Digital mail reduces customer emissions: Kivra measured both

Kivra is a Swedish service that replaces paper mail with a digital equivalent. Users receive invoices, government letters, and other mail in the Kivra app instead of on paper. Every digitalised letter is mail that doesn’t need to be printed, transported, or recycled.

Starting point

Kivra Finland wanted two things: to know their own operational carbon footprint and to be able to tell their users how much good their use of digital mail produces for the climate.

The carbon handprint (positive climate impact) is strategically important messaging for Kivra. The company’s business model is built precisely on the fact that digital mail is more environmentally friendly than paper post.

What was done

NGS calculated Kivra Finland’s organisational carbon footprint per GHG Protocol Scope 1–3. In a technology company’s accounting, cloud service energy consumption, business travel, and office infrastructure were emphasised.

In addition, NGS calculated Kivra’s carbon handprint: the climate benefit that digital mail produces compared to paper mail. The handprint clearly exceeds the footprint: Kivra produces more positive impact than it causes emissions.

Result

Kivra received a two-part package: transparent carbon footprint accounting for their own operations, and a data-based handprint message. The result is used both in internal reporting and in customer communications.