United Parcel Service (UPS) is offering a new “green” service to its customer base, a system designed to assess shipment packaging based on environmental methodology and processes verified by Europe's Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), an inspection, verification, testing and certification company.
Under its new Eco Responsible Packaging Program, UPS will evaluate a customer's packaging processes in three areas: damage prevention, rightsizing and packaging materials. UPS said it will then “score” the results, and those customers who meet the requirements can display the program's logo on their shipment packaging.
“Our engineers have always directed our customers to use the right kind of packaging to protect their goods,” said Bob Stoffel, UPS's senior vp-engineering, strategy, supply chain and sustainability. “Embedding environmental evaluation in day-to-day packaging decisions is a critical step to improving the stewardship and conservation of valuable resources.”
This evaluation assesses the customer's transport packaging systems and procedures rather than product packaging, Stoffel stressed. The contracted service is available to customers who commit to sustainable packaging solutions.
