Croatian Post has agreed to participate in the International Post Corporation (IPC) Sustainability Measurement and Management System (SMMS) program.
Croatian Post is the 20th postal operator to join this program, which is aimed at implementing sustainable business, increasing the use of renewable energy sources and increasing the number of delivery vehicles that run on alternative fuels. The SMMS program expands on the IPC’s 2009-2019 Environmental Measurement and Monitoring System (EMMS) program, which focused on reducing carbon emissions. The latest program, SMMS, broadens IPC’s remit to the seven sustainability focus areas most relevant for the postal sector: health and safety, learning and development, resource efficiency, climate change, air quality, circular economy and sustainable procurement. Since the launch of the first program, participating posts have reduced their collective yearly emissions by approximately 30%.
As part of its five-year Post2022 Development Strategy, Croatian Post has reduced CO2 emissions by 280 tons each year, primarily through the purchase of electric vehicles that were co-financed by the Republic of Srpska’s Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency. The postal fleet currently consists of more than 200 electric vehicles. Furthermore, three charging stations for electric vehicles have been installed, which is a prerequisite for further expansion of the electric vehicle fleet.
In April 2021, Croatian Post began installing parcel lockers to combat harmful emissions in the last mile of delivery. According to the company, parcel lockers increase the percentage of delivery in the first attempt, reducing the distance traveled by vehicles – both postal and those owned by customers – since lockers are available 24/7 at many locations.
Ivan Čulo, CEO of Croatian Post, said, “Today we are facing new challenges. It is no longer enough to only ensure business growth. We must think about the future and sustainability and corporate social responsibility as one of the development philosophies underlying our strategy. We will achieve ambitious goals together with help from IPC and other member organizations because our business needs to be green and must have an overall positive impact on all stakeholders.”
Holger Winklbauer, CEO of IPC, said, “We are delighted to welcome Croatian Post as a new member of the SMMS program, demonstrating the value of working together as a sector in order to make a difference for the planet.”
