International logistics company DHL is hoping to cut its carbon footprint by offering customers an e-billing service.

DHL plans to eliminate more than a third of the 18 million paper invoices it sends to European customers every year by 2010. The firm will do this by offering customers an e-billing option, whereby users login to an online portal to view and receive information about their invoices. As a result, the courier expects to save the equivalent of 2,400 trees and 600 tonnes of C02 a year.

DHL has already begun using e-billing in Europe, and expects to continue its existing success.

“The success of our e-billing project has already delivered significant environmental savings but this is a drop in the ocean compared to what we intend to achieve in the near future,” said Brian Thumwood, DHL’s e-billing manger for Europe.

“We are currently experiencing a 30 per cent increase in the number of e-invoices sent through the system each month, proving that organisations across Europe are ready and able to embrace this greener technology.”

Supplier Accountis worked with DHL on the system, spending two years developing the service. The two firms will continue to work together as they roll the service out across Europe.