implemented by Van de Ven to ensure sustainability can be found high on the priority list of every employee, office and department within the region.
“This means that, in each country where we have an office and where we are active, we have an ambassador who is an expert on the topic of sustainability,” he explains.
“They help out our own people if they have questions and if they want to do some stuff for themselves, but they are also the point of contact for customers on the topic of sustainability.
“So we have very clear governance and organisation for sustainability which, at the end, comes back to the central sustainability team at Kintetsu.”
Driving a sustainable future
It goes without saying that KWE is tirelessly committed to driving a sustainable future for air, sea and road transportation.
From Van de Ven’s perspective, and given the urgency of the climate crisis, there is “only one solution”: to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
He advocates a focus on sustainable fuels for each of the aforementioned modes of transport, but acknowledges they are not yet widely available and often up to three times more expensive than traditional fuels.
Van de Ven has plenty of experience in this area having taken responsibility for setting up and rolling out the world’s first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme for the cargo industry at his previous employer, Air France-KLM
Now, his and KWE’s goal is to stimulate demand and increase the market for sustainable fuels.
“That’s our main purpose,” says Van de Ven. “So, we have set up different products and programmes for our customers to join us in this purpose.
“Besides this, of course we try to put this topic on the agenda of all stakeholders concerned. That means when we are joining congresses, but also in general talks with our customers, we always try to push for the topic of sustainable fuels, even if they don’t yet know anything about it.”
Collaboration is key Crucial to achieving those emission reduction goals is establishing strong relationships with
partners and suppliers, focusing on KWE’s key products and initiatives such as the use of SAF.
Initially, this might involve examining a partner’s existing Scope 3 emissions and considering what can be done to mitigate this output.
Ultimately, the goal tends to be investment in SAF, although there is acknowledgement from Van de Ven that this won’t necessarily happen immediately.
“Partnerships can start with optimising the supply chain – finding more optimal origins and destinations to transport the cargo to, and then travel further with the cargo in a more sustainable way,” he continues. “But, most of the time, the ultimate solution is investing together in these sustainable fuels like SAF.
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“The ultimate solution is investing together in these sustainable fuels like SAF”FREDERIK VAN DE VEN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR OF KWE’S EMEA REGIONAL HQ
“Why we are different in the cargo industry, and what we are
really
focusing on, is collaboration.”
Van de Ven places extra weight on the importance of this collaborative approach, explaining that it also carries financial benefits later down the line.
“We don’t always pass on the cost to the end customer, like almost all other forwarders are doing,” says KWE’s sustainability lead in the region.
“We really look at partnerships and sustainability from a collaboration point of view, which also means something for cost.”
Shell Aviation: A crucial collaboration
One of KWE’s key collaborators is Shell Aviation, a leading global supplier of aviation fuels and lubricants with more than 100 years of experience under its belt.
While serving customers ranging from the world’s largest airlines to private pilots, Shell is in the thick of the energy transition, much like the global energy system as a whole.
“As we look to the future, we envisage an aviation sector that will transition to more sustainable solutions, and we’re working with customers to help transform demand for and supply of low-carbon energy,” comments Jai Karia, Global Sustainability Manager at Shell Aviation.
“Our capabilities as a blender, trader and transporter, together with our innovation and marketing expertise, is what we leverage to