Deutsche Post sacks global delivery person emoji initiative

Deutsche Post is supporting a global effort to create a dedicated delivery person emoji, highlighting the essential role of postal and parcel workers worldwide. The initiative, led by the Austrian Post, is under review by the Unicode Consortium in the United States and could see a new emoji available on smartphones in 2026.

Emojis are a key part of digital communication, with more than 3,800 pictograms representing emotions, activities, and professions. However, the role of the postal and parcel delivery person is missing, despite millions of people interacting with these workers daily. Deutsche Post, together with international organisations including the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and International Post Corporation (IPC), is advocating for a change.

Benjamin Rasch, Head of Marketing for Deutsche Post’s German Postal and Parcel Division, said: “Whether it’s the joy of receiving a personal letter, sending important documents, or eagerly awaiting a parcel, the profession of the postal and parcel delivery person is an integral part of everyday life for people worldwide. It is time to give these workers a face of their own in the digital world.”

The proposal has received broad support from postal companies across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. National postal services from Egypt, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Slovenia, along with the Austrian Post as the initiative’s originator, have backed the idea. UNI Global Union, representing 20 million workers in 150 countries, has also endorsed the application. A resolution supporting the delivery emoji was unanimously adopted at the World Postal Congress of the UPU in Dubai at the end of September.

The process for a new emoji begins with the Unicode Consortium, which manages the standardised character set. Applications were accepted until July 2025. If approved, the Consortium will develop a design proposal for software companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and WhatsApp to implement, making the delivery person emoji widely available in 2026.

Deutsche Post aims to draw attention to the initiative on World Post Day, celebrated on 9 October, which recognises the importance of national postal services worldwide.