UPS to Mark World Environment Day by Matching Offsets of Carbon Neutral Shipments in June

UPS announced the company will commemorate World Environment Day on June 5 by matching the carbon offsets of all packages shipped via its carbon neutral program during the month of June. UPS carbon neutral counterbalances the estimated carbon impact of each shipment by purchasing certified carbon offsets.

“There is truly no better way to honor World Environment Day than to facilitate actions that will help the planet,” said Suzanne Lindsay-Walker, UPS chief sustainability officer (CSO) and vice president of environmental affairs. “UPS hopes to create more awareness about our carbon neutral shipping option so additional customers will take advantage of it, thus helping to fund large-scale carbon reduction programs and reduce the total carbon impact of shipping on the environment.”

To participate, shippers pay a fee as little as the local currency equivalent of USD 0.75 per package, then UPS will match these offsets throughout June. This is essentially doubling the shipper’s impact thereby allowing the shipper to potentially net out “carbon negative” in June. The optional service is available on shipments using UPS Express Plus, Express, Express Saver, Expedited, and Worldwide Express Freight services.

UPS started its carbon neutral program in 2010 and offsets more than 60 million packages annually for customers, which equates to more than 100,000 metric tonnes of carbon offset each year. UPS has supported projects worldwide that include forestation, landfill gas destruction, and wastewater treatment. UPS carbon neutral option is verified by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), an inspection, testing, and verification company. Additionally, UPS’s carbon offset process adheres to The CarbonNeutral Protocol from Natural Capital Partners.

Furthermore, customers benefit from the carbon reduction efforts UPS undertakes in its own operations. During the last decade, UPS has invested more than $1 billion on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles as well as supporting infrastructure. The company is now the largest user of renewable natural gas in the transportation industry and has a specialized alternative fuel and advanced technology fleet of more than 10,300 vehicles. Recently, UPS announced plans to purchase more than 6,000 natural gas trucks through 2022. And, in January, UPS announced an investment in the UK-based technology startup firm Arrival and committed to buy 10,000 of their electric vehicles. UPS is an important part of its customers’ supply chains and continues to offer sustainability solutions that impact their value chains.

UPS’s carbon neutral offering is just one way the company is using logistics to support the construction of more sustainable communities in the Philippines. In January 2020, as part of a $500,000 donation to humanitarian relief efforts across the world, The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, worked with local aid organizations to bring life-saving supplies and services to people affected by the eruption of the Taal Volcano. The Foundation has also donated a total of $65,000 to air quality improvement NGO Clean Air Asia.

Environmental initiatives meanwhile are a key focus during UPS’s Global Volunteer Month, which takes place every October. Recent projects in the Philippines include cleaning up coastal areas, planting native tees, supporting school-based agriculture programs, and promoting climate change awareness among Filipinos.

“The Philippines is among the most climate vulnerable nations in the world, and the country has embedded sustainability and inclusivity as guideposts to its development strategies,” said Chris Buono, UPS Country Manager for Philippines and Indonesia.

“There is heightened awareness and action toward lowering emissions, and the private sector plays a crucial role in attaining this. Initiatives such as the UPS carbon neutral program underscore our commitment to providing solutions that allow us, our customers and the people of the Philippines to achieve both our business and sustainability goals together.”

UPS will automatically match all offsets during the month of June. To start shipping more sustainably today, please visit your local ups.com website. For more information on UPS’s ongoing sustainability initiatives, visit www.ups.com/sustainability, and stay tuned for the company’s upcoming 18th annual Sustainability Report when it is released on June 30, 2020.