Our day-to-day environmental efforts are based on the viewpoint that each unused kilowatt hour or liter of fuel is both an environmental benefit and a cost savings.
PostNord’s operations require the use of transportation, and in order to fulfill the group’s mandate, virtually all modes of transportation are utilized: train, truck, car, planes, boat, moped and bicycle. A large portion of the mail we handle must reach recipients on the following workday, which means that we must also use planes for certain transports.
This is what we do to reduce the environmental impact of our transports
- We coordinate transportation and utilize the maximum capacity of our trucks in order to optimize each transport.
- There is great focus on shifting air transports to road, and road transports to rail. Since 2001, most non-priority letters have been transported between sorting terminals by train as opposed to lorry, thereby reducing the environmental impact of a non-priority letter by 40 per cent. Within PostNord’s Norwegian operations, over 80 per cent of freight is shipped by rail.
- During 2010 the group decided to invest in a new terminal structure in Sweden, allowing for more coordinated transports of letters, parcels and other goods via train. The changes have the potential to reduce the group’s CO2 emissions in Sweden by about 6%.
- In Denmark, we basically no longer use air transports, and all rural and urban routes are systematically optimised to reduce mileage. Of the total Danish postal volume, 60-70% of letters are delivered by cycling mail carriers. In Danish cities, this figure is nearly 100%.
- PostNord currently owns approximately 3,000 electric vehicles, making its fleet among the largest among European postal operators. And it will continue to grow. In urban areas, we use electric vehicles as much as possible.
- In 2011 we will conduct an extensive field in Denmark test using electric mopeds, with an aim of replacing a number of fuel-driven mopeds. The use of a quieter, cleaner electric model is viewed favorably by many.
- Informationlogistics is working to shift its paper transports to rail.
- We participate in collaborations that promote sustainable development; for example, research on alternative fuels and efforts to encourage drivers to practice more energy-efficient driving techniques.
- New distribution vehicles of the highest environmental class (Euro 5) have been procured for Swedish mail carriers. This will lower fuel consumption and reduce emissions of particulates and other pollutants.