What is Responsible Trucking?
Responsible Trucking is a collaborative platform facilitated by CSR Europe that brings shippers and carriers together to improve social sustainability in road transport.
Through shared standards, practical tools, and peer collaboration, members address systemic challenges in transport supply chains while strengthening resilience, compliance readiness, and long-term performance.
Why This Matters Now
European road transport is facing a structural driver shortage that puts supply chain reliability at risk. While wages are increasing, many drivers prioritise working conditions, predictable schedules, and time at home.
For companies relying on road transport, this creates growing operational risk, from driver retention challenges to delays. At the same time, EU legislation is raising expectations on social sustainability, human rights and due diligence.
The Challenge Behind the Driver Shortage
The driver shortage is not only a recruitment issue. It reflects deeper structural challenges across the sector, including:
Work-life balance: long and irregular hours, extended time away from home
Working conditions and safety: stress, limited facilities, and safety risks
Career perception: low attractiveness of the profession, including a persistent gender gap
Subcontracting complexity: fragmented chains that reduce transparency and accountability
Fair and transparent employment terms: inconsistent practices across markets
Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across companies and value chains, not isolated initiatives.
What Responsible Trucking Enables
Responsible Trucking supports companies in strengthening their transport operations by improving social conditions, building long-term resilience, and aligning with modern expectations for responsible logistics.
Through collective action, the platform helps members:
How Responsible Trucking Works
Responsible Trucking turns commitment into action through four interconnected workstreams:
Social Guidelines
Shared standards that define clear expectations for transport providers and help align labour practices across value chains.
Risk Assessment Tools
Driver surveys and facility self-assessments that generate structured data to identify, prioritise, and address social and human rights risks.
Sharing and Learning
A trusted space for companies to exchange experiences, challenges, and solutions, and to learn from pilot projects and implementation efforts.
Stakeholder Engagement
Dialogue with EU institutions, trade unions, and industry associations to support realistic, implementable approaches to social sustainability in transport.
Each workstream is designed to support better decisions, not just better reporting.
Who Responsible Trucking Is For
Responsible Trucking is designed for:
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Facing high driver turnover, recruitment challenges, and subcontracting complexity
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Whose operations rely on reliable road transport, including retail, automotive, and FMCG
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With sustainability commitments or human rights due diligence obligations m description
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Influencing labour practices in transport
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To demonstrate responsible transport practices
Benefits for Members
By joining Responsible Trucking, companies gain access to shared tools and collaboration that support real operational outcomes:
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Strengthen due diligence readiness using common guidelines and risk assessment data.
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Address root causes of driver shortages and working condition challenges collaboratively.
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Pool expertise, tools, and learning to reduce duplication and effort.
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Engage collectively with policymakers and stakeholders and demonstrate leadership in responsible transport.
Together, members achieve impact no single company could deliver alone.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Leading companies across Europe are already part of Responsible Trucking, working together to improve driver conditions and strengthen transport supply chains.
Collaborating Partners
What Partners Say
"Seeing like-minded companies act in a complex environment where a single company cannot be impactful is very valuable."
"Learning from others, both their difficulties and successes, helps in developing best practices and industry standards, and reducing uncertainty in compliance efforts."
“The work of the platform is very important to be prepared for the CSDDD.”
"The risk assessment tools are useful for measuring the results of our efforts. The survey directed at drivers serves as a valuable additional source of information on this difficult subject.”
Your roadmap to safer, fairer transport
The Responsible Trucking Social Guidelines provide a clear, practical framework to strengthen compliance, improve driver working conditions, and align transport operations with EU and international labour expectations.
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Ready to Join Responsible Trucking?
Responsible Trucking is open to companies committed to improving social sustainability in road transport through collective, practical action.
Get in touch to learn how to join, access the tools, and contribute to shared impact.