CEO Sustainability Series | Jean-Christophe Machet, CEO FM Logistic

Question 1. What has your company’s sustainability journey been like so far?

Since 1967, we have teamed up with committed partners and customers to act collectively and produce responsible supply chain models. By 2030, we want to be the recognized champion of sustainable omnichannel supply chain.

Our sustainable development policy has existed since 2014. In 2017, the Group reinforced its ambition with the Sustainable Development program which is an invitation to cooperate with all stakeholders. Three priority areas have been defined for 2022: caring for employees, changing the environmental impact of our activities and co-designing a sustainable supply chain with our stakeholders.

We are pioneering transportation pooling and the one-roof concept. We promote environmentally friendly co-packing solutions and carbon neutral warehouses - FM Logistic has committed to setting science-based emissions reduction targets through the Science Based Targets initiative.

Q2. How is technology helping your company achieve its sustainability targets?

Our commitment to make responsible consumption a possibility for all is reflected in our signature: SUPPLY CHANGE.

That is why we are mobilising our forces towards the 2030 climate target. The challenges we have set ourselves are to make our warehouses carbon-neutral, and to reduce our transport emissions by 30%. Projects for producing “green” hydrogen are currently being deployed in Spain and France. In India, we have also deployed our first batch of electric vehicles back in 2021 which comprises 3-wheelers having a load capacity of 500 kg.

As part of its approach to well-being at work, FM Logistic, in partnership with the Technological University of Compiègne, and Hublex (French start-up), has developed, patented and signed an agreement for the series production of the Ergoskel : it allows the user to maintain freedom of movement, while reducing upper limb and back muscle activity by 60-80%. FM Logistic started to equip 50 warehouse pickers and packers in the first quarter of 2022 and aims for 600 by the end of 2023.

With our customers, we have also developed a dashboard that serves to measure the carbon footprint of their supply chain. This is the starting point for building a common path with each of our customers towards a more sustainable form of consumption.

Q3. How do you see expectations and attitudes towards sustainability changing among your employees, customers and partners? and what are the impacts on your organisation?

Faced with a growing awareness of the urgency to protect the planet, along with pressure from citizens, governments, and international institutions, companies have begun introducing initiatives to reduce the environmental footprint of their activities and to consider the whole life-cycle of their products.

We partner with our clients and mobilise consumer insights and market trends to enable modes of consumption more respectful of people and the planet.

We empower our employees to become game-changers for our company, clients, communities and planet. At FM Logistic, we are convinced that collective work is the key to the efficiency and performance needed to lead sustainable change.