A sustainable 3PL measures scope 1, 2 & 3 — and cuts yours.
Taylor reports scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions through Normative, participates in Leadership on Climate Transition (LOCT), has been an EPA SmartWay Transport Partner since 2006, is a Sedex member, and won the 2024 TMSA Purpose Award for sustainability. We measure what we emit, cut what we can, and hand our customers the data they need to decarbonize their supply chains.
What is a sustainable 3PL?
A sustainable 3PL measures and reduces its own greenhouse-gas emissions across scope 1, 2, and 3, invests in lower-emission equipment, and gives customers the auditable data they need to decarbonize their supply chains. It's not a marketing claim — it's a measurement discipline.
Measures all three scopes
Scope 1, 2, and 3 quantified with Normative's science-based carbon-accounting platform.
Reduces at the source
−40% fleet emissions, SmartWay since 2006, LED retrofits, drones, and plastic-free packaging.
Reports back to you
Auditable emissions data formatted for CDP, SBTi, EcoVadis, and annual ESG disclosures.
Vets its own suppliers
A Sedex member with a Supplier Code of Conduct — extending the standard up the chain.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 — the three numbers we live by.
Every credible decarbonization plan starts here. What each scope contains, what we're doing about it, and what we report back to you.
Combustion from sources we own — fleet diesel, forklift propane, refrigerant, and on-site natural-gas heating.
- −40%Scope 1 + 2 cut on the 2023 new fleet (Taylor Distributing)
- SamsaraTelematics for idling, route efficiency, and fuel reporting
- SmartWayEPA Transport Partner since 2006
Electricity we buy to light, cool, refrigerate, and power 3M+ sq ft of warehousing across OH, ME, PA, and GA.
- LED retrofitFacility-wide lighting and motion-controlled fixtures
- DronesGather AI cycle-counting cuts labor hours and floor-truck traffic
- Cold-chainTighter dock discipline & thermal-envelope audits at MICSF
Everything upstream and downstream: suppliers, carriers, packaging, capital goods, and end-of-life. This is where customers feel our impact most.
- Supplier CodeEthical & environmental standards in procurement
- LOCT + SedexClimate-transition training & ethical supply-chain data
- NormativeAuditable scope-3 reporting for your CDP / SBTi team
Four ways we lower your footprint.
A 3PL is one of the largest line items in most companies' scope-3 disclosure. Every kilogram we don't emit is a kilogram you don't have to report.
Categories 4 & 9 — the transport & distribution you don't own but must report.
−40% fleet, SmartWay since 2006, LED, drones, recycled packaging.
Auditable Normative data, ready for CDP, SBTi, and EcoVadis.
Cut your scope 3 at the source
Your purchased logistics sits in scope 3 categories 4 and 9. Our −40% fleet, SmartWay carriers, and recycled packaging shrink that line before you ever report it.
Get auditable emissions data
We hand you Normative-grade scope 1, 2, and 3 reports for the activity we run on your behalf — formatted for CDP, SBTi, or your annual ESG disclosure.
Shift to lower-impact modes
Mode-shift recommendations from our brokerage team — intermodal, multi-stop consolidation, and SmartWay-certified carrier selection where route and timing allow.
Decarbonize the packaging
Our plastic-free VAS program sources recycled-content, curbside-recyclable materials for kitting, co-packing, and shipper packaging — a high-leverage, visible scope-3 cut.
The difference is what you can prove.
Most 3PLs move freight. A sustainable 3PL moves freight and hands you the emissions data your disclosure team needs. Line by line:
The programs behind the numbers.
Each initiative ladders up to a specific line in our scope 1, 2, or 3 reporting. None are theoretical — they're running today, across our network.
2023 new fleet — −40% emissions
Taylor Distributing's 2023 fleet refresh cut scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 40%. Samsara telematics give live fuel, idling, and route-efficiency data so we keep tuning it down.
EPA SmartWay since 2006
Taylor Distributing has been a SmartWay Transport Partner since 2006 — measuring, benchmarking, and improving fleet fuel efficiency, and giving customers a recognized transport standard.
Cycle-counting drones
Gather AI drones fly autonomous inventory scans — quieter and lower-energy than scissor-lift manual counts, with better accuracy.
Plastic-free VAS
Recycled-content, FSC-certified materials for kitting, co-packing, and shipper packaging — a visible scope-3 cut.
Scientific carbon reporting
Normative quantifies our footprint with science-based methodology and produces the auditable output enterprise customers need.
Supplier Code of Conduct + Sedex
Ethical and environmental expectations are embedded in every procurement relationship, and our Sedex membership shares that data transparently — extending the standard beyond our four walls.
Team sustainability training
Structured training through Alchemy equips every teammate to uphold our environmental commitments — a culture where every operator sees their role in the carbon picture.
The credibility stack behind our program.
We deliberately use third-party platforms, federal programs, and peer-led groups — so our numbers are not self-graded.
Leadership on Climate Transition (LOCT)
Peer-led climate-transition program — training, science-based-target alignment, and scope-3 engagement.
ParticipantEPA SmartWay Transport Partner
Federal program benchmarking carrier fuel efficiency and emissions performance.
Since 2006Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange)
Global platform for responsible, ethical, and sustainable supply-chain data and audits.
MemberNormative
Science-based carbon-accounting platform for scope 1, 2, and 3 measurement and reporting.
ReportingGather AI
Autonomous cycle-counting drones — lower energy and labor intensity than manual counts.
AutomationSamsara
Fleet telematics for live fuel, idling, and route-efficiency analytics.
Fleet dataTMSA
Awarded Taylor the 2024 Purpose Award for sustainability initiatives.
2024 AwardMilestones on the road to net zero.
Not a single year or a single press release — a multi-year cadence of operational change and accountable reporting.
The acronyms, decoded.
This page uses the language of corporate climate reporting. Here's a plain-English key to every term.
- ESG
- Environmental, Social & Governance — the framework used to evaluate a company's non-financial performance.
- Scope 1
- Direct emissions from sources a company owns or controls — fleet fuel, forklifts, on-site heating.
- Scope 2
- Indirect emissions from purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling.
- Scope 3
- All other value-chain emissions — suppliers, transport, packaging, travel, end-of-life. Usually the largest share.
- GHG Protocol
- The world's most widely used standard for measuring and reporting emissions across all three scopes.
- SBTi
- Science Based Targets initiative — validates corporate reduction targets against climate science.
- CDP
- Formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project — a global environmental-disclosure system for companies.
- LOCT
- Leadership on Climate Transition — a peer-led program to measure footprints and set science-based targets.
- EcoVadis
- A business-sustainability ratings platform; many enterprises require a supplier EcoVadis score.
- SmartWay
- A U.S. EPA program that benchmarks and improves freight-transportation fuel efficiency and emissions.
- Sedex
- Supplier Ethical Data Exchange — a membership platform for sharing responsible-sourcing data.
- Normative
- The science-based carbon-accounting platform Taylor uses to quantify and report scope 1, 2, and 3.
Sustainable Supply Chain Checklist
A practical checklist for evaluating the sustainability of your logistics partners — emissions reporting, certifications, packaging, and the questions to ask before you sign.
Sustainability, answered.
What is a sustainable 3PL?+
A sustainable 3PL measures and reduces its own scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, invests in lower-emission equipment, and gives customers the data they need to decarbonize their own supply chains. Taylor reports scope 1/2/3 through Normative, runs a −40% fleet, is SmartWay since 2006, and is a Sedex member.
Does Taylor report scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions?+
Yes. Taylor reports all three scopes using Normative's carbon-accounting platform. Scope 1 covers fleet and on-site fuel (with Samsara telematics), scope 2 covers purchased electricity, and scope 3 covers value-chain emissions — suppliers, purchased goods, and the carriers we tender to. Customers can request the report covering activity we run on their behalf.
What is Leadership on Climate Transition (LOCT)?+
LOCT is a peer-led program that equips suppliers with training, tooling, and community to measure their carbon footprint, set science-based targets, and engage their own suppliers on climate action. Our participation gives enterprise customers confidence that Taylor's scope-3 data aligns with the standards required by CDP, SBTi, and major retailers.
How much has Taylor reduced fleet emissions?+
Taylor Distributing's 2023 new-fleet rollout reduced scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 40% versus the prior fleet. Samsara telematics give live visibility into idling, route efficiency, and fuel burn so we keep improving year over year.
What is the EPA SmartWay program and why does it matter?+
SmartWay is a U.S. EPA program that benchmarks the fuel efficiency and emissions of freight carriers and shippers. Taylor Distributing has been a SmartWay Transport Partner since 2006. Working with SmartWay-certified carriers is a recognized way to lower the transportation portion of scope 3, category 4.
Is Taylor a Sedex member?+
Yes. Taylor is a member of Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange), a global platform for sharing responsible-sourcing and sustainability data. Membership lets us supply documentation customers need for supplier questionnaires and assessments such as EcoVadis.
What is Scope 1, 2, and 3?+
Scope 1 is direct emissions (fleet fuel, forklifts, heating). Scope 2 is purchased energy (grid electricity for warehousing). Scope 3 is all other value-chain emissions — suppliers, transport, packaging, travel, end-of-life — usually 70–90% of a company's footprint, and where outsourced logistics lives.
What are CDP, SBTi, and EcoVadis?+
CDP runs the largest environmental-disclosure system; SBTi validates reduction targets against climate science; EcoVadis rates supplier sustainability. Taylor's Normative reporting, SmartWay status, and Sedex membership provide data formatted to support all three.
Can Taylor help with supplier questionnaires?+
Yes. Questionnaires — EcoVadis, CDP Supply Chain, Sedex SAQ, or a customer's own template — ask for emissions data, certifications, and policy documentation. As a Sedex member with SmartWay and Normative reporting, Taylor can furnish that evidence directly.
Does warehousing create emissions?+
Yes — warehousing generates scope 2 (purchased electricity for lighting, cooling, refrigeration, equipment) and some scope 1 (forklift fuel, heating, refrigerant). Taylor reduces this through LED retrofits, motion-controlled fixtures, lower-energy drone cycle-counting, and tighter cold-chain thermal discipline — all tracked in Normative.
Want a 3PL that can actually quantify your scope 3?
Bring us your disclosure deadline, your reporting framework, and the part of your supply chain that needs to move. We'll show you what changing 3PLs can do to your footprint — and your bottom line.
- Your disclosure framework (CDP, SBTi, EcoVadis, etc.)
- Annual freight volume + warehouse footprint
- Reporting deadline & required scope coverage
- Packaging or EPR constraints we should know about