In the latest episode of Does Logistics Matter?, Martijn Graat sits down with Stephane Tomczak, the founder of DELIVER, for a conversation that goes from personal warehouse “aha” moments to how blockchain is verifying carbon footprints in real time.
Spoiler: Sustainability is no longer a badge of honour, it’s your ticket to staying in business.
Martijn and Stephane have something in common: neither planned to end up in logistics, but both fell in love with it fast. I stumbled into the industry after graduating and never left. “I entered by luck, I stayed by passion,” he says. And passion has taken him far.
The Evolution of Sustainability: From Afterthought to Strategic Anchor
Ten years ago, sustainability in logistics was a side discussion. People talked about it, but not many were truly committed. Fast forward to now, and it’s not just on the menu, it’s the main course.
Retailers are reacting to eco-conscious consumers. Carriers are electrifying fleets and optimising routes. Tech providers are building platforms that turn carbon tracking into a science, not guesswork.
Sustainable Innovations: Blockchain, Right-sizing, and Circularity
Stephane shares some real-world sustainability wins:
- One retailer is using blockchain to verify carbon data from source to shelf.
- Another restructured their packaging strategy entirely after a Deliver event in APAC.
- Others are going all-in on circular logistics, where boxes aren’t just recycled, but they’re reused hundreds of times.
Remember when ordering a pen meant receiving a box big enough for a microwave? Right-sizing and reusability are the new rules of the game.
The DELIVER Sustainability Initiative
Stephane is set on helping the retail supply chain become more sustainable and resilient. He is launching the Deliver Sustainability Initiative, a nonprofit, pro bono, and open-for-all call initiative to stimulate knowledge sharing and cooperation across supply chains.
The goal? Accelerate progress, amplify collaboration, and push the entire industry toward net-zero.
If you want to hear more about innovation and sustainability, and how Stephane is enabling the industry to become more sustainable, listen to Episode 59 of the Does Logistics Matter? Podcast via the player below, or in your favourite podcast app!
Image credit: The header image for this blog post was created by AI, based on the podcast episode.
