Deutsche Post DHL Group
Deutsche Post DHL Group’s sustainability roadmap builds on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN Global Compact Principles. With its mission to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 ("Mission 2050"), the company strives for clean operations for climate protection. On its journey towards zero emission logistics, DPDHL committed to set itself a GHG emission reduction target for 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement through the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). To this end, the Group is investing a total of 7 billion euros (Opex and Capex) over the next ten years in measures to reduce its emissions. The funds will flow in particular into alternative aviation fuels, the expansion of the zero-emission e-vehicle fleet and climate-neutral buildings.
The company’s GHG footprint is around 33 million tonnes well-to-wheel (2020), most of which is generated from air freight (66%), followed by road (22%), ocean (10%) and buildings (2%). Implementing a strategy to significantly reduce emissions is complex because DPDHL needs to engage with thousands of subcontractors to who are responsible for nearly 80% of the Group’s emissions.
“As a leading logistics company, we’re proud of the work we do to connect people and enable progress around the globe. We also acknowledge our industry’s special responsibility towards the environment and therefore drive the decarbonization of our business, focusing on innovative technologies and sustainable fuels. But green logistics require collaboration – which is why we actively engage with our customers, suppliers and peers and support initiatives like GLEC.”
Andreas Muendel
Senior Vice President Strategy & Operations Programs, Deutsche Post DHL Group
Report and set targets
- One of the founding members and first adopters of the GLEC Framework, DPDHL actively supports its further development, and promotes it through green freight programs and other initiatives.
- Set the target to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050. By 2030, DPDHL aims to reduce absolute GHG emissions to below 29 million tonnes despite continued business growth in line with the Science-based Targets initiative. Other 2030 interim targets include 30% sustainable fuel blending in all transport modes and 60% of global delivery vehicles to be electrically powered, hence to have more than 80,000 eVehicles on the road.
Reduce
- Implements numerous solutions to optimize fleets, facilities and networks. For example, about 18,000 vehicles with alternative drive systems are deployed in its mail and parcel operations. DPDHL already delivers 35% of its own first and last mile services with clean pick-up and delivery solutions.
- Explores decarbonization potential of innovative technologies and sustainable fuels. A Whitepaper on sustainable fuels was published in 2019 and the first uptake of sustainable fuels for aviation and ocean freight has commenced in 2020 within DPDHL’s own fleet as well as among their Scope 3 carriers via a book & claim / insetting system.
- Additionally, the Group is investing in environment friendly properties (office space, mail and parcel centers, and logistics warehouses): All new buildings being constructed will be climate-neutral.
Collaborate
- Motivates suppliers to focus on sustainability and climate through Supplier Awards – including innovators from the fields of green technologies and IT. The Group’s investment policy already requires new assets to be more energy efficient than the assets they replace and binding global minimum standards for heavy duty vehicles and buildings are implemented across the Group.
- Takes a leadership role on collaboration with other multinationals and logistics partners through major green freight programs, several of which it helped found: SmartWay, Clean Cargo Working Group, Green Freight Asia and the Sustainable Air Freight Alliance. DPDHL advocates for their global spread through the UN-led Global Green Freight Action Plan in support of the Paris Climate Agreement. Through the Transport Decarbonisation Alliance, the company promotes public-private partnerships to accelerate action, and explores the potential of hydrogen for heavy-duty trucks through the H2-share project.
About Deutsche Post DHL
Deutsche Post DHL Group is the world’s leading mail and logistics company. Deutsche Post is Europe’s leading postal service provider. DHL provides international express, freight transportation, e-commerce and supply chain management services.
References:
Deutsche Post DHL Group | Environment
DPDHL Whitepaper on Sustainable Fuels
Deutsche Post DHL Group ESG Presentation and ESG StatBook
Deutsche Post DHL Group Green product & solution portfolio
EPA SmartWay Program
Clean Cargo Working Group
Green Freight Asia
Sustainable Airfreight Alliance
UN-led Global Green Freight Action Plan
Transport Decarbonisation Alliance
H2-Share: Reducing emissions for heavy-duty transport in NWE through hydrogen solutions