Carbon reduction

Climate change is a significant issue for the world, and every person, business and government needs to do their bit to reduce emissions. At NZ Post, we recognise the need for action now, and have made some big commitments to make sure we’re playing our part.

Net-zero emissions by 2050

NZ Post is committed to transition to net-zero emissions operations by 2050, by reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 42%* by 2030, and by at least 90% by 2050 (from 2023 baseline). These targets are yet to be verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). In preparation for SBTi submission in 2025, NZ Post is designing and testing pathways for each main mode of transport to 2030.

Our reduction target

We’re committed to reducing absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 42%* by FY2030 from a FY2023 base year.

NZ Post is recognised as “committed” by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and listed on their webpage as "companies taking action" as well as on their partner websites at We Mean Business.

Having a science-based target means we know exactly how much and how quickly we need to reduce our company’s greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

* We have more work to do to confirm this target, including that it is yet to be submitted to and validated by SBTi.

For more information on science-based targets, visit the Science Based Targets website.

We are also a Toitū carbon reduce certified organisation, meaning we measure and manage the operational emissions of our organisation, including business travel, electricity, vehicles and offices, in accordance with ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol.

How will we reduce our emissions?

There is no immediate solution, we recognise that a step change in efforts need to be made across the business to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Funding Reduction Pathways

As part of our SBTi Net zero verification process, we’re developing detailed reduction pathways that outline the decarbonisation strategy and investment required to achieve our annual reduction targets across all transport modes from now until 2030.

Reducing the emissions from our fleet:

We have one of the largest electric fleets in NZ and continue to invest in this every year. Find out more about the steps we are taking to electrify our fleet.

By optimising our network and increasing our first-time delivery rates we are reducing how far both our fleet, and you, have to drive to receive your parcels, which ultimately reduces emissions.

Reducing the energy from our buildings:

Moving to smarter technologies to reduce power consumptions in our buildings and making simple changes has helped us achieve the reduction in the amount of energy used by our sites. This includes replacing outdated lights with high-efficiency LED lights, ensuring lighting controls work properly, and making adjustments to our heating/cooling systems at our largest sites

Delivering climate change action through our people:

All of our people play a role in reducing energy use and improving waste diversion in the workplace. Our education and awareness programmes, sustainability job action cards and key sustainability initiatives run throughout the year to ensure our people have the tools and information they need to do the right thing and have an impact.

We know we can’t do it alone, so we also collaborate with suppliers and customers on low-carbon initiatives that are crucial to our success.