Post adopted its CSR (corporate social responsibility) strategy in 2012, when the Luxembourg operator joined an initiative led by the International Post Corporation.
Its aim? To collectively reduce postal operators' CO2 emissions by 20% in 10 years. “In 2019, we have confirmed that we have achieved this result,” says Hjoerdis Stahl, director of Post Courrier and deputy director general of Post Luxembourg.
The company has acted in two phases, with the first step being the implementation of an internal system for reporting the emissions generated. Secondly, measures to reduce these emissions were taken progressively. These include, for example, the electrification of the fleet and the energy autonomy of buildings.
“We tested several electric vehicles for mail delivery before identifying Paxter vehicles that are very well suited to the postal business. We currently have more than 20 of them,” Stahl explains.
“Our real estate expertise has been developed with techniques and innovations that will enable us to inaugurate the second building with no direct carbon emissions within two years,” she adds, referring to the company's future new head office, located opposite Luxembourg station.
Continuous improvement
Post has set itself the objective of reducing the CO2 footprint of its car fleet by 20% compared to 2014, with a 2020 target. While the company does not currently have an estimate of how much it will cost to implement its CSR strategy, Hjoerdis Stahl states that “it is clear that dedicating a person to coordinate this approach and having a strong commitment from top management in favour of CSR will contribute to the success of its implementation.”
The company continues to work on its CSR approach within the International Post Corporation with other postal operators. “This strategy, like any continuous improvement process, must evolve over time,” the director points out.
It also leads to changes for the country's largest employer (4,650 employees). However, she says her employees are taking part in tests, where not only environmental impact is at the heart of the issue, but also the ergonomics of work equipment. “As with any change, it is sometimes necessary to carry out tests before finding the most suitable solution,” the manager points out.
And Stahl is clear on the subject of companies that are tempted to take the step of CSR: “You simply have to dare to take the plunge, because it makes sense for many committed employees and is also synonymous with cost reduction, because of the efficiency it generates.”
This article was originally published in French on paperjam.lu