DHL Supply Chain announced that it is rolling out a global Green Transport Policy to set a global standard for its transport fleet and signalling future investments towards decarbonized transport solutions.

In the announcement, DHL said the primary goal is to make substantial reductions in carbon emissions in line with the Group's Sustainability Roadmap.

"Transport services are one of the key contributors to the company's emissions footprint, and it strives to set the standard for a greener future," DHL said. "The policy provides guidance on the most suitable greener alternative based on factors such as availability, infrastructure, and cost per market."

As an initial move, DHL Supply Chain said it will transition around 2,000 of its vehicles from conventional combustion engines to greener alternatives, including hydrotreated vegetable oil, biogas, electric or hydrogen.

Over the next three years, DHL Supply Chain's commitment to an additional investment of 200 million euros in fossil fuel alternatives promises to reduce close to 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, marking a resolute step toward environmental sustainability and reduced carbon emissions.

It said that these savings are equivalent to offsetting the CO₂ emissions produced by 2,200 trucks, each driving a daily distance of 500 kilometres, over the course of one year.

At the outset, this new policy takes investments in 17 countries with the highest emissions footprint.

"These countries collectively account for 94% of the emissions from our own fleet within the transportation sector. Our ambitious target is to have a 30% share of sustainable drives and fuels across our own fleet by the end of 2026, taking advantage of the potential of eco-friendly fuel alternatives through our pioneering Green Transport Policy," said Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Supply Chain.

He noted that in doing so, DHL is "not only setting a new industry standard but also underscoring our unwavering commitment to future generations."

"Furthermore, by extending an invitation to our customers to join us on this transformative journey and to actively support green road transportation, we provide them with a powerful tool to make their supply chains greener," de Bok added.

DHL Supply Chain recently announced its plan to deploy a substantial fleet of biomethane trucks throughout Ireland as part of its Green Transport Policy.

They have also committed to a decade-long agreement for investment in domestic biomethane energy production.