If you are wondering what your Royal Mail Green Surcharge will be spent on when it’s introduced around the 6th of November 2023, today Royal Mail published an update on their Net-Zero strategy with a validation of their targets.
Royal Mail’s Net-Zero and near-term targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). SBTi has validated that the corporate greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets submitted by Royal Mail are in line with the latest climate science to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
The targets are part of Royal Mail’s Steps to Zero strategy which outlines how it will achieve Net-Zero by 2040. Steps to Zero builds on the company’s position as the UK’s greenest delivery option for letters and parcels.
Royal Mail’s ‘feet on the street’ network of postmen and women walk up to a billion steps a day to deliver the nation’s letters and parcels, keeping its emissions low. Royal Mail’s average emissions per parcel is currently 218gCO2e per parcel, and the company has set a long-term target to reduce the average to 50gCO2e.
As part of their Net-Zero strategy, Royal Mail recently announced a Green Surcharge, which will contribute towards funding decarbonisation measures in the Royal Mail network at a rate of 2p per item for business customers.
SBTi validation of Royal Mail Net-Zero strategy
SBTi has validated these targets from Royal Mail:
Overall Net-Zero Target
Royal Mail Group Ltd commits to reach Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by FY2040 from a FY2020 base year.
Near-Term Targets
Royal Mail Group Ltd commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50% by FY2030 from a FY2020 base year.
Royal Mail Group Ltd also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 25% by FY2030 from a FY2020 base year.
Long-Term Targets
Royal Mail Group Ltd commits to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 90% by FY2040 from a FY2020 base year.
SBTi is a global body that enables businesses to set emissions reductions targets that are in line with the latest climate science. By independently assessing companies’ targets, SBTi defines and promotes best practice in for Net-Zero ambitions.
Royal Mail’s Net-Zero and near-term targets are integral to our Steps to Zero environment strategy. SBTi’s validation of our targets is an important step on our journey to achieving Net-Zero.
Royal Mail is already the UK’s greenest option for letters and parcels but we know we need to go further and faster in decarbonising our business and driving wider change.
– Greg Sage, Deputy Director Corporate Affairs & ESG, Royal Mail
6 Responses
They could start by stopping all their useless business account promo circulars
They always send me multiples of those, under the various titles they’ve created for me, like the business owner, the MD, the postroom manager. I tell them every now and then and we get back down to single copies, but after a while, the made up positions creep back in.
They could also go back to monthly invoices instead of weekly ones.
Not much chance of that. Apart from them being skint, they seemed to be the exception to the rule. All the other couriers invoice account holding customers weekly.
I don’t give a flying monkeys about Net – Zero, even if you switched the UK off, what difference would it make? Diddly squat.
Just another flipping tax
We must all do our bit by paying more taxes and eating bugs to change the weather.
Where we lead, China Russia Brazil Saudi and USA will follow 🙂