UPS has announced plans to ensure that alternative fuel and advanced technology models account for 25% of its new vehicle purchases by 2020.
In addition, the US-headquartered package delivery company intends for 40% of all ground fuel it consumes to come from sources other than conventional gasoline and diesel by 2025.
The goals form part of UPS’s 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report, which details the company’s commitment to reducing absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global ground operations by 12% by 2025.
Jean-Francois Condamine, president of UPS’s Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, and Africa (ISMEA) region, said: “UPS has one of the largest fleets of alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles worldwide.
“We will continue to innovate to support sustainability – one of the themes of Expo 2020 Dubai – using resources without compromising the ability of the planet to sustain future generations.
“UPS is strongly committed to finding solutions for the environmental needs in this region by constantly striving to reduce our carbon footprint, and those of our customers,” he added.
UPS also aims for 25% of the electricity it consumes to come from renewable energy sources by 2025, up from just 0.2% in 2016.
The targets have been developed using a methodology approved by Science Based Targets, a partnership initiative between CDP, World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), which is designed to facilitate companies’ transitions to the low-carbon economy.
UPS operates more than 8,300 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles worldwide. In additional to conventional models, the firm’s existing fleet includes electric, hybrid electric, hydraulic hybrid, compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), propane, and lightweight fuel-saving composite body vehicles.
David Abney, chairman and chief executive officer of UPS, commented: “Because of our size and scale, we know our commitments can shape markets, advance technologies, and be a catalyst for infrastructure investments.
“We rely on the ingenuity of our employees, suppliers, and technology partners to help us reach goals that will transform the shipping industry and spur innovation.”