GEODIS and EDF: Decarbonising the Global Supply Chain

GEODIS and EDF have announced a commitment to decarbonising the supply chain in France, before taking the strategy international.

The partnership will encourage the growth of sustainable supply chains around the world and will explore where further improvements can be made.

As a result, both companies will see increased efficiency and greater resilience in the future.

Developing a new partnership

GEODIS specialises in global freight forwarding, global contract logistics, distribution and express transport. Its network spans more than 170 countries, demonstrating its position as a logistics provider.

It is now partnering with EDF in an attempt to decarbonise the supply chain. EDF is an electric utility company, working towards innovative solutions and services to drive economic development and sustainability. It is creating solutions to build a carbon neutral energy future, decarbonising everything from homes and transportation, to agriculture. 

The partnership is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint throughout GEODIS' operations, including its global warehouses and its transport flows - using EDF's expertise and resources to do so. The other side of the partnership will demonstrate where GEODIS can provide EDF Group with its logistics services, helping the utility company operate efficiently.

"The signing of this agreement marks a decisive step for our Group and is fully aligned with our decarbonisation roadmap," says Marie-Christine Lombard, Chairwoman of the GEODIS Executive Board.

"This partnership allows us to put our expertise at the service of EDF while opening new development opportunities for GEODIS. It reflects the determination of two French leaders to join forces and take concrete, sustainable action for the environment." 

Supply chain solutions

There will be a Strategic Steering Committee meeting being held to ensure the agreement and its related projects are monitored accurately and upheld on both sides of the partnership. The discussions will take place between GEODIS and the EDF Group subsidiaries such as Izivia and EDF Power Solutions. 

The partnership will focus on six key solutions:

• EDF will provide low-carbon energy supply for GEODIS sites in France and in other countries
• There will be a range of solutions to ensure the optimisation of energy performance in GEODIS' logistics facilities. This will be measured through audits and consumption optimisation plans, followed by innovative solutions like heat recovery plans
• GEODIS sites will feature local production of renewable energy. Warehouses will have solar panels installed on the roofs and there will be a development of solar carports
• Up-to-date charging infrastructure will be deployed, in place to charge GEODIS' light vehicles, utility vehicles and heavy trucks. This will make the overall electrification of the logistics ecosystem speed up
• Solutions will also focus on the enhancement of GEODIS' land assets, with the potential to transform certain sites into data centres
• The partnership will assess how GEODIS could provide procurement, storage and distribution services - as well as other logistics capabilities - for energy production projects

"As the logistics sector accounts for 16% of CO₂ emissions in France, its decarbonisation is a critical challenge," explains Marc Benayoun, EDF Group Executive Director in charge of the Customers, Services & Territories Division.

"This partnership demonstrates EDF Group’s ability to support GEODIS, a global leader in transport and logistics, with a comprehensive range of solutions to improve its carbon footprint."

The partnership will demonstrate more efficient energy usage across logistics, with better electric mobility across the supply chain. As a result, there will be a more resilient logistics model for the future, with more sustainable energy usage across global operations.