Sustainability
Åland Post's responsibility for sustainability is central to the company's development and its continued ability to create value for customers and for Åland society.
Our sustainability work contributes to the Development and Sustainability Agenda for Åland (barkraft.ax) and to Agenda 2030, in line with the Government of Åland's ownership policy.
Åland Post divides its sustainability work into these main areas:
Environment
For many years, Åland Post has worked actively to reduce its impact on the environment. The big challenge is reducing carbon dioxide emissions from transport and from our large postal terminal. Our goal is to be fossil-free by 2035.
We are continuously replacing our vehicles with more environmentally friendly alternatives, and for several years we have reduced the energy used per square metre in the postal terminal.
In addition to a general environmental policy, we work in practice towards a number of overall environmental goals for our operations.
Overall goal: to be fossil-free by 2035 at the latest
Sub-goals and priority areas
• Reduce carbon dioxide and nitrogen emissions and fuel consumption through various measures.
• Reduce the amount of waste through product and process development and more efficient recycling.
• Use materials sparingly and choose environmentally friendly materials where possible.
• Reduce the consumption of electricity, heating and water through technical measures (that improve energy efficiency) and by encouraging staff to take greater environmental responsibility.
• Take environmental aspects into account when buying and procuring goods and services, in sponsorship and when planning business travel.
How we work:
- Ongoing review of:
- Lighting
- Ventilation
- Cold and freezer rooms
- Solar panels since 2020, providing 7% of our electricity consumption.
- The premises in Tusby are certified under the BREEAM system.
- Biogas vehicles ordered
Together with other large companies in Åland, Åland Post has made a commitment to measure and reduce carbon dioxide emissions for:
- Scope 1 (emissions)
- Scope 2 (energy)
Employees
Åland Post is one of the largest land-based employers in Åland, with around 150 employees. We operate in Åland, Åbo and Tusby. Together, we are Åland Post.
Our employees are our most important resource for reaching our goals and meeting the challenges of the future. That is why we care about our staff's engagement, well-being and sense of "us". We are convinced that job satisfaction, good cooperation both internally and externally, and motivated employees give our customers the best possible customer experience. At Åland Post, everyone has the opportunity to have a say, which is essential for the company's future.
To motivate our employees, we promote job satisfaction, good health and a sense of community among all staff. At Åland Post we work continuously to develop our workplace and to be an attractive employer. We aim to create a workplace where differences between employees, for example in gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, opinions, language, disability or health, are seen as enriching.
Discrimination must therefore never occur in the workplace under any circumstances. Nor should differences prevent anyone from being employed, developing or advancing within the organisation. Our aim is for all employees to feel that they work in an equal, safe, developing and productive working environment where it is natural for everyone to be treated equally. We believe that diversity contributes to the organisation's development.
As an employee with us, you are one of the most important factors in helping us achieve our business goals. We care about our staff enjoying their work and therefore also doing a good job. On average, our employees have worked for the company for 11 years. Helping our employees feel well, both at work and outside it, is both important and a priority for us at Åland Post.
Our health and staff welfare work includes the following:
- Åland Post encourages its employees to exercise and look after their health in their free time. All employees receive a wellness benefit of a set amount per year. The benefit can be used to buy exercise, culture and massage services. We also have our own new, fresh gym in the postal terminal, and everyone is of course welcome to use it. We continuously measure how healthy our employees are so that we can actively promote health and attendance at work.
- We think community and companionship within and between departments are important, so we organise joint staff events and parties every year. In addition, all departments can arrange their own events. Through these activities we hope to strengthen team spirit and a sense of belonging.
- We have an active occupational safety and health organisation that carries out risk assessments in different units every year to identify and fix any shortcomings. The aim of occupational safety and health work is to ensure a healthy and safe working environment and to help employees maintain their ability to work.
- Åland Post uses Medimar and Aava as partners for occupational healthcare and medical care. As an employee, you get general medical care in addition to statutory occupational healthcare. This also includes rehabilitation for injuries.
- Our pay structure is individual, and every employee is guaranteed a set pay level through an annual pay review. This includes job evaluation of current positions, market comparisons, individual performance reviews and an adjustment of pay based on performance.
- Åland Post offers its employees a lunch benefit. The benefit can be used at several restaurants in Mariehamn and of course at our own restaurant in the Terminal. On the mainland, the benefit can be used at most restaurants.
- To find out how our staff are doing and what they think of their work and working environment, we carry out regular employee surveys. This is an important tool for prioritising what we work on when it comes to our employees and their well-being.
- In addition to the above, every year we hold a number of smaller activities to strengthen team spirit and well-being at work.
Society
For almost 400 years, Åland Post has provided regular transport to and from Åland. To this day, we have the public service task of delivering postal items to all households and businesses in Åland.
These logistics assignments are important services in society for both private individuals and businesses, and we have a great responsibility to carry them out with high quality.
Åland Post makes long-term investments to create the conditions for sustainable growth that continues to give a good return to our society in the form of dividends, taxes and jobs. Since becoming a separate public enterprise in 1993, Åland Post has paid €29 million in returns (dividends) to the Government of Åland.
Åland Post also gives money in the form of sponsorship and Christmas seal funds.
