DC Velocity - March 2012

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Selective Pallet Rack • Drive-In • Push Back • Flow
• Pick Modules • Cantilever • Stacker Cranes •
Roll-Out Shelving • Seismic Base Isolation

begin to see a payoff in the form of lower costs and improved profitability.

Hothem recently spoke with DC VELOCITY Group Editorial Director Mitch Mac Donald about the origins of the program, its progress to date, and what she envisions for the future.

QYou’ve been a key driver in IWLA’s sustainability ini- tiative. Could you tell us a bit about how the program came about?

AThe initiative arose out of a discussion we had two years ago about establishing a standard by which our members could measure their operations’ sustainability. We were taking cues from programs such as [the construction industry’s] LEED certification program. That program has worked well in that sector. Its metrics are well known and widely embraced. Our thought was simple, why couldn’t we establish a LEED-like program for logistics?

QSeems simple enough, but the challenge, of course, lies in moving the concept to reality. How did you approach that?

AWe decided we’d follow the LEED model and ensure that our program was similarly built on a foundation of measurable, quantitative metrics. We knew that nothing about this could be subjective. For instance, we knew if we couldn’t assign some kind of numeric or percentage value to the amount of propane gas being utilized or the amount of water consumed at a given facility, it wouldn’t work.

QSo establishing the metrics is really the foundation from which everything has grown? AAbsolutely. Once we were able to identify the metrics, we submitted them to IWLA’s director, Joel Anderson, and the IWLA executive committee. Our proposal met with a very good response. The consensus seemed to be that a LEED-like sustainability program was not something that would cost members seeking certification an inordinate amount of time, money, or resources. It also gives them a great step forward in satisfying their customers, who more and more are going to be asking them “How sustainable are you?”

QWhat was the next step from there in moving the ini- tiative forward? AWe determined that the best way to go about this was to take a phased-in approach. Phase one is really to come up with the metrics and begin collecting data from members to establish a baseline. That’s where we are right now. Certification will come with the next phase.