Royal Mail Group employees lead the way in carbon offsetting (UK)
The Woodland Trust is challenging businesses to follow Royal Mail Group’s example in enabling its people to offset their carbon emissions by planting trees.
Already 130 employees from Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd and Parcelforce Worldwide have signed up to the newly launched scheme to give money direct from their wage packets to the Woodland Trust, which will enable the charity to plant and look after 2,500 trees in its 1,000 UK woods.
To find out how many trees the employees would have to plant to offset their annual carbon footprint and to get tips about how to reduce their emissions they used a revolutionary new carbon calculator called Ollie.
This calculator, developed by Royal Mail, asks employees about their home energy usage, as well as car and air travel before calculating how many trees will need to be planted to help offset their carbon footprints.
This is the first time a company’s employees have ever been given the opportunity to offset their residual carbon emissions tax free through their wage packets to a charity which specialises in UK woodland creation.
Now Royal Mail has launched the scheme internally the company has gifted the carbon calculator to the Woodland Trust, which is challenging other businesses to follow Royal Mail’s example and offer their employees the opportunity to help offset their carbon footprints.
Royal Mail staff are no strangers to giving to charity though their wage packets, which is called payroll giving. Royal Mail was among the first organisations to set up payroll giving in 1989 and its scheme is one of the largest in the UK. The calculator is being promoted directly in the workplace by representatives from Payroll Giving in Action, who help employees to do calculations and fill out pledge forms.
About 50,000 staff are currently signed up to payroll giving and during the last financial year gave more than GBP 2.6 million to charitable causes.
The Woodland Trust is challenging businesses to follow Royal Mail Group’s example in enabling its people to offset their carbon emissions by planting trees.
Already 130 employees from Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd and Parcelforce Worldwide have signed up to the newly launched scheme to give money direct from their wage packets to the Woodland Trust, which will enable the charity to plant and look after 2,500 trees in its 1,000 UK woods.
To find out how many trees the employees would have to plant to offset their annual carbon footprint and to get tips about how to reduce their emissions they used a revolutionary new carbon calculator called Ollie.
This calculator, developed by Royal Mail, asks employees about their home energy usage, as well as car and air travel before calculating how many trees will need to be planted to help offset their carbon footprints.
This is the first time a company’s employees have ever been given the opportunity to offset their residual carbon emissions tax free through their wage packets to a charity which specialises in UK woodland creation.
Now Royal Mail has launched the scheme internally the company has gifted the carbon calculator to the Woodland Trust, which is challenging other businesses to follow Royal Mail’s example and offer their employees the opportunity to help offset their carbon footprints.
Royal Mail staff are no strangers to giving to charity though their wage packets, which is called payroll giving. Royal Mail was among the first organisations to set up payroll giving in 1989 and its scheme is one of the largest in the UK. The calculator is being promoted directly in the workplace by representatives from Payroll Giving in Action, who help employees to do calculations and fill out pledge forms.
About 50,000 staff are currently signed up to payroll giving and during the last financial year gave more than GBP 2.6 million to charitable causes.
Royal Mail Group’s commitment to sustainability:
Royal Mail has reduced carbon emissions by over 130,000 tonnes (14 pct) since 2001-2 with particular successes including:
• An overhaul of its mails distribution network to improve operational efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The redesigned network meant that the number of road services reduced from 9,000 daily to around 3,600.
• RMG has worked on improving its vehicle selection, including the trial of electric vehicles and increased use of more double-deck trailers which hold 50pct more mail than conventional trailers and collectively save enough mileage to go twice around the earth – every single day.
• RMG has exceeded its 50pct renewable energy target by securing a three-year 100pct renewable electricity contract for all its sites in Great Britain, from certified renewable sources.
• Royal Mail Group has developed a coherent sustainability strategy designed to take the company to carbon neutrality by 2015.
