As one of the largest employers in Belgium, bpost plays a major role in society, and has an ambition to further embed sustainability in its processes and culture. The company has a CSR strategy structured in three pillars; people, planet and proximity. By 2030 bpost aims to have reduced its CO2 emissions by at least 20% and boost a fleet that is comprised of at least 50% electric vehicles.
In February 2019, bpost opened Belgium’s most environmentally friendly distribution centre in the city of Mons. The building is optimally insulated and equipped with solar panels and smart energy consumption systems for lighting, heating and air conditioning. Letter mail and parcel distribution in Mons will be undertaken by electric vehicles, such as e-bikes, e-trikes and e-vans. bpost is broadening its electric fleet with the Colibus, a first for the Belgian parcel market. Colibus is a full-electric vehicle, specifically designed for the parcel market. It will replace average-sized diesel vans in urban areas and can carry more than 100 parcels. Some 600 new electric vans will be deployed across Belgium by 2022.
These innovations enable bpost to significantly improve its resource efficiency at the Mons distribution centre, with electricity consumption cut by 18% and gas consumption by 55% compared with average consumption at the other distribution centres.