Many movers still see sustainability as an additional task competing for already stretched resources. However, Founder and Director of IG Mobility Paul Barnes argues that when movers and DSPs make it central to their day-to-day decision-making, a sustainability focus can strengthen performance, improve efficiency and help businesses stay ahead of ever-growing client expectations.
Moving and relocation companies are operating in tough conditions: margins are under pressure, volumes have softened, and compliance demands keep rising. For many FIDI Affiliates, especially small and medium-sized firms, time and resources are more stretched than ever.
Even with geopolitical uncertainty, ESG and sustainability expectations are not easing. And, when sustainability is treated as ‘extra work’, firms stay reactive. However, when built into operations – such as quality or safety – it strengthens resilience, reduces risk, improves efficiency and builds trust with clients and partners.
I want to explain the value of sustainability sitting closer to strategy and day-to-day delivery, and how movers can take practical steps to build a credible, value-adding sustainability programme while using limited time and resources.
Importantly, this doesn’t require a large team, complex systems or significant new cost. For most, progress comes from small steps that build clarity, reduce rework and can be reused across multiple client requests.
1. Expectations are not easing
Some governments and firms have reduced public discussion of sustainability or scaled-back commitments. However, many recognise that sustainability remains a long-term need for business success and risk management.
Sustainability remains a strategic priority because it supports core business needs by:
- Controlling costs
- Building resilience
- Supporting compliance
- Meeting stakeholder expectations.
For movers, client expectations will continue to rise regardless of political shifts, and clients cannot meet their own sustainability goals unless suppliers provide credible data, measurable improvements and transparent processes.
2. Look ahead to create business value
A driver who lacks confidence looks directly in front of the vehicle. Looking further ahead, they can anticipate and make better driving decisions. Sustainability works in much the same way.
When movers and relocation companies focus only on today’s questionnaire or this week’s request, they are acting reactively. Requirements arrive suddenly and teams scramble to respond using limited resources. This keeps their firms on the back foot and absorbs time in low-value administration work rather than making meaningful improvements. Taking a more strategic view means looking further ahead.
By understanding which sustainability topics matter most, recognising recurring and emerging requirements, and focusing on the parts of frameworks that are genuinely relevant, movers can plan further forward with confidence. This reduces last-minute pressure, enables consistent responses and allows sustainability to be integrated into the business just like quality, safety or financial management.
3. The importance of strategic sustainability for movers
Sustainability is increasingly tied to commercial performance and operational resilience. The Morgan Stanley Sustainable Signals 2025 report notes that 88 per cent of companies now see sustainability as a value creation opportunity, with many able to measure return on investment.
In practice, when sustainability is embedded into operations, companies consistently report:
- Stronger RFP performance
- Lower operating costs
- Better staff engagement and retention
- Fewer compliance surprises and less rework
- Improved client trust and retention.
For movers of all sizes, these expectations are trickling down and already having an impact on daily operations. Clients are increasingly focused on fleet and shipment emissions, including transport data, routing efficiency and sea versus air freight decisions. They are also paying closer attention to packing materials and waste practices, responsible subcontractor and partner selection, environmental and labour standards, and how FIDI-FAIM processes align with ESG expectations.
Movers with structured processes can respond faster and confidently, gaining an advantage in RFPs, audits and assessments while reducing internal pressure, repeated rework and costs.
4. Put your effort where it matters
Sustainability is most effective when effort is focused on the stakeholders who influence your business most, such as key clients, employees, critical partners and regulators. A simple ‘interest-influence matrix’ will help you decide:
- Who needs regular engagement
- Who needs periodic updates
- Who has high influence but low interest
- Where to avoid spending unnecessary time.
This ensures your sustainability efforts deliver maximum value in an efficient way.
5. Standards, ratings and frameworks
Many firms feel overwhelmed by standards, frameworks and ratings. You don’t need to master everything. The key is to understand at a simple level what each is for, then use that which help your business and match what clients ask for.
A practical way to think about the main ones:
- GHG Protocol: A credible emissions baseline
- GRI: Recognised structure for ESG reporting and explaining policies, impacts, and progress
- CSRD/ESRS: Important for many corporate clients. Begin with a top topic’s materiality process rather than a complex assessment
- EcoVadis: Emphasis on verifiable documentation, with policies and procedures needing clear evidence of implementation
- UN Global Compact: A learning pathway and annual progress questionnaire that can help build internal capability.
Treat these as a menu, not a mandate. Choosing what genuinely strengthens your operations and aligns with what matters most to your business and clients, helps focus effort where it adds value and avoids unnecessary cost and duplication.
6. What the industry should do
Questionnaire fatigue is a genuine drain on a firm’s resources. Many industry sustainability questionnaires ask for the same information but use different formats and terminology. This wastes valuable time, creates frustration and diverts attention from meaningful improvement.
A practical industry improvement would be for RMCs to collaborate to align core terminology and agree on common baseline questions. Standardising even 60 per cent of the usual questionnaire content would significantly reduce duplication, improve data consistency and free up time to focus on meaningful sustainability actions.
Aim for integration, not perfection
Despite global uncertainty, sustainability continues to deliver value for movers that approach it strategically. The aim is not to ‘do everything’, but to understand what is important in the short to longer term. Then integrate practical actions into operations, build basic evidence and reuse it confidently across RFPs, audits, questionnaires and client conversations.
A short, defensible narrative, supported by a simple annual report of key topics, actions and improvements, goes a long way.
Paul Barnes is a sustainability consultant working with moving and mobility companies to make sustainability practical, credible and achievable. He supports firms at different stages of maturity to respond to client requirements, reporting and ESG expectations.