Interview with Christian Plüss, Executive Management delegate for sustainability
“Swiss Post is doing very well in terms of sustainability”
Customers demand sustainable services from Swiss Post. Christian Plüss, Executive Management delegate for sustainability, explains how Swiss Post is meeting this need and why it is focusing on seven ambitions and four dimensions.
In 2023, Swiss Post published a non-financial report for the first time. In 2024, it developed this further into a sustainability report. Why?
Christian Plüss: With the non-financial report, Swiss Post took a first step in 2023 towards highlighting its work in the areas of the key sustainability issues. The next step followed in 2024 with the addition of the financial aspects. This ongoing development towards taking a holistic view goes hand in hand with Swiss Post’s strategy. While sustainability was one of four strategic thrusts in the first period of the “Swiss Post of tomorrow” strategy, it is now an integral part of the Group strategy. Swiss Post is pursuing seven ambitions in the four dimensions of economy, employees, environment and society, linking Swiss Post’s financial and non-financial performance together with a view to ensuring that it remains sustainable in the long term. The report reflects Swiss Post’s understanding of sustainability.
Sustainability is an integral part of the Group strategy.
How do you see the development of sustainability at Swiss Post in the last strategy period?
From 2021 to 2024, the focus was on climate and energy in particular. Swiss Post deliberately set itself long-term targets extending to 2030 and 2040.
Last year demonstrated that Swiss Post is doing very well in terms of climate. It invests in sustainable buildings, as shown for example by the Villmergen logistics center, and delivers letters and parcels in the cities of Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Basel, Winterthur and Thun exclusively with electric vehicles. In goods logistics, it has set a course that aims to ensure that 20 percent of the kilometres covered by its own vehicles will run on alternative drive systems by 2030. PostBus has done important groundwork in the area of electromobility – the first routes have already been electrified. Swiss Post has accelerated the target for PostBus, and wants to see the entire fleet converted to fossil-free drive systems as early as 2035.
If that is to be achieved, an extensive charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is needed. Swiss Post is building that infrastructure together with an external partner. Why is Swiss Post putting in this effort?
Electromobility is gaining ground – at Swiss Post and in Switzerland in general. Demand for charging current and charging points is growing enormously. To ensure that we can meet our own needs and to improve Switzerland’s charging infrastructure, Swiss Post is planning measures including developing a nationwide fast-charging network for electric vehicles in collaboration with the fenaco cooperative. To help achieve this, Swiss Post is systematically pooling its strengths in the newly founded E-Mobility Charging Solutions business unit.
Commitment to the environment is important to Swiss Post. What about your commitment to society?
With its public service, Swiss Post creates unique added value for people and companies in Switzerland. With 5,003 access points – branches, branches with partners, home service, My Post service at retailers, petrol stations, train stations and kiosks, My Post 24 terminals and P.O. Box facilities – Swiss Post provides a dense network of access points. But our commitment goes far beyond the public service.
With its public service, Swiss Post creates unique added value for Switzerland.
For example?
Swiss Post develops innovative digital services to make everyday life easier for its customers, investing for example in digital services such as e-voting and the electronic patient record. The ePost App, Swiss Post’s digital letter box, allows users to take care of administrative work efficiently. To continue its evolution, Swiss Post works with startups and universities to find innovative solutions related to Swiss Post’s core markets. Swiss Post also plays a pioneering role in the areas of cybersecurity and digital ethics.
Swiss Post’s services are only possible thanks to the commitment of its employees. How does Swiss Post show its commitment to its staff?
Swiss Post offers its employees an appreciative working environment and modern, fair employment conditions. It encourages a healthy work-life balance for all employees, for example with the option of working part-time or through job sharing. In 2024, there were 106 “leadership duos” sharing management responsibility. The number has increased steadily in recent years. Swiss Post also offers all employees training and development opportunities.
Digitization requires constant adaptation and ongoing development of skills. In 2024, a total of 9.3 million francs was spent on further training, with Swiss Post contributing some 7.5 million francs.
The physical and mental health of employees remains a key issue. Swiss Post offers low-threshold points of contact, including a 24-hour online platform with health information and anonymous chat consultation. It also supports employees with reintegration into work.
What role do the economic aspects of sustainability play in Swiss Post’s strategy?
The goal of the “Swiss Post of tomorrow” strategy is to ensure that Swiss Post can finance itself from its own resources in the long term. The new products and services are consistently geared towards the needs of our customers. At the same time, Swiss Post is optimizing its costs ensuring that prices remain sustainable in the future. This is the only way it can remain relevant in the long term, and the only way it can provide a high-quality universal service and public service financed from its own resources. Furthermore, despite the financial burden of the universal service, Swiss Post has paid the Confederation 1.25 billion francs in dividends over the last ten years.