Deutsche Post DHL Group’s air and ocean freight service DHL Global Forwarding announced that it has joined the Eco-Skies Alliance program, enabling customers to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to help lower the environmental impact of aviation.

Air transport has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as a significant contributor to GHG emissions. According to European Commission estimates, aviation accounts for 2% of global GHG emissions. SAF is seen by market participants as one of the key tools for the industry to address its emissions impact, as it generates 80% less lifecycle carbon emissions than conventional jet fuel. SAF is generally produced from sustainable resources, like waste oils and agricultural residues, or even from carbon captured from the air, rather than from fossil fuels.

The Eco-Skies Alliance was launched by United Airlines last month, aimed at enabling corporate customers the opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of travel and shipping beyond purchasing offsets, by paying the additional cost of SAF. Under the program, leading global corporations will collectively contribute towards the purchase of approximately 3.4 million gallons of SAF this year to be used on United flights, equivalent to eliminating approximately 31,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or enough to fly passengers over 220 million miles.

Jan Krems, President of United Cargo, said:

“Reducing our emissions from fuel use is critically important and when companies as large as DHL recognize the value in switching to SAF, we’re another step closer to establishing SAF as a long-term, permanent solution for aviation. The Eco-Skies Alliance is an opportunity for us to collaborate with like-minded corporate and cargo customers, like DHL, who are leaning into the climate discussion and actively finding ways to leverage their relationships to decarbonize their aviation-related impact on the environment.”

The announcement aligns with DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap, launched earlier this year, which include a series of decarbonization and environmental sustainability commitments by the company, including the introduction of more ambitious climate targets and linking executive compensation to ESG goals. DHL’s targets include a goal to have at least 30% of fuel requirements in aviation and line haul to be covered by sustainable fuels for long haul flights.

Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said:

“We are very proud to take another step on our sustainability roadmap towards zero emissions. Through this partnership we will be able to show how a market mechanism for SAF can help airlines, freight forwarders, and shippers work together to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, ultimately zero carbon emissions transport sector.”

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