Technology and supply chain executives say gaps in infrastructure, data and skills are slowing sustainability efforts as UK businesses mark World Environment Day. Senior leaders from Fluke, Fluent Commerce and Blue Yonder have identified reliability, orchestration and transparency as critical fault lines.
Electric vehicle infrastructure, retail fulfilment and global logistics are under scrutiny as organisations face rising regulatory and consumer expectations. Their comments suggest a shift from headline climate pledges to deeper operational change across transport and supply chains.
In the UK electric vehicle market, charging reliability is emerging as the main concern. Industry data shows rapid growth in vehicle sales, but use of public chargers remains uneven and often frustrating for drivers.
Theo Brillhart, Technology Director, R&D at Fluke, said charging infrastructure is now falling behind consumer demand despite strong vehicle adoption. He identified reliability, maintenance and standards as the main pressure points.
“The UK was the biggest EV market in Europe in 2024, and adoption is still rising. The momentum is clear, yet at the moment, this cleaner energy option is lagging behind demand. EV charging reliability is not where it needs to be to support the growing number of consumers who are keen to invest in an EV. Instead, charging anxiety is overtaking range anxiety, with a recent Fluke survey underlining this – respondents cited charger maintenance, inoperable chargers, and software incompatibility as major hurdles. Drivers need confidence that a charger will work, and that the infrastructure behind it is dependable. Interoperability efforts are showing great progress, but technical standards alone cannot guarantee reliable access. This is why maintenance is now becoming a strategic priority. Reactive work restores service after vandalism or unexpected failures, whereas preventative approaches take this a step further by using data and analytics to identify issues before they cause outages. Consistency also depends on thoroughly trained technicians being equipped with advanced diagnostic tools and being able to work under consistent standards. Without this alignment, outcomes vary, maintenance costs increase, and the inconsistency translates to consumer frustration. As sustainable organisations try to encourage more people to make the shift, it’s evident that there is still a way to go before we can say goodbye to fossil fuels in the automotive industry. Dependable charging is essential to scaling EV adoption, and strengthening the industry as a whole. If EV charging organisations invest in futureproofing both their workforce and their infrastructure maintenance, EV adoption rates can continue to increase, bringing us one step closer to a more renewable world.”
Retailers and brands face a different tension as they balance consumer demand for fast delivery and easy returns with environmental impact. Technology suppliers say sustainability metrics now feature in most procurement processes.
Abdelkader Keddari, VP, Global Strategic Solutions at Fluent Commerce, said customers and shoppers are pushing vendors and retailers towards stricter environmental criteria, even as expectations for convenience keep rising.
“Many organisations now find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to balancing sustainability with business needs and innovation. Sustainability is no longer optional: all of our clients and prospects are embedding sustainable criteria into their selection of new technology solutions, and expect vendors to demonstrate clear, measurable commitments. Consumers are also increasingly concerned with their green footprint, with a third of those in the UK trying to shop “responsibly”. On the other hand, demand for fast delivery, affordable products and easy returns processes is stronger than ever. At the same time, technologies such as AI are opening up new opportunities to improve both operational efficiency and customer experience, raising expectations further. This means technology providers must not only enable sustainability for their customers, but also lead by example by demonstrating their own initiatives, from green IT practices to responsible infrastructure and more efficient resource usage. So how can businesses manage to fulfil those desires in a sustainable way? In many cases, technology becomes the key enabler to reconcile these competing priorities, especially when it is designed to drive smarter, real-time decision-making across the entire order lifecycle. The real challenge is not just visibility, but orchestration, ensuring that every order is fulfilled in the most efficient and sustainable way possible. Retail businesses that invest in modern order management software, increasingly enhanced by AI, have a much better chance of meeting their customers’ needs while improving sustainability outcomes. This software helps retailers ensure that the right products are available at the right time, reducing overproduction and the risk of waste. Beyond inventory optimisation, it enables a much more intelligent approach to fulfilment. For example, the system can automatically select the most appropriate fulfilment location based on proximity, reducing transport distances and emissions. It can also encourage customers to accept slightly longer delivery times in exchange for consolidated shipments from a single warehouse, helping to avoid split deliveries. In urban areas, fulfilment can be optimised further by enabling low-emission last-mile delivery options such as bike or electric vehicle couriers, while clearly managing customer expectations around delivery windows and availability. Finally, click and collect can be actively promoted as part of the fulfilment strategy, allowing customers to integrate pickup into their existing travel routines and eliminate the need for home delivery altogether. While these kinds of changes can make a huge difference to the sustainability of a brand, they require top-down investment into the technology to make them possible. AI should not be seen as a standalone solution, but a capability that can amplify the effectiveness of core systems. Whilst it may seem like a large investment initially, the long-term dividends in terms of the benefits to the planet and to the brand’s public reputation are invaluable.”
Supply chain leaders see similar pressure from new regulation and the shift towards circular economy models. European rules on product design and emissions disclosure are reshaping investment in logistics and warehouse systems.
Saskia van Gendt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Blue Yonder, said traditional supply chains still favour volume and linear flows, sitting uneasily with efforts to cut waste and track emissions.
“Global supply chains are built for scale, not sustainability, but that model is increasingly at odds with regulatory, environmental and commercial priorities. Overproduction remains a growing and costly challenge for businesses, leading to unsold inventory, markdowns and waste. At the same time, new regulations demand much greater transparency across supply chains, with the focus shifting toward Scope 3 emissions. The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), for example, is pushing businesses to increase recycled content and address barriers such as costly reverse logistics. For businesses looking to operate more sustainably, the business case for circular supply chains is becoming increasingly compelling. However, many organisations still lack the infrastructure to collect, analyse and report on sustainability data at scale. Logistics and warehousing processes were designed one-directionally, meaning returns processing for recycling or reuse can be complicated. This, coupled with a lack of full supply chain transparency into where materials come from or what happens to them after disposal, means companies are missing opportunities for recovery and resource optimisation. AI-powered systems can provide end-to-end visibility across all supply chain tiers, enabling companies to trace materials, assess environmental impact and ensure regulatory compliance. These solutions also reduce the complexity and cost of reverse logistics by identifying network efficiencies, supporting the recovery and reuse of post-consumer and post-industrial materials. Technology is driving significant improvements in the way organisations can approach sustainability, getting us closer to a truly circular economy.”
