Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies requirements and guidelines for cold chain logistics service providers, who offer temperature-controlled land logistics services from the shipper to the consignee at the designated destination, to lower environmental impacts and achieve sustainable cold chain logistics. This document includes:

- requirements for cold chain logistics service providers to implement environmentally conscious services;

- recommendations for utilizing refrigeration and thermal insulation functions with environmental considerations;

- guidelines for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated through the provision of these services.

Note 1: This document primarily applies to service providers as defined in ISO 23412 (refrigerated transport involving intermediate transfer) and ISO 31512 (B to B cold chain logistics services), but is not limited to these.

Note 2: While this document specifies environmental considerations in the transport and delivery process, it is not limited to transport using four-wheeled vehicles.

Purpose

Demand for cold chain logistics is expected to grow continuously, particularly in regions such as the Global South. However, especially in the food supply chain, inadequate temperature control during transport and storage causes massive food losses, resulting in food waste. In this sense, achieving a sound expansion of cold chain logistics holds substantial significance.

At the same time, it has been pointed out that a distinct characteristic of cold chain logistics is its high energy consumption compared to other transport methods and logistics activities, consequently leads to greater GHG emissions. To achieve a sound and continuous expansion of cold chain logistics, it is vital for logistics service providers to implement mitigation measures to reduce these emissions.

When implementing such mitigation measures, it is also effective for logistics service providers to collaborate with equipment manufacturers who support cold chain logistics, thereby adopting technologies that can reduce GHG emissions, such as new refrigerants and heat insulation materials.

Through the "London Declaration," ISO emphasizes its commitment to climate change mitigation, ensuring that climate change considerations are embedded into all new and existing standards at every stage of development to support a sustainable and resilient future. In line with this policy, it is more critical than ever to pursue environmental sustainability in the development of standards related to cold chain logistics, as it directly addresses these pressing social challenges.

The purpose of this document is to enable logistics service providers to achieve sustainable cold chain logistics that lower environmental impact. By implementing the requirements and guidelines specified in this standard, logistics service providers can successfully fulfill this objective, including the reduction of GHG emissions