GeoPost/DPDgroup partners with the European Food Banks Federation to fight food insecurity and food waste

European Food Banks Federation and GeoPost/DPDgroup share a common interest: support to local communities

Founded in 1986, the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) represents today more than 340 Food Banks committed to prevent food waste and reduce food insecurity in 30 European countries. FEBA supports their development and growth, where they are most needed.

GeoPost/DPDgroup has a history of supporting the local communities in which it operates across Europe and several of its business units[1] have successfully already initiated local partnerships with national Food Banks. GeoPost/DPDgroup decided to go further by signing a group level partnership with FEBA one year ago to renew existing agreements and help federate other business units around key topics for the group and FEBA, notably embracing circular economy and ensuring the sustainable use of resources.

In 2022, the conflict that started in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis (energy and food prices, inflation) have put many populations in difficulty and heightened demand for Food Banks’ services. The need of financial and in-kind donations to Food Banks reached critical levels, and GeoPost/DPDgroup is proud to have contributed to meeting this challenge.

The partnership between GeoPost/DPDgroup and FEBA

Driven by their mutual goal to prevent food waste while contributing to reducing food insecurity in Europe, GeoPost/DPDgroup and FEBA have joined forces and agreed on different types of support, such as in-kind contributions, logistics support and employee engagement:

• Delivery expertise: GeoPost/DPDgroup’s business units is providing parcel deliveries for food, material, between Food Banks and charity associations for instance

• Donation: GeoPost/DPDgroup makes an annual financial donation

• Skills sharing: GeoPost/DPDgroup is supporting the FEBA through exchange of information and expertise

• Employee engagement: GeoPost/DPDgroup is participating in certain events or other activities organized by FEBA, and allow its employees to volunteer.

For several years, some of the group’s business units have already initiated partnerships with local Food Banks to provide financial and logistics support. For instance:

• DPD Germany is shipping foodstuff that has not been delivered to local Food Banks

• DPD Poland provides local Food Banks with administrative and financial support. In return, Federacja Polskich Banków Żywności offers DPD educational activities on everyday food management and reducing food waste

• DPD UK facilitates the donation of undelivered food parcels to Food Banks. They also support volunteers for specific events and big collections, with transport and employees volunteering.

• DPD Hungary participates in specific initiatives and provides financial support.

In March 2022, shortly after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, GeoPost/DPDgroup’s business units have also mobilized, notably in neighbouring countries, to support with food, material, hygiene products collections and shipments. The company also made a 200,000 euros donation and launched, together with FEBA, a dedicated fundraising webpage to collect donations from employees, customers and partners, gathering 12,000 euros. All donations have been matched by GeoPost/DPDgroup, euro for euro.

Recently in December, employees at headquarters donated food and essential non-food items to Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires, triggering a 10,000 Euro donation

In the future, GeoPost/DPDgroup will also work on building more synergies with our food delivery business, by finding ways for instance of redistributing undelivered meals.

“We are very proud of this partnership with FEBA. Our European business units and their employees are willing to contribute, at their own levels, to food waste prevention and food insecurity reduction. They will be able to work more closely with local communities, share time, passion and skills on meaningful initiatives, and we want to fully support such engagement, both at group and at local level.”

commented Dominique Mamcarz, Sustainability Director at GeoPost/DPDgroup

[1] DPD Germany, DPD Hungary, DPD Poland and DPD UK