UK Country Manager Sébastien Potts shares insights from Retail, Supply Chain & Logistics Expo - and what it means for Urb-it to have been recognised through its first award
It was great to hear about so many innovations in logistics and retail technology at the Retail, Supply Chain and Logistics Expo that took place recently in London. It was also great to be back at a live event!
With over one hundred seminars and thousands of attendees, it was clear that supply chain innovation is needed and is happening quicker than ever. At Urb-it, we are part of that change.
There has never been a greater need for sustainable, ethical deliveries due to the implementation of ultra-low emission zones, the increase in retail sustainability commitments, as well as the growth in e-commerce that has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
I shared in my seminar some examples of how we are innovating beyond our sustainable deliveries to help drive change in logistics:
Amazon / Urb-it partnership in Paris
We partner with Amazon in Paris who won a tender from RATP, the state-owned public transport operator, to sort and distribute deliveries of their parcels from empty bus depots on a daily basis. This is a highly effective use of large inactive space in central Paris, and by delivering these parcels on our e-cargo bike fleet, we are helping Amazon towards meeting their 2040 Climate Pledge commitments.
Driving societal & environmental change through our B-Corp commitments
As a certified B Corp, we have committed to the highest standards of social and environmental impact and consider the impact of our decisions on all stakeholders. Our couriers deliver our customer experience –they are at the heart of what we do at Urb-it. We provide our couriers with fair wages, work flexibility, meaningful benefits and encourage their growth & development. We also partner with businesses aligned with our mission and values. We actively contribute to creating sustainable cities & communities.
It was encouraging to see many discussions taking place exploring the ways that supply chains can innovate to support the commercial and sustainability needs of e-commerce.
The best part of the event was we won our first award!
We were delighted to win the Best Supply Chain Solution Award as recognition of our growth and progress in 2021. It was a year when we expanded from operating in three to nine cities and transitioned from a predominantly walking and cycling courier model to developing an extensive e-cargo bike fleet. We also scaled from c30 to 150+ colleagues!
We are humbled by this recognition and are committed more than ever to creating a positive impact and driving real change through our sustainable delivery services as we continue to grow across Europe in 2022.
