Pursuant to Article 8 of Regulation 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council as well as Delegated Regulations 2021/2178 and 2023/2486 of the European Commission.
Contribution to the climate and environmental objectives of the European Union
We report our contribution to the European Union’s (EU) six environmental objectives according to the guidelines laid down in the EU Taxonomy regulation and report the taxonomy-aligned (aligned) and taxonomy-eligible shares of revenue, capital expenditure (capex) and operating expenditure (opex).
Taxonomy-eligible economic activities (activities) are considered environmentally sustainable and therefore aligned if they make a substantial contribution to one of the six EU environmental objectives and are not associated with significant harm to one or more other environmental objectives (do-no-significant-harm (DNSH) criteria). In addition, for all activities, the Group complies with required frameworks for minimum safeguards that relate to respecting human rights and social and labor standards, as well as anti-corruption fair competition and taxation.
Aligned activities exclusively make a substantial contribution to EU environmental objective 1. No aligned activities were identified in conjunction with EU environmental objective 2 that make a substantial contribution to risk avoidance or the reduction of the risk of adverse effects of the current and projected climate on the activity itself or on people, nature or assets without increasing the risk of adverse effects on people, nature or assets. The activities in the area of construction and real estate make no substantial contribution to EU environmental objective 4.
SIX EU ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES
1 Climate change mitigation
2 Climate change adaptation
3 Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources
4 Transition to a circular economy
5 Pollution prevention and control
6 Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems
The requirements of the EU Taxonomy were expanded in the year under review: new activities in the air freight sector were added to the first EU environmental objective, and further activities were added to the EU environmental objectives 3 to 6. The taxonomy eligibility was determined and reported for these new activities. In accordance with this, we primarily carry out activities in EU environmental objectives 1 and 2; with regard to EU environmental objective 4, two activities fall under the area of construction and real estate.
The Group policy for implementing the requirements of the EU Taxonomy includes the guidelines for determining the aligned shares of revenue, capex and opex. The data is collected accordingly in the Group-wide finance and controlling systems. In the year under review, the Group policy and the Group-wide finance and controlling systems were adapted with regard to the additional requirements. For the first time, we can now report the taxonomy-eligible shares of our air freight operations.
Development of the Taxonomy KPIs
The taxonomy-eligible and -aligned shares increased compared with the previous year. The expansion of the taxonomy requirements in the area of air freight in particular played a significant role in the increase in taxonomy eligibility. The increase in taxonomy alignment results from our decarbonization measures in the pickup and delivery fleet and the improved identification of taxonomy-aligned activities.
Taxonomy-eligible and -aligned shares
%
2022
2023
Taxonomy-eligible shares
Revenue
53
65
Capital expenditure (capex)
63
91
Operating expenditure (opex)
58
82
Taxonomy-aligned shares
Revenue
12
15
Capital expenditure (capex)
25
30
Operating expenditure (opex)
11
15
Determining taxonomy eligibility
In the year under review, the reporting approach for the taxonomy-eligible activities was reviewed and confirmed: We still assign our transport services, including the necessary infrastructure and buildings, to Sector 6 “Transport,” while real estate not used for transport services is assigned to Sector 7 “Construction and real estate.” The reporting approach for the following activities was supplemented, reviewed and adapted.
Changes in reporting approach
Activity
Change
6.15
Infrastructure enabling low-carbon road transport and public transport
Air transport hubs with transshipment to road freight are now reported as taxonomy-eligible.
6.19
Passenger and freight air transport
New
6.20
Air transport ground handling operations
New
7.3
Installation, maintenance and repair of energy efficiency equipment
Previously reported in activity 6.15. Now reported separately.
7.6
Installation, maintenance and repair of renewable energy technologies
Previously reported in activity 6.15. Now reported separately.
The EU Taxonomy still does not take into account all economic activities that are relevant for our business. Revenue from operating warehouses (Supply Chain division) in particular is therefore not reported as taxonomy-eligible.
Capex generated by the addition of assets can be assigned directly to individual activities, while revenue and opex can generally not be directly assigned. In these cases, we primarily use a cost-based allocation logic that reflects the business models of the divisions. We avoid double counting by assigning revenue, capex and opex to only one activity respectively and taking intra-Group relationships into account on a consolidated basis. Property, plant and equipment from business combinations were primarily allocated to the "Construction and real estate" and "Transport" sectors; intangible assets from business combinations were classified as not taxonomy-eligible.
Determining taxonomy alignment
All taxonomy-eligible activities were reviewed with regard to their alignment in the year under review. The following statements are in regard to the aligned assets per activity and the associated shares of revenue, capex and opex.
Applied evaluation method
Technical evaluation criterion
Method
Substantial contribution to climate change mitigation: Does no significant harm (DNSH) to the EU environmental objectives of the sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources (DNSH 3), the transition to a circular economy (DNSH 4), pollution prevention and control (DNSH 5), the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems (DNSH 6)
Carried out on the basis of individual assets or groups of assets, provided that the evaluation of the criteria is possible on a superordinate level by means of uniform Group processes and within the framework of applicable national or EU regulations. These values were assessed as not aligned in all other cases. Various technical screening criteria relate to requirements from applicable EU legislation. If no equivalent requirements apply in non-EU countries, no alignment can be demonstrated accordingly.
Does no significant harm (DNSH) to the EU environmental objective of climate change adaptation (DNSH 2)
The climate-change-related risk assessment was carried out based on the TCFD analysis, which we supplemented with adjustment solutions for physical climate risks.
EU minimum safeguards for the respect for human rights and the preserving of employees’ rights, as well as regarding anti-corruption, fair competition and taxation
Ensured with our Code of Conduct, the Group policies on anti-corruption and standards for business ethics, the environment and energy, the Competition Compliance Policy, the Human Rights Policy Statement, the corresponding processes and management systems, the regular audits carried out by Corporate Internal Audit and the Group Tax Strategy. Ensured in the supply chain with our Supplier Code of Conduct, the procurement processes and supplier management, as well as the implementation of the requirements under the LkSG. At the time this report was prepared, there were no relevant legal proceedings ongoing in this context.
We generate a significant portion of our revenue from transport services (transport sector) in collaboration with suppliers and subcontractors, who render their services on an independent basis from a legal perspective. As a result, these activities and the assets associated with them must be evaluated there with regard to alignment with the EU Taxonomy. At the time this report was prepared, we largely did not have any information on the meeting of technical criteria for these activities and assets, so we are reporting them as not taxonomy-aligned, in particular in the activities 6.2, 6.5, 6.6 and 6.10. Even suppliers and subcontractors who report pursuant to the EU Taxonomy were unable to confirm to us the alignment of their underlying activities. If shares of revenue and opex cannot be directly assigned to aligned activities, we apply specific allocation keys – such as the percentage of taxonomy-aligned vehicles in the entire fleet – that also take individual characteristics of the divisions into account.
Determining taxonomy alignment (EU environmental objective of climate change mitigation)
Activity
Method
6.2
Freight rail transport
Our service providers were unable to confirm any alignment for the subcontracted rail transport.
6.4
Operation of personal mobility devices, cycle logistics: devices not subject to permits
Assets within this activity, e. g. bicycles, meet the requirements of the substantial contribution to cycle logistics. Thanks to partnerships with certified recycling companies, compliance with the requirements of DNSH 4 can be ensured and demonstrated.
6.5
Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars and light commercial vehicles: Light commercial vehicles1
Our electric vehicles operate without emissions and therefore meet the requirements of the substantial contribution. Compliance with regard to recyclability (DNSH 4) and emissions thresholds (DNSH 5) is a basic requirement for approval of electric vehicles in Europe, which is why we considered these to be met. In addition, the simultaneous meeting of the criteria for fuel efficiency and rolling noise of tires represents a substantial requirement of DNSH 5. For this reason, we have determined the respective vehicle- and use-specific requirements of the tires, including the load-capacity index, and identified the highest class containing some products in the EPREL2 database for each specification as well as checked the tire classification under DNSH 5 for each vehicle.
6.6
Freight transport services by road3: Heavy-duty vehicles4
Method is analogous to 6.5. Our electric vehicles do not transport any fossil fuels and are evaluated as aligned.
6.10
Sea and coastal freight water transport, vessels for
port operations and auxiliary activities
Our service providers were unable to confirm any alignment for the subcontracted ocean transport.
6.15
Infrastructure enabling low-carbon road transport and public transport: Infrastructure necessary for transport, for example sorting and distribution centers (including integral equipment) and air transport hubs with transshipment to road freight
Sorting and distribution centers, Packstation parcel lockers and hubs enable cargo handling between road freight and other modes of transport and therefore fulfill the substantial contribution of this activity. Compliance with the requirements of DNSH 4 could not be demonstrated for the construction of new buildings5 in particular outside of the EU. The analysis of the location and noise pollution of our sites showed that nearly all of them meet the requirements of DNSH 5 and 6.
7.1
Construction of new buildings: Office and administration buildings as well as warehouses
Within the EU, we were unable to demonstrate alignment; outside of the EU, alignment could not be evaluated due to a lack of well-founded thresholds for nonresidential buildings.
7.2
Renovation of existing buildings: Office and administration buildings as well as warehouses
Only major renovations are taxonomy-eligible. Generally, renovations do not make a substantial contribution (reduction of the primary energy need by 30%).
7.3
Installation, maintenance and repair of energy efficiency equipment: Relates to energy-efficient sources of light, among other things
There are no specific DNSH criteria for all of the measures mentioned except for insulation measures. These are therefore always taxonomy-aligned. For insulation measures, additional criteria under DNSH 5 have to be fulfilled (DNSH 2 and EU minimum safeguards are reviewed across activities).
7.6
Installation, maintenance and repair of renewable energy technologies: Relates to photovoltaic systems, among other things
Activity is always aligned, as there are no specific DNSH criteria (DNSH 2 and EU minimum safeguards are reviewed across activities).
7.7
Acquisition and ownership of buildings: Office and administration buildings as well as warehouses
Within the EU, we were able to demonstrate alignment for some office buildings and warehouses (buildings) with particularly low energy consumption that were constructed before 2021. For buildings built in or after 2021, alignment could not be demonstrated.
Outside of the EU, alignment could not be verified due to a lack of thresholds, as well as inapplicable EU criteria for energy certificates.
8.1
Data processing, hosting and related activities
Our data centers do not meet the criteria for a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation and are therefore not aligned.
1 EU Taxonomy vehicle classes M1 and N1 (unladen weight of up to 2.8 metric tons and total permitted weight of up to 3.5 metric tons).
2 European Product Registry for Energy Labeling.
3 Not including subcontracted road freight.
4 EU Taxonomy vehicle classes N1 to N3 (unladen weight of more than 2.8 metric tons or total permitted weight of more than 3.5 metric tons).
5 The criteria for recycling requirements for construction and demolition works are not applicable to existing buildings.
PROPORTION OF REVENUE FROM PRODUCTS OR SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH TAXONOMY-ALIGNED ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES – DISCLOSURE COVERING YEAR 2023
