Green Postal Day

To mark the 5^th Green Postal Day, which coincides with Global Zero Emissions Day, posts  worldwide* have committed that 50% of the overall fleet will be alternative fuel vehicles by 2030. 

As key players in the transport and logistics sector, postal operators have made significant investments to renew their fleet and progressively add alternative fuel vehicles.

In 2022, posts involved in the postal sustainability programme operated a fleet of around 639,000 vehicles. Reducing the environmental impact of this network is a priority for the sector. 

Low-carbon last mile delivery

Between 2012 and 2022, posts more than doubled the share of alternative fuel vehicles (from 12% to 26% of the postal fleet). Electric vehicles now account for 20% of the postal fleet.

While last-mile delivery has long been a priority of posts for reducing carbon emissions, the focus is shifting towards long-distance transportation and the self-production of electricity. 

Decarbonising long haul transport will be increasingly crucial to reduce the environmental impact of the sector. Technology piloted and refined for last mile is being gradually reconfigured to meet the different needs of long-haul operations. High power charging technology is still being developed and standardised. Hydrogen is also emerging as a viable fuel alternative. 

Posts call for an acceleration in the roll out of alternative fuel options and charging facilities to support the development of viable low-emissions long haul transportation alternatives. 

Furthermore, posts seek further innovation in alternative fuel options for air freight.

Towards energy self-sufficiency

In the context of today’s high energy prices, posts are pursuing efforts to make energy savings and further reduce their dependence on fossil-energy. In 2022, 38% of electricity used by posts for their facilities came from renewable sources (figures to be updated). Of the 23 posts  in the programme, eight used 100% renewable electricity, and a further six sourced more than 90% from renewable sources. 

Postal buildings increasingly rely on self-generated energy, for instance through rooftop solar panels. Posts aim to produce their own energy to power their electrical fleet, thus becoming fully energy-self-sufficient.  . 

About Green Postal Day

The Green Postal Day is a global campaign initiated by CEOs of posts participating in the IPC Sustainability Measurement and Management System (SMMS) programme, aiming to highlight the sustainability commitments made by postal organisations worldwide. 

About postal sector sustainability

The IPC Sustainability Measurement and Management System (SMMS) was launched in 2019 to address the sustainability objectives of the postal sector for the next ten years, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of July 2023, 26  posts from America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania participate in the programme. It expands on the 2008-2019 Environmental Measurement and Monitoring System (EMMS) programme, which focused on reducing carbon emissions, and broadens the remit to the seven sustainability focus areas most relevant for the postal sector:

• Health and Safety,
• Learning and Development,
• Resource Efficiency,
• Air Quality,
• Circular Economy,
• Sustainable Procurement and
• Climate Change.

* The Green Postal Day is an initiative supported by 22 posts worldwide participating in the Sustainability Measurement and Management System (SMMS) programme.