IGPN - International Green Purchasing Network

July 20, 2026

Practices Collection Showcase: Innovative Application of Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management (Vol. 3) Analysis on greenhouse gas emissions hotspots and reduction levers for retailer products

Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.

Practice #3｜Analysis on greenhouse gas emissions hotspots and reduction levers for retailer products

Theme: Innovation in retail supply chain management

Core Content
This practice focuses on the greenhouse gas emission “hotspots” associated with the retail industry. It outlines the climate impacts of the raw materials used to make products, the manufacturing process, retail operations, getting the products to consumers’ homes and consumer impacts from using and disposing of products, emphasized on the main hotspots and the consumer and retailers’ connection to these and how they can contribute to GHG emission reduction through their measures and decisions.
It is essential to be highlighted that key levers are product selection, how the product is transported “the last mile” and the way the consumer uses the products. These entailed for consumers awareness on key levers and retailers focus on measures providing environment and climate friendly products or creating resell market, which tend to influence consumers making choice and using based on reducing its own climate impacts.

Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate carbon reduction and circular innovation throughout entire chain in supply chain management:
Packaging Reduction: Promote reusable and refillable containers to cut waste of packaging materials at source.
Second-hand circulation system: Build a resale platform for second-hand goods to boost the circular flow of lightly used products and extend product lifecycles.
Optimize sustainable product supply: Expand the range of sustainable and low-carbon products, empowering consumers to embrace green lifestyles and advance sustainable development goals.
Low-carbon operational transformation: Reduce operational energy consumption, switch to clean energy, improve resource recycling rates and cut waste emissions, so as to comprehensively mitigate the climate impact of business activities.

This practice establishes a retail supply chain carbon management model featuring stakeholder coordination across the full product lifecycle, breaking away from the narrow production-side carbon reduction mindset. It achieves supply chain carbon reduction and the advancement of green consumption, by means of optimizing product supply, consumers awareness raising, and circular system building, offering replicable practical approaches for the low-carbon transformation of the retail industry.

Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.

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