FedEx has moved closer to achieving its environmental goals for 2020 through a number ofsustainability initiatives, as outlined in the company’s 2010 Global Citizenship report.
With the aim of reducing its aircraft carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, FedEx said it managed tocut them by 13.5% last year with the support from its 290,000 global team members. This followed an8.3% reduction in 2009. The company also improved vehicle efficiency by 15% last year on the roadto an overall 20% improvement target by 2020.
FedEx said that in 2010 it used the Quality Driven Management (QDM) system to take 2,500trailers off the road, saving 10 million gallons of gas. In addition, the company established itsLEED certification as the standard for the newly built FedEx Express facilities in the USA.
At five locations, the company generated more than 5 MW of energy annually from solar powerinstallations and reduced annual carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,918 metric tons which equalsmore than 440,000 gallons of gasoline not burned.
Thanks to an improved paper recycling infrastructure for waste produced at FedEx Officelocations across North America, more than 600 tonnes of paper were recycled in three monthsalone.
At the FedEx Ground Desert district in the southwestern United States, FedEx team membersgenerated 170,000 pounds of recycled materials over the past five years and reduced waste removalcosts by 25%. What started as an idea from one team-member, resulted in the “Ground Green”programme across the entire unit of FedEx Ground. More than 46 million pounds of materials havealready been recycled in total through this district-wide initiative.
In the Asia-Pacific region, hundreds of FedEx team members are participating in Eco-Driving, aprogramme started by local leadership to reduce environmental impacts through changing dailydriving habits. As part of the initiative, team members give Eco-Driving seminars at the stations,invite the community to participate and put reminders on key chains and stickers in the trucks. Asa result, fuel efficiency has improved by 5% at the largest station in Japan.
FedEx also helps team members make efficient decisions in terms of daily route planning using acomplex technology called Route Optimisation and Decision Support (ROADS) to adapt routesdaily.
Around the globe, FedEx is continually shifting to more efficient vehicles and aircraftincreasing its investment in all-electric and alternative drive train vehicles. By the end of FY11,FedEx will have increased its all-electric and hybrid-electric vehicle fleet by 20% to 410 vehiclesin service across the globe, and is studying the all-electric fleet for further expansion.
FedEx recently added six more 777F aircraft to its fleet, increasing the 777F FedEx fleet to 12.The 777F flies on less fuel while carrying more cargo than the MD-11s they replaced. It has 14,000lbs of more cargo capacity but uses 18% less fuel and reduces emissions by 18% per ton of cargo.Based on current purchase commitments, FedEx plans to have 45 777Fs in service by 2020.
“We have a commitment to people around the globe,” said Frederick Smith, FedEx chairman,president and CEO, “a commitment to use resources responsibly, to expand our capabilities wiselyand well, and to help people, businesses and communities thrive. Everyone at FedEx createsconnections that change people’s lives for the better. FedEx team members’ actions speak just asloudly as the numbers that mark FedEx corporate responsibility progress.”
