Contributing to economic development and social progress
We contribute to the socioeconomic development of the regions in which we operate through our sites, our employees and our business partners, thereby making a contribution to social and individual prosperity. As part of our corporate citizenship initiatives, we are leveraging our global network and the expertise of local employees in line with our purpose: Connecting people, improving lives.
Partnerships and initiatives
Our initiatives enable us to use our strengths and capabilities to effect change locally and to work together to meet global challenges. We partner with established international organizations to ensure that our initiatives have the greatest impact possible. With GoHelp (disaster management), GoTeach (increasing employability), GoTrade (promoting trade) and GoGreen (environmental protection), we also support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, 5, 8, 11, 13 and 17.
We also support employee engagement through our Global Volunteer Day, the “DHL’s Got Heart” initiative and the Improving Lives Fund. Volunteering encourages employees to participate in local communities.
Based on the Group-wide annual survey of employees, we know that corporate citizenship is a relevant factor in determining the overall level of motivation. They want to contribute to social and environmental objectives not only in their personal lives but also at work, to help society and the environment and to enhance the Group’s reputation. We therefore measure the success of our initiatives using the approval rate for the survey question asking whether our employees are proud of DHL Group’s contribution to society. In the year under review, 78% (previous year: 79%) of all employees responded positively.
Employees take part in the Go programs in large numbers
In the year under review, our employees once again took part in social projects in large numbers as part of our Go programs. The focal points were on humanitarian missions following the severe earthquakes in Turkey, Syria and Morocco. Our GoHelp teams supported efforts on the ground with their logistics expertise. Our internal We Help Each Other aid fund also provided financial support for employees affected by natural disasters and war. Employee donations were matched by the Group, thus doubling our employees’ contributions. In addition, we implemented minimum standards for GoTeach and strengthened the GoTrade training programs.
