"We are making further progress with our ambitious environmental strategy "Mission 2050: Zero Emissions" said Christof Ehrhart, Head of Corporate Communications and Responsibility at Deutsche Post DHL Group. "We improved the Carbon Efficiency Index (CEX) by two index points to 32% against the 2007 baseline. In doing so Deutsche Post DHL Group has exceeded its target for 2017 by one index point. On our path towards performing 70% of our first- and last-mile deliveries with clean technologies by 2025, we are now at around 28%. We also achieved our goal of planting one million trees in 2017, and will continue this initiative together with our partners globally."

In spite of the changes digitization and automation is bringing to the logistics sector, the Group's workforce numbers increased for the fifth consecutive year at an average annual growth rate of 3.2% since 2013, testifying the strength of the Group's position within the postal and logistics service industry.

Once again in 2017, Deutsche Post DHL Group received numerous distinctions from customers - confirmation of our "Gold" standard rating by EcoVadis -, and major rating agencies in recognition of its outstanding performance in corporate responsibility. The Group is newly listed in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and Thomson Reuters IX Global Diversity & Inclusion Index for its employee engagement, diversity and inclusion measures. Further major achievements in the reporting year include the company's relisting in both the Dow Jones Sustainability (DJSI) World and Europe indices, and the award of the best-in-class "AAA" rating from MSCI. For the fourth year in a row, the company has been recognized as the only logistics provider to achieve the highest rating. In addition, the CDP awarded the Group a rating of "A-", thus confirming Deutsche Post DHL Group's status as a sector leader in terms of environmental protection matters and performance.

In accordance with the new requirements of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch - HGB) that entered into effect for the 2017 reporting year, Deutsche Post DHL Group's Corporate Responsibility Report is now supplemented by a so called non-financial report. The new report fulfills additional reporting criteria and focuses in particular on environmental, personnel and social matters, human rights and combatting corruption. This new reporting requirement is indicative of the increasing relevance of corporate responsibility in society today.

The 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report is available here. It details Deutsche Post DHL Group's key social, economic and environmental activities in the reporting year and reports on strategic decisions, measures introduced, and targets achieved in 2017.