Global push for delivery person emoji backed by Deutsche Post

Deutsche Post, along with several international postal organisations, has backed an initiative to create a dedicated delivery person emoji, highlighting the role of postal and parcel workers worldwide. The application, submitted by the Austrian Post, is currently under review by the Unicode Consortium in the United States.

Emojis are now a key part of digital communication, with over 3,800 symbols representing emotions, activities, and professions. However, the profession of postal and parcel delivery, which millions of people interact with daily, has no emoji of its own. Deutsche Post, together with the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the International Post Corporation (IPC), and other global postal organisations, aims to fill this gap.

Benjamin Rasch, Head of Marketing for Deutsche Post’s Postal and Parcel Division, said: “Whether it’s receiving a personal letter, sending important documents, or awaiting the delivery of goods, postal and parcel delivery is an integral part of everyday life. A dedicated emoji would allow billions to express their appreciation in the digital world.”

The initiative has already gained wide international support. In addition to Deutsche Post, postal companies from Austria, Egypt, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, and Slovenia have joined. The proposal was unanimously approved at the World Postal Congress of the UPU in Dubai in September.

The next step involves the Unicode Consortium reviewing all emoji submissions until November. If approved, the delivery person emoji will be designed and eventually added to the character sets of major software companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and WhatsApp, making it available on smartphones worldwide in 2026.

Deutsche Post plans to promote the initiative on World Post Day, October 9, to underline the importance of postal services and the contribution of delivery workers globally.