Smart Freight Centre
Smart Freight Centre is an international non-profit foundation that develops and stewards the GLEC Framework and ISO 14083-aligned methodologies, tools, and digital standards (including iLEAP) to help multinational shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers measure, report, and reduce freight transportation emissions globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Smart Freight Centre does
Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is an international non-profit foundation registered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, founded in 2013, with 11-50 employees and regional offices in China and India. The organization is dedicated to reducing the emission impacts of global freight transportation through standardized emissions accounting frameworks, methodologies, and digital standards. Its core offering is the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework — the only globally recognized methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions consistently across multi-modal logistics supply chains — which was instrumental in developing the ISO 14083 international standard for transport emissions accounting. The GLEC Framework is used by 100+ multinational corporations, and the GLEC voluntary partnership includes 150+ companies, associations, and experts.
SFC operates a comprehensive portfolio of programs spanning emissions accounting (GLEC, iLEAP digital standard, CLEVER, SFC Certification and Conformity Assessment), road freight (Fleet Electrification Coalition, Electrifying Drayage Alliance), maritime (Clean Cargo covering 80-85% of global container cargo, Global Ro-Ro Community, Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative), aviation (Clean Air Transport), and freight buyer initiatives (Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance, Smart Freight Shippers Alliance). Underlying technology includes the GLEC Framework v3.0 (fully aligned with ISO 14083), iLEAP Technical Specifications for interoperability, and proprietary emission intensity factors including first industry benchmarks for deep-sea Ro-Ro shipping released December 2025.
SFC generates revenue through a three-tiered membership subscription model, professional training and certification fees via the SFC Academy, tool and program certification licensing, and grants from funders including the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO), and the UPS Foundation. Distribution is primarily direct through its Community Platform, Academy, certification service, regional offices, and flagship events (Smart Freight Week, Smart Freight Fall Meeting). The member base collectively represents over €15 trillion in market capitalization and employs 10 million+ people worldwide, giving SFC significant structural influence over global freight decarbonization practice.
Smart Freight Centre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart Freight Centre
- Legal name
- Smart Freight Centre
- Website
- https://smartfreightcentre.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Smart Freight Centre is an international non-profit foundation that develops and stewards the GLEC Framework and ISO 14083-aligned methodologies, tools, and digital standards (including iLEAP) to help multinational shippers, carriers, and logistics service providers measure, report, and reduce freight transportation emissions globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart Freight Centre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Logistics Decarbonization Services
- SIC
- Services-Services, Nec (8900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)
Keywords
Where Smart Freight Centre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Smart Freight Centre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: SFC offers a three-tiered membership structure providing access to the SFC Community Platform, exclusive insights, resources, and events. Members gain access to a wide portfolio of programs and initiatives to help them collaborate to improve their GHG emission performance and supply chain economics.
- Training and Academy: SFC Academy provides webinars, self-paced e-trainings, and professional training courses including GLEC Framework training, Smart Transport Manager Training, and Develop Your Sustainable Logistics Roadmap training. Revenue generated through course fees and discounted access for members.
- Certification Services: SFC Certification checks if tools and programs offer logistics GHG emissions calculation and reporting in conformance with ISO 14083 and the GLEC Framework. Certification fees for tools and programs seeking to become SFC Certified partners.
- Grants and Funding: SFC receives funding from organizations such as the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO), and UPS Foundation to support specific projects and programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Three-tiered membership structure with varying access levels |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Smart Freight Centre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is an independent, international non-profit organization that develops, maintains, and disseminates standardized methodologies, digital data specifications (iLEAP), training (SFC Academy), and an ISO 14083:2023-aligned certification scheme for measuring, reporting, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across multimodal logistics supply chains. Its sellable offerings target corporate members, freight carriers, shippers, and software providers that need auditable emissions calculations and recognized certification.
Product overview
Smart Freight Centre is an international non-profit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs, frameworks, and tools for logistics decarbonization. The core offering is the GLEC Framework, the globally recognized methodology for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions across multimodal logistics supply chains, aligned with ISO 14083. Supporting this are training programs through the SFC Academy, certification and validation services (SFC Certification, SFC Validation, SFC Conformity Assessment Scheme), and digital standards including iLEAP for logistics emissions data exchange. The organization operates sector-specific programs covering road freight (Fleet Electrification Coalition, Electrifying Drayage Alliance), maritime (Clean Cargo, Global Ro-Ro Community, Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative), aviation (Clean Air Transport), and cross-modal initiatives (Book and Claim Community, Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance, Smart Freight Shippers Alliance). Regional offices in China and India extend reach globally, complemented by flagship events (Smart Freight Week, Smart Freight Fall Meeting) and assessment tools (Decarbonization Maturity Assessment). The three-tiered membership structure provides access to the SFC Community Platform and exclusive resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC): A voluntary partnership managed by Smart Freight Centre that develops global guidelines for reporting and reducing logistics emissions
- SFC Academy
- Smart Freight Week
- Clean Cargo
- Fleet Electrification Coalition (FEC)
- Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance (SFBA)
Products and services
- GLEC Framework v3.0 A globally recognized methodology for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions across transport modes (road, rail, air, sea, inland) and hubs; the de facto industry standard used by shippers, carriers, and software providers.
- iLEAP (Data Model + Architecture) An open, interoperable digital data specification and technical architecture for exchanging logistics emissions data between shippers, carriers, and software/tools, structured to be embedded in TMS, LCA, and carbon-accounting applications.
- SFC Academy SFC's online training and exam program that builds practitioner and organizational competency in applying the GLEC Framework to measure and report logistics GHG emissions; courses are accessible via online LMS.
- SFC Certification Scheme (Carrier / Shipper / Software-Tool) An independent third-party certification scheme that audits and recognizes organizations that calculate and disclose GHG emissions in accordance with the GLEC Framework and ISO 14083:2023; structured by audience (carrier, shipper, software/tool).
- SFC Membership Programme A tiered organizational membership programme (e.g., Founding, Participating, Steering) that gives companies a direct governance seat, working-group access, and rights to use SFC tools and frameworks in their decarbonization work.
- SFC Community Platform The online community platform that brings SFC members together to access resources, participate in Working Groups, share case studies, and collaborate on freight decarbonization projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- Companies using GLEC Framework have collectively reduced/avoided well in excess of 6 million tonnes of CO2e until 2019
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart Freight Centre
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Smart Freight Centre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Smart Freight Centre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)coreSmart Freight Centre joined IAPH as an Associate Member to collaborate on emissions accounting, green shipping corridors, clean fuels, and supply chain transparency. Together, the organizations will focus on knowledge sharing, industry engagement, and practical solutions to reduce emissions across maritime transport. IAPH represents 206 port authorities and 177 port-related businesses handling over one third of world sea-borne trade.
- British International Freight Association (BIFA)corePartnership to provide technical expertise to BIFA members to support them in managing complex emissions reporting. Through SFC Academy, BIFA members gain discounted access to expert-led training across GLEC Framework, market-based measures mechanisms, and road freight electrification courses.
- Shift4GoodcorePartnership to support the transition toward more resilient and low-carbon freight systems. First-of-its-kind investment platform to accelerate logistics decarbonization launched in Amsterdam and Paris.
- Polish Association for New Mobility (PSNM) and PragmaChargecoreCoalition launched to build multiple charging hubs in Poland in 2026. Poland-Germany Zero Emission Road Freight Corridor Consortium facilitating roll out of heavy-duty electric trucks along Poland's busiest trucking corridors, including routes into Germany.
- The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)coreSFC India, in collaboration with TERI and IIM-Bangalore, released a Whitepaper titled 'Institutionalizing Freight Emissions Accounting in India: Pathways for Clean Freight Programs and Policy Integration' at high-level convening in New Delhi.
- SINE FoundationcoreJoint sponsors and operators of the iLEAP project. SFC contributes GLEC Framework expertise while SINE supports technology strategy, standardization processes, and co-authors the iLEAP Technical Specifications. The iLEAP standard enables seamless connectivity in logistics emissions transparency.
- BSR (Business for Social Responsibility)coreCollaborated on maritime shipping decarbonization. Clean Cargo, established by BSR nearly 19 years ago with over 80 shipper, carrier and freight forwarder members, transitioned to SFC. Jointly established Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance.
- World Economic ForumcorePartnership to establish Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance and develop book and claim chain of custody system for transportation supply chain emission reduction actions. Alliance part of Mission Possible Partnership.
- MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL)coreJointly developed guidelines for insetting in air transportation value chains to facilitate use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Guidelines provide SAF emissions accounting based on GLEC Framework and book and claim chain of custody system.
- Global Maritime ForumcoreStrategic partner of GLEC. Contributing to Sea Cargo Charter technical guidance development. Partner in Getting to Zero Coalition working to accelerate maritime shipping's decarbonization with commercially viable deep sea zero emission vessels by 2030.
- World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)coreReleased Smart Freight Procurement (SFP) Guidelines together. Partnership under Transforming Heavy Transport project and We Mean Business coalition. PACT team collaboration for iLEAP project.
- Deutsche Post DHL GroupcoreJointly developed white paper 'Carbon Insets for the Logistics Sector' advocating carbon insetting to accelerate freight decarbonization. DHL's Skicka Grönt program in Sweden serves as lighthouse insetting project.
- European Inland Waterway Transport PlatformcorePartner in IW-NET project leading the IWT sector's input for new ISO 14083 standard. Consortium of 26 companies, research institutions and public organizations from 9 European countries developing technological solutions for inland waterway transport.
- The LoadstarminorFirst media partner of GLEC. Loadstar committed to help GLEC reach shippers who have struggled to account for GHG emissions and ensure readers are ready to respond to increasing sustainability pressure from customers and regulators.
- iLEAP Tool Provider PartnerscoreOver 15 tool providers implementing iLEAP Technical Specifications including Blue Yonder, Carboledger, Dachser, EcoTransIT, Fleevo, GreenRouter, Gryn, Hermione, Kinver, LKW Walter, LyondellBasell, PragmaCharge, and ShipZero.
- GIZ (German Corporation for International Cooperation)coreGIZ Mexico collaboration to support local efforts of freight decarbonization in Mexico. Project includes GLEC Framework e-training and Smart Transport Manager Training Program for Mexican road freight companies.
- TransporeoncoreGlobal transport platform provided anonymized data from over 800 carriers in 32 European countries for SME decarbonization study. Collaboration on research supporting carrier engagement in decarbonization.
- Kühne Logistics University (KLU)coreResearch partnership with Center for Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chains (CSLS) on SME road freight carrier decarbonization study examining emission calculation capabilities across 800+ European carriers.
- Getting to Zero CoalitioncoreSFC joined Getting to Zero Coalition working to accelerate maritime shipping's decarbonization with development and deployment of commercially viable deep sea zero emission vessels by 2030.
- Open Logistics FoundationcoreStrategic collaboration supporting iLEAP implementation, testing, and validation through the 'Enabling Logistics Decarbonization' Working Group, leveraging shared expertise in sustainable logistics and digital innovation.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Smart Freight Centre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Sustainability-focused non-profit that originally incubated Clean Cargo before transferring it to SFC in 2021. BSR is a structural twin — same non-profit model, same corporate sustainability focus — and remains a partner via SFBA and Mission Possible Partnership.
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Operated jointly by WRI and WBCSD, the GHG Protocol sets the global standard methodology for corporate-level GHG accounting. It is the closest structural analog to SFC's GLEC Framework, working one level upstream (corporate rather than logistics).
- Mission Possible Partnership: WEF-anchored coalition for industrial decarbonization across heavy transport and other sectors. SFC's Sustainable Freight Buyers Alliance sits inside MPP, making MPP a closely aligned peer organization with shared corporate buyers.
- Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): Independent non-profit that defines how companies set and validate emissions-reduction targets. SBTi is a direct peer in non-profit standard-setting for climate disclosure, and companies using GLEC often layer SBTi commitments on top.
- RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): Independent non-profit energy consultancy shaping heavy-duty transport decarbonization and corporate climate strategy. Similar non-profit model and focus on freight/industry transition as SFC, though broader across energy systems.
Emerging players
- Sea Cargo Charter: Global Maritime Forum-led initiative for shipowner climate alignment in maritime. Adjacent standard-setter in ocean freight emissions, partially overlapping with Clean Cargo's scope.
- Global Maritime Forum: International non-profit driving shipping decarbonization (Getting to Zero Coalition, Sea Cargo Charter). Closely aligned with SFC's maritime work via Clean Cargo and GLEC; partially overlapping but focused only on ocean freight.
Broad incumbents
- CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Largest global climate-disclosure platform; many SFC members report through CDP using GLEC-derived data. CDP is a broader, more established incumbent that overlaps with SFC on Scope 3 freight reporting.
- World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): CEO-led coalition of >200 sustainable businesses; co-developed Smart Freight Procurement Guidelines with SFC and co-operates the GHG Protocol. Larger, more diversified incumbent with overlapping scope on transport decarbonization.
Regional players
- TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute): India-based research non-profit focused on energy and sustainability. Collaborates with SFC India on freight emissions accounting white papers; structurally similar non-profit model but regionally focused on the Indian subcontinent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smart Freight Centre social profiles
Digital presenceSmart Freight Centre compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Smart Freight Centre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart Freight Centre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Smart Freight Centre subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Smart Freight Centre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart Freight Centre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smart Freight Centre
What does Smart Freight Centre do?
Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is an independent, international non-profit organization that develops, maintains, and disseminates standardized methodologies, digital data specifications (iLEAP), training (SFC Academy), and an ISO 14083:2023-aligned certification scheme for measuring, reporting, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across multimodal logistics supply chains. Its sellable offerings target corporate members, freight carriers, shippers, and software providers that need auditable emissions calculations and recognized certification.
Is Smart Freight Centre a public or private company?
Smart Freight Centre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Smart Freight Centre founded?
Smart Freight Centre was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Smart Freight Centre based?
Smart Freight Centre is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Smart Freight Centre make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are training and Academy, certification Services and grants and Funding.
Who are Smart Freight Centre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), Greenhouse Gas Protocol, Mission Possible Partnership, Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute). Emerging players are Sea Cargo Charter and Global Maritime Forum. Broad incumbents are CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) is listed as a regional player.
Does Smart Freight Centre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smart Freight Centre.
What industry is Smart Freight Centre in?
Smart Freight Centre's product category is Logistics Decarbonization Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADANAH, Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation, with a secondary code of EUAEAHAN, Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO). Its SIC code is 8900.