Argentina’s postal operator, Correo Argentino, is working hard to mitigate its impact on the environment through several initiatives and partnerships that seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The postal operator’s overarching Sustainability Programme focuses on five key areas, including waste management, energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, responsible consumption, and inclusion, gender and community. Advancements in each of these areas are made possible thanks to both staff commitment and strategic industry partnerships.Diego Momdjian, Director of Strategic Services, including sustainability management, at Correo Argentino, says: “In terms of waste management, we are stepping up nationwide the separation at source of all the waste generated by operational facilities, buildings, and delivery centres. Once this waste has been sorted it is handed over to various organizations through strategic partnerships. These organizations are then responsible for treating and/or disposing of it as appropriate.”
The “strategic partnerships” Momdjian refers to include with Reciclar Sur, which engages in the collection and transformation of recyclable materials, strengthening Argentina’s circular economy. Correo Argentino worked with Reciclar Sur during the 2021 Census to recover 33 tonnes of recyclable waste.
The postal operator also works with Reciclando Trabajo y Dignidad to manage its electronic waste and with Quanta Reciclaje, which gathers waste materials, including recycled plastic, to create new environmentally friendly products such as children’s play equipment and exercise areas.
“In the area of sustainable mobility, our plan is to transform our last-mile logistics by incorporating sustainable vehicles, changing our operational procedures and reducing our road mileage,” says Momdjian. “Currently, 33.94% of our fleet is powered with alternative fuels, including electric and biofuels. The fleet includes around 700 electric bicycles. Around 1,200 more will be incorporated within the next year.”
Correo Argentino is also participating in the ACCESS project to accelerate access to low carbon urban mobility solutions through digitalization. This project is in the preparatory phase until March 2023 and aims to measurably reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector in urban areas in six Latin American countries.
Another key area of Correo Argentino’s Sustainability Programme is energy efficiency. Again, partnerships are essential here. The post is, for example, working with Euroclima to install a smart monitoring system at its Monte Grande plant, and is working with power generation firm YPF Luz to purchase renewable electricity from the Zonda Photovoltaic Solar Park in San Juan. As a result of this project, Correo Argentino plans to power three of its buildings with 50% clean energy.
“We are also studying ways of reducing our environmental impact by adopting alternative packaging solutions,” adds Momdjian.
Correo Argentino uses the UPU’s Online Solution for Carbon Analysis and Reporting (OSCAR) system to assess, analyse and reduce its impact on the climate. “This tool allows you to count the amount of annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and find ways to reduce them,” explains Momdjian.
“In this way, Correo Argentino aims to be part of the solution to the environmental crisis generated by climate change, assuming the commitment to offset and reduce its carbon emissions in operations and supply chain, improving energy efficiency, reducing its carbon footprint, training its employees and taking the necessary actions to generate the environmental awareness that enables the transformation of the world into a fairer and healthier place for all.”