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The Pošta Slovenije Group strives to diligently manage its environmental footprint in accordance with the Pošta Slovenije Group's Energy Efficiency Strategyuntil 2025, which is also included in the goals of the corporate strategy for sustainable development that is part of the Strategic Development Programme until 2025, whose main strategic guideline is:

The PS Group is widely recognised as a socially and environmentally responsible company with a well-developed organisational culture.

As part of its sustainable development strategy, PS Group will pursue the following goals until 2025::

Reducing fuel consumption for means of transport by 12% relative to 2018
Reducing overall energy consumption per building surface area by 6.4% relative to 2018
Increasing the proportion of electric vehicles to 46% in 2025

The energy efficiency strategy defines the guidelines, measures and financial commitments of the PS Group in the area of managing the energy efficiency system (real estate, equipment, vehicle fleet, etc.) in terms of sustainable development objectives.

The energy efficiency strategy follows guidelines from national and international initiatives, such as the National Energy and Climate Plan of the Republic of Slovenia, the UN Global Compact's sustainable development goals, the European Green deal adopted by the European Commission in December 2019 and the Delivering a Sustainable European Post initiative of the Association of European Public Postal Operators (PostEurop).

Pošta Slovenije chairs the Environment working group that is part of the field of Corporate Social Responsibility at PostEurop, and co-chairs the Green Mobility Forum as part of the Operational Activities Circle. 20 finalists were chosen from the 67 business practices entered into PostEurop's Coups de Cœur competition in 2020. One of them was PS Group's entry in the environment field with the project Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Strategy. In June and November 2020 we organised virtual meetings in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environment group.

In the Operational Activities Circle and the Green Mobility Forum we presented our experience of introducing electric vehicles to the Pošta Slovenije fleet, challenges we encountered and the strategy to make the fleet electric by 2025.

In 2020 the Universal Postal Union (UPU) ranked PS Group into the first category of member states, which is reducing negative impact on the environment with its environmental management measures and also reports on them appropriately.

The implementation of a circular economy (the management of material flows) and efficient energy management (and thus the reduction of our carbon footprint), including the use of renewable energy sources, are the key pillars of the Group's environmental management.

Energy efficiency at PS Group

Awareness of the limits of our natural resources and protecting the environment against fossil fuel emissions have long been a focus of serious attention for Pošta Slovenije. Pošta Slovenije sees reducing the impact on the environment through increased energy efficiency as part of our social responsibility. As a commercial enterprise, PS strives for efficient operations and cost control, while adhering to the demands of environmental protection and the broader social environment. In order to achieve this we have begun introducing an energy management system and in 2018 acquired the international ISO 50001 standard, which is confirmed annually by an accredited external institution.

Waste management

Waste management was carried out in 2020 in accordance with legislation and the guidelines set out in Pošta Slovenije Group's Waste management plan, which defines appropriate procedures for responsible waste management. The waste turned over to authorised companies and for which we received official records totalled 2,102 tonnes, broken down as follows: 74 tonnes of plastic packaging, 294 tonnes of paper and cardboard packaging, and 286 tonnes of wood packaging (waste pallets), all of which were turned over to the authorised company, as well as 923 tonnes of wastepaper that is sold on the market.

A vehicle fleet geared towards sustainability

In keeping with its socially responsible approach, Pošta Slovenije has for a number of years been adding environmentally friendly vehicles to its vehicle fleet. The vehicle fleet comprises already 1,400 vehicles and around 2,000 different bicycles, mopeds and light three- and four-wheelers, with which we cover around 36 million kilometres a year and for which we consume 3.5 million litres of fuel.

Since 2017 we have regularly been electrifying the delivery vehicle segment, which currently comprises 65 electric delivery vehicles and 110 e-light four-wheelers, 19 e-light three-wheelers, 27 e-scooters and over 110 e-bicycles. In 2020, the first electric delivery van was purchased.

In compliance with Pošta Slovenije Group's Energy Efficiency Strategy, we have set ourselves the goal of increasing the share of e-vehicles in the fleet from 4% in 2018 to 46% by 2025.

A significant number of light two-track electric vehicles is being added to the two-wheeled vehicle segment, which already includes electric bicycles and electric scooters. Light electric vehicles (ULDV) will mainly replace classic two-wheeled motorcycles. The goal is to increase the load an employee can transport and decrease the cost of re-loading (depot deliveries, with the mail carrier returning to the post office several times). This will also save time with deliveries. We hope to increase the number of such vehicles for letter deliveries, especially in large city centres where the authorities want to ban fossil fuel vehicle deliveries. Considering the demographic situation and predictions regarding employees and the labour market, which is aging, the share of employees with limitations or handicaps is increasing. In an effort to honour the goals and commitments we made with the unions regarding humanising work and improving working conditions, fossil fuel vehicles are used mainly by vulnerable groups, such as senior employees, employees with physical limitations, and female employees.

We are taking a very well-considered approach to the introduction of environmentally friendly vehicles. Every new form of electric transportation is tested in advance, as replacing traditional vehicles with more environmentally friendly vehicles is not our only objective; we strive to purchase those vehicles that are most suitable for the needs of our processes.

Energy efficiency of buildings

All buildings in the PS Group are addressed in terms of sustainability:

in terms of the impact on the environment (the preservation of nature and environmental protection, and a minimal negative impact on the environment),
in terms of economic efficiency (both in terms of construction and use over a building's entire lifecycle); and
from a social aspect (user-friendly, healthy living and the preservation of social values).

In 2020, the first solar power plant was built in the Celje transshipment hub. In a number of buildings, inefficient heating systems have been replaced with heat pumps, new energy efficient air conditioning systems have been fitted or have replaced old ones, and lighting has been modernised with the use of LED technology.