With a view to climate protection, we want to improve our CO₂ efficiency even further. To do so, we invest in energy-efficient technologies for vehicles, buildings, plant and machinery and use renewable energies. We promote and develop environmentally friendly logistics and mobility solutions. With “pro clima” shipments, we offset CO₂ emissions and support climate protection projects.

Our climate goal

Swiss Post’s climate goal is in line with the objective of stabilizing global warming at well below 2 degrees Celsius by 2100. For every consignment and passenger transported, every transaction carried out and every square metre heated, we will improve CO₂ efficiency by 25% by 2020 (base year: 2010). In the long term, we intend to offer zero-emission services in all four markets, wherever possible.

What we already do today

Renewable energies

• We source 100% of our electricity in Switzerland from renewable, “naturemade basic” certified energies. At least 10% is “naturemade star” certified eco-electricity from small hydropower plants, biomass plants, solar panels or wind turbines.
• We also operate some of Switzerland’s largest photovoltaic systems on the roofs of our letter and parcel centers.

Alternative drive systems

• Each year, Swiss Post transports millions of letters, parcels and passengers from A to B. Almost half of all postal vehicles are already powered by alternative drive systems, such as eco-electricity or biodiesel.
• The 6,000 or so three-wheeler Swiss Post scooters used for deliveries are powered by eco-electricity produced in Switzerland.
• Swiss Post is also expanding the share of electric delivery vans.
• We are testing the continued use of discarded scooter batteries in a pilot project.
• Hybrid and electric Postbuses can also be seen on Swiss roads.

Transport logistics

• By rail where possible, by road where necessary: this is our motto when it comes to transporting letters and parcels.
• We optimize routes and the capacity utilization of our vehicles. For large cargoes, we use double-decker semi-trailers that can carry up to 50% more. This enables us to reduce the number of journeys.
• Our drivers are trained in energy-saving eco-driving techniques.

Buildings and building services

• Swiss Post dispenses with the use of fossil fuels in all new buildings and replacement heat generation systems. We heat buildings using heat pumps, use at least 10% biogas in buildings heated by gas and recover the waste heat from our data centers. We are quickly pushing ahead with the replacement of old oil-fired heating systems.
• For new buildings and modernization projects, we are committed to the fully sustainable DGNB construction standard as adapted for Switzerland.
• We are constantly improving our building services through energy optimization programmes.
• When procuring IT hardware such as servers, notebooks or screens, we are committed to energy-saving technologies, thereby reducing the energy and cooling needs of our buildings.

Ecological services

• Reusable packaging: the reusable Dispobox, avoids packaging waste altogether.
• Swiss Post will inform you in advance about incoming parcels and registered letters. You decide when, where and how to receive your consignments. No unsuccessful delivery attempts or trips to the post office to collect consignments: this enables us both to avoid CO₂ emissions.
• With the ThermoCare shipping option, we transport medicines in passively temperature-controlled conditions along with all other parcels. This enables us to do without refrigerated delivery vans and extra trips.

“pro clima” shipment

Sorting and transporting letters, parcels and goods produces CO₂ emissions. With the “pro clima” shipping option, you can offset emissions via a surcharge of only a few centimes. We invest these surcharges in high-quality climate protection projects at home and abroad.

Swiss Post sends all its own consignments as well as its customers’ domestic letters and PromoPost consignments using a carbon-neutral solution and assumes the “pro clima” surcharges.

Sustainable mobility for employees

• Swiss Post employees benefit from discounts on public transport and have access to Mobility CarSharing and vehicles with alternative drive systems.
• Swiss Post provides them with more than 2,500 bikes and e-bikes free of charge in all PubliBike networks at over 500 PubliBike stations. They also enjoy discounted access to electric cargo bikes from “carvelo2go”.
• At larger sites, there are charging stations for electric vehicles.

Before we order something or award contracts, we carry out a thorough examination: with suppliers, we advocate socially acceptable working conditions and ecological measures. In doing so, we take factors into account such as lifecycle costs, carbon neutrality and the circular economy approach.

Fair, sustainable, environmentally-conscious

Who sews the clothes worn by Swiss Post employees – and under which working conditions? How can we save energy and reduce CO₂ emissions when replacing our fleet of printers? To ensure social and environmentally-friendly procurement, we consistently incorporate sustainability criteria into our service tenders. We demand transparency from our suppliers and ensure a fully sustainable product lifecycle that ends in a new use.

By doing so, we ensure transparency along the entire supply chain

• All suppliers must sign Swiss Post’s Code of Ethics and Social Responsibility.
• We also subject strategic suppliers to a risk evaluation.
• We are a member of the Fair Wear Foundation and, as such, comply with stringent social standards with regard to the production of our clothing. We apply our findings to other product groups.
• Wherever possible, we procure recyclable products – for example for furniture.

A postal uniform can be made into a bag, batteries from electric scooters can be used as energy storage units, mountain farmers wear postmen's shoes: these are some of the best examples of our circular economy solutions.

Making efficient use of resources

Repairing, reusing, recycling: the period of use of numerous materials, devices or work equipment can be extended through good ideas. Relevant business models in the circular economy pursue the goal of closing product cycles and, in turn, protecting resources. This also requires smart logistics solutions. In this respect, Swiss Post is expanding its competences and supporting its business customers.

This is what we are focusing on

• We are conducting a pilot project in which old batteries from electric scooters are used as energy storage units in buildings with solar systems.
• Our delivery staff collect used Nespresso coffee capsules from customers’ homes and take them to the recycling point – and for coop@home orders, they will also collect PET bottles, carrier bags and protective boxes.
• Items rented from the Sharely platform can be sent easily with Swiss Post.
• We are developing circular economy solutions for business customers.

We want to give something back to the people of our country. That’s why we form partnerships with social organizations and support cultural projects. Our employees regularly do volunteer work.

A broad cultural and social involvement

Swiss Post has a long tradition of participation in social projects. We support charitable projects and institutions. We do so through benefits in kind as well as through financial or human resources: our employees also maintain hiking trails or sort Christmas gifts donated to the Red Cross.

Special stamps and postage stamp fund

By issuing special stamps with a surcharge, Swiss Post provides direct support for renowned organizations such as Pro Patria and Pro Juventute in fundraising and conveying their messages. A proportion of the revenue also goes to the postage stamp fund. This is used for a range of different cultural and social projects, often focusing on youth employment. Even small amounts go a long way. For example, the Swiss Music Archives (SMA) association can preserve pop cultural heritage and make it accessible to the public. Swiss Post has also supported language exchange programmes for young people or children's circuses in this way.

For your transregional, sustainability-related social or cultural project, you can submit a funding request to the postage stamp fund here.

What Swiss Post does exactly

• With its 2 x Christmas campaign for people in need in Switzerland and abroad, Swiss Post transports parcels free of charge to the SRC logistics center, where donations are sorted by Swiss Post employees and volunteers.
• As the main partner of the Swiss Hiking Trail Federation, Swiss Post encourages its employees to carry out volunteer maintenance work.
• Swiss Post supports young Swiss artists, for example by developing and maintaining its own art collection.

Almost 60,000 people from 140 countries working in over 100 professions drive Swiss Post forward. The diversity of our employees is a huge factor in our success. That is why we provide them with modern working time models, exemplary health support and numerous opportunities to develop their competences.

Strengthening competences

Swiss Post promotes a diverse and agile working environment. We support our employees’ performance and physical and mental health in all phases of their lives – particularly as they grow older. To this end, we constantly test new possibilities and working models. We strengthen our employees and promote their employability, in particular with regard to digitization.

What Swiss Post offers as an employer

• We are conducting a “working time models” pilot project designed to maintain the performance of employees aged 55 and over.
• As part of the Work Smart initiative, we are providing modern, flexible working models.
• The Swiss Post Social Counselling Service provides employees with support for any challenges they may be facing, such as financial problems.
• Swiss Post manages diversity, taking account of different generations, cultures, nationalities, lifestyles and people with medical limitations.

In their daily work, our employees are required to comply with laws, standards and internal rules of conduct.

Care within company management

Compliance allows Swiss Post to help its employees comply with binding legislation and internal regulations as they perform their duties. In addition to credible values and clear commitment, compliance – as part of a careful company management – involves an internal management system aimed at tackling concrete risks. Good compliance is a normal component of corporate responsibility with regard to society.

We protect the data entrusted to us, our information systems and services in an appropriate and responsible manner. We ensure that Swiss Post products satisfy the expectations of our customers with regard to availability, integrity, confidentiality and auditability.

Protecting integrity and confidentiality

To achieve our data security goals, we combine structural, technical and organizational measures. In doing so, we comply with legal and regulatory directives. We align ourselves with international standards for information security. Swiss Post Informatics and selected products are, among other things, ISO/IEC 27001 certified.

We monitor the current threat level as well as trends in the development of technology. We constantly work on identifying and correcting vulnerabilities in our systems and processes to ensure our customers and employees can rely on Swiss Post.

What should you do if someone in your team commits fraud? Or if you suspect an economic crime is being committed? For cases such as these, we have set up PostCourage: a reporting office that guarantees whistleblowers total anonymity.