Deutsche Post DHL Group has pledged to reduce all logistics-related emissions to net zero by the year 2050.
The move comes as part of the company’s aim of being the market leader in green logistics and amidst plans to expand its portfolio of green products and services to help customers achieve their own climate protection targets. “The decisions we make today will determine how our children live 30 years down the line,” said Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group.
The reduction pledge covers both Deutsche Post DHL Group itself as well as the transport subcontractors it works with. Ahead of the target the company has set out four interim milestones that it hopes to hit by 2025 as part of the group’s environmental protection program GoGreen:
- Globally, Deutsche Post DHL Group will increase the carbon efficiency of its own activities and those of its transport subcontractors by 50% compared to the 2007 baseline.
- At the local level, the Group aims to improve the lives of people right where they live and work using clean transport solutions. Deutsche Post DHL Group will operate 70% of its own first and last mile services with clean pick-up and delivery solutions e.g. by bike and electric vehicle.
- More than 50% of sales will incorporate Green Solutions, making customers’ supply chains greener.
- The Group will train and certify 80% of its employees as GoGreen specialists by 2025, and actively involve them in its environmental and climate protection activities. The company also plans to join with partners to plant one million trees every year.
Through GoGreen the company hit its previous target – of improving carbon efficiency by 30% over the 2007 baseline – in 2016, four years ahead of schedule.
Savings were achieved through two basic principles: burn less – which is about reducing energy consumption without changing the energy source, such as measures to improve load capacity – and burn clean which focuses on using green energy sources and fuels, such as electric vehicles for pickup and delivery.
Image credit: Deutsche Post DHL Group
