Environmental sustainability

Energy Management
Poste Italiane pays very careful attention to the energy planning of the energy sources used for its premises.
The Group's aim is to reduce energy consumption and increase the use of energy from renewable sources, in order to make a significant contribution to the European energy saving objectives.
The correct use of energy resources also requires a commitment to staff training. For this reason, Poste Italiane intends to strengthen training and information programmes for staff.


Company fleet
Every day, Poste Italiane uses a total of 27,500 two-wheel and 15,000 four-wheel vehicles to carry out its activities, covering a total distance of 10 million kilometres in 2007. The daily distance covered by the transport networks is around 350,000 km, to which must be added the distance covered by the postmen and women. The two-wheel fleet is composed entirely of Euro2 four stroke vehicles. Over 90% of the four-wheel fleet conforms to the Euro4 standard. Since 2005, there has been an increase of around 53% in the number of methane-powered vehicles (800 vehicles were introduced into the fleet, rising to 1500 in 2007); the Company believes that methane is the most ecocompatible propulsion system currently suitable for large-scale use. Thanks to this further commitment, today Poste Italiane Spa has the largest methane-powered fleet of vehicles of all postal system operators in Europe, while with regard to more traditional fuel systems, the company is continuing to gradually increase the adoption of latest-generation diesel vehicles.

Testing of low-environmental impact vehicles
Poste Italiane has adhered to the Greenhouse Reduction Program, set up by PosteEurop. Under this project, European postal operators must make a commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions ahead of the objectives set by the EU. Poste Italiane is therefore committed to reducing the impact its activities have on the environment. For its vehicle fleet, the company is continuing to trial innovative prototypes for transport and delivery, with a view to the upcoming renewal of its vehicles. In particular, electric power is considered to be an immediately-practicable solution in the case of the lighter vehicles (two-wheel motorcycles and quad cycles), and feasible in the future for the small vans. In 2006, testing began on alternatively-powered vehicles; these tests have continued throughout 2007 and 2008. Within this framework, Poste Italiane is coordinating the Green Post project, supported by the Intelligent Energy for Europe programme. This project, carried out in partnership with Posteurop, the Municipal Council of Perugia, the University of Perugia/CIRIAF, Legambiente, Ducati Energia, La Poste/De Post (the Belgian postal operator), Magyar Posta (the Hungarian postal operator) and the University of Rousse (Bulgaria), is aimed at testing electric and hybrid vehicles for delivering mail to the historic centres of Perugia, Brussels and Szentendre, 20 km from Budapest.

Waste project
In 2006 Poste Italiane set up a programme to guarantee suitable and effective waste management and disposal in the Group's properties. This programme includes initiatives aimed at providing appropriate materials, the transport of waste to waste recycling and separation areas and recycling of paper correspondence. At the same time, strategies have been adopted to provide staff training and encourage them to become directly involved in the programme; an awareness-raising campaign aimed at employees is also set to get underway soon.