2021: looking back on a special year for bpostgroup

2021 will be described as a strategic year in bpostgroup's history, said chairman Audrey Hanard and CEO Dirk Tirez. “Our new strategic plan will give all employees a sustainable future.” bpostgroup's ambition is clear: to become a growth company as an e-commerce logistics player, in Belgium as well as in Europe and the United States.

2021 will stay with Audrey Hanard and Dirk Tirez for a long time to come. Not so much because Audrey Hanard was appointed bpostgroup's Chairperson of the Board of Directors or because Dirk Tirez took charge as CEO. It was rather because together they drew up a new strategic plan for the group's future as a logistics services company in e-commerce. “An important moment in bpost's history”, concludes Dirk Tirez. “Management and Board are fully aligned on a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable growth strategy.”

This strategy translates into clear ambitions. Audrey Hanard sums them up. “We want to transform things in Belgium, making our model future-proof and, moreover, economically and ecologically sustainable as well as socially responsible. In Europe, we will continue to expand our e-commerce logistics services and attract new customers. And in the US we want to keep growing.”

On which 2021 realizations do you look back with satisfaction?

Dirk Tirez: “First of all, it was important for me to restore the stakeholders' trust and to calm things down again. In fact, we immediately set to work to determine the priorities for Belgium, Europe and the US. For me, the mother of all priorities was coping with the end-of-year peak. And it must be said,  our focus enabled us to achieve good results, to which the entire group has contributed. For example, we ended 2021 with an operating profit of almost 350 million euros, an excellent result.

We also started several leadership and development programs. In doing so, we are building a culture of empowerment. We no longer think in silos and departments, but we work together on projects and formulate joint solutions. There is simply a lot of talent in our group and we will continue to invest in it. bpostgroup must become an example of how to manage 36,000 people and how to train tomorrow's leaders within a company in the field of sustainable business.”

Audrey Hanard: “I think we can look back with satisfaction on a lot of results. For example, the appointment of Dirk as CEO and the other appointments to the executive committee were crucial. We can be very proud of the talents we were able to attract.

Another important achievement is setting up an ESG committee with a sustainability roadmap, including a number of ambitious objectives. Reduce our own CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030, for example. These initiatives are already translating into the first results. We started an Ecozone in several Belgian cities, an area in which we deliver letters and parcels emission-free using electric vehicles and with a dense network of pick-up points to make things easier for our customers. The aim is to roll out this model in other places as well.”

Are there any events you will specially remember?

Audrey Hanard: “The wave of solidarity during the floods in Belgium was astonishing. As astonishing as the way colleagues stood up for each other within bpostgroup. Affected colleagues immediately received shelter, food and clothes.

During the floods, bpost also fulfilled its social task, for example by allowing people who had to leave their home to register a new address quickly and free of charge. We should certainly also emphasize our postal workers' role, not only during the flood but also during the pandemic. For many people, during a lockdown, the postman or woman is the only person they see during the day, allowing them to have some kind of social contact. 2021 has, once again, pointed out to us how important bpost 's social role is.”

Dirk Tirez: “Anyone who needed some kind of service could count on bpost. Even in the most difficult circumstances, bpost is always present. Our postmen and women show great solidarity to ensure that newspapers, letters and parcels are continuously delivered. I also want to emphasize that our post offices never closed during the pandemic. We showed us as Belgium's logistics backbone. What's more, despite the many company closures and the problems in the supply chains, we were able to increase our footprint in e-commerce logistics. And not only in Belgium, but also elsewhere in Europe, for that matter.”

What have you personally invested a lot of energy in?

Audrey Hanard: “First of all, it was important for me to get to know the company better. I went on rounds with postmen and women, and I helped out in sorting centers. With the directors, we did the important strategic exercise in the autumn. So we laid the foundation for continuing to work together in the coming years. During the exercise with the Board of Directors, for example, we especially emphasized how, as a company, we want to stand for sustainable jobs, which means that people can build their lives around bpost.”

Dirk Tirez: “Our customers. But that doesn't require any energy. On the contrary, our customers give me energy. They are actually asking us to do even more. This applies to Belgian citizens when delivering parcels and letters as well as to major brands that want to grow. And as an e-commerce logistics player, we are in a unique position to help them. Not only in Belgium, but all over the world. Do not forget that already more than half of our turnover is generated abroad. In fact, we are a partner in our customers' growth. We are proud of their success. I have simply found that there is a huge demand for the services we can offer at bpostgroup.”

What are 2022's major challenges?

Dirk Tirez: “In Belgium we are facing a transformation. For example, we are going to integrate letter and parcel delivery in order to be able to provide the best service to the Belgian population. And in our support services we will save a third of the costs. The key is to explain why: our long-term strategy is to develop a sustainable future for the group. This strategy makes bpost a growth company. In 2022 we will take measures to be able to continue to grow and invest in that future.

In Europe we are entrepreneurs. We already have 14 fulfilment centers, 8 depots for specialized deliveries in Belgium and the Netherlands and 3 hubs for international shipments, but we are still expanding our footprint. We are very active in countries such as Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. We are also making further progress in the United Kingdom. Europe is our main growth centre. We are building an ecosystem of e-commerce logistics services in Europe, with the ambition to become five times larger by 2026.

In the US, we are strategically very well positioned to provide e-commerce logistics services to major brands. This is a very forward-looking, growing market, in which we occupy a leadership position. We have succeeded in reaching a successful transformation. Now there are an incredible number of opportunities that can act as a growth engine for the group.

In short, because we are a growth company in Belgium, Europe and the US, we offer a sustainable future to all our employees.”

Audrey Hanard: “An important challenge that I would like to mention is the creation of a level playing field in Belgium, so bpost can compete on an equal footing. We want to be a sustainable company. That is only possible if the same rules apply to everyone.”

bpostgroup wants to be a sustainable company. What exactly does it mean?

Audrey Hanard: “Sustainability is part of how we run the business. It is not a separate program. It is integrated into the way we develop our vision.”

Dirk Tirez: “Sustainability actually has three components. First, an economic one. bpost invests in the long term to ensure the future of the company. Second, an environmental one. We are going to invest heavily in it, including in the electrification of the fleet. And finally – and that's where we are really unique – a social one. We create sustainable employment for the low-skilled, because we believe in a future in which everyone should be able to expand their lives. In this way we are society's social elevator.”

Does the challenging environment of rising inflation and costs not thwart all those plans?

Audrey Hanard: “The only constant is change. That is the world we live in. There were challenges last year and there will be this year as well. Today, inflation is a reality, and it affects the costs, but that applies to everyone. Above all, I am convinced that we now have a good team to tackle those challenges.”

Dirk Tirez: “A number of market conditions such as inflation, rising energy prices, disrupted supply chains from Asia or the somewhat slower growth in e-commerce will continue to play a role. These circumstances lead to major challenges, but we always maintain our long-term vision. So we will take measures to be able to grow and invest.”

What will make you a happy woman and man at the end of the year?

Audrey Hanard: “To achieve our goals in a sustainable way, responsible for people and the environment. Then we will have taken a huge step, because then the foundation has been laid for the coming years.”

Dirk Tirez: “When our people say they get meaning from their work for bpost, I will be happy.”