What we do

We seek to encompass strategies and practices that aim to meet the needs of stakeholders while seeking to protect, support and enhance the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future. What follows is a list of our focus areas and initiatives that help us in achieving this.

 

The welfare of our employees is paramount at TNT Express. We do everything in our powers to ensure a safe working environment which is free from discrimination and fully compliant with human rights legislation.

  • Health and Safety

    We are committed to embedding a strong safety culture both top down and bottom-up, and recognise that workplace and road safety need to be managed with the same degree of expertise and to the same standards as other core business activities.

    We believe that our health and safety policy and management system framework provides a clear direction for the organisation to follow and contributes to all aspects of business performance as part of TNT Express' commitment to continuous improvement.

    We adopt a planned and systematic approach to managing health and safety using OHSAS 18001 standard as the minimum standard. We organise this by having an effective structure and arrangements in place for delivering the policy. 

  • Diversity

    Diversity in TNT Express is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce: this means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development to all employees regardless of gender, nationality, race, creed, disability or sexuality.

    TNT Express also supports various networks aimed at creating more awareness for diversity including: TNT Pride (gay/lesbian, bisexual and transgender) and TNT Link (a female mentoring programme, launched in 2006).

  • Human Rights

    We are committed to developing and promoting a culture where internationally recognised human rights contained within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (proclaimed in a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948) are not infringed.

    A key part of our strategy is the application of the SA 8000 standard among our sites in non-OECD countries, in order to guarantee compliance with United Nations and ILO codes on universal labour standards. Whilst in developed countries (OECD) compliance with international labour standards (ILO) is covered in the aim to comply with national legislation, we have however asked all our countries to implement all our social accountability policies and procedures.

  • Road Safety

    TNT Express recognises that work-related road safety is a significant business risk. We have therefore developed and implemented a specific road safety management system, which identifies minimum global standards for road safety management. The road safety management system is cascaded to each of our operating units worldwide and they are responsible for implementing the management system requirements into each of their functional areas.

    The road safety management system is periodically reviewed and revised as part of our continual improvement process. We recognise that actions must be sustainable to deliver long term improvements in performance, and continual focus must be maintained in all core elements – vehicle, driver, journey and subcontractor management – to achieve our zero fatal accident ambition.

 

The impact of our operational activities on the environment is one of the key drivers of our CR Strategy. We seek to limit the impact with respect to:

■  the use of natural resources in our operational activities
■  climate change by greenhouse gas emissions
■  human health by exposure to noise and air pollution

The TNT Express environmental management system provides the framework for managing environmental performance in a structured way.

  • City Logistics

    Our aim with City Logistics is to deliver smart zero emission solutions to customers in city locations and to improve sustainability in inner cities by reducing emissions, daytime noise and congestion while protecting and growing TNT's value.

    Five projects are currently being piloted in a number of European cities:

    ■ TNT Bundling - where deliveries into inner city areas from various independent TNT entities are "bundled" together in a depot on a city’s outskirts before final delivery into the city centre.

    ■ City Distribution Centre - where third parties with a limited number of day-time inner-city stops deliver their goods to a TNT depot outside the city boundary and whereby TNT Express acts as a subcontractor to complete the "last mile" delivery.

    ■ Innight Distribution - where TNT Express volumes are shifted from day to night, decreasing day-time congestion and allowing customers more time during the day to focus on core activities.

    ■ Mobile Depot - where independent TNT supply chains are integrated to better optimise TNT's networks. The Mobile Depot is loaded at a hub outside the city and transported directly into the city centre, from where last-mile deliveries are covered with zero emission transport, such as electric tricycles or electric vehicles.

    ■ TNT High Street - where parcels being delivered to TNT Express' key lifestyle customers located in the same "fashion high streets" in major cities are consolidated and delivered using electric vehicles to reduce the number of visits, save time and reduce emissions.

  • Electric vehicles

    We believe that electrification of the transport sector is a key future trend.  In practical terms, it means that electric vehicles are our most promising option for our pick-up and delivery activities, especially in urban areas.

    Electric vehicles offer a strong combination of zero CO2 emissions, zero local emissions and low noise.

    We started piloting one truck in central London in 2007. Since then our electric vehicle fleet has expanded to 51 vehicles in the UK, two in the Netherlands, three in France, one in Italy and nine in China. Several additional electric vehicle launches are expected in 2011.

    We will gradually increase the number of electric vehicles in our global fleet to constantly ensure a good operational fit, continued technical reliability and a suitable business case. Ultimately, our aim is for 60% of our fleet to consist of electric vehicles by 2020.

  • Drive Me challenge

    Now in its fifth year, this is an annual driving competition that aims to engage, educate and inspire. The challenge targets our employed and subcontracted pick-up and delivery and linehaul drivers worldwide to:

    ■  increase the fuel efficiency of their driving
    ■  reduce blameworthy road traffic accidents, and
    ■  increase our service levels to customers.

    TNT Express employs and subcontracts more than 10,000 drivers who deliver our parcels in communities around the world. Every one of them stands to influence those three objectives.

    The Drive Me Challenge engages and rewards drivers through national and regional driving competitions. Our best national drivers are paired with senior Express managers to participate in the regional Drive Me finals.

    For participants, Drive Me is more than just an event; it’s an experience that makes them immensely proud of their role within TNT Express. Those who participate become Planet Me ambassadors for fuel efficiency, road safety and customer experience amongst other employees.

     

  • Green buildings

    Our new corporate head office, TNT Centre, is our blueprint for sustainable building in the future. From the start, our objectives for the new office were clear:

    ■  to create an open, flexible and inspiring work environment
    ■  to design and construct a sustainable office as tangible proof that
       TNT is serious about its ambition to significantly reduce CO2
    ■  to lower costs

    Completed in early 2011, the new office lies at the heart of our committed, responsible and ambitious organisation. The building, in which visiting partners and colleagues from all over the world can work and connect everywhere throughout the building, will play an important role in helping the new Express organisation reach its goals.


    TNT Centre, central hall. See more photos.

 

Subcontractors, suppliers, customers and business partners are all equally valued in our quest to be a socially responsible organisation.

  • Stakeholder Dialogue

    TNT Express annually organises a multi-stakeholder dialogue, to better understand stakeholder perspectives, perceptions and concerns regarding risks and responsibilities resulting from its operations. This stakeholder dialogue critically reviews our CR strategy to ensure that our CR policies and practices effectively reflect our mission and ambition. TNT Express has identified the following key stakeholder groups: 

    ■  employees
    ■  customers
    ■  subcontractors
    ■  suppliers
    ■  investors (including social responsibility investors)
    ■  civil society

    In 2010, 1,200 stakeholders across Europe, the Middle East and Asia have been invited to provide feedback via online surveys and a dialogue day. The results are:

    ■ more communication on CR issues (use web-based media)
    ■ focus on subcontractors' CR performance
    ■ top four focus areas: satisfied customers, carbon efficiency, health & safety,
       and positively engaged employees
    ■ in general, TNT Express is regarded as very sustainable

    For more detailed information, see page 21 of the TNT Express Annual Report 2011.

  • Performance management

    A key aspect of our performance management is in understanding and responding to changes in the internal and the external environment. This includes corporate responsibility risk & opportunities in environmental and social trends, sector trends and how others respond along with competitive issues and scenario building.

    The performance management is not just the reporting of data as it requires technical input into the interpretation of our CR data that links very strongly into our CR Strategy, as well as being able to manage and mitigate our risks, as well as helping to identify corporate responsibility opportunities.

    Having a dialogue with wide variety of stakeholders helps us to translate these learning from our relationships into strategy.

  • Dow Jones Sustainability Index

    Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are the first global indexes to track the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. They provide asset managers and other stakeholders with reliable and objective benchmarks for managing sustainability portfolios.

    From 2006 until 2009, TNT Express was super-sector leader and in 2010 TNT Express maintained its top position in terms of sustainability in the transportation sector. The 2010 sustainability scores are shown below:


  • Supply Chain Management

    TNT Express recognises that a significant part of the social and environmental impact of the company may take place in its supply chain. As a global business, we will strive to improve the social and environmental impact it has on the communities in which it operates around the world. TNT Express will achieve this through working with our suppliers and sub-contractors that are pro-active and innovative in delivering the products and services that are both environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

    TNT Express expects all of its suppliers and sub -contractors to act in a sustainable and responsible manner, in accordance with all prevailing local and international legislation and in accordance with the provisions of the TNT Express Business Principles.

 

TNT Express supports the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP).
This covers sharing knowledge and skills, emergency response, advocacy and engagement, and building partnerships.

  • Walk the World

    On 29 May 2011, people from 60 countries around the globe collectively stood up against hunger during the annual Walk the World event. In its eighth year, Walk the World still inspired TNT employees to organise unique activities in order to put hunger on the global agenda.

    The walk was again organised by TNT and partners WFP, Unilever and DSM. This year, like every year, was supported by celebrities, government dignitaries, royalty, UN agencies, employees and their friends and families and as well as recipients of WFP food assistance. Together, they walked across 24 time zones in 24 hours, from Denmark to Brazil and from Canada to the Philippines.
    Some numbers:
    - TNT employees participating: 34,000
    - locations: 140
    - km walked by TNT employees: 22,000 (four times the width of China!)
    - funds raised (as of June 16): € 350,000

    Help us to raise awareness and money to support WFP’s efforts to provide free school meals to 20 million poor children each year. It only costs US$ 0.25 to give a child a nutritious school meal. Join today and make a difference!

  • Client mapping and interaction

    Launched in 2008, this project aims to streamline and optimise WFP’s logistics service provision to third parties. WFP has several units that carry out logistics operations for other humanitarian organisations, so it has a strong need to standardise and optimise its service provision. WFP needs to know who its "customers" are, what their needs are and how they can interact with them most effectively in order to get critical humanitarian supplies to the right people at the right time.

    Our role is one of strategic guidance for the overall project and technical expertise in marketing and customer management. To date, we have facilitated workshops for WFP about customer experience and helped develop a centralised database for customer information.

    We also sponsor the execution of those parts of the project which have been outsourced. Currently, TNT Express is assisting with a Joint Customer Service Centre pilot in Dubai to develop and test a new model for interacting with clients. Our role here is to support the set up of a customer relationship management system. We are providing a member of staff to provide technical expertise and input.

  • North Star Alliance

    North Star Alliance was established by TNT and the World Food Programme (WFP) in 2006 as an independent non-governmental organisation

    North Star works at the crossroads of disease and mobility to ensure that highly-mobile populations, especially truck drivers and their direct and indirect contacts have access to health and safety services. North Star is strengthening national health systems by expanding their reach and plugging the gaps through a network of "Roadside Wellness Centres" (RWCs) located at hotspots along major transport corridors in sub-Saharan Africa. North Star’s unique approach unites the transport and public health sectors in a common response to high impact diseases.

    North Star’s RWCs are open to everyone, but designed for the specific health needs of mobile populations. They offer a focused package of prevention and treatment services, including: information, education, primary health care, treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV counselling and testing, and medical referrals.

    North Star Alliance is supported by six core partners: International Transport Workers’ Federation, ORTEC, PharmAccess Foundation, UNAIDS, World Food Programme and TNT, plus more than 60 strategic and local partners.

    Currently North Star is operating 23 RWCs in ten East and Southern African countries.

     

  • Fleet Forum

    The Fleet Forum is the first independent knowledge centre within the international aid and development community that is focused on issues surrounding humanitarian fleets. The Fleet Forum was founded in 2003 in order to support humanitarian organizations to improve and professionalize the management of vehicle fleets. The Fleet Forum is managed by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UN World Food Programme, World Vision International, Care and TNT.

    As humanitarian activities are expanding worldwide, aid organizations nowadays have a growing need for safe, clean and efficient transport capacity. Well managed fleet will have a positive impact on the delivery of aid and development programmes. The Fleet Forum develops practical tools and programmes which support members to improve road safety, reduce the environmental impact of transport and make transport operations more (cost) effective.

    For TNT Express, participating in Fleet Forum is important as it links directly to our core activities and often pertains to countries where our operations grow. For example, in India – the country with the highest number of road accidents - Fleet Forum started a road safety project in 2010, which trained management and staff of aid and development organisations such as WHO and UNICEF on how to reduce the risk of being involved in a traffic accident.

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Page publication date: 21 February 2012 at 9:00 CET