Royal Mail Enhances Sustainable Procurement With Watershed

Royal Mail is partnering with enterprise sustainability platform Watershed to enhance its emissions tracking and reduction efforts.

The collaboration allows Royal Mail to utilise data-driven insights to measure its supply chain emissions and take effective action to reduce them.

With increasing expectations from customers, regulators and investors for transparency in sustainability reporting, businesses must embed sustainability into their operations.

Royal Mail aims to meet these demands by improving its decarbonisation strategy, using high-quality emissions data to track its progress.

Ellen McCormack, Head of Europe at Watershed, highlights the significance of the partnership: “It is a privilege to work with Royal Mail to help measure the postal service’s carbon footprint and, ultimately, execute on its climate goals.

"Royal Mail is a leader in decarbonising the logistics sector and, together with Watershed’s data measurement and management, our potential impact on the industry’s sustainability progress is huge.”

Addressing Scope 3 emissions in the value chain

A key challenge for organisations aiming to reach net zero is addressing Scope 3 emissions – those generated indirectly through the supply chain.

These emissions account for 66% of Royal Mail’s total emissions, making them a critical focus for reduction efforts.

Through Watershed’s platform, Royal Mail gains access to emissions data covering more than 3,000 suppliers and vendors. Public reports contribute to 10% of Royal Mail’s supplier data, allowing for automatic updates and greater accuracy in tracking supply chain emissions.

By leveraging this information, Royal Mail can engage suppliers in sustainability initiatives, identify the most impactful decarbonisation strategies and encourage suppliers to report on their own emissions reductions.

The partnership supports Royal Mail’s broader sustainability commitments by enabling precise emissions tracking and supplier collaboration.

Edenir Nunes Chrysostali, SRM Director & Scope 3 Lead at Royal Mail, has been actively discussing these challenges and solutions, including at PSC LIVE: Sustainability 2025, where she addressed the issue of tackling Scope 3 emissions.

Enhancing sustainability in logistics

Royal Mail has already established itself as the UK’s greenest parcel operator, as recognised in the Citizens Advice 2023 Parcels League Table.

Its sustainability efforts include operating the UK’s largest electric van fleet, with more than 5,000 vehicles, and sourcing 100% renewable energy.

Its Steps to Zero strategy focuses on resource efficiency, decarbonisation and circular economy principles, aiming to reach net zero by 2040.

The partnership with Watershed directly aligns with this goal, providing the data and insights needed to enhance sustainability within Royal Mail’s supply chain.

The collaboration will also set an example for the logistics sector by demonstrating how supplier engagement and real-time emissions tracking can drive meaningful decarbonisation.

By identifying key areas for emissions reduction – such as increasing the use of renewable energy, expanding electric vehicle fleets and adopting alternative fuels – Royal Mail is positioned to make a significant impact on the industry’s transition to low-carbon logistics.

Miles Durrant, Head of Climate Strategy & Circular at Royal Mail, emphasises the importance of data-driven sustainability: “Watershed enables Royal Mail to access granular insights to engage with our diverse range of suppliers and plan emissions reductions. Watershed helps us understand which actions will be most effective for reaching our Net-Zero 2040 goal.”

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