Kubota Tractor Corporation Earns Ducker Carlisle's Supply Score Certification for Sustainable Distribution Practices within North America Distribution Center

Recognizes Kubota's Green Initiatives in Warehousing, Packaging and Outbound Transportation

DETROIT and GRAPEVINE, Texas, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Consulting firm Ducker Carlisle today announced that Kubota Tractor Corporation is the first company to earn the firm's new Supply Score certification, which recognizes manufacturers for implementing sustainable management practices in their outbound supply chains. The achievement reflects multiple Kubota initiatives within its North American Distribution Center in Edgerton, Kansas, to reduce waste, water consumption and fuel costs in its packaging and distribution operations.

Kubota's efforts include the use of cardboard and plastic balers to compact trash at one facility, a contract to pulverize waste at another location, and investment in a corrugated cardboard shredding machine and reuse of the shredded cardboard as packaging fill. These practices have led to significant reductions in waste disposal costs, waste hauling trips, associated fuel costs and packaging purchases.

The Supply Score certification validates Kubota's progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions in these channels, helping the company advance its corporate sustainability goals while also providing a competitive advantage for business development.

"We are proud to achieve the Supply Score certification, which affirms Kubota's ongoing commitment to supply chain sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our distribution channels (or within our Edgerton facility)," said Kathi Dailey, General Manager of Kubota's North American Distribution Center in Edgerton, Kansas. "Earning this distinction would not have been possible without the expertise and guidance of the Ducker Carlisle team, who helped us meet the challenge of collecting and validating the data needed to document our progress. This certification not only strengthens our pursuit of corporate sustainability goals but also positions Kubota for continued growth and leadership as our company and industry embraces more responsible business practices."

Supply Score is the first sustainability certification focused exclusively on manufacturers' distribution systems. Utilizing proprietary methodology based on Ducker Carlisle's 30+ years of supply chain benchmarking experience, the program currently evaluates companies' efforts to reduce their carbon footprint in warehousing, packaging and outbound transportation. Other areas of operation to be added in the future include inbound transport, returns and reverse logistics, and customer product use.

Proving sustainability achievement in these areas is challenging because much of the Scope 3 emissions data required to measure the impact of green initiatives is either not tracked or unavailable from suppliers or other third parties.

To solve the problem, Ducker Carlisle's Supply Score team analyzes any metrics available from the client's supply chain managers – beginning with data as basic as utility bills and shipment numbers if other information is not available – and uses its knowledge of industry averages and standards to fill in data gaps. It then converts each data input into a greenhouse gas emission metric and aggregates all data to calculate a supply chain sustainability score resulting in Bronze, Silver, Gold or Emerald certification.

Companies earning the certification receive Supply Score seals that can be added to boxes, websites, warehouses and other locations, along with marketing and public relations support to publicize its achievements to both internal and external stakeholders. They also have the opportunity to dialogue with other supply chain and sustainability professionals to share best practices for improving their sustainability performance.

"Most companies are stymied in documenting sustainability successes in their outbound supply chains because they don't have access to the data needed for verification, yet these distribution channels can play a vital role in helping meet corporate sustainability targets," said Nate Chenenko, Ducker Carlisle Principal in charge of the firm's global benchmarking practice. "Organizations like Kubota are leading the way in breaking that logjam by using our Supply Score process to help them quantify their efforts and using our certification program to call attention to their achievements."

Supply Score Certification is open to manufacturers in any industry sector. For more information, email [email protected]

About Ducker Carlisle

Ducker Carlisle is a global market research, strategy consulting and M&A advisory firm that helps many of the world's largest companies and private equity firms optimize business performance and accelerate growth across complex markets. Founded in 1961 with offices across North America, Europe and Asia, the firm provides a unique continuum of services to deliver custom, industry-centric solutions enabling clients to maximize business results. For more information, visit Ducker Carlisle I Twitter I LinkedIn 

About Kubota Tractor Corporation
Kubota Tractor Corporation, Grapevine, Texas, is the U.S. marketer and distributor of Kubota-engineered and manufactured machinery and equipment, including a complete line of tractors of up to 200 Gross hp performance-matched implements, compact construction equipment, consumer lawn and garden equipment, hay tools, commercial turf products and utility vehicles. For product literature or dealer locations, contact Kubota Tractor Corporation, 1000 Kubota Drive, Grapevine, TX 76051, (888) 4-KUBOTA [(888) 458-2682], Ext. 900, or visit KubotaUSA.com.

SOURCE Ducker Carlisle