Driving the transition: the people behind PostNord’s sustainability journey
Every day, employees across PostNord help move the climate transition forward. Through the Group-wide program Green by PostNord, colleagues from different countries work together to reach PostNord’s climate goals. At Veddesta, one of PostNord’s largest terminals, the shift to fossil-free transport is already a reality, thanks to a dedicated team making it happen.
From intern to change leader
Marios Gerogiannis started as an intern with PostNord in 2012. Today, he is Distribution Manager Logistics at Veddesta, a 19,500-square-metre terminal north of Stockholm, Sweden staffed by 450 employees. Each day, 120,000 parcels and 3,000 pallets pass through the terminal, covering an area from Uppsala to Gävle, as well as mail from Solna up to Gävle.
Today, all heavy vehicles operating out of Veddesta run on fossil-free energy, and several are electric and therefore emission-free.
“They’ve driven over 300,000 kilometres emission-free. That says a lot about what we’ve achieved here,” says Marios.
At the heart of the operation
For Marios, the transition starts with the people.
“We train and explain to coworkers why we do what we do. For me, sustainability is not about the individual – it’s about humanity. We are all fellow humans,” he explains.
He describes the team’s strong sense of pride and togetherness:
“I’m proud of the employees, my colleagues, and the strategy we have. But most importantly, sustainability is never the result of one individual, it’s about what we do and achieve together, "
Technical investments and progress
The Veddesta terminal is a model example of progress, with significant advancements in both last-mile delivery and heavy transport electrification. In just three years, the number of electric delivery vans has grown from five to 45. This was a major shift that demanded adjustments to operations, but that has delivered substantial results.
Traffic coordinator Hans-Oskar Karhila highlights the so called 34-meter project. Extra-long vehicles offer around 30 percent more load capacity than standard trucks, allowing more pallet spaces per transport, which in turn reduces the number of trips and lowers emissions.
Engagement starts with people
Amanda Jackson, Head of Group Sustainability at PostNord, emphasises that climate action is a joint effort.
“It’s a huge initiative that involves the entire organization and is part of our core operations. The commitment from our colleagues is absolutely central.”
“PostNord is working on all levels – from transport and vehicles to optimizing delivery routes. Achieving our climate goals requires commitment throughout the organization,” she says.
Amanda also highlights the company’s ambitious approach, noting that PostNord is taking a leading role – not only by transforming its own operations, but also by driving change across the logistics sector and its value chain. This ambition has led the company to make a commitment reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
“All employees are at the core of this transition. It is their daily work across the business that drives our climate efforts forward and makes our long-term goals possible,” says Amanda.
