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Harvard economist Dr Edward Glaeser suggests cities are mankind’s greatest invention. They are the wellspring from which most of the world’s greatest achievements have come. Most of these achievements have been made because of the social and collaborative dynamic enabled by cities.But, from the beginning, cities have also grappled with the challenges born of many people living in a small area – simply put, meeting the daily needs of people while also not compromising their health and vitality. The challenges are no less urgent today.Projections are that by 2050 two-thirds of all people will make cities their home1. These expanding populations are driving an increase in middle-class consumers and global commerce. The rise of e-commerce and on-demand economies is also adding volume to trade lanes and increasing the number of vehicles on already congested roads. In addition, the World Health Organization reports that as much as 80 per cent of the cities in the world have unhealthy air. So it is not surprising that efforts to reduce emissions and noise pollution from all forms of transportation in the urban core of major cities have been growing. Who should – and will – step up to create solutions? Perhaps more than at any other time in our history, global businesses are in the best position to step up and take the reins. Big business has the scale, resources, talent and operational muscle to drive meaningful change. At UPS, we have welcomed the opportunity to actively partner with others to help develop solutions that are both economically feasible and environmentally sustainable. Our core competency, logistics, is about more than just moving goods. IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPSBusinesses cannot make progress toward these challenges working alone. We must collaborate with customers, governments and other stakeholders to develop smarter transportation systems and to push for more agile city infrastructures. In 2012, in collaboration with the City of Hamburg, UPS launched a pilot programme focused on developing a new and sustainable method of delivering goods to urban areas. The goal was simple: reduce traffic in the city centre and lower overall emissions. To do this, UPS placed four containers at central locations in the city for interim storage of packages. From these points, deliveries were made on foot or with specialized bicycles and “Cargo Cruisers,” our electronically-assisted tricycles. These alternate delivery solutions help ease traffic congestion and reduce emissions each working day. Due to the success of the pilot, the Hamburg programme was extended in February 2015 for another two years and is being replicated elsewhere. Other cities in Europe and around the world are also starting to limit access by commercial vehicles to urban areas and pedestrian-only zones, where only zero-emission or compact-size vehicles are allowed. To reduce UPS’s fleet emissions in Europe and deliver on our commitment to the European Union’s Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe (FREVUE) project, UPS is deploying 68 electric vehicles in London. We worked with the local power provider to secure the infrastructure needed to support recharging requirements. Partnerships like this help UPS provide insights into how and when sustainable solutions can scale.Pictured: UPS has deployed electric vehicles on the streets of RotterdamNANDO CESARONE, PRESIDENT, UPS EUROPE MOBILIZING IN SUPPORT OF MAN’S GREATEST INVENTION104 SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS