ESG

Print Releaf

Assisted by FleetMPS we have established a partnership with PrintReleaf which ensures we offset our entire UK paper usage, including that of our lettershop, print and mailing customers. 

We are proud to support a certified reforestation venture that seeks to enhance afforestation and reforestation in Parc naturel régional Médoc, which lies in the north of Bordeaux, France. The project supports the planting of native Pedunculate Oak and Maritime Pine trees in the region, with the goal of safeguarding and expanding native woodlands while also aiding in the regeneration of deteriorating forests in the area.

In 2023, we are also choosing to join a verified programme (Verified Carbon Standard and the Verra Registry) to offset the CO2 generated by the manufacture of the paper we use when we print. We also actively encourages our team to conserve paper and avoid printing out emails or documents.

Recycling initiatives

We actively focus on UK recycling initiatives across our three sites, over 325 tonnes of cardboard, paper, printed matter and plastic in 2022 and in 2023 the total tonnage was 247 tonnes.

Our Mail sortation and Fulfilment Centres in the UK have dedicated Cardboard, Paper and Plastic Baling equipment installed. Our Environment Agency registered recycling partner collects regularly.

Consolidated waste recycling and bulk buying consumables
As we have an Asendia vehicle that already runs between our 3 UK sites, the most environmentally friendly option is to collect the recyclable waste from the sites and feed it all into the one hub at Heathrow. This means that we are able to fill one articulated lorry to capacity on collection, thus reducing carbon emissions.

We will soon bulk buy consumables for all three sites and deliver them on the van that visits each site anyway. The intention is to reduce the carbon footprint of multiple deliveries to three sites.

Pallet recycling
We re-use any serviceable pallets within our UK business to reduce the need to purchase further pallets. Any damaged pallets that are beyond repair are collected by our pallet provider and are turned into animal bedding. We are avoiding any pallets going to landfill or incineration in doing this.

Eco Pallet Boxes Project

We are a proud participant in the International Postal Corporation (IPC) Eco Pallet Boxes project.

The boxes can be traced and stock may be managed thanks to the RFID technology included in them. As the boxes arrive, they can be reused and transported to other destinations in the network, minimising the need for pallet boxes to be returned. They can also be utilised at all destinations in its network, fostering a circular economy.

The boxes also have many features such as being strong, long-lasting, and environmentally friendly. They can be flattened, which makes them simple to carry and store and improves the efficiency of warehouse operations.

Due to the employment of cages and other techniques, cross-border road transport methods in the past were ineffective. The IPC Pallet Box was developed to simplify operations while reducing expenses. The IPC Pallet Box maximises use of the load capacity while minimising equipment tare weight (weight of an empty container), allowing for more effective use of road transportation.

Electric fleet

In the UK we have moved half of our small collection fleet to electric vehicles - covering 75,000 miles annually.

The intention is to grow our fleet of e-vans over the next few years as and when contracts expire and are due for renewal; thus, our entire fleet will be electric.

You can watch a short video about this here.

Company cars
Our employees who drive company cars are encouraged to consider the EV option, and to help promote this we are installing charging stations at our sites.

Hybrid working
Where practical staff are encouraged to adopt a ‘hybrid mode’ of working, split between home and the office. We believe this will have a positive impact on the environment, as the daily commute which contributes to gas emissions will be considerably reduced.

Woodland Trust corporate partner

By planting trees with Woodland Trust, Asendia and its largest direct mail customer mitigates the carbon emissions from their mailings.

Asendia UK's biggest direct mail marketing customer asked us if we could help them calculate and mitigate the carbon produced by their campaigns (in addition to Asendia's group carbon offsetting strategy).

We chose Woodland Trust as the partner to work with and more than 5,500 tonnes of carbon has been mitigated since 2014.