Our milestones towards sustainability

2022 - DPD promotes social commitment and alternative vehicles

2022 - DPD promotes social commitment and alternative vehicles

  • The DPD Foundation supports an aid project in Malawi

  • 150 new Mercedes eSprinters and 50 ONO cargo bikes are added to the sustainable vehicle fleet

2021 - Our path to low-emission delivery in 23 German cities

2021 - Our path to low-emission delivery in 23 German cities

New sustainable DPD depot in Holzgünz goes into operation

  • DPD launches a mobility hub in Berlin together with ONO, Swobbee and Sprint

  • New DPD depot in Holzgünz near Memmingen goes into operation

  • DPD uses provider-neutral micro-depot in Ludwigsburg

  • Commitment to diversity: DPD signs the Diversity Charter

  • Positive interim balance: delivery by cargo bike in Dortmund reduces local emissions

  • DPD measures Hamburg's air quality and publicises the measurement data

  • DPD provides support in regions badly affected by the floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate with donations and voluntary work by staff.

2020 - from cargo bikes to autonomous delivery vehicles – Working towards a sustainable future.

2020 - from cargo bikes to autonomous delivery vehicles – Working towards a sustainable future.

DPD implements innovative solutions in Nagold, Hamburg and Hanau.

2019 - zero emissions in Hamburg city centre

2019 - zero emissions in Hamburg city centre

By 2025 the CO2 emissions generated by parcel shipping are to be reduced by 30 % per parcel compared to 2013 values.

  • E-vans deployed for emission-free deliveries in Hamburg

  • KoMoDo project in Berlin has reached a positive conclusion after twelve months in daily trial operations

  • Swap body in use as a micro-depot in the city centre of Constance

  • Cargo bikes for Leipzig

  • DPD VW-eCrafters in Hanover

  • In a video delivery man Tamás Magó explains what is close to his heart

  • Green DPD depot opened in Hamm. Topping out ceremony for future green depots in Aichach near Augsburg and Holzgünz near Memmingen

  • DPDgroup is awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal for its commitment to sustainability. 

  • DPD's environmental  management is certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and DIN EN ISO 14001:2015.

  • The DPD Foundation supports further centres for early childhood education in Rwanda

  • DPD supports the waste food rescuers from SIRPLUS

2018 - electromobility gains momentum

2018 - electromobility gains momentum

2020 CO2 reduction target is exceeded as early as 2018.

  • DPD continues its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and deploys VW e-Crafters in Hamburg

  • DPD now also uses cargo bikes in Heilbronn and Hamburg

  • DPD uses TRIPL-Scooters to deliver parcels in Hamburg, Berlin and Cologne

  • DPD increases the use of fully electric delivery vehicles in Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg

  • New vehicle mix for switching between short urban and long rural routes

  • DPDgroup presents concrete scenarios for the use of the Renault EZ-PRO in parcel delivery services

  • With a reduction of 11.2 % on 2013 values the group-wide target of a 10 % reduction by 2020 is substantially exceeded.

  • For 2018 240,467 t CO2 is offset by generating 214,058 MWh of clean energy

  • DPD continues to focus on new, energy-efficient locations in Hamm, Melsdorf and Augsburg

2017 - reduction of CO2 emissions by 10 percent

2017 - reduction of CO2 emissions by 10 percent

CO2 emissions have been reduced by a further 10 percent compared to 2013.

  • Micro depots and cargo bikes are combined. Thanks to this combination, parcel deliveries in the city centre of Nuremberg are free from emissions.

  • Water heating, solar systems and heating by means of air-to-water heat pumps enable greater energy efficiency and therefore a reduction in emissions at the first green DPD depots in Steinen and Nagold

  • DPDgroup continues to be a pioneer in voluntary CO2 offsetting and also leads the way worldwide.

2016 - DPD Foundation and integrated environmental management

2016 - DPD Foundation and integrated environmental management

The DPD Foundation is created from the DPD Aid Fund for our own employees. 

The aim of the DPD Foundation is to promote a world in which children, young adults and their families do not suffer from poverty and can develop in conditions of health and freedom.

The activities of the DPD Foundation focus on three areas:

  • The DPD Aid Fund integrated into the foundation helps employees, system partners and delivery personnel who suddenly find themselves in need through no fault of their own.

  • Trainees are actively involved as sponsors and are in contact with children from Africa, Asia and Latin America via the cooperation partner Plan International.

  • Support for charitable projects through Plan International and other partners. Since 2016 DPD has been supporting a project in Rwanda which promotes early childhood education and creates new future prospects.

2015 - DPD Aid Fund

2015 - DPD Aid Fund

Employees can find themselves in a sudden emergency situation through no fault of their own - the DPD Aid Fund provides help! 

  • The DPD Aid Fund now helps DPD employees, system partners, delivery personnel, sorting hall contractors and their relatives in the event of personal misfortunes.

2014 - digital tools for consignee delivery specifications

2014 - digital tools for consignee delivery specifications

Digital tools are introduced to optimise last mile delivery and reduce the number of unsuccessful delivery attempts.

  • Consignee parcel notification by email and SMS (Predict), live tracking and redirection options (different place, different day, favourite parcel shop, parcel box or parcel station, delivery to neighbour)

2013 - the first anniversary of the Total Zero principle

2013 - the first anniversary of the Total Zero principle

The first of many successful carbon-neutral years is celebrated with "Mr Z" and a photo contest. 

  • "Mr Z" was the ambassador for the first anniversary with the Total Zero roadshow and a depot contest

2012 - launch of carbon-neutral parcel transport

2012 - launch of carbon-neutral parcel transport

The Total Zero principle: zero CO2 pollution. Zero extra costs for the customer.

  • On 1 July 2012 DPD becomes CO2 neutral 

  • DPD's entire parcel shipping operations within Germany, Europe and intercontinentally become CO2 neutral - at no extra cost for customers.  

  • The reduction of CO2 emissions is combined with investment in climate protection projects 

  • Any remaining emissions are compensated for by offsetting projects in France, Colombia and Cambodia

2011 – initial trials with e-mobility

2011 – initial trials with e-mobility

DPD expands its e-fleet and increasingly enters the field of emission-free parcel delivery.

  • An audit of the initial locations confirms that DPD complies with the ISO 14001 environmental standard, and the aim from now on is to meet the standard at all locations throughout Germany. 

  • DPD takes delivery of e-cell vans as early as 2010. These are tested in the Stuttgart and Hamburg areas.

2008 - reducing, re-using, recycling

2008 - reducing, re-using, recycling

Sustainable decisions on the use of resources.

  • Decisive conversion of company locations to waste separation and recycling 

  • Switch to environmentally friendly paper from sustainable forestry   

2006 - first sustainability initiatives at DPD

2006 - first sustainability initiatives at DPD

Fewer stops and fewer kilometres driven, thanks to deliveries made to DPD parcel shops

  • Group-wide efforts "on our own doorstep" in the field of sustainability. Recycling and energy-saving measures at DPD locations and efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.  

  • Parcel shops as an environmentally friendly alternative to stops along the last mile 

  • Various small and local participations in voluntary organisations, youth associations and municipal fundraising events  

  • The DPD Academy for further personal and professional development, seminars on maintaining a healthy back and non-smoking