Tag: Mail Services

USPS grants ecoEnvelopes first ever approval for reusable envelopes breakthrough

Posted by | Feb 20, 2008 | |

ecoEnvelopes have received a key National Customer Ruling from the US Postal Service (USPS). It is the first time USPS has issued such a certification for a line of reusable envelopes and solidifies ecoEnvelopes’ position as a leader in a bold new effort to green the US mail.

The USPS National Customer Ruling is issued after an official testing and approval process. The ruling provides customers with increased confidence that ecoEnvelopes’ unique designs meet the most stringent qualifications for use in the US mail. In 2007, USPS worked closely with ecoEnvelopes in changing the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), paving the way for breakthrough mail solutions of this kind.

By eliminating the need for reply envelopes, ecoEnvelopes helps businesses and organizations meet their social, environmental and marketing objectives. “Using one envelope is simply more efficient and less wasteful than two, and you send the right message with a reusable envelope,” said founder and CEO Ann DeLaVergne, a former organic farmer and beekeeper who created the first ecoEnvelopes by hand in her kitchen as a way to reduce waste. More than 80 billion reply envelopes are sent through the US mail each year.

Eliminating return envelopes saves energy, water, and forest resources and reduces the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. Every one million ecoEnvelopes used saves an estimated 250 million BTUs of energy and 37,000 pounds of greenhouse gasses. All ecoEnvelopes are manufactured on certified papers from managed forests using up to 100 pct recycled content.

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China postal services back to normal after snow disaster

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

China’s postal services, including postal savings, remittance, package delivery and express mail service (EMS), are basically back to normal nationwide, according to the emergency command center on Tuesday.

Heavy snow and icy rain since Jan. 10 have hampered parts of the public services in the country’s east, central and southern regions. The weather left expressways closed, roads frozen, and prevented postal services.

To resume services in disaster-hit provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, the country’s postal service department dispatched employees and additional vehicles to deliver mail and packages within or cross provinces.

Postal departments in some areas even rented taxis to deliver letters and packages in a bid to avoid delaying services. The cost was as much as five times higher than that of normal times.

Local postal branches were allocated with disaster relief materials, including electrical generators, snow chains for tires and automobile spare parts.

Postal service departments also strived to maintain operation of its computer systems to ensure daily operation and services.

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Postcomm consults on Royal Mail's request for exemption (UK)

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

On 23 November 2007, Royal Mail applied for a Direction from Postcomm for exemption from certain aspects of Condition 7 for its Parts Express service. Specifically, Royal Mail requested exemption from the three month pre-notification requirements set out in Condition 7(2) and (3) and therefore by implication the publication requirements of Condition 7(4). In addition, Royal Mail requested exemption from the publication requirements of contracts won through competitive tenders that are set out in Condition 7(5) (b).

On 19 February 2008, Postcomm issued a consultation letter seeking views on Royal Mail’s request for exemption from certain requirements of Condition 7 for the Parts Express services and Postcomm’s initial assessment of this request.

It is important for Postcomm to get the views of stakeholders includnig other licensed postal operators, postal users, Postwatch, trade associations and other interested parties in the postal sector, and we will consider carefully these views in making our decision on Royal Mail’s request.

Notes for editors

The consultation will be open for four weeks and closes on 19 March 2008. Postcomm will then assess the responses received and meet interested parties to discuss the consultation as necessary. A final decision on this application is expected by the end of April 2008.

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Businesses CSR policies overlook the financially excluded (UK)

Posted by | Feb 19, 2008 | |

Post Office research has revealed that despite corporate social responsibility (CSR) becoming a key element of companies’ working practices, many are overlooking millions of customers by failing to offer a cash payment channel.

UK businesses are increasingly taking more responsibility for environmental issues by reducing their carbon footprint, as well as adopting more responsible attitudes to customers and suppliers to encourage sustainable social and economic growth.

But many companies offering basic services such as electricity, telephone, broadband and digital TV, and even gyms and health clubs, however, do not provide cash payment option.

With over 2.8 million UK adults (1.9 million households) without a bank or building society account and dependent on cash payment methods to pay their bills, the financially excluded population is unable to access a range of products and services which are available to those with bank accounts.

For example, among the UK’s top ten best selling domestic broadband providers, none currently offer a cash payment facility. In fact Post Office broadband, which launched last year, is the only broadband provider which offers a cash payment option.

The Post Office provides a range of bill payments services, enabling cash payments for telephone, cable TV, utilities, mail order, council tax, travel and insurance providers, to be made at any UK Post Office® branch. When it comes to making regular payments by cash or cheque the Post Office is the most popular location with over 50 per cent of all household bills paid at the Post Office.

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