FedEx and the Environment

FedEx is committed to connecting the world in responsible and resourceful ways. Our role is to expand the world’s ability to connect more efficiently, while minimising our impact on the environment.

FedEx has set ambitious goals to reduce our footprint where we have the greatest environmental impact:

  • Reduce aircraft emissions 20 percent by 2020 on an emissions per available-ton-mile basis

  • Increase FedEx Express vehicle efficiency by 20 percent by 2020

  • Get 20 percent of our jet fuel from alternative fuels by 2030

  • Expand on-site renewable energy generation and procurement of renewable energy credits

FedEx has made impressive gains in meeting our sustainable objectives: our vehicle fleet is 16.6 percent more fuel efficient in FY2011 than it was in FY2005 and during the same time period, 20 percent of the FedEx Express pick-up and delivery vehicles were converted to more efficient models.

In EMEA our accomplishments include the following:

Air and Electrical Vehicle Fleet:

  • FedEx currently operates 43 all-electric trucks and 330 commercial hybrid trucks. Zero-emission electric delivery vehicles serve FedEx routes in London and five in Paris. FedEx has recently announced that it will be adding 87 all-electric trucks to its green fleet bringing its all-electric global vehicle count to 130.

  • Electric assisted tricycles operate in the downtown districts of Paris delivering shipments to the urban city centre in a sustainable fashion.

  • The company has begun operating Boeing 777F aircraft, which use 18 percent less fuel than the MD11 freighters and provide greater payload capacity. FedEx currently operates 17 B777Fs and plans to add another 30 by mid- 2019. Four B777F are currently in use in EMEA.

 

Package and Services:

  • All FedEx branded envelopes are now carbon neutral: FedEx Express works with a not-for-profit offset provider that helps to reduce, replace, and neutralise carbon by investing in offsets for every envelope shipment at no cost to customers.

  • The automation tool FedEx Electronic Trade Documents (ETD) enables customers to upload their international shipment documentation electronically. FedEx ETD reduces the need to print and sign multiple copies of trade documents, saving customers time and money and helping them reduce their environmental footprint.

  • The majority of FedEx packaging is both recyclable and contains recycled materials. For example, the iconic FedEx envelope is composed of 100 percent recycled paperboard.

 

Facilities

  • At its Cologne hub, the company operates a solar power system that has the capacity to produce more than 800,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year – equivalent to the demand of 230 households with three persons. This project is FedEx Express largest solar-power roof-top installation in terms of area on roof space of approximately 16,000 m2.

  • FedEx European hub at Paris received ISO 14001 certification in 2011, complementing the 50 FedEx UK facilities which have been awarded the same certification.

  • An energy efficient distribution centre in Antwerp provides a reduction of energy consumption by more than 40% and CO2 emissions by 60% each year.

  • A distribution centre in Machelen, Belgium contains solar panels which generate 144,000 kilowatt hours per year equivalent to the electricity needs of thirty households on an annual basis.

  • A facility in Montpellier, France, has a 16,000 sq. ft. solar panel capable of producing 92,000 kilowatt hours per year of electricity and a low power primary conveyor belt that uses 16 times less electricity than a standard three-phase 380 volt belt; together these features save 41.1 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

 

Awards and Recognition

  • No. 2 Ranking in Air Transport World's Eco-Airline of the Year Awards 2012

  • Recognised in the prestigious Maplecroft Climate Innovation Leaders’ Index 2012

  • In February 2011, FedEx won the Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST) sponsored by the Dubai government Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in the “Environmental Protection” category

  • FedEx ranks #122 in Newsweek’s 2011 Top 500 Greenest Companies

  • Included in the top 50 ranking on the Boston College-Reputation Institute 2011 CSR Index, the fourth consecutive year maintaining this recognition

  • 51 facilities in Europe are IS0 14001 certified including our Paris hub at Roissy- Charles De Gaulle, the largest FedEx hub outside the U.S.