Deutsche Post backs new emoji to honour delivery workers
Deutsche Post joins global postal companies to push for a delivery person emoji, highlighting workers’ daily importance.
Deutsche Post has joined postal companies worldwide to support the creation of a new emoji recognising delivery workers, a profession that touches the lives of millions every day. The initiative, led by the Austrian Post, is currently under review by the Unicode Consortium in the USA and could make delivery personnel visible on digital platforms across the globe by 2026.
Emojis are now a key part of digital communication, with over 3,800 representing emotions, activities, and professions. Yet, the role of postal and parcel delivery workers remains unrepresented. Deutsche Post, together with international organisations such as the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the International Post Corporation (IPC), aims to change that. Benjamin Rasch, Head of Marketing for the German Postal and Parcel Division, said: “Whether it’s the joy of receiving a personal letter, sending important documents, or awaiting a parcel, the postal and parcel delivery profession is an integral part of everyday life worldwide. It’s time for a dedicated delivery emoji.”
The proposal has gained broad support internationally. Postal companies from Egypt, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Slovenia have backed the initiative, alongside the Austrian Post as the originator. It is also endorsed by organisations representing postal workers across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, as well as UNI Global Union, representing 20 million workers in 150 countries. The initiative received unanimous backing at the World Postal Congress of the UPU in Dubai in September 2025.
The process now moves forward under the Unicode Consortium, which manages emoji standards. Submitted proposals will be reviewed until the end of November 2025, and if approved, a design will be created for software companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft to implement. The delivery person emoji is expected to be available on smartphones worldwide in 2026, allowing billions of people to express their appreciation digitally for those who deliver letters and parcels in all weather conditions.
