Eco footprint

Measuring our environmental impact

Due to continuous increases in our transport services, we face the challenge of boosting our CO₂ efficiency and minimising our environmental footprint. If we are to analyze and improve our processes, it is necessary to precisely measure the effects on the environment. Ever since the financial year 2008/2009, GLS has carried out an annual eco footprint analysis, which examines our resource consumption and the resulting emissions.

The process behind the GLS Eco Footprint

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Our GLS environmental representatives are the national contact persons for all activities concerning the natural environment including the eco footprint data collection. Data is collected from each GLS location as well as from our transport partners, resulting in data sets from around 500 locations. To ensure a high degree of quality of the data, there are several loops between data owners at the depots, environmental representatives in the national head offices and the Group’s Corporate Responsibility department. The acquired data forms the foundation for all subsequent processes.

Afterwards, Corporate Responsibility performs the calculation for the eco footprint and results are checked by an external auditing company on behalf of our mother company, the Royal Mail Group. All countries receive an extensive evaluation of their resource consumption and emissions. This allows us to keep track of the development of our environmental impact and identify levers for improvements.

Procedures in the creation of the yearly eco footprint are in line with ISO 14064-1. All emissions are quoted as CO2equivalents (CO2eq).

The calculation includes the entire energy cycle, from the point at which the energy is generated or sourced through to its transportation and use in road traffic. It therefore includes both direct emissions from vehicle operation and indirect emissions from the fuel supply process.

Overview over the results from our eco footprint analysis

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Total emissions increased to 667,135 t CO2eq in the financial year 2017/18. This is due to the continuous growth of the GLS Group: Since 2015/16 the transportation fleet increased by 3,768 vehicles. Parcel volume rose to 584 million, which gave rise to an increased number of delivery and collection journeys, both nationally and internationally. Total distance for parcel delivery increased by 13 percent compared to 2015/16.

The graph shows the development of emissions for transport vehicles, company cars and business flights, heating and electricity, and paper for the last two financial years.

Overview over the resource consumption

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As part of the eco footprint we also keep track of our resource consumption. We strive to reduce our resource consumption without compromising on the quality of our service and wellbeing of our employees. Important levers in this regard, are also the transition to renewable energy sources and recycled paper.

The graph depicts the development of our resource consumption for financial year 2016/17 and 2017/18 in the key areas.

The GLS Group vehicle fleet

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Modernising our vehicle fleet is an important lever to increase our eco-efficiency. In this context, GLS increases its number of alternative vehicles. Group-wide we have more than 500 vehicles using alternative engines or fuels, such as, natural gas vehicles, electric vehicles and cargo bikes.

More about alternative means of transport