Difficulties and transformations marked the year 2022. Global tensions, inflation concerns, and the escalating effects of climate change added to this uncertainty. In response, DB Schenker undertook a mission to understand the evolving dynamics of the supply chain industry. The Trend Report 2023 meticulously analyzed 20 trend statements using the PESTEL framework, uncovering the forces shaping the industry in the next five years. 

The report highlights relevance and business impact and addresses the challenges ahead. This is aligned into five areas: Political & Legal, Economic, Social, Technological, and Environmental. In this update, we focus on the Political & Legal dimension, one of the five critical areas of analysis.

Increase in Public Incentives

The most significant trend statement, identified by 44% of respondents, is the increase in public incentives and regulations driving innovations in eco-friendly transportation. This indicates a rising demand for sustainable practices and technologies in the supply chain industry. The public sector plays a pivotal role in driving change through subsidies. Collaboration between the public and private sectors drives change and delivers sustainable solutions. 

Signals of Change 

Public incentives play a crucial role in logistics by driving innovation and investment in new technologies and practices that enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Several notable examples of these incentives demonstrate the global trend of governments providing incentives to promote eco-friendly transportation and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices in the logistics industry.

CO2 reduction targets

Various countries and organizations have announced significant developments in CO2 reduction targets. For example, the European Commission has introduced new regulations. Trucks and coaches in the EU are to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve near-zero emissions by 2040. The Inflation Reduction Act in the United States represents a significant climate investment of $369 billion to reduce carbon emissions by about 40% this decade and transition the country to a net-zero economy by 2050. These initiatives and further examples in the Trend Report demonstrate a global commitment to addressing climate change and reducing CO2 emissions in various sectors.

The survey emphasizes the need for adaptation, sustainability, and collaboration to drive innovation and change in the supply chain industry. Let the DB Schenker Logistics Trend Survey be the catalyst to forge your future path. For the full Trend Report, follow this link to download it.

Published: June 2023