Deutsche Post DHL receives German Sustainability Award

Deutsche Post DHL was awarded the "German Sustainability Award" in the category "Most sustainable strategy" yesterday evening in Düsseldorf, Germany. The jury, headed by Dr. Günther Bachmann, Secretary General of the Council for Sustainable Development, highlighted the special strategic direction of Deutsche Post DHL in facing the challenges of the future.

The jury recognized the company's readiness to assume economic, ecologic and social responsibility with a particular emphasis on the companies climate protection Program GoGreen. The program aims to improve the companies CO₂ efficiency by 30 percent by 2020 by reducing the CO₂ emissions for every letter and parcel sent, every tonne of cargo transported, and for every square meter of warehouse space used.

In addition, the award acknowledged the companies' outstanding global pro-bono engagement right after a natural disaster hit in sending so-called Disaster Response Teams who manage first logistic support for incoming relief goods at airports. The jury also highlighted DP DHL's education initiative Teach First Deutschland, which aims to provide equal access to education.

Deutsche Post DHL Chief Executive Officer Frank Appel, who attended the award ceremony in Düsseldorf, was happy to receive the prize: "Corporate responsibility is a strategic part of our business strategy and plays a major role for our economic success. Even in economically difficult times, we are determined to engage in a sustainable development."

The "German Sustainability Award" has been established to explore the current status of sustainable development in Germany, encourage the acceptance of ecological and social responsibility and identify role models. Special attention is paid to environment and climate-related commitment but also to activities in the areas of Corporate Governance and Corporate Citizenship.

In 2009 the "German Sustainability Award" runs in its second year, this time under the patronage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Foundation Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. awards the price with support of the German Federal Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs as well the Council for Sustainable Development.