Poste Italiane has always cared about environmental issues, so much so that it has set itself the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. To do this, it has set up several initiatives, including a total revolution in its fleet, which is ready to go fully electric. This green transition of Italy’s largest corporate fleet found its way into the pages of il Corriere della Sera in the “Pianeta 2030” special issue.
The sustainability of Poste
As il Corriere explains, Poste’s commitment is to replace the entire vehicle fleet with new-generation electric, hybrid, and endothermic low-emission vehicles, with the goal of reaching 28,000 vehicles with lower environmental impact, to reduce polluting emissions by 40%. Furthermore, 98% of the electricity used by Poste today, as il Corriere points out, is generated from 100% renewable and certified sources. This transition is explained in the 2024 Sustain and Innovate Plus four-year strategic plan: ‘From an environmental impact standpoint, we made clear commitments with the launch of the plan’, explains Poste CEO Matteo Del Fante. ‘We will therefore go even faster than Paris in reaching our targets. We will lower the emissions of our entire fleet by 40% by 2025, and we will continue to build and use renewable energy to power all our sorting centres, factories, offices, and post offices. We are becoming zero-impact’.
The convenience of electric tricycles
Explaining to il Corriere della Sera what it means to work with an innovative and sustainable medium is Maria Luisa Funaro, letter carrier in Reggio Calabria. During her work, she uses one of the new electric tricycles that are replacing the previous vehicles. ‘It is very convenient. Since it’s carbon neutral, it allows us to go into the limited traffic and pedestrian zones for deliveries. In addition, it is very spacious and allows us to transport many more things. For us, it is a godsend’. Not to mention another aspect: it is no longer necessary to remember to stop for petrol. ‘Charging stations have been set up in front of the office’, Funaro further explains. ‘We plug them in after the delivery round and then pick them up again the next day’.
The fleet in figures
The group, the article goes on to say, has gone from 11% green vehicles in 2016 to 15% in 2021. By 31 October 2022, Poste had added 14,000 new vehicles, around 1,300 of which are electric, 6,400 hybrid, and the remainder low emission. The number of electric charging stations has risen to 3,200, although Poste aims to install around 6,000. The new green fleet will lead to a reduction in CO2 equal to that achieved by around 80,000 trees. The new vehicles are not only important in terms of increasing the company’s environmental sustainability, but they are also safer for drivers and, as confirmed by those who use them every day during work, also more spacious thanks to special fittings.
The value for the community
According to the company’s figures reported in the article, the new sustainable fleet will generate value for the community equal to an increase of €25 million compared to the traditional fleet, when considering the total period of operation. Eighty per cent of this is the damage avoided due to the lower environmental impact, which is linked to a 40% decrease in CO2 emissions (equivalent to 2,500 fewer cars on the road). The remaining 20% comes from the avoided costs due to less road congestion and the growing safety of new green vehicles. Poste Italiane also provides for the maintenance of the vehicles (including washing and sanitising them) and organises days to teach the workers how best to use them in their everyday work.
