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New partnership set to improve sustainability in transport and logistics

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Baxter Freight have been awarded funding for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) focused on sustainability within the logistics sector.

    A truck-shaped lake in the midst of pristine nature, illustrating the concept of clean, greenhouse-free transport in the form of electric, hybrid or hydrogen propulsion
    The KTP aims to reduce the environmental impact of logistics

    The funding will allow Baxter Freight to work with leading academics from Nottingham Business School, part of NTU, within the field of supply chains, sustainability, organisational change and marketing, as well as to recruit an associate to work within the organisation.

    The logistics and transport sector is essential to the global economy, helping supply chains to keep moving, transporting essential goods around the globe. However, it contributes just over a third of global carbon dioxide emissions, making it the largest-emitting sector in numerous developed countries.

    The Nottingham-based freight forwarder is focused on driving sustainable innovations within supply chains and decreasing its impact on the environment. In the UK alone there are around 61,303 road freight businesses who need to evolve their operations to be more sustainable and future ready.

    From 2025 Scope 3 reporting, the indirect emissions in a company’s value chain that are typically responsible for 70-90% of an organisation's carbon footprint (Carbon Trust), will become mandatory in Europe.

    However a recent survey by Baxter Freight found that 47% of their customers aren’t ready. The company works very closely with hauliers and customers and has found that many of them are still unsure what Scope 1, 2 and 3 is and how it impacts them and their operations.

    Richard Jeggo and Tom Isler, who are leading the KTP at Baxter Freight, are working to support customers and suppliers and the KTP will be key to that.

    Tom Isler, Baxter Freight Innovation & Sustainability Manager, says: “Collaborating with NTU and NBS is an opportunity for us to see how we can create clarity for our partners, whether they are suppliers or customers on this complex issue of Scope 1, 2 and 3, net zero and sustainability. If we can help even a handful of businesses to not only report on scope 3 but find more sustainable solutions because of it, then we will have already made a positive impact.”

    Dr Stuart Carnell, Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Business School, said: “It is inspiring to see an organisation such as Baxter Freight who are redefining sustainability and net-zero within the freight industry and creating a forum for stakeholder interaction as part of this Scope 3 initiative. Furthermore, the team at NTU are proud to support and facilitate this initiative as part of this knowledge transfer programme.”

    Over the coming months Baxter Freight will be growing their innovation team as they recruit for the new KTP associate.

    • Notes for editors

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      About Nottingham Business School at Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Business School (NBS) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is a leader in experiential learning and personalisation of business, management and economics education and research, combining academic excellence with positive impact on people, business and society.  NBS has an unrivalled level of engagement with business, public and voluntary organisations. With more than 8,500 students, NBS is also one of UK’s largest business schools.

      NBS is Quadruple+ Accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, EFMD BA for International Business, which are globally recognised hallmarks of excellence and quality for business education. NBS is also accredited by Small Business Charter, providing support and development for SMEs. The school is also a PRME Champion and held up as an exemplar and beacon by the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME).

      About Nottingham Trent University

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2021 for cultural heritage science research. It is the second time that NTU has been bestowed the honour of receiving a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its research, the first being in 2015 for leading-edge research on the safety and security of global citizens.

      The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent. 86% of NTU’s research impact was assessed to be either world-leading or internationally excellent.

      NTU was awarded The Times and The Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2023 and ranked University of the Year in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023. It was awarded Outstanding Support for Students 2020 (Times Higher Education Awards), University of the Year 2019 (Guardian University Awards, UK Social Mobility Awards), Modern University of the Year 2018 (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide) and University of the Year 2017 (Times Higher Education Awards).

      NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with approximately 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across five campuses. It has an international student population of 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.

      Since 2000, NTU has invested £570 million in tools, technology, buildings and facilities.

      NTU is in the UK’s top 10 for number of applications and ranked first for accepted offers (2021 UCAS UG acceptance data). It is also among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and was the first UK university to sign the Social Mobility Pledge.

      NTU is ranked the second most sustainable university in the world in the 2022 UI Green Metric University World Rankings (out of more than 900 participating universities).

    Published on 10 November 2023
    • Category: Business; Press office; Nottingham Business School