Zero-emission logistics by 2050

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GoGreen, the environmental protection program by the Deutsche Post DHL Group, is working well. The current environmental target of a 30 percent CO₂ efficiency increase compared to 2007 has been achieved – four years ahead of schedule. So, it’s time for new goals, and they are even more ambitious ... The Group's new guideline is to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero. That makes Deutsche Post DHL Group the first large logistics company in the world to set itself such a broad and ambitious target. The Group, which sees sustainability as an integral part of the company's strategy, is thus once again setting standards in green logistics. At the same time, the zero-emissions decision demonstrates its pioneering role in environmental and climate protection.

Partial targets for 2025

The new climate protection targets apply to the Group’s own activities as well as those of transport partners. The mission is supported by four specific sub-targets that Deutsche Post DHL intends to achieve in 2025 as part of the Group-wide environmental protection program GoGreen:

1. On a global level, Deutsche Post DHL Group will increase the CO₂ efficiency of its own activities and those of transport partners by 50 percent compared to the base year of 2007.
2. On a local level, Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to improve the quality of life of people where they live and work through clean transport solutions. To this end, 70 percent of the company'sown pick-up services and deliveries are to be transferred to clean solutions, such as electric vehicles.
3. The share of turnover that contains green solutions and thus makes the supply chain of our customers greener, is to rise to more than 50 percent.
4. 80 percent of employees are to be certified as experts in green logistics through training measures by 2025 and actively participate in environmental and climate protection activities. In addition, the Group intends to plant a million trees together with partners every year.

The company is thus playing its part in achieving the goal of the Paris Climate Protection Agreement to limit global warming to below two degrees Celsius, and is also supporting the United Nations Agenda 2030.

Seizing opportunities – facing new challenges

With its new climate protection activities, the Group is focusing on its extensive experience with the environmental protection program GoGreen. The company actually reached its environmental goal of improving CO₂ efficiency by 30 percent compared to the base year of 2007 four years ahead of schedule, in 2016. This was achieved by a wide range of optimization measures for the vehicle fleet, buildings and the design of logistical networks. “I also see great opportunities for DHL Freight with regards to GoGreen – for example the pollution burden in inner cities. The first few cities have already imposed bans on old trucks, and more have been announced. Our customers are also increasingly asking us about this issue – because only those who are prepared will be able to supply them in the future", says Uwe Brinks, CEO DHL Freight.GoGreen provides management and employees with a set of tools and technologies to save fuel and energy, thus avoiding unnecessary costs. This is where LED lighting in the trans-shipment halls is a good example. DHL Freight has created its own work program for GoGreen, which contains specific measures to achieve the set goals. “These include eco-fuel with a high proportion of renewables, which we already primarily use in Sweden, as well as tests for LNG as a substitute for diesel. We are also continuously working to improve the aerodynamics of our vehicles," points out Christoph Schönwandt, Head of GoGreen, DHL Freight. “In the future, we will give our customers even more opportunities to consciously opt for green solutions by expanding our existing offer.”