TCI becomes the first organization in India to obtain ISO 14083 certification

On December 17, 2024, Il TCI-IIMB Supply Chain Sustainability Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), established in collaboration with Transport Corporation of India Ltd (TCI), has become the first organization in India to achieve ISO14083 certification for its innovative digital platform, The Transport Emissions Measurement Tool (TEMT). This certification highlights the platform’s ability to accurately quantify and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from freight transportation activities, helping organizations measure, manage and ultimately reduce transportation-related emissions in line with regulatory requirements and sustainability objectives.

In India, the transportation sector is responsible for approx 14% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, almost of which comes from freight transport 40% of CO₂ emissions within this sector. Without interventions or cleaner technologies, transport emissions are expected to increase by 4 times between 2016 and 2050potentially reaching 1.17 billion tonnes of CO₂ by 2050 and would increase the share of transport in total emissions to 19%. Accurate measurement is the critical first step toward mitigating these emissions. Organizations need robust tools to measure their emissions before they can take meaningful action to reduce them. The Transport Emissions Measurement Tool (TEMT)with its certified emission factors for multiple modes of transport, it allows organizations to quantify and report emissions accurately, laying the foundation for effective emissions reduction strategies.

ISO 14083, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), it provides a global standard for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from transport operations. Applicable to road, rail, air, maritime and inland waterway transport, covers fuel combustion and electricity consumption. The standard outlines calculation methods, data requirements and reporting guidelines, offering a standardized framework for monitoring emissions and enabling organizations to make informed decisions on emissions reduction strategies.

NICDC Logistics Data Services Limited (NLDSL), a subsidiary of National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Trade and Industry, has integrated ISO 14083 Emission Factors API into its program peak, the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP). This integration allows users to seamlessly calculate emissions from freight transportation activities, promoting transparency and sustainability in logistics operations. Shri Girish Kumar Surpur, CEO & Director, NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltdsaid that as NLDSL continues to innovate for a sustainable future, ULIP’s Carbon Emissions API, developed in collaboration with the TCI-IIMB Supply Chain Sustainability Lab at IIM Bangalore, enables trade and logistics operators to measure the the environmental impact of their transport activities. By calculating emissions and using other data sources available with ULIP, companies can now develop the tools needed for informed and actionable sustainability decisions, including modal shifts. Together, we can drive significant change towards a low-carbon logistics ecosystem.

The Transport Emissions Measurement Tool (TEMT) is a comprehensive online platform designed to measure emissions from all modes of transportation. It integrates India specific emission factors, validated through ISO 14083 certification, ensuring the accuracy and relevance of the data. The tool allows users to calculate emissions for both past and future shipments and compare emissions between different transportation modes for a given origin-destination pair. It also gives users the flexibility to create custom transportation chains, with all past entries stored securely in the cloud for easy monthly tracking and year-over-year comparison. The platform is commodity agnosticwhich means it applies to all types of shipments and outputs are available in PDF AND CSV formats to facilitate reporting and analysis.

About the TCI-IIMB Supply Chain Sustainability Lab

TCI-IIMB Supply Chain Sustainability Lab is a research facility established by Transport Corporation of India Ltd (TCI) and IIM Bangalore in the year 2023. Situated in the premises of IIMB, as part of the Supply Chain Management Center at IIM Bangalore, it conducts research in sectors such as transport decarbonisation, the circular economy and sustainable procurement, and publishes white papers, case studies and leadership articles on sustainable supply chain management topics. It offers consultancy services on carbon mapping, measurement, mitigation and management. The goal is to provide certification and assessment services, such as supplier sustainability assessments. It has initiated numerous research projects, white papers and case studies and is collaborating with other organizations in similar fields. It is a one-of-a-kind center of excellence in sustainable supply chain practices, outreach and promotion.

Information about the NLDSL

NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltd. (NLDSL) has been at the forefront of transforming the Indian logistics sector through its innovative solutions such as LDB and ULIP. By leveraging advanced technology, NLDSL has improved the efficiency, transparency and digitalisation of the sector.

The company was founded on December 30, 2015, with the primary objective of leveraging Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to improve efficiency in the Indian logistics sector. It is a joint venture between the Government of India represented by the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and leading Japanese IT company NEC Corporation.