IPC Best Practice Seminar on Ethical Value Chains

Brussels, 9-10 March 2010

Twelve specialists in procurement, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) participated in IPC’s first Best Practice Seminar (BPS) on Ethical Value Chains representing seven member postal operators (Canada Post, Correos y Telégrafos, Deutsche Post DHL, GeoPost, Poste Italiane SpA, Posten Norden and Royal Mail plc).

The objectives of the seminar were to benchmark processes and initiatives already in place and to adopt a collaborative approach to developing best practice tools helpful to IPC members in managing their ethical value chains (own operations, supply chains, distribution networks and joint ventures).

IPC has identified ethical value chains as the next issue to be addressed at sector level within the context of postal sector sustainability. The seminar demonstrated that improved performance in managing the ethical value chain will help to avoid and mitigate reputational, operational and strategic risks.

Ethical value chain reporting at postal sector level would add value to the IPC Postal Sector Sustainability Report. With the Environmental Monitoring and Measurement System (EMMS) representing the first phase in sector-wide reporting, the Value Chain Management System (VCMS) could provide the next phase and a VCMS pilot has been proposed for 2010.

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For further information, please contact:

Mark Harrison, Head of Markets, International Post Corporation: +32 (0)2 724 72 47, e-mail: mark.harrison@ipc.be.

About the International Post Corporation

The International Post Corporation, (IPC) is the cooperative association of 24 member postal operators in Europe, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Over the past 20 years, IPC has collaborated with its members to upgrade quality of mail service by developing technology systems that bring transparency to the mail processing system and delivery chain. It also manages the system for incentive-based payments between postal operators, and creates business intelligence for its members, by providing a range of platforms for member CEOs and senior management to exchange best practices, discuss strategy, and engage in industry research.