DHL, a leading logistics company, and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) announced a significant partnership to reduce emissions from air logistics transportation. Google will utilize DHL’s GoGreen Plus service and invest in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This collaboration aims to bolster sustainable practices in air transport across major regions including the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
The new agreement between Google and DHL follows a successful pilot project involving SAF from June to September 2023. This partnership is consistent with Google’s ongoing sustainability initiatives, including its participation in the Avelia Sustainable Aviation Fuel program and the United Airlines Ventures Sustainable Flight Fund. The latter efforts seek to drive SAF production and offer SAF credits to corporate customers.
DHL’s Commitment to Sustainability
DHL’s GoGreen Plus service is designed to enable real emissions reductions by allowing shippers to substitute conventional fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives or clean technologies. This service forms a crucial element of DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap, launched in 2021. The roadmap includes ambitious climate targets and ties executive compensation to ESG goals, aiming for at least 30% SAF blending for all air transport by 2030.
Google’s Director of Global Transportation, Omar Molina, emphasized the importance of optimizing transport to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030. He stated,
“Google has a goal to achieve net-zero emissions across our operations and value chain by 2030. Optimizing how we transport Google devices around the world is a key part of this journey. That’s why we’re thrilled to collaborate with partners like DHL, who share our passion for Net-Zero. The SAF program is a big step forward in that direction.”
Impact on Industry Standards
DHL CEO John Pearson expressed confidence that Google’s investment in the GoGreen Plus service would inspire others to adopt low-emission transportation solutions. Pearson noted,
“By deploying SAF across our international network, we are pleased to offer the GoGreen Plus service to our long-standing partner Google. We are confident that this agreement and Google’s meaningful investment will encourage others to take the same initiative and drive the transition to low-emission transportation services using sustainable aviation fuel.”
This partnership represents a broader trend within the logistics and technology industries to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices. Google’s previous collaborations and investments in SAF programs highlight its commitment to reducing carbon footprints. Comparing this to past efforts, it is evident that both companies are taking substantial measures to meet global sustainability targets.
The collaboration between DHL and Google signifies a meaningful step toward more sustainable air transport logistics. By focusing on real emissions reductions and leveraging sustainable aviation fuel, this partnership sets a new standard for the industry. Other companies will likely take note and potentially follow suit, further accelerating the shift to low-emission transportation solutions worldwide.
