Use fewer resources where protection and service requirements allow, keep products in use where practical, and record the evidence behind environmental decisions. Start with each shipment and warehouse action before making a wider sustainability claim.
Operating scenarios
Packaging changes, transport comparisons and local stock recovery.
Compare two packaging plans before Guangzhou consolidation
Several suppliers have delivered stock to Guangzhou. Compare the existing packing plan with a proposed consolidated pack before approving changes to protection or supplier packaging.
Start here: Set the comparison quantity and materials
Recommended sequence
- Fix the comparison batch
Match receiving references to the same SKUs, quantities and delivery requirement. Record supplier packaging and any handling or product constraints, then identify the stock owner who can approve a change.
- Prepare and measure representative packs
Keep the original packing specification and prepare a proposed pack where authorised. Record each material, its mass, final outer dimensions and agreed protection checks. Retain photos and explain any materials removed or added.
- Approve a version and review the result
Compare material use, final dimensions, handling and observed condition for the same batch. Agree the approved packing version and release authority, then review damage or repacking after actual handling. A material change alone does not establish a carbon reduction.
Prepare before starting
- Supplier receiving references, SKU identities and the same item quantities for both plans.
- Original and proposed packaging specifications, materials, measured masses and outer dimensions.
- Delivery deadline, protection requirements and the stock owner’s approval contact.
Keep as evidence
- Receiving reconciliation and photos that identify the stock being compared.
- Dated packing specifications, measurements and the agreed protection-check observations.
- Approved packing version, release instruction and any later damage or rework record.
Records for this scenario
Compare China → UK transport options with consistent boundaries
A merchant needs the same stock delivered to a UK receiver. Review available transport plans against that delivery need before comparing cost or an emissions estimate.
Start here: List the journey legs and comparison boundary
Recommended sequence
- Define the cargo and required arrival
Use the same final packed cargo, actual mass, destination and required arrival for each option. Keep cargo acceptance, stockout exposure and the receiver’s handling requirements visible. Ask which services can meet these conditions.
- List the included journey legs
For each option, record origin collection, international movement, transfers and UK delivery. Identify mode, distance source and carrier or data provider for every included leg. State whether hubs, warehousing and packaging are included or excluded; keep unavailable activity data marked as missing.
- Review comparable estimates and service scope
Use the stated method, applicable factor source and year, units and allocation basis. Compare only estimates with aligned boundaries, and flag material assumptions beside the result. Review cost and arrival separately; a cheaper quote or a mode name alone does not prove lower emissions.
Prepare before starting
- Same final packed cargo, actual mass, destination and required arrival for each option.
- Origin, international and UK delivery legs with mode, distance source and available carrier activity data.
- Reporting period, method, factor version and year, allocation basis and intended boundary.
Keep as evidence
- Comparable service or quote scopes, including acceptance conditions and the agreed delivery requirement.
- Mass and distance records, carrier activity evidence and a visible list of missing or excluded stages.
- Calculation references with method, factor source, units, assumptions and reviewer decision.
Records for this scenario
Decide the next action for an Edinburgh return
A returned parcel reaches the Edinburgh warehouse. Identify and assess the item before the stock owner decides whether it can return to use or requires another authorised route.
Start here: Match the item and confirm its condition
Recommended sequence
- Reconcile the item and its condition
Match the return reference to the original order and SKU or serial reference. Record quantity, packaging and item condition, and missing parts within the agreed inspection scope. Keep unidentified or unresolved goods on hold.
- Obtain a recorded disposition instruction
Give the stock owner the observations and agree restock, repair, resale, return to origin, recycling or disposal as appropriate. Check relevant product and destination requirements before release. A receipt or a refund decision does not itself authorise resale or disposal.
- Close the stock or waste handover
Record the authorised inventory movement and recipient. If the item becomes waste in Scotland, follow SEPA guidance, use an authorised person and retain the appropriate waste transfer or special waste consignment record. Review any proposed cross-border movement separately before shipping.
Prepare before starting
- Return reference, original order, SKU or serial identity and the expected quantity.
- Agreed inspection scope, observed condition, missing parts and available photos.
- Stock owner’s contact, proposed next action and any intended receiving or waste route.
Keep as evidence
- Receiving reconciliation, condition observations and any hold reference.
- Stock owner’s dated approval and the recorded product or destination review where required.
- Completed inventory handover or applicable authorised waste-route and transfer records.
Protect the goods with suitable packaging
Review protection and material use together. A smaller package that causes damage and a replacement shipment can defeat the purpose of a packaging change.
- Record the original and revised outer dimensions, packaging material and weight, plus photographs or a packing specification. Re-measure the finished shipment before selecting a service.
- Remove redundant supplier packaging only with approval and after checking protection, labels and any product or dangerous-goods requirements. Separate material streams where practical.
- Describe recyclability for the actual material and destination collection system. Reusable packaging needs a return route, realistic reuse cycles and checks for cleaning or damage.
- For a business supplying or importing packaging in the UK, check whether packaging extended producer responsibility applies to its activities and reporting obligations.
Plan consolidation and replenishment
Combine compatible goods and avoid preventable split shipments when the delivery requirement permits. Keep stock availability, storage and damage risks in the decision.
- Compare a consolidated dispatch with separate supplier parcels using the same goods and delivery requirement. Record waiting time, handling, packaging and the final route for each option.
- Group replenishment around stock needs and cargo-ready dates. Check whether an urgent order can be separated while the remaining stock follows the planned movement.
- Use Guangzhou receiving references to avoid missed or duplicate dispatches. Consolidation can change package size, routing and handling; it does not by itself prove lower emissions.
Compare the whole transport chain
Review express, air, sea and connected inland legs against the same cargo, destination and delivery requirement. Cost, chargeable weight and emissions are different measures.
- Record each origin, international and final-delivery leg, mode, distance, actual cargo mass and the method used to allocate shared transport. Add hubs or warehousing only when included in the stated boundary.
- Keep service constraints visible: arrival deadline, special-cargo acceptance, temperature or handling needs, storage and stockout exposure. Do not select a mode from an emissions figure alone.
- Use comparable carrier data or a stated calculation method. Keep the factor source, year, units, assumptions and missing legs; never apply an air-freight factor to an entire mixed-mode journey.
Give returns and surplus stock a recorded next step
Local assessment can help decide whether to restock, repair or redirect an item before arranging another international movement. Confirm product safety and the stock owner’s instruction first.
- Record the SKU or serial reference, condition, photos where agreed, original order and reason for return. Separate unopened, repairable, damaged and unidentified stock.
- Agree a disposition: restock, repair, resale, return to origin, recycling or disposal. A warehouse receipt is not approval to resell or dispose of goods.
- When a returned item or surplus stock becomes waste, confirm its classification and the relevant local rules, authorised waste route and transfer records. For Edinburgh operations, follow SEPA’s Scotland guidance: use an authorised person and complete the appropriate waste transfer or special waste consignment note. The separate linked code covers England and Wales.
- If goods or waste will cross a border, review the destination and export/import requirements before shipping. Batteries, electrical items and other regulated streams need a separate review.
Build a transparent carbon activity record
A useful record states what is measured, which parts of the journey are included and how the estimate was made. Unknown activity should remain visible.
- Use actual shipment mass and distance or fuel/activity data appropriate to the method. Chargeable or volumetric weight is a pricing measure and should not silently replace actual mass in an activity calculation.
- Where the selected factor uses tonne-kilometres, multiply tonnes × kilometres × the applicable kg CO₂e per tonne-kilometre factor. This estimates the included activity only; factor scope and allocation still need review.
- Record the factor version, year, source, unit, boundary and allocation method. Check whether vehicle energy supply, aviation effects, hubs, packaging and warehouses are included before comparing totals.
- Keep the gross estimate, reduction actions and any offset information separate. A carrier’s corporate target or network average does not verify the footprint of a particular parcel or Jeton’s operations.
Make environmental claims that evidence can support
State the specific change, product, shipment, period and boundary. Keep the evidence available to anyone reviewing the claim.
- Prefer a precise statement such as a documented packaging change over an unqualified green, eco-friendly or carbon-neutral label. Explain exclusions and assumptions beside the claim.
- For a reduction claim, retain a comparable baseline, dates, methods and source data. A lower invoice, a smaller box or a carrier sustainability webpage is not sufficient evidence of a quantified emissions reduction.
- Review the product or service lifecycle relevant to the claim and do not omit an impact that changes its meaning. Recyclable, recycled-content, emissions and certification claims require different evidence.
- The CMA Green Claims Code asks businesses to make truthful, clear and substantiated claims, use fair comparisons, avoid material omissions and consider the full lifecycle.
What to measure before making a claim
| Review area | What to record or confirm | Who to involve |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging | Material and packaging mass; final dimensions; protection checks; destination recycling route. | Packing team / stock owner |
| Transport | Actual mass, every included leg, mode, distance, carrier evidence and allocation method. | Logistics coordinator / carrier |
| Returns and stock recovery | Item condition, approved disposition, repair or resale outcome, waste transfer reference where relevant. | Merchant / warehouse / authorised waste provider |
| Carbon estimate | Boundary, period, factor source and year, units, missing data and comparable baseline. | Reporting owner / data provider |
| Public statement | Exact wording, evidence, limitations, approval and review date. | Business making the claim |
Packaging
- What to record or confirm
- Material and packaging mass; final dimensions; protection checks; destination recycling route.
- Who to involve
- Packing team / stock owner
Transport
- What to record or confirm
- Actual mass, every included leg, mode, distance, carrier evidence and allocation method.
- Who to involve
- Logistics coordinator / carrier
Returns and stock recovery
- What to record or confirm
- Item condition, approved disposition, repair or resale outcome, waste transfer reference where relevant.
- Who to involve
- Merchant / warehouse / authorised waste provider
Carbon estimate
- What to record or confirm
- Boundary, period, factor source and year, units, missing data and comparable baseline.
- Who to involve
- Reporting owner / data provider
Public statement
- What to record or confirm
- Exact wording, evidence, limitations, approval and review date.
- Who to involve
- Business making the claim
Exceptions and changes
| Situation | Next action | Action owner | Evidence before proceeding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity data is missing for a transport leg. | Mark the leg as missing and request the relevant activity data. If a method permits an estimate, disclose its basis and limitation; do not treat the missing activity as zero or publish a complete-chain comparison without explaining the gap. | Reporting owner with the carrier or data provider | Leg reference, data request, supplied record or documented estimation basis, boundary and open question. |
| A quotation’s volumetric or chargeable weight has been used as actual cargo mass. | Keep pricing weight separate. Obtain the measured cargo mass or the activity basis required by the selected method, then correct the record and any affected calculation with a visible revision. | Logistics coordinator with the packing team and reporting owner | Final weighing record, pricing-weight reference, method requirement and revised calculation version. |
| The proposed packaging is damaged or does not meet the agreed protection check. | Hold the affected packing version and stock release. Record the observation, review protection and obtain approval for repair, repacking or another suitable version before dispatch; include replacement material in the review. | Packing team and stock owner | Condition photos, packing version, failed-check observation, approved rework and new measurements. |
| An environmental claim has incomplete or incompatible evidence. | Keep the unsupported wording out of publication. Define the exact claim, period and boundary, obtain comparable source evidence and review assumptions before approval. Keep any offset information separate from the shipment estimate. | Business making the claim with its review owner and data provider | Proposed wording, comparable baseline, method and source records, stated limitations and approval reference. |
Activity data is missing for a transport leg.
- Next action
- Mark the leg as missing and request the relevant activity data. If a method permits an estimate, disclose its basis and limitation; do not treat the missing activity as zero or publish a complete-chain comparison without explaining the gap.
- Action owner
- Reporting owner with the carrier or data provider
- Evidence before proceeding
- Leg reference, data request, supplied record or documented estimation basis, boundary and open question.
A quotation’s volumetric or chargeable weight has been used as actual cargo mass.
- Next action
- Keep pricing weight separate. Obtain the measured cargo mass or the activity basis required by the selected method, then correct the record and any affected calculation with a visible revision.
- Action owner
- Logistics coordinator with the packing team and reporting owner
- Evidence before proceeding
- Final weighing record, pricing-weight reference, method requirement and revised calculation version.
The proposed packaging is damaged or does not meet the agreed protection check.
- Next action
- Hold the affected packing version and stock release. Record the observation, review protection and obtain approval for repair, repacking or another suitable version before dispatch; include replacement material in the review.
- Action owner
- Packing team and stock owner
- Evidence before proceeding
- Condition photos, packing version, failed-check observation, approved rework and new measurements.
An environmental claim has incomplete or incompatible evidence.
- Next action
- Keep the unsupported wording out of publication. Define the exact claim, period and boundary, obtain comparable source evidence and review assumptions before approval. Keep any offset information separate from the shipment estimate.
- Action owner
- Business making the claim with its review owner and data provider
- Evidence before proceeding
- Proposed wording, comparable baseline, method and source records, stated limitations and approval reference.
Worked example: packaging material mass for 100 packs
Fictional example for practising the packaging review. The quantities and material masses are assumptions.
A merchant is considering packaging options A and B for an assumed batch of 100 identical packs. The assumed packaging material masses are 200 g per pack for A and 150 g per pack for B; the example does not establish equal protection or actual shipment results.
- Assumed comparison batch
- 100 packs for A and 100 packs for B; invented teaching input.
- Option A: assumed material mass
- 200 g × 100 = 20,000 g = 20 kg; calculated from the teaching assumptions.
- Option B: assumed material mass
- 150 g × 100 = 15,000 g = 15 kg; calculated from the teaching assumptions.
- Material mass difference
- (200 − 150) g × 100 = 5,000 g = 5 kg; arithmetic from the same invented inputs.
For these assumptions, B uses 5 kg less packaging material across 100 packs. This is a material-mass difference, not a carbon-reduction result. No reduction percentage, recycling outcome or verified performance follows from it. Before using a real packaging claim, measure the actual materials, approve protection checks and record the comparison boundary and evidence.
Preparation checklist
Mark the items you have reviewed. Keep a copy or printout for your records; your choices stay in this page session.
Your selections record your own review and do not verify environmental performance or grant operational approval.
0 of 6 reviewed
Read or select my summary
Clear removes page marks. Copied and printed summaries remain with you; browser back navigation may restore marks.
https://royalmailparcel.com/resources/green-economy/
Sources reviewed 7 October 2026. Check the linked guidance for your goods, destination and service before acting.
Worksheets
Transport carbon activity log
A blank activity log for journey legs, mass, distance, factor source, boundary and data quality. It does not calculate or verify a footprint.
Using the worksheets
- Create a review reference and reporting period. Add a separate record for each included shipment leg with origin, destination, mode and carrier or data provider.
- Enter the measured mass or other activity basis required by the method, the distance and its source, and the factor source, version, year and units. State the included boundary and allocation method; leave unconfirmed inputs visible rather than recording them as zero.
- Add an estimated emissions value only where the inputs and chosen method support it. Record exclusions, assumptions, evidence and review owner. This worksheet does not calculate or verify the footprint.
Packaging & circularity review
Record packaging changes, protection checks, return decisions and the evidence for any environmental claim.
Using the worksheets
- Record the reference/date, SKU/order/return, both packaging versions, materials, masses and dimensions; state whether masses are per finished pack or for the same named batch and quantity.
- Record protection or reuse checks, item condition and missing parts. Describe the proposed change or disposition and obtain the stock owner’s approval before rework, release or disposal.
- Keep the authorised recycling or waste route and relevant transfer reference where applicable. Record the exact environmental wording, comparable baseline and period, evidence and exclusions, then name a reviewer and next review date.
Complete these blank worksheets offline. They are preparation records, not a customs declaration, product approval or verified emissions report. No file is uploaded to this website.
Record maintenance
- Review the records when the packing version, cargo, route, carrier, destination or reporting method changes. Check the linked official guidance for the activity and retain the version used.
- At an agreed operational review, reconcile actual packaging use, shipment activity and return decisions with their evidence. Assign an owner to unresolved data, damage or disposition questions.
- Before publishing or renewing an environmental statement, match its wording to current comparable evidence, dates and boundaries. Revise or withdraw wording that the records no longer support.
Frequently asked questions
Does sea freight always make a shipment greener?
Compare the actual service options across the stated transport chain and delivery requirement. Mode, route, utilisation, inland legs and the calculation method affect the result; a mode name alone does not prove a reduction.
Can I use volumetric weight for a carbon estimate?
Volumetric and chargeable weight help calculate shipping charges. Use the mass or activity basis required by the emissions method and disclose any substitute or assumption, rather than treating a pricing weight as measured cargo mass.
Does this resource certify carbon neutrality?
It provides preparation guidance and blank records. A verified inventory, reduction or neutrality claim requires an appropriate method, evidence and any separately agreed verification. No worksheet or website checklist issues certification.