Royal Mail partners with Watershed to measure supply chain decarbonization

Royal Mail is working with sustainability data company Watershed to measure and analyze emissions data to help it meet its SBTi-validated net zero target, which includes reducing Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030 and 90% by 2040, against a 2020-21 base year.

Watershed will provide Royal Mail with access to high-quality emissions data to inform its decarbonization actions and respond to sustainability disclosure demands from regulators, customers, investors and other stakeholders.

Over the course of their engagement, Royal Mail will leverage Watershed’s climate data engine and Scope 3 decarbonization expertise to reduce its carbon footprint, including its supply chain emissions – which account for around 66% of its total emissions.

“Watershed enables Royal Mail to access granular insights to engage with our diverse range of suppliers and plan emissions reductions,” said Miles Durrant, head of climate strategy and circular at Royal Mail. “Watershed helps us understand which actions will be most effective for reaching our net zero 2040 goal.”

In the past two months, Royal Mail has used Watershed to produce a draft carbon footprint, including over 3,000 suppliers and vendors, with 10% of Royal Mail’s supplier data automatically available and populated by Watershed based on public reports. Working together, Royal Mail and Watershed will use the footprint to identify the most effective levers for supply chain decarbonization.

“It is a privilege to work with Royal Mail to help measure the postal service’s carbon footprint and, ultimately, execute on their climate goals,” said Ellen McCormack, head of Europe at Watershed. “Royal Mail is a leader in decarbonizing the logistics sector and, together with Watershed’s data measurement and management, our potential impact on the industry’s sustainability progress is huge.”