GPN-GL19

Contracting Guidelines for

Truckload ShippingGreen Purchasing Network (GPN)

1. Scope
These guidelines cover important environmental issues that should be considered when governments
and businesses as a shipper contract to truckload shipping.
2. Guidelines
In contracting with a freight carrier for truckload shipping, the following articles should be considered
to reduce environmental impacts.
(1) A shipper should be responsible for their environmental measures in truckload shipping aswell as whole supply chain and take measures involving clients such as logistics.
(2) A shipper should select a freight carrier that has received a third-party evaluation inenvironmental management, safe driving, and environmental measures, considering
reliability and transparency of the freight carrier.
3. How to Use Guidelines and Eco-products Database⚫

To determine a shipper’s own environmental measures
A shipper should use “Environmental Measurement Checklist for Shippers” to determine
measures for reducing its own environmental impacts.
⚫ To compare and select freight carriers(1) Eco-products database is an environmental information database that discloses themeasures of freight carriers based on the green purchasing guideline. A shipper should checkthe database and select the best contractor.
(2) A shipper should ask freight carriers to fill out “GPN Assessment Checklist for Freight Carriers”
and then refer to the results.
A freight carrier can use the checklist for self-evaluation and improvements to its
environment measures.
* These guidelines are subject to change in accordance with new findings and changes in socialconditions.
Established August 2, 2013
Revised November 12, 2021
By Green Purchasing Network (GPN)Environmental Implementation Status Checklist for Shippers
This checklist shall be used for application to GPN logo for shipping.
Shippers shall consider following articles to reduce environmental impacts.
1. Environmental Management System☐

1. A shipper has developed its own environmental policies.

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2. A shipper has set environmental goals and intend to develop, implement and aim
for continuous improvement of its environmental management system.

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3. A shipper has defined the scope of its transportation activities, developed a workplan, determined the volume of CO2 emission, and report and review those activities
regularly.

☐4. A shipper has appointed a person in charge to promote environmental measuresin carriage.

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5. A shipper has provided in-house training program about environmental
consideration in carriage.

2. Transportation Methods☐

6. A shipper has promoted the use of railway and vessels as well as secure railroadcontainers.

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7. A shipper considers measures to maintain or enhance shipping efficiency (e.g. useof 31 feet containers and high cube containers, review of stacking method, etc.).

8. A shipper utilizes advanced freight services such as third-party logistics (3PL).
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3. Enhancement of Shipping Efficiency☐

9. A shipper asks choose indirect or direct shipment and adjust shipping routes
depending on destination and shipping volume, and ask freight carriers to reduce
total shipping distance.

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10. A shipper shall intend to plan and standardize shipping orders to scale-up
transport unit, reduce delivery frequency, and review lead time as well as just-intime service (time-zone delivery).

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11. A shipper shall ask freight carriers to adjust truck type, loading capacity, and thenumber of vehicles and ask them to use consolidated cargo.

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12. A shipper shall make the rule of order-receiving and delivery time as well asdelivery method, and intend to implement scheduled delivery in order to avoid
emergency delivery. For example, a shipper shall cooperate with freight carriers inshipping to avoid delivery in rush hours and low carry efficiency days.

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13. A shipper shall implement cooperative transportation.

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14. A shipper shall promote modal shift from private to commercial trucks for its own

vehicles when possible.
☐15 [About private truck] A shipper shall develop policies and plans for the use ofprivate trucks, adjust truck type, loading capacity, and the number of vehicles,
determine energy consumption, and use the policies, plans, and data toward
improvement.

Operation and Maintenance of Distribution Bases☐

16. A shipper shall enhance proper allocation and intensification of cargo facilities indistribution bases, maintenance of the distribution bases considering the efficiency
of load delivery and sorting, and computerization of the facilities.

☐17. A shipper shall coordinate and maintain freight handling areas, parking areas,
drivers’ lounges, and entrance and exit lanes to discourage street parking andsmoothen traffic flow in cooperation with relevant businesses and localgovernments.

Implementation of Computerization and Standardization☐

18. A shipper shall use networking technologies such as electronic data interchange
standard, consolidated labels for shipping and receiving freight, and radio-frequency
identification device in order to simplify inception, cargo handling, and storage.

☐19. A shipper shall use freight/vehicle demand system to secure return cargos.

☐20. A shipper shall enhance load efficiency by transportation management systemand choose efficient shipping routes.

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21. A shipper shall use the vehicle information and communication system (VICS) andimprove safety through smooth transportation, reduction of shipping time, andprecise assessment of situation.

4. Increase of Low-emission Vehicles and Fuel-efficient Vehicles☐

22. A shipper shall intend to use low-emission vehicles and fuel-efficient vehicles1 incooperation with freight carriers.

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23. A shipper shall intend to introduce devices such as storage heater andregenerative air cooler to improve fuel mileage and to stop idling in cooperation withfreight carriers.

Promotion of Eco-driving

1☐

24. A shipper shall consider promotion of eco-driving and efficient logistics andintend to improve implementation of them through regular assessment.

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25. A shipper shall ask freight carriers if they provide a guidebook and training
programmes for drivers to promote eco-driving and inquire about theirimplementation status of vehicle inspection and maintenance.

☐26. A shipper shall inquire of freight carriers about their implementation status of

Low-emission vehicles and fuel-efficient vehicles include natural gas vehicles (CNG vehicles), hybrid vehicles,electric vehicles, and vehicles that meet Post New Long-term standards.

devices for promoting eco-driving such as digital tachograph.
☐27. A shipper shall request data from freight carriers to accurately understand about
their actual status of energy consumption and implementation results.

Use of Environmentally Friendly Shipping Materials (Pallets and Packaging Materials)☐

28. A shipper shall use environmentally friendly materials for pallets and packaging
that contribute to facility of recycling and reduce waste from shipping suppliers.

☐29. A shipper shall use rental pallets or reuse own pallets through recovering andrecycling processes.

☐30. A shipper shall develop recycling system for used pallets and implement
intermodal palletization by unifying the size of pallets used in factories, warehouses,
and trucks to improve shipping efficiency.

Environmentally Friendly Product Development☐

31. A shipper shall purchase parts as many as possible from factories in neighboringareas to reduce the shipping distance.

☐32. A shipper shall design products considering logistics unit and develop production
system that adjusts to shipment.

☐33. A shipper shall facilitate consolidated shipment by standardizing type of packing.

☐34. A shipper shall intend to reduce and downsize products and packaging materials
considering shipping efficiency.

☐35. A shipper shall develop products considering reverse logistics system including
waste after use and recyclable materials.

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36. A shipper shall have production system with adjustable dispatching scheduleconsidering shipment.

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37. A shipper shall, in case of trouble in production process, intend to inform freight
carriers immediately for smooth shipment.

☐38. A shipper shall bring transparency to condition of returning the shipment withdocuments in order to reduce reverse logistics.

8. Cooperation with Freight Carriers
39. A shipper shall choose a freight carrier (actual forwarding business operator) whoseservices are posted on “Eco-products Net” for a relevant shipping contract when the shipper
makes a shipping contract with either such freight carriers or consigned freight forwarding
business operators.
* A business operator whose services are posted on “Eco-products Net” indicates that theoperator has been assessed by any of third parties about its environmental management,safety, and environmental conservation.
◼ A list of actual forwarding business operators and consigned freight forwarding

business operators under a shipping contract
Please submit a list of contractors as an appendix when a shipper makes a contract withmore than three business operators.
1.
2.
3.
☐ A shipper is a member of Green Purchasing Network (GPN).
☐ A shipper is implementing above activities in all facilities.
☐ A shipper is implementing above activities in some offices and factories.
A list of offices and factories that implement above activities.

I hereby certify that the information mentioned above are true and correct and attach an
application for use of GPN logo for shipping.
NameSignature
Date: (yyyy/mm/dd)

Name of a shipper:
Department in charge:
Contact person’s name:Title:
Phone #:
Fax #:
E-mail address:
This checklist shall be submitted with the application for use of GPN logo for shipping. The
submitted information shall be posted on the GPN website when the shipper get permission to use
the logo.