South African trucking companies which have embarked on actions to reduce their carbon footprint and minimise emissions can be encouraged by the success achieved by UPS in America.
Releasing its annual Sustainability Report, UPS announced that while the total number of packages shipped in 2012 increased, the company reduced its total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions substantially.
Environmental achievements included ground and air fuel savings, increased investments in alternative fuel vehicles and retooled routes that shaved approximately 19.5 million kilometres from ground deliveries.
“UPS also set a new alternative fuel goal,’ says David Abney, UPS Chief Operating Officer. “By 2017, the company will reach one 1.6 billion kilometres driven by alternative fuel/advanced technology vehicles , more than double the previous 400 million mile goal.’
“The report’s theme, More of What Matters, sharpens UPS’s focus on how to make the most measurable positive impact through sustainability business practices and logistics expertise,’ says Scott Wicker, UPS Chief Sustainability Officer
One of the cornerstones of UPS’s environmental strategy is to support the development and use of lower-emission alternative fuels. Vehicles represent approximately 35 percent of UPS’s carbon footprint.
UPS is accelerating its testing, purchase and deployment of new-generation vehicles. Between 2000 and the end of 2012, the alternative fuel/advanced technology fleet has logged 475 million kilometres with an ambitious new goal of 1.6 billion kilometres set for 2017. In 2012, this growing fleet drove approximately 78 million kilometres, a 43 percent increase compared to 2011.
Earlier this year, UPS announced plans to add nearly 1,000 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tractors in the next two years, expanding its current fleet of 2 700 alternative fuel and technologically advanced vehicles. The fleet today includes all-electric, electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids, natural gas (LNG, compressed natural gas), propane, biomethane and light-weight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.
The new Sustainability Report also cites the greenhouse gas reductions, fuel savings and kilometres avoided through the innovative use of technology. For example, telematics data fed through vehicle sensors helped UPS cut more than 206 million minutes of engine idling time last year, saving more than 5.5 million litres of fuel.
Routing technology increased pickup and delivery stops per kilometre, saving approximately 20 million kilometres of driving which equates to approximately 5 million litres of fuel.
Highlights of the 2012 report include:
- Reduction in the absolute amount of global greenhouse gas emissions from operations and purchased energy of 2.1 percent compared to 2011
- Rapid expansion of UPS’s dedicated global healthcare infrastructure to approximately 595,000 square metres.
- A Global Forestry Initiative to plant more than 1 million trees by the end of 2013
- Humanitarian relief efforts in 35 countries, with related in-kind donations valued at US$2.6 million
- Total Charitable Contributions and United Way donations of US$97.5 million, up from 2011 by US$4 million.
- 1.8 million volunteer hours donated by UPS employees, friends and families, a new record.
Details of UPS’s GHG initiatives and all its sustainability programmes can be found in the report available at www.ups.com/sustainability.
For those readers who would like to view a video interview with Scott Wicker, chief sustainability officer for UPS, by Lynnette McIntire, editor of the Corporate Sustainability Report, discussing why this year’s sustainability report is important for customers, employees and the community, please click here to watch the video
