CILT unveils new corporate identity

The updated corporate identity will provide all Institute members with the following benefits:

·         Worldwide recognition through a single brand image.

·         Professional standards  that are accepted and recognised on a global basis.

·         A natural worldwide home for all supply chain, logistics and transport professionals wherever they are.

Steve Agg, CILT’s Chief Executive, explains: “I am certain that our new common identity will unify and energise our activities. Its confident message ‘Stronger Together’ applies to the combined strengths of our member countries around the globe and to our broad reach across the entire logistics and transport professions, as exemplified by our eight Professional Sectors: Supply Chain, Transport Planning, Rail, Active Travel & Travel Planning. Bus & Coach, Ports, Maritime & Waterways, Freight Forwarding and Aviation. This unique grouping of global talents enables us to be the first choice professional body for everyone associated with our profession in every continent.”

Commenting on the announcement, CILT President, Jim Steer FCILT, says: “The launch of the new common brand across all nations will help members recognise and share the strengths of a single professional family with a world-wide reach. I think the new brand is refreshing and I am sure will help CILT deliver our key growth strategies internationally.”

The Institute’s UK Chairman Neil Ashworth FCILT adds: “The Institute has for many years championed professionalism in each of the disciplines we represent and our chartered members and fellows have recognised that a stronger unified image will allow us to communicate our core values more easily across the globe. We are particularly proud that our values of integrity and professionalism have been recognised by governments, educationalists and industry alike.”

Awards night

Many of the UK’s leading professionals in transport, the supply chain and transport planning gathered in London for The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s Annual Awards Dinner. The Awards, held at one of London’s premier venues – the Lancaster London Hotel – are designed to promote and encourage best practice within the logistics and transport sectors and are supported by organisations and individuals from throughout the industry. This popular event was attended by finalists, sponsors, members and their guests and was hailed as one of the best networking events of the year.

The event was chaired by the President of CILT, Jim Steer FCILT, and hosted by Olympian swimmer Steve Parry. It was attended by over 500 guests.

Awards were conferred in fifteen categories together with CILT’s special award for outstanding achievement, the Sir Robert Lawrence Award, which was presented by CILT board member John Boulter FCILT to John Neill CBE FCILT, Chairman and Group Chief Executive, Unipart Group.

In 1974, John joined Unipart, the parts and services division of the state owned British Leyland. In 1976, aged just 29 years old, he was put in charge of the division. As well as making Unipart one of the Britain’s best known brands for automotive components, he developed logistics services for competitor companies.

The transformation of Unipart into a successful independent company and his influence on supply chain thinking from championing the ‘Unipart Way’ marks John out as a truly deserving recipient.

Other winners on the night included BBC’s Paul Clifton, United Biscuits, First Great Western, Partner Logistics, CrossCountry, Mott MacDonald, Norbert Dentressangle Logistics, McDonald’s UK and Martin Brower UK & Arla Foods UK.

For a full list of winners go to the CILT website – http://bit.ly/18ly2k3

Decongestion top of the agenda

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport’s president Jim Steer FCILT says decongesting city centres is key to economic growth and that the sector must collaborate more and look into new techniques in order to reduce traffic numbers.

The Director and Founder of Steer Davies Gleave says: “Congestion is the enemy of us all. We need to work together as transport professionals to show what transport as a whole can do.”

Mr Steer believes that reducing congestion will not just make city centres a more pleasant place to be, but also has the potential to drive “economic and social prosperity”.

Graham Inglis FCILT, former president of CILT and Chief Executive of DHL Supply Chain Europe, adds “the current environment requires much more collaboration and innovation. At DHL we already use our network on a shared basis for the good of customers, but clearly we can do more. And whether it’s night-time deliveries or consolidation centres, utilising new techniques to decongest our city centres is very important”.

Inspiring a new generation

Aspire, The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport’s careers foundation, took part in a ‘Get into Logistics’ event at the House of Commons, hosted by Louise Ellman MP. The event introduced Ms Elman and a group of leading business leaders to the work of the Get into Logistics programme.

Aspire, together with fellow Get into Logistics programme supporters, the Princes Trust, the FTA and DHL UK Foundation, discussed with Ms Ellman, Chair of the House of Commons Transport Select Committee, the challenges of encouraging more young people to take up a career in logistics.

Aspire’s Chairman, Tim Slater FCILT, introduced the participants to the Get into Logistics programme’s Young Ambassador, 22 year-old Brodie Harris. Brodie explained how the Aspire-co-funded programme really changes lives. Personal problems meant Brodie quit university early and became unemployed. Brodie was very keen to find work and found continually being turned down for jobs very demoralising. She saw the Get into Logistics programme advertised on a jobsite, sent a text and was pleased to get a reply the next day.

Brodie gained a two week placement with Waitrose, one of the supporters of the scheme. She found the scheme supportive and welcoming, and, after the two weeks course, Brodie told the meeting she was ‘ecstatically happy’ to be offered a full time job. Now Brodie has become a Young Ambassador for the scheme, in part to inform others that university isn’t the only way to ensure a career path.

John Allan, Chair of Dixons Retail PLC was the main industry speaker. He told his fellow industry leaders that they have a responsibility to employ and train the next generation of workers and that it cannot simply be left to government.

Tim Slater says: “It was inspiring to hear our Young Ambassador reveal how Get into Logistics genuinely changes lives. It was also a great opportunity for retailers and 3PLs to sit around a table and discuss how we encourage the next generations. It builds on the work of Aspire and other organisations and encourages individual companies to develop a common approach for the industry as a whole.”