ATLANTA, GA — United Parcel Service (UPS) has begun offering its customers the chance to buy carbon offsets to neutralize the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their shipped goods.
The Atlanta-based company also stepped up its environmental offerings with a new contract service that can calculate the carbon footprint of individual customers' shipping activities, UPS said Tuesday. High-volume customers can then offset the impacts through UPS offset purchases.
The offsets cost 5 cents per package for shipments delivered via Ground service, or 20 cents each for packages sent by Next Day Air, 2nd Day Air or 3 Day Select. The flat fee includes the cost of the offsets, emissions calculation and administration.
"Our customers told us they wanted an easy, credible way to join us in our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chains," Bob Stoffel, senior vice president of engineering, strategy, supply chain and sustainability, said in a statement.
UPS will match the amount of offsets purchased by up to $1 million. The offsets will be purchased periodically, most likely on a quarterly basis, according to Lynette McIntire, UPS director of reputation management.
The offsets, which will be certified by the Gold Standard, Voluntary Carbon Standard or the Climate Action Reserve, will be retired according to industry standards.
About one million UPS customers who use UPS Internet shipping with a UPS account number can access the service immediately by simply checking a box at the end of their transaction, to be followed by other UPS customers next year.