DHL's CO2 Savings to Soar With Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deal

​DHL Express is to purchase more than 800 million litres of low-carbon Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in a landmark agreement, making it one of the biggest SAF aviation deals to date.

The logistics provider has entered a partnership with BP and Neste to provide the fuel within the next five years as it moves towards decarbonizing aviation logistics. Such deals, alongside other SAF introductions in the DHL network in San Francisco, East Midlands and Amsterdam, will exceed half of DHL Express’s target of reaching 10 per cent SAF blending for all air transport by 2026.

The CO2 savings on the aviation fuel lifecycle are roughly equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of approximately 400,000 passenger cars, while 800 million litres of SAF fuel being used for 1,000 annual DHL flights on the route between Cincinnati, USA and Leipzig, Germany, is equivalent to 12,000 carbon-neutral long-haul flights.

Frank Appel, CEO of Deutsche Post DHL Group, said: “As the world’s leading logistics provider, it is our commitment to provide green and more sustainable solutions for our customers. The landmark SAF deals with BP and Neste mark a significant step within the aviation industry and validate the framework of our Sustainable Roadmap.

“Using SAF is currently one of the aviation industry’s key routes to reducing CO2 emissions over the aviation fuel lifecycle with currently available aircraft types.”

Deutsche Post DHL Group’s Sustainability Roadmap commits to using 30 per cent of SAF blending for all air transport by 2030. Both BP and Neste will provide SAF produced from waste oils which can provide GHG emission reductions of up to 80 per cent over its lifecycle and lower DHL’s carbon footprint. Sustainability of the fuel will be ensured by avoiding the use of feedstock that competes with food production or causes indirect land-use change.

Martin Thomsen, SVP, Air BP said: “We are proud to complete this important deal which further deepens our strategic relationship with Deutsche Post DHL Group. As BP transitions to an integrated energy company, we are leveraging our value chain encompassing feedstocks, global production, logistics and airport infrastructure.

“Our ambition is to work even more closely with airports and airlines on decarbonization options, and we are promoting SAF at pace to support global aviation to realize its lower carbon ambitions.”

John Pearson, CEO DHL Express, said: “With every SAF deal, we are increasingly aware of the huge task that lies ahead in utilizing more sustainable solutions to help our customers. Not a day goes by without our customers asking us about low-carbon logistics solutions and partnering them in our joint aspiration to be part of creating a more sustainable future.

“The new SAF deals with BP and Neste are milestones on this journey. Our key focus is to inspire more SAF suppliers to address the current supply gap. At the same time, we are calling on policymakers to set the right framework to accelerate market ramp-up of SAF in the EU and worldwide, including an accounting mechanism that allows flexible SAF purchases and usage.”

Peter Vanacker, President and CEO of Neste, said: “This milestone agreement, our largest ever for SAF, underlines the growing need and urgency – as well as the commitment – to act on aviation-related emissions. We are pleased to take this significant step together with DHL, which shows the joint ambitions of both companies and is further progress in our journey towards creating a healthier planet for our children.

“SAF is a cornerstone of the aviation industry’s efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It requires a joint effort across the aviation value chain with all stakeholders, using all available raw materials and solutions, to reach that goal.”

Samantha Calvey, Senior Consultant at Acre, said: “It is exciting to see the real-world impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuel within a leading company such as DHL, and how suppliers such as bp have an amazing opportunity to drive forward change within aviation and logistics. There’s been a growth in hiring within Carbon and Net-Zero roles recently and this is expected to continue with such a focus on net-zero emissions within manufacturing, logistics and aviation. Businesses that haven’t been truly focused on these areas will soon start to be left behind if they don’t add talent to these teams.

Samantha is a Recruitment Consultant within Acre's Sustainable Business team. She focuses on recruiting for junior to mid-level roles within infrastructure, manufacturing and professional services.

At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy.  Our 18 years' experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.  Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too.  We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations.  Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.