A new study from MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals has been published, titled State of supply chain sustainability 2025. This is the sixth year of the study, based on responses from 1,200 professionals in 97 countries, spanning supply chain, procurement, operations, logistics, and sustainability roles. Two findings are particularly compelling.
1. Regulatory turmoil is less of a factor than expected:
“Overall, the findings show that while regulatory volatility creates uncertainty, it has not weakened corporate sustainability momentum. Companies continue to view sustainability as strategically important, often setting targets that anticipate or exceed policy requirements. Regional differences remain clear; European businesses are more directly shaped by regulation, while North American organizations lean on investor and board priorities, but in both circumstances, public commitments and stakeholder pressure drive deeper integration of sustainability into business practice. Importantly, businesses that make their goals explicit are far more likely to embed them into daily decisions and invest in high-impact initiatives, underscoring that transparency and effective execution are key enablers of meaningful progress.”
2. Hard dollar benefits are real and “most important”:
“Operational efficiency, such as route optimization, load consolidation, and fuel management, was ranked as the most important near-term strategy, delivering cost savings alongside emissions reductions, with investment in low-emission assets coming next. The sequence reflects pragmatism: focus first on achievable, cost-effective measures, then scale transformative technologies as economics and infrastructure align.”
If you run or advise a company’s sustainability program, you are better off discussing and proving actual cost savings/financial benefits internally than regulatory compliance. I’m not suggesting ignoring legal mandates by any means, but executives typically see that as a basic expectation – especially as automation/AI plays an increasing role. You will get more attention, credibility and budget if you talk real dollars.
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