Metro Archives | Page 22 of 33

Delivering the sustainable future, today

Jun 21, 2023 | Environment, Metro, MVT, Technology

Alongside customers in key verticals, including food, drink, cars and commercial vehicles, Metro is committed to the highest environmental standards, by maintaining carbon neutrality, investing in alternative fuels and supporting our customers with technology-enabled sustainable supply chains.

The global food system will face significant pressures over the medium term as demand for resources and the effects of climate change intensify, which is why the sector is fully committed to cutting CO2 emissions, embedding environmental standards in transport and increasing sustainable supply chains.

Despite the challenges that 2022 brought, including supply chain issues, labour shortages and threats to energy security, our food and drink customers remain focused on sustainable, resilient, and responsible supply chains, with an ambition to reach Net Zero by 2040 – a decade earlier than government targets.

The automotive sector continues to improve its sustainability, reducing energy use, sourcing more responsibly and increasing recycling. Indeed, total energy use has declined, by -6.1% on last year, and water use per vehicle fell -6.3%. Waste to landfill also hit a record low, of 0.6%, with 17 leading companies reporting zero waste.

Supply chains need to become more sustainable but you can’t change what you can’t see and experts at Automotive Logistics’ supply chain events agreed that better tools and partnerships are needed to identify emissions in complex supply chains, as a means to start reducing them, because what you can’t measure, you can’t work on.

Hot on the heals of our industry investment in Sustainable Air Fuel (SAF) and the Sustainable Flight Challenge, Metro has invested in solar panels at our UKHQ to move beyond our net zero achievement, toward Climate Positive and joined the Midlands Net Zero Hub, to share the region's vision to decarbonise and support key priorities for the Midlands.

With Metro’s MVT Eco module, all the CO2 measuring and emission analysis tools our customers need can be found in one single place. Eco calculations conform to EN 16258, to provide data and reporting that complies with the most demanding frameworks and methodologies.

Our ‘on demand calculator’ module means that shippers can predict CO2 impact, by any mode and location, based on IATA or UNLOC codes and use those insights to create efficient, low-carbon supply chain solutions.

Using our latest generation MVT Eco module, we develop intelligent supply chain solutions, based on accurate and representative data, that are respectful of the environment.

Low-carbon multi-modal solutions that blend air, road, sea, inland waterways and rail, together with NGV and electric vehicles.

The MVT ECO module is available free-of-charge to customers on their MVT dashboard. To request a demo or discuss your requirements, please EMAIL Simon George.

Engaged Metro team drive customer focus

Jun 7, 2023 | Metro

Quarterly staff engagement surveys, together with international exchanges are helping us to create a better work place, with the most positive culture, while reducing staff turnover and increasing productivity. In building a better work environment, we are enhancing customer relationships, with fulfilled employees that are our best advocates.

When we are truly engaged at work we become more energised and effective, often going beyond what’s expected of us and positively influencing those around us, which includes both colleagues and customers.

Employee engagement directly impacts business operations and performance, but it also helps leaders understand their employees' needs, as well as identifying ways to improve morale and create better work environments, to better serve their customers.

Good employee survey response rates are between 70-80%, while anything above 90% is considered exceptional (source; PeopleInsight). Metro’s latest staff engagement survey achieved a 95% response rate.

Aggregated across eight work-related areas and 19 topics, Metro feedback ranked above industry benchmarks in every recorded area, with overall engagement scores 16% above benchmark and teamwork scores that are almost 50% above benchmark.

Site visits - and particularly international trips - provide insight, context, and understanding that cannot be achieved at the desk, and employees who know that management is concerned about them as a whole person are more productive, satisfied, and fulfilled, and satisfied employees mean satisfied customers.

Management, team leaders and operational staff from our new Chennai office have spent time at our Birmingham Global HQ, with three groups joining their UK colleagues for training and collaboration.

At the same time UK personnel have been embedded in India, to provide systems training, with further tranches following in the summer, to share best practice, insight and understanding.

Paul Moss, Metro’s Head of HR, “Regular anonymous staff surveys help us to track and understand what our employees need, as well as identifying ways to improve morale and create a better work environment. Our engaged team work harder because they like what they do and really do care about customers, consistently going ‘above and beyond’ to ensure our clients have a great experience.”

“With 61 dedicated professionals now stationed in our Chennai office, our overseas colleagues have become an integral part of our service provision across various areas. Their presence allows us to provide round-the-clock coverage and assistance, ensuring uninterrupted support to our valued clients.”

“By nurturing a global network of talented individuals, we are proud to expand our reach and deliver exceptional service worldwide. This collaborative approach exemplifies our commitment to delivering unparalleled value and support to our customers, now and in the future.”

CargoWise and Metro’s MVT provide unrivalled technological edge

Apr 26, 2023 | Metro, MVT, Technology

Executing highly complex shipping transactions across multiple users, functions, offices, countries, currencies and languages, Cargowise automates workflows, optimises business processes and provides real-time data visibility.

Cargowise is providing more time for Metro to concentrate on the service it delivers and the development of the highest quality solutions for its clients.

Simon George, Metro’s technical solution director talks about Metro’s Cargowise investment and implementation.

“We care about our customers and our people, which is why we invest in technology like Cargowise, that supports the most valuable assets of our company, with tools that help them adapt swiftly to customer needs and make effective decisions immediately.

Metro began implementing Cargowise as our core freight forwarding operations platform two years ago, with large parts of the business successfully transitioning through the lockdown period, with modular learning, devised by our internal training team.

In adopting Cargowise we are enhancing our paperless office environment, with digital processes, business rules and workflows, designed to identify and eradicate errors before anything untoward happens.

Instead of ‘fire-fighting’ operational issues, our people will be free to concentrate on enhancing solutions and identifying opportunities that add more value for our customers.

Real-time visibility, detailed financial reporting and improved data quality provide the freedom to speed up processes and make strategic decisions faster than ever before.

The reporting and broad-based KPI’s that we can track is providing us with the accurate data that supports immediate and agile, customer-focused decisions.

Integrating Cargowise and our MVT supply chain platform increases the volume of data we can share with customers, enhances the way in which they can view and manipulate this information and means that most data feeds are in, or close to, real-time.

Shipment visibility is a core functionality, with real-time tracking monitoring schedules and global mapping of assets, together with our investment in AI for predictive ETAs, that support efficient planning, while avoiding fees and penalties.

Performance tracking is being simplified and means that customers can track our performance alongside carriers and key vendors globally.

In understanding our customers' ambitions and business goals, we can identify opportunities to cut costs and make improvement in their supply chain, with our innovative Cargowise/MVT technology providing total control and visibility.”

The Metro board continues to invest in internally developed and externally acquired innovation in 2023-2024, which promises to be an exciting and rewarding period for the business and our customers. EMAIL Simon George, Technical Solutions Director, to learn more.

WE NEED YOUR VOTE: Metro short-listed for Multimodal Award

Apr 26, 2023 | Metro

The UK’s only dedicated conference and exhibition for freight, logistics and supply chain – Multimodal – returns to Birmingham’s NEC centre on 13th - 15th June, for its 16th edition, with Metro a finalist in their trade awards.

The Multimodal Awards recognise excellence in air, road, rail, maritime, and freight forwarding (3PL), with finalists nominated and voted for by the industry, for the industry, through an independent awards nomination and voting system.

Metro has been shortlisted in the ‘3PL of the year’ category.

Grant Liddell, Metro’s managing director, “To be short-listed for any award, but particularly by your peers, is always a fantastic accolade. It is further recognition of our amazing team’s hard work, dedication, and expertise, all of whom are committed to delivering outstanding customer service and innovation.”

“Multimodal is an important event in our trade calendar, and we are delighted that Metro has been nominated for 3PL of the year, in their awards. It is a clear endorsement of our solutions and customer-centric approach, but we are acutely aware that nothing can be taken for granted and we wish all our fellow nominees the best of luck, while we very much look forward to the outcome of the public vote.”

Award winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the VOX Conference Centre located at Resorts Worlds, Birmingham, on the evening of 13th June, hosted by automotive journalist and TV personality Vicki Butler-Henderson on the first day of Multimodal 2023.