Climate and environmental protection: on our way to climate neutrality
At Hermes, sustainability is deeply embedded in our DNA. We also have a long history of protecting the climate. We have been working systematically to protect the climate for many years and have strategically enshrined this as a corporate goal. And we are seeing successes: from 2006 to 2020, Hermes Germany managed to reduce CO2 emissions1 for parcel transport by 38%, with reductions of up to 57% at our locations, through specific actions aimed at avoiding and reducing the impact of our core processes – thus far, with no use of CO2 offsetting certificates.
Our approach: the smallest possible carbon footprint supplemented with meaningful carbon offsetting
Our number one priority is always to reduce our CO2 emissions. Our climate protection measures are focused primarily on the use of electric vans and cargo bikes in combination with micro-depots for deliveries, supplemented by renewable energies and highly efficient systems at our locations. We have increased our use of e-mobility and green electricity, a state-of-the-art fleet of trucks, alternative delivery models and the expansion of our ParcelShop network, as well as intelligent transport and route software that increases transport efficiency and avoids unnecessary journeys through high capacity utilisation and appropriate services. These and many other measures will allow us to keep reducing our carbon footprint.
As well as keeping our footprint as small as possible, our climate protection approach also includes offsetting CO2 emissions. We see carbon offsetting as a meaningful complementary measure for climate protection in areas where technological solutions are currently not available or economically feasible. This is the rationale behind measures such as CO2-neutral shipping through carbon offsetting, which we will be making available to our customers in stages. Although we believe that our main responsibility is to reduce our carbon footprint, certified carbon offsetting projects can have a positive impact on the climate – and the effect is immediate.
1 Volume-adjusted emissions with clients from the Otto Group
“The subject of sustainability has been an integral part of our everyday corporate life at Hermes for many years now – so much so, that we can no longer imagine our operational activities without it. And what’s more, sustainability has become a strategic goal for us these days. Why is that? Because we want to continue expanding successfully as the Hermes Group – but not at the expense of the climate or the environment. For us, sustainable business activities are not an end in themselves, but an investment in the future.”
Olaf Schabirosky, CEO Hermes Germany
Green delivery
Hermes develops innovative concepts and solutions for sustainable logistics. For example, we are promoting emission-free delivery in large cities and are increasingly relying on e-mobility to reduce our carbon footprint.
Energy efficient locations
We are investing in new, state-of-the-art and sustainable logistics locations, while modernizing older facilities. Our energy efficiency measures have led to considerable CO2 reductions.
Climate protection projects
Hermes supports certified projects for climate protection run by the climate protection organization atmosfair and is gradually working towards carbon-neutral shipping through carbon offsetting.
