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Idea management

We believe that innovation is a critical success factor for our company. Only companies that continue to improve processes, products, and services will be able to maintain their competitive edge in the long term. Our employees are experts in their respective fields. Their ideas and suggested improvements contribute to the success of our company.

Ideas with the potential to create value

In 2009, our employees submitted some 227,000 ideas suggesting how we can streamline processes, reduce repair and energy costs, and enhance environmental protection. The benefit derived for our company amounted to €262 million (previous year: €265 million). The increased number of suggested improvements in 2009 is a clear indication that Idea Management is more popular than ever, even 10 years after its introduction at Deutsche Post DHL. Our employees value this tool as an opportunity to put forward their own innovative proposals and therefore to contribute to the company’s value creation.

Manfred Bonn

“Idea Management tools help me get a structured angle on my team’s expertise and then enable me to initiate change processes.”

Manfred Bonn, Department Head HR/Service, MAIL branch, Düsseldorf, Germany

Increasingly international

The quality of Idea Management has reached a very high standard in Germany but more and more employees in our global network are putting forward their proposals. One came from North America, where Idea Management was introduced at DHL Global Forwarding in mid-2007. Michelle Merrick suggested that there should be a call for bids for energy supply contracts and that they should be renegotiated. As a result, our location in Dallas (USA) has cut costs by almost US$150,000. All other DHL Global Forwarding locations in North America picked up on her idea. In 2009, pilot projects were rolled out in Europe, including at DHL Express UK and DHL Supply Chain Netherlands.

Pieter Metz

“The success of Deutsche Post DHL today and in the future hinges on how far the organization is able to tap into the skills of its employees. Idea Management provides the process, the tools and the incentive system.”

Pieter Metz, Manager Health, Safety, Environment and Quality, Program Management FirstChoice, GoGreen and Idea Management, Department Operations Excellence, DHL Supply Chain, Netherlands

Best practice

10 years of modern Idea Management

Since 1999, we have been rewarding the people submitting the best ideas with membership in our Thinkers’ Club. In the past 10 years, more than 500 employees have received the reward commending them for their special contribution. In total, almost 6,000 people have taken part in Thinkers’ Club events and to date,  about 1.5 million ideas have been submitted. Savings from these ideas have been calculated to total more than €1.4 billion.

According to the German Institute for Business Studies (Deutsches Institut für Betriebswirtschaft – dib), Deutsche Post DHL has been the uncontested leader in the field of Idea Management among German companies for years. In 2009, the Institute presented Walter Scheurle with the first-ever dib Management Award, commending his “excellent work and results in sustainably promoting idea and innovation management as a management tool”.

Save fuel idea 2009

Employees from the MAIL division submitted almost 7,000 ideas to a save fuel competition. One of the ideas was submitted by Rudolf Hoppert, deliverer in the MAIL branch in Würzburg. “Whenever I can, I leave the van and deliver parcels on foot,” explains Hoppert. “Getting in and out all the time, and the starting and stopping involved, is not only time consuming, but also heavy on fuel.” The reward: His fuel consumption is 31 % less fuel than other deliverers with similar rounds.

“ThinkGreen – GoGreen”

DHL EXPRESS collected climate protection ideas in five countries in its climate protection competition “ThinkGreen – GoGreen”. Doron Aviman and Brian Boenk from Denmark came up with one of the best ideas. They developed an automated USB-based save power bar for every PC workstation. Accessories like a mouse, printer or scanner can be connected to the bar. Switching off the computer also interrupts the power supply to all connected devices. These measures can save up to €4,500 at each location.

Markus Schmid

“Everybody should check their responsibilities every day to identify potential improvements. Being First Choice for our customers starts with everybody’s own contribution.”

Markus Schmid, MAIL branch, Dortmund, Germany

For 2010, we are planning to:

  • enhance Idea Management tools and to make use of our employees’ creative potential to promote the success of our Group initiatives
  • further implement Idea Management across our regions and divisions.
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Last change: 04/15/2010

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