Postal operators worldwide have reduced their annual carbon emissions by more than 41% compared with a 2008 baseline – nearing their target of a 50% reduction by 2030 – according to the International Post Corporation (IPC), as 23 posts took part in the 8th Green Postal Day on September 17.
Posts achieved the reduction by sourcing electricity for postal facilities from renewable energy and progressively replacing their 735,000-vehicle fleet with alternative-fuel vehicles, according to IPC. The organization said 35% of the postal fleet is now composed of alternative-fuel vehicles, with 28% electric – meeting, five years early, a target for fleet electrification. IPC said 38% of electricity used in postal facilities is now sourced from renewable energy.
IPC cited a survey of 2,500 e-retailers across 19 countries, in which 70% said they were satisfied with the sustainability performance of postal operators.
IPC CEO Holger Winklbauer said, “The need for action has never been greater. At the same time, customer expectations continue to rise. E-retailers and consumers increasingly expect delivery solutions that are not only fast, reliable and affordable, but also sustainable. The postal sector has been responding to these expectations for many years. Long before sustainability became a mainstream business priority, our sector recognized that meaningful progress would require collective action.”
Separately, 13 postal operators have launched the Carbon Footprint Calculator through IPC, a tool designed to measure end-to-end emissions at the individual parcel level. According to IPC, 95 million parcels have already had their emissions measured through the tool. IPC said the calculator moves beyond general estimates toward item-level reporting. It expects the tool to become a reference standard for carbon footprint accounting in cross-border delivery as more operators join.
IPC’s 2030 targets include a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from a 2019 baseline of 6,014,000 metric tons; 75% of energy in postal-owned buildings from renewable sources; a vehicle fleet comprising at least 50% alternative-fuel vehicles, including 25% electric; 50% sustainable packaging; and 75% diversion of waste from landfill to recycling or reuse.
In related news, Posti becomes first company in Finland to earn Nordic Swan Ecolabel for e-commerce deliveries