Klima Protect | Sustainable shipping with GLS*

How does GLS implement sustainable parcel shipping?

As part of our GLS Klima Protect environmental strategy, we are focusing on a wide range of investments in all areas of the company, including energy efficiency, the use of renewable energies and the reduction of greenhouse gases. A central component is the transition of the delivery vehicle fleet to sustainable drive systems for parcel delivery to our business and private customers.

• Depots and infrastructure: We explicitly take ecological and social aspects into account in all new, replacement and extension buildings. We invest in modern, environmentally friendly technologies across the board to ensure that our equipment is environmentally friendly. The use of rainwater, photovoltaics, recyclable building materials, heat pumps, efficient lighting technology and thermally insulated building envelopes play an important role here. We use green electricity at almost all of our locations.

• Conversion of the vehicle fleet to e-mobility:  We are gradually converting our entire vehicle fleet to vehicles that during driving operation use electricity or fuels that create lower emissions than diesel or gasoline fuel (e.g. HVO, biogas, natural gas such as LPG, CNG, LNG) - this applies both to the fleet of our transport partners and to our own company car fleet. We are also creating the necessary charging infrastructure in our depots for the ongoing expansion of e-mobility.

• Micro-depots close to the city: In order to optimise and shorten transport processes in city logistics, we are setting up micro-depots close to the city.  From here, electric vehicles or cargo bikes set off on their delivery rounds. This saves transport routes, reduces noise and thus protects people and the environment.

• Minimisation of transport routes: We rely on modern, IT-supported planning tools to continuously improve our operational processes and transport procedures. This enables us to consistently minimise our transport routes and thus avoid greenhouse gas emissions.