Kubota first to earn new supply chain sustainability certification
Kubota Tractor Corporation has become the first manufacturer to earn Ducker Carlisle’s new Supply Score certification, a program recognizing companies for implementing sustainable distribution practices. The distinction highlights Kubota’s work at its North American Distribution Center in Edgerton, Kansas, where the company has invested in waste reduction, packaging reuse, and fuel-saving measures across its supply chain.
Kubota’s initiatives include compacting and pulverizing waste, shredding corrugated cardboard for reuse as packaging material, and reducing the number of hauling trips. These changes have reduced disposal costs, decreased fuel consumption, and lowered the need for new packaging purchases—all contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
“This certification affirms Kubota’s ongoing commitment to sustainability in our supply chain. It represents a significant step toward meeting our corporate environmental goals and positions us for continued leadership as our industry embraces more responsible business practices,” — Kathi Dailey, general manager of Kubota’s North American Distribution Center.
The Supply Score program is the first certification focused specifically on manufacturers’ outbound distribution systems, evaluating performance in warehousing, packaging, and transportation. Certifications are awarded at Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald levels, based on a greenhouse gas emissions analysis developed from supply chain data and industry benchmarks.
Ducker Carlisle Principal Nate Chenenko said most companies struggle to prove sustainability gains in their distribution operations because Scope 3 emissions data is difficult to track. “Organizations like Kubota are leading the way in breaking that logjam,” Chenenko says. “By quantifying their efforts, they can demonstrate meaningful progress and highlight the business value of sustainability.”
Kubota can now display the Supply Score seal across its facilities, packaging, and marketing, signaling to dealers, customers, and partners its commitment to sustainable operations.
