The Best 2018 Sustainability Articles From UPS Longitudes

Diversification was the sustainability story of 2018.

From innovative urban planning to a greater understanding of online returns to a growing fleet of electric vehicles, sustainable solutions came in many different shapes and sizes.

That’s because every city, every company and every individual brings unique expertise to building a greener world for us all. The key, moving forward, is effective collaboration among global stakeholders.

At UPS, we’ve already seen the fruits of collective action across the more than 220 countries and territories we serve. A “rolling laboratory” of roughly 9,300 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles driving more than 1 million cleaner miles each business day fuels our journey toward a less carbon-intensive future.

This is just one example of how a global logistics company can take the lead in addressing the environmental challenges of our time.

These five articles showcase why we’re so excited by progress in the sustainability movement – and the innovations yet to come.

(#1) TED @ UPS: A Better Way to Make Returns

Retailers have made it easier and cheaper than ever before to purchase and return products online. While this is great for consumers, it’s bad for business – and even worse for the environment.

UPS’s Aparna Mehta asks: What if we streamlined returns to reduce costs and our carbon footprint? Read more

(#2) Don't Curb Your Enthusiasm

Nobody ever said that curbsides are cool. But what happens on the curbside directly impacts what happens on the street, both in terms of social and business connectivity.

Curbsides are city focal points – what happens on them matters. Read more

(#3) The Hidden Benefits of a Sustainable Mindset

In some respects, it’s great news that more than half of the global population now lives in cities – a figure expected to increase to two in three people around the world by 2050. But it also brings challenges of pollution, emissions and congestion, among other issues.

We must connect and collaborate more effectively with governments, as well as our stakeholders, employees and customers, generating a culture within the business of sustainable innovation. Read more

(#4) Real Progress in Real-World Conditions

For more than two years, UPS and the drone maker, Zipline, have collaborated on roughly 150 deliveries per day of life-saving blood to 21 transfusing facilities located in the western half of Rwanda. More recently, the campaign has expanded to deliver basic medications, vaccines and medical supplies to all 12 million people across Rwanda.

This unique collaboration underscores one of the most important humanitarian lessons: No one can go it alone. Complex problems require multiple partners who contribute their unique strengths to make an impact. Read more

(#5) Building the Business Case for Fleet Electrification

The business case for commercial fleets to go electric is getting stronger as technology advancements reduce costs and companies search for viable solutions to growing urbanization and environmental challenges.

Electrification can lead to reduced risk from potential future regulation and in the short term, the possibility of lower maintenance and fueling costs. Read more

If you missed them, check out our favorite leadership, e-commerce and small business stories of 2018.