The Universal Logistics Standards (ULS) bring together good practice and shared principles for humanitarian supply chain and logistics. Developed through an inter-agency effort supported by ECHO in 2021, the ULS provide universally endorsed, measurable standards that align with CHS, Sphere, and Protection Principles, to improve the quality, accountability, and efficiency of humanitarian response.
Validation with Local Partners
Under PARCEL 2, the standards are being validated and adapted in collaboration with local and national humanitarian actors (LNHAs). Through five validation workshops held across regions and languages, more than 340 participants — including 205 local and national actors — reviewed and tested the ULS. Feedback confirmed the standards are useful, accessible, and achievable, especially for organisations seeking to strengthen internal logistics systems.
Why They Matter
- Offer clear, adaptable guidance for organisations of all sizes.
- Support stronger collaboration between local, national, and international actors.
- Promote alignment with other key frameworks such as Sphere and the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS).
- Encourage environmentally responsible logistics practices
- Are gender-transformative, addressing gender alongside disability, age and other factors, and inclusive of diverse identities.
Explore more: www.ul-standards.org
Legacy Note
The original PARCEL Logistics Standards (2014) remain available as reference materials (EN/ES/FR), and have been used to inspire ULS Standards. They cover the following logistics Areas:
- Cross-cutting Areas
- Asset Management
- Procurement
- Warehousing
- Fleet Management
- Distribution
Downloads
PARCEL Learning Resources
PARCEL Trainings
Practical learning tools that help organisations strengthen humanitarian supply chains.
Logistics Standards (ULS)
Bring together good practice and shared principles for humanitarian supply chain and logistics
Self-Assessment Tool
Enables organisations to assess their logistics capacity and identify priority areas for improvement.
Logistics Toolkit
A toolkit to help local and national humanitarian actors (LNHAs) strengthen their logistics and supply chain management.
PARCEL Library
A repository of resources, reports, and guides related to logistics, capacity sharing, and local leadership
External Resources
A curated collection of tools, platforms, and communities that support logistics practitioners and emergency responders around the world.