DPD targets 46% reduction in emissions by year end

A third of DPD’s final mile van fleet is now electric and 95% of its transport fleet is running on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO).

With the carbon-cutting fleet delivering parcels across the country, DPD says it is on target to deliver a 46% reduction in emissions by the end of 2024, from its 2020 baseline.

As part of Geopost, DPD UK has a net zero target of 2040, which is validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

In its latest sustainability update, DPD outlined progress towards that aim including that a third of its final mile fleet is now electric, with an additional 350 fully electric 4.25t Ford E-Transit vans being deployed over the next few months, taking its electric vehicle (EV) fleet close to 4,000 units. 

Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability for DPD Group UK, said: “Six years into our sustainability journey and we are more committed than ever to delivering real benefits in terms of decarbonising our business and improving every aspect of our operation. 

“While our fully validated net zero target remains 2040, we are working hard to bring through as much change and innovation as possible right now and, as these figures show, we are on track with the trajectory required to meet the group target and are making a real difference already.”

DPD UK's new flagship London sortation centre in Bromley-By-Bow, Docklands, which opened in November, is now consistently more than 90% all-electric in terms of final mile deliveries with plans to make deliveries electric only across London.

In addition, 95% of DPD UK's HGV fleet is now running on HVO after it began switching its entire diesel HGV fleet to the biofuel in 2022.   

Jones concluded: “There will be harder challenges down the line, we are well aware of that, but we will continue to work with the best in the sustainability space and invest in the innovation required to get to where we want to be.”