Small pallets can make a big impact

The humble pallet may not seem like an engine of social change, but according to one pallet vendor, that basic platform can help companies achieve ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) goals. In a posting on its website, pallet provider RM2 of Orlando, Florida, notes that simply deploying reusable pallets can help a company reduce its environmental impact.

As an example, RM2 points to its reusable fiberglass composite pallets, which it says are durable enough to support more lifetime uses than traditional wood or plastic pallets can, while embedded tracking and condition sensors help cut equipment losses.

RM2 also says its lightweight pallets cut fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing shipment weight. And once their useful life is over, the company adds, the pallets can be recycled into cement "clinker," an ingredient in many cement products, to avoid clogging landfills. While these might sound like small "wins," the benefits add up quickly, according to RM2. Taken together, those modest improvements to energy-intensive material handling operations can help users take small but important steps toward reaching ESG targets, the company says.