Powered by posties

Today we’ve published our 2023/24 Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) report. This year’s theme is ‘Powered by posties’ to acknowledge the contribution of our ‘feet on the street’ delivery model, in making us the UK’s greenest* delivery company.

‘This has been an historic year for Royal Mail and the sustainability of our business. I’m hugely proud of the progress we’ve made for our people, customers and communities,” said our Director of Corporate Affairs, Jenny Hall.

The annual ESG report is our opportunity to demonstrate our performance on environmental and social matters and showcases and the unique role to play in local communities.

You can read the full report here and here are a few highlights:

• We’ve continued to reduce our carbon footprint – now down by 8% over the last three years.
• We have the lowest reported carbon emission per parcel in the UK*, our average emissions per parcel are 200g CO2e.
• We have around 5,000 electric vans – at over 160 units, 18 of which are fully electrified.
• Around 500 of our trucks are now running on biofuel, and this year we replaced 10 million litres of diesel with HVO, saving 30,000 tonnes of CO2e. 
• We’ve reduced waste by 27%, seven years ahead of our target date of 2030 – by reducing cardboard York sleeves and improving pallet recycling
• We launched our biodiversity programme and have identified 175 sites suitable for biodiversity improvements, such as bird boxes and wildflower meadows.
• The Change for Good campaign was launched to reinforce standards of behaviour at work, and to encourage people to report and challenge where those behaviors are not being met.
• We raised £463,000 for British Heart Foundation in the first year of our partnership.
• Completed 261 apprenticeships and 142 Postal Apprentices have progressing progressed into postie roles.

Thank you to everyone for the contribution they have made in support of our Environmental, Social and Governance goals and achievements!

Zebrina Hanly, Head of Environment and Climate Change is speaking at a Connect and Learn session today between 11:15 and 12:00 about our key ESG areas of focus and our targets, if you’d like to attend you can sign up here.

*Based on average gCO2e emissions per parcel delivered by UK parcel operators, as published by Citizens Advice 2023 Parcels League Table.