Exel, the global leader in supply chain management, has been honoured with a National Green Apple Award in the Transport & Freight category for an environmental innovation. The award was presented at a ceremony at the House of Commons, hosted by the Rt Honourable Patricia Hewitt MP, Secretary of State for Health.
The award recognised the Company's achievement in developing the first urban freight consolidation centre in the UK. Bristol City Council approached Exel to reduce traffic congestion and associated emissions in its city centre. During its analysis, Exel identified that Broadmead, Bristol's main shopping centre, housed more than 300 retail units that received more than 90,000 deliveries annually. Exel's solution was to combine deliveries for multiple retailers onto a single vehicle, thereby significantly reducing the number of vehicles within the central area.
The Bristol Freight Consolidation Centre has demonstrated significant reductions in urban freight movements and vehicle emissions. It has eased congestion by reducing the number of deliveries, which in turn provides a cost saving for retailers.
Chris Hudson, Account Director, Exel, said, "We are delighted to have received this accolade. Helping other organisations to manage the impact of their business on the environment is a key corporate objective and it is really encouraging that our efforts have been recognised in these prestigious awards. We have already been able to demonstrate significant reductions in urban freight movements and vehicle emissions as a result of introducing the Bristol Consolidation Centre and have created a sustainable urban delivery transport model that is capable of being introduced in other city centres."
Exel has also helped retailers achieve top honours with the urban consolidation scheme. Bristol's Broadmead shopping centre won the Association of Town Centre Management's Award for 'Creating Quality Environments'. This award scheme was created to recognize the dedication and hard work that is already demonstrating positive results in towns and city centres across the UK and providing others with best practice examples.
Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield recently won an ICSC Maxi Award for Revenue Impact. The top award was gained in recognition of the Centre's forward thinking logistics and warehousing facility, The ARC, in which Exel played a vital role. This was the only MAXI Award to be won by a UK retail centre; in fact it is only the second ever to be awarded to a UK Centre/initiative.
Vanessa Hope, Business Development Manager, Meadowhall, said, "We are delighted to receive such a prestigious award, it further illustrates our position as a national and international industry leader."
The Green Apple Award Scheme recognises, rewards and promotes environmental endeavours and initiatives at all levels. The scheme is one of Britain's major environmental campaigns and is organised by The Green Organisation - an independent environmental group - and supported by the
Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and Municipal Journal.
Exel was also recently short-listed for the National Business Awards 2005 in the category of 'Business Innovation of the Year' and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport's 'Awards of Excellence' for the urban consolidation scheme.
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