United States Postal Service sustainability score: 27/100
Below expectations starts at 31. The highest score on SINK is 71.
The United States Postal Service is a federal agency operating the nation's mail and package delivery network. It began operations on July 1, 1971, succeeding the Post Office Department; its roots go back to 1792.
More about United States Postal Service
In FY2025 it had about 624,000 employees and $80.5 billion in operating revenue. It dominates domestic postal logistics and competes with private carriers in parcel services.
Founded 1971Head office United StatesStaff ~624,000 (30 Sep 2025, FY2025 Form 10-K)Revenue $80.5B operating revenue (FY2025, Form 10-K)Website ↗
USPS discloses emissions across Scopes 1–3 with multi-year data, but lacks third-party verification and split Scope accounting. Fleet electrification is underway yet slow: only 35,000 of 51,500 ordered vehicles are battery-powered. Scope 3 data was restated after errors; biodiversity and water remain largely unreported.
United States Postal Service scores 27/100 (Significant gaps) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Nobody can pay to change a score, speed it up or hide it. Last verified October 2026.
That places United States Postal Service joint 815th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 14th of 22 in Shipping / Logistics.
What is United States Postal Service doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Resource Use & Waste and Controversies & Red Flags (6/10, 6/10). Weakest on Nature & Biodiversity Impact and Energy Source (2/10, 3/10).
Where United States Postal Service lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
What would raise this score
- Its effect on natureAssess its effect on nature and publish a basic environmental policy.
- How clean its energy isMove to a renewable energy tariff or make a major efficiency investment.
- Its effect on waterMonitor its water use and take measures to reduce it.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations5/10No full Scope 1 and 2 figures worked out to the GHG Protocol.
- Emissions from its supply chain4/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling5/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is3/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature2/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste6/10No verified figures for reuse and recycling across the business.
- Its effect on water3/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets4/10Its targets aren't science-based or committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports5/10No dedicated sustainability role, board oversight or public report.
- Its record on controversies6/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is United States Postal Service's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas United States Postal Service's score changed?
United States Postal Service's score has been reviewed 2 times and currently stands where it started, at 27.
- 27 → 2714 October 2026
Bio correction (no score change): founded unset -> 1971; description adds 'roots go back to 1792'. Source: USPS FY2025 Form 10-K: 'began operations on July 1, 1971, succeeding the cabinet-level Post Office Department established in 1792'
- Scored 2713 October 2026
Initial public score 27 (publish-draft)
What evidence is United States Postal Service's score based on?
8 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
25% of them were published by United States Postal Service itself; the rest come from independent sources.
“Scope 1 emission sources consist of stationary combustion, including building heating (i.e., natural gas, fuel oil and propane), generators”
“Reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent”
“cut back on scope 3 emissions generated from services purchased by 20%”
“New circular economy goals include diverting 75% of waste from landfills, increasing recycled content of packaging to 74%, increasing package recyclability to 88%”
“The agency has so far ordered 51,500 NGDVs, including 35,000 battery-powered vehicles.”
“$9.6 billion to electrify its delivery vehicles and install related charging infrastructure at hundreds of facilities”
“the Postal Service violated NEPA by awarding a contract and issuing a task order prior to initiating the NEPA review”
“Republicans in Congress are working to rescind billions in Inflation Reduction Act funding meant to electrify the Postal Service's aging delivery fleet.”
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How does United States Postal Service compare with other shipping / logistics companies?
Where United States Postal Service sits among shipping / logistics peers.
Among the 22 major shipping / logistics brands we've scored, United States Postal Service is tied =14th of 22, with 2 others.
Who scores higher in Shipping / Logistics?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above United States Postal Service.
La Poste's operational footprint fell 10% in 2025 to 4.95 MtCO2e, against SBTi-validated targets for net zero by 2040.
See the breakdown →Yodel measures carbon intensity but refuses to publish absolute emissions figures despite operating 191 million parcels annually across a fossil-fuel fleet.
See the breakdown →FedEx reports 14.9 Mt of Scope 1 and 2 emissions with EY review-level assurance, but its contracted-transport Scope 3 rose from 6.36 Mt to 6.78 Mt in FY25 while Scope 1 and 2 fell.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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