La Poste forms sustainable transport consultancy unit
La Poste has launched a new sustainable transport consultancy business, called Greenovia. The French state postal company said the new wholly-owned subsidiary would be chaired by Stéphane Sentis and directed by chief executive Vanessa Chocteau.
The unit will provide consulting services for fleet operators and suppliers, based on La Poste’s experience operating one of the largest fleets in Europe.
The company has 68,000 vehicles in its fleet, while its growing alternative energy fleet includes 270 electric cars, 8,000 electric bikes, 500 hybrid trucks and 110 electric quad bikes. It is also part of a French government plan to purchase 50,000 electric cars from 2011 to help boost demand for “carbon-free” vehicles.
Company-wide, La Poste is currently pushing to cut 15% of its carbon dioxide emissions by 2015 under its “Ambitions 2015” strategy.
Greenovia will be in a position to give its customers a “comprehensive and independent” review of their transport chains, offering optimisation advice and consulting engineering. For automotive suppliers, La Poste said its new subsidiary would be able to offer a range of consultancy and development services, including carrying out testing of electric vehicles “in real situations”.
In a statement, La Poste said it was responding to the current concerns of fleet vehicle users, citing research from last year stating that 89% of companies believe their customers have set sustainable development as a priority target.
“Economic, social and environmental issues encourage businesses and communities to base themselves on responsible and sustainable transportation and mobility choices,” La Poste said, adding: “Reducing energy costs is a priority for 97% of companies today.”
