The National Road Transport Association and Bridgestone have announced a new e-learning program to help road transport operators manage their businesses in the transition to net zero emissions.

The "Road to Decarbonisation" program was announced at the NatRoad Annual Conference in Queensland today and has been developed by specialist net zero consultancy, 100% Renewables.

It will demystify carbon emission terminology, help businesses understand major contributors and assist them to proactively work with their customers and suppliers.

An e-learning program, "Road to Decarbonisation" will become available to NatRoad Members, free-of-charge in October, thanks to the support of Bridgestone, one of the Association's Platinum Partners.

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said it is critical for operators to understand emissions and prepare for the future.

"With growing pressure on supply chains to offer lower-carbon services, we have worked with Bridgestone and 100% Renewables to develop this important initiative," Mr Clark said.

"It will not only help people understand emission types but provide them with basic tools to calculate contributions."

Co-founder of 100% Renewables, Barbara Albert, said that decarbonisation will affect all businesses.

"We have been working with Bridgestone Australia for a number of years to support their efforts towards decarbonisation," Ms Albert said.

"In working together, we identified the need and value in supporting and educating the broader industry and supply chain, so that operators can better understand their impact and be prepared for future demands.

"Through collaborating with Bridgestone and NatRoad, we want to better educate and prepare the road transport industry during a significant time of change.

"By developing and delivering valuable e-learning modules and tools, we hope to help fleet operators prepare for expected regulatory changes and supply chain emission reduction requirements.

"I'm pleased to be able to provide 100% Renewables' knowledge and expertise to educate members."

In line with and supporting Bridgestone's global emission reduction targets, Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand has completed a full study on their local emission impact and is now implementing strategies to reduce carbon emissions across areas such as energy consumption, waste, and its supply chain.  

Head of Sustainability and Communications for Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand, Jo Hayes, said through understanding Bridgestone's own carbon footprint and contributors, the need to support and collaborate with industry partners was evident.

"To achieve Bridgestone's own sustainability goals, we are reliant on our entire value chain, particularly our road transport providers. And with many operators also being our customers through tyre usage, we have a responsibility to contribute positively to their sustainability targets," Ms Hayes explained.

"With Scope 3 emissions impacting value chains, decarbonisation cannot be achieved alone. We want to support operators to better understand this and encourage them to consider how they can plan for change through the knowledge they gain from this program.

"We're thrilled to be able to extend this to the wider industry through our partnership with NatRoad."

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