E-commerce contributing to social sustainability

A sustainable supply chain is typically associated with environmental and climate benefits. But Gordon also places great emphasis on including social sustainability. Gordon Circular is Sweden's first circular system for home deliveries of groceries. The bags that the food comes in are returned and can be used up to 50 times. Between deliveries, the bags go through Samhall where they are washed and checked before they go back into the delivery system, says Mussarat Ashraf, tailor at Samhall.

"I think recycling is great. You have to wash and take care of these bags. It's important for the environment," says Mussarat.

The debate on sustainable e-commerce is hotter than ever. Gordon is the largest last mile temperature-controlled delivery company in the Nordics. They are driving the development of sustainable e-commerce deliveries, environmentally, socially and economically. With Gordon Circular they offer a circular bag for e-commerce of food and medicines. A key part of the offer is based on close cooperation with Samhall, where the bags are handled between each delivery. Marco Edvinsson is a launderer at Samhall, and believes that he has an important job that contributes to a more sustainable society:

"These bags are easy to wash and do not take long to dry at all. They are very easy to handle. We have tailor-made washing programmes depending on what we are washing. We are more careful now about how much water and detergent to use, so it is more environmentally friendly. In this case, we also have a very low spin programme," says Marco.

Less climate impact than paper bag after just five times

The circular bag system quickly delivers environmental savings. After just five uses, a returnable bag has a smaller climate impact than a paper bag used only once. The collaboration with Samhall includes repairing the bags when needed, which further increases their lifespan. Each bag is carefully checked after washing and drying. If one needs repairing, it goes to the tailor.

"There are very rarely holes in a bag, but if I see that something needs to be repaired anyway, it's important that it's the right thread, and that it's the same colour,’ says Mussarat Ashraf, a tailor at Samhall.

Tailor Mussarat Ashraf and launderer Marco Edvinsson at Samhall take care of the bags from Gordon. After washing and drying, each bag is checked. If anything needs to be repaired, Mussarat ensures that it is done properly.

Cooperation with Coop and Jönköping municipality

Gordon Circular is also part of a collaborative project for home deliveries of food in elderly care in Jönköping. In addition to Gordon and Samhall, Coop Väst and Jönköping Municipality are also involved in the project, which is funded with support from Vinnova. The aim is to develop a scalable system that can be widely used in the public sector, such as schools and hospitals, and give municipalities tools to set requirements for sustainable logistics in procurement.

Hygienic and circular are crucial for customers

As Gordon Circular is a food handling system, hygiene is a top priority. Therefore, the thorough washing process at Samhall is crucial for Gordon to be able to deliver in bags that are clean and free of allergens. Hygiene and sustainability are not only important to clients, but are also highly valued by the end customers who receive the deliveries at home.

"Consumers want to shop sustainably and our job is to make it as easy as possible. With Gordon Circular, they get deliveries that make a difference, both for people and the environment," says Ali Ghoce, CEO of Gordon.