therefore left us with one clear message, sustainability is a challenge that involves the entire value chain. At Cluster Catalonia Logistics, we believe that moving forward will require listening to all the stakeholders involved, understanding their different realities and finding collaborative approaches that allow the sector to evolve without leaving anyone behind.
View the full session here: https://hubempresa.bancsabadell.com/activities/transporte-sostenible-oportunidad-o-amenaza-para-la-competitividad-del-sector/
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