Procura+ | bpost

BPOST

SPP IN BPOST

bpost is Belgium’s leading postal operator and a parcel and e-commerce logistics provider with approximately 36,000 employees in the Benelux, North America and Asia. They deliver mail and parcels to millions of doorsteps and provide logistic services to businesses and consumers, while reducing the impact on the environment and the communities.

Societal responsibility has always been a priority for bpost; that is, the conviction that the growth of the company can and should be combined with positive impact on society. In 2015, it endorsed the objectives of the Paris climate agreement. In 2016, the postal company signed the Belgian Charter for Sustainable Development. In 2017, bpost engaged to Science based target initiative and, in 2020, bpost became a member of Belgian Alliance for Climate Action.

Today it is the true ambition of bpost group to be one of the greenest logistics players in the countries we operate and be an employer of choice with a positive impact on society.

SPP HIGHLIGHTS

As one of Belgium’s leading companies, bpost wishes to play a pioneer role in combatting climate change and has set itself the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions from its activities by 55% by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2040 (compared to 2019, SBTi pathway 1.5°C trajectory). Next, bpost is also engaging to reduce emissions in the supply chain with 14% (compared to 2019, 2°C trajectory). We want to engage and collaborate with our suppliers to further develop and use environmentally and climate-friendly products, processes and technologies to reduce the impact.

Within procurement role, we support these ambitions by developing and executing suitable purchasing strategies that respond to social and environmental issues upstream in the supply chain. In our processes we strive to include ESG elements that meet bpost ambitions.

Employees: 34,509
Turnover: €4,397.5m
Date joined: 2019

CONTACT

Lies De Meyer
Project Manager Center of Excellence

Website

More information? Send an email to procurement@iclei.org

SPP IN ACTION

POLICY AND STRATEGY

To support bpost’s corporate sustainability goals, since 2019, we have developed a Sustainable Procurement Program. The program reflects, on a half-yearly basis, the strategic & operational actions within Procurement. Meaning we report on what is achieved and where we are headed at in the short term. Next to the actions, we communicate on the tools and processes and what is done and planned in terms of training the procurement team to develop their knowledge and expertise in sustainability.

Other objectives of the Sustainable Procurement Program are:

To improve bpost’s performance and continuously improve performance of our suppliers.
To endorse sustainability principles throughout the supply chain.
To ensure sustainable procurement practices are adopted and maintained.
To communicate to our most important stakeholders.
To monitor and demonstrate onward progression.

SPP Key Areas:

We have integrated a methodology to include ESG in our tender processes. One important aspect is our connection to other external organisations in order to keep up with trends, identify best practices, innovations and opportunities that can be implemented at bpost. Evenly important is the co-creation with internal stakeholders, raising awareness and aligning with the internal client is key during the tender process.

Below, we summarise the key areas of focus that are aimed to deliver and implement going forward:

Implementing objectives and actions per category, aligned to the reworked corporate sustainability roadmap and further work on monitoring dashboard.
Clear comunication to the entire procurement team and our suppliers regarding sustainable procurement, the objectives, actions, tools and processes.
Taking necessary actions to move up the level proactive in sustainable procurement maturity.
Where needed, refresh all related templates and guidance documents.

EXPLORE MORE

Zero-emission Last Mile Delivery

In the short term, bpost will expand the EcoZones to all large cities in Belgium to reduce the impact on traffic and the environment. In 2020 Mechelen was transformed as a pilot project into an EcoZone. By the beginning of 2023, more than 10 cities have already been transformed into EcoZones.

In addition, bpost will gradually replace its fleet with electric vans. Today bpost has more than 700 EVs in our operations, and by 2030 the entire fleet is switched to electric vehicles. bpost aims to implement 50 city centers with an EcoZone by 2025. Additional pick-up points and other mobility solutions are also foreseen, like 450 electric scooters and 5600 bikes (including city bikes, e-bikes and trailers).

Sustainable Solutions

bpost is committed to re-use and re-cycle packaging as part of a circular economy. That is why the new packaging contract consists of 100% recyclable and 100% recycled cardboard.

In 2022 bpost launched an innovative, sustainable pilot project with Hipli. The French company’s reusable mailing bags were tested in partnership with a few clients. After delivery, the customers popped the empty bags into a bpost red mailbox. bpost then grouped the empty returns and sent them in a bundle to a Belgian sheltered workforce for cleaning and reconditioning. The pilot was successful and has resulted in a commercial offer for interested e-shops & other packaging suppliers (e.g. Re-Zip, …). It is bpost's ambition to extend this project, and therefore a second pilot will be set up during 2023 to test returns of re-usable packaging via the retail network for larger empty packages and parcel returns. This project received the “Packaging innovation of the year” award at the Parcel and Postal Technology Awards in Frankfurt.

Social Ambitions

Health & Safety of our people is very important. Bpost wants to become an employer of choice by creating an environment promoting physical safety and mental well-being. bpost aims to be a career lifter, especially for short schooled labor by offering high quality employment and upand re-skilling programs, creating career paths within or even outside bpost. Next also Diversity and inclusion is a very high priority, equal opportunity is key, a workplace where all people of every ethnicity, social background, religion, gender, age or disability – visible or invisible – feel welcomed and valued is pursued.

Further Information

Website

Annual Report - bpostgroup

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