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Strategy 2030

Accelerate sustainable growth

Strategy 2030 key visual

With Strategy 2030: "Accelerate sustainable growth", we will strengthen our leading position in global logistics. This strategy is rooted in our strong foundation, driven by our ambition for climate neutrality, and centered on growth. By expanding our capabilities and seizing new market opportunities, we aim to maximize our impact on the logistics industry and beyond.

Key elements of Strategy 2030

Employees in front of a container vessel

Unlocking our full potential through dedicated growth strategies in our five divisions, driven by quality and efficiency.

Our Group's growth initiatives target markets and industry sectors that are growing significantly above the global GDP.

Female customer shopping for shoes
Streetscooter van driving along a street

“Green Logistics of Choice” introduced as a fourth bottom line, complementing our Group’s aim to be Employer, Provider and Investment of Choice.

Strategy 2030 framework

Strategy 2030 framework infographic

Mega trends that give us opportunities to grow

The following mega trends continue to have significant impact on the logistics industry. Our Group’s capabilities and adaptability position us to seize these emerging opportunities and shape the future of logistics, accelerating sustainable growth.

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Global Trade

Growth remains intact amid evolving trade patterns and increasingly complex supply chains due to trade diversification and a focus on resilience.

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E-Commerce

Domestic and cross-border e-commerce continue to grow, fueled by untapped market potential, low e-commerce penetration for certain products, and a growing population of digital natives.

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Climate Change

Climate change is a pressing issue, making sustainability essential, not a 'nice-to-have'. This shift opens opportunities for operational decarbonization.

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Digitalization

Rapid evolutions offer efficiency gains through accelerated progress in automation, AI, and rising demand by customers for digital interactions, but require robust cybersecurity measures.

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Evolving Workforce

Labor patterns and segment sizes are changing alongside shifts in how future generations perceive work, while emerging technologies are reshaping future job profiles.

Our Group’s capabilities and adaptability position us to seize these emerging opportunities and shape the future of logistics, accelerating sustainable growth.

Building on a strong foundation

Even though the world around us may shift, our previous strategic framework will remain part of Strategy 2030: Our purpose, our values, our customer promise, and our bottom lines. These aspects of our company remain constant, deeply rooted in our understanding of who we are and how we operate.

  • Our purpose, "Connecting people, improving lives" encapsulates our contributions to economic participation, prosperity, trade, communities, and to a better world. Since 2011, our purpose has fostered a culture of commitment and pride among our employees, providing the impetus to make a lasting positive global impact. Prosperity and economic participation are not a given – it is companies like ours that drive up productivity and eliminate waste in global supply chains, thus allowing for higher wages and lower cost of goods and services.

    With our business, we enable global trade and drive growth and prosperity for a better future. Our purpose makes us keenly aware of our role in keeping the world running and goods moving, while ensuring that we protect the planet and minimize our environmental impact. Logistics makes a significant contribution to the creation of prosperity. Export-driven economic development elevated well over one billion people out of
    poverty over the past decades.

    In our communities, it is our colleagues around the world who are committed to bringing our purpose to life. Our company supports this engagement with special Corporate Citizenship programs that extend beyond mere charitable efforts. They enable us to positively impact society and the environment, enhancing our reputation as a business partner and employer.

    Wheel of Purpose infographic
  • While our purpose explains why we do what we do, our values guide us in how we do what we do. They form the bedrock of how we act. Our fundamental values serve as a binding standard for all colleagues. They enable our business and inspire us to uphold our standards for Quality and excellence. And they remind us that we can only achieve lasting results with integrity and decency. We are in it for the long term and believe that a "Great Company to Work for All" and great colleagues make a great company even better every day.

    Respect & Results

    Respect:

    • We prioritize the health and safety of our employees
    • We value diversity and trust
    • We care for and appreciate each other and address negative behaviors
    • We promote open and honest feedback
    • We aim to inspire – our colleagues, our customers, and our partners – every day and everywhere

    Results:

    • We clearly communicate expectations and achieve our goals with focus and drive
    • We take responsibility for our actions and decisions
    • We never compromise on integrity and compliance with the law
    • We are agile and seize opportunities
    • We help each other to succeed and be successful
  • DHL is a quality provider – we deliver against what we promise. Customers are the cornerstone of any business. At DHL Group, focusing on our customers is a fundamental value embedded in every division and every employee. We have a clear understanding of our target customers, including their geography, sector, and business size. We identify potential customers whose demand for logistics services aligns well with our capabilities.

Our bottom lines

Our bottom lines remain at the heart of how we manage our company. With Strategy 2030 we are introducing a new 4th bottom line to our original three. In addition to Employer of Choice, Provider of Choice, and Investment of Choice, we also want to be the Green Logistics of Choice.

Strategy Bottom Lines graphic

Employer of Choice

As Employer of Choice, we strive to create a safe and healthy workplace: We promote a Safety First culture, our employees’ health and well-being, and our values of "Respect & Results".

Provider of Choice

As Provider of Choice, we aim to deliver a best-in-class customer experience by emphasizing customer-centricity, digital innovation, and quality.

Investment of Choice

As Investment of Choice, we plan to accelerate our growth - in a profitable and sustainable way. This will be underpinned by reliable and resilient execution, strong compliance, and robust cybersecurity measures.

Green Logistics of Choice

As Green Logistics of Choice, sustainability is becoming an increasingly differentiating feature in logistics. Assisting our customers to become carbon neutral is crucial, and we aim to achieve this by remaining the frontrunner in low-carbon logistics operations.

Over the past years, DHL Group has created a strong foundation, one that has proven effective even in challenging environments. It empowers us to capitalize on new opportunities. Now, we are ready for more!

Growth across the business

Growth from divisional strategies

Our five Business Units with their diverse global logistics portfolio are the backbone of our business. The divisional growth strategies focus on solidifying our core business, stimulating top-line growth, and optimizing quality, yield management, and efficiency.

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Express

Consistent quality and operations excellence across global network as basis for further sustainable market share, EBIT and cash flow growth.

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Global Forwarding, Freight

Further productivity improvement based on centralization and standardization agenda; strong product capability around the world.

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Supply Chain

Further build-out track record by leveraging successful operating model based on identified key focus technologies.

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eCommerce

Fully leverage structural e-commerce growth trend, with both organic and selected inorganic investments.

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Post & Parcel Germany

Ongoing transformation from Post to Parcel and leveraging synergies between both networks.

Growth from Group growth initiatives

With its Group initiatives, our company will expand its presence in geographies that are set to benefit from supply chain diversification and we will invest in fast-growing sectors like Life Sciences & Healthcare, New Energy, and E-commerce, all while delivering a seamless, end-to-end digital customer experience.

Life Sciences & Healthcare

DHL Group is strongly positioned to address structural shifts in the pharma market, which depends on specialized logistics solutions such as temperature-controlled frozen or cryogenic storage. The biopharma, cell & gene, and clinical trials market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of >10% p.a. between 2023 and 2030 and thus significantly above global GDP.

New Energy

The transformation of the renewable energy and auto-mobility sectors requires dedicated logistics solutions, e.g., handling windmill blades or battery energy storage systems. An expected CAGR of >15% p.a. between 2023 and 2030 offers DHL Group significant growth potential.

Geographic Tailwinds

DHL Group will build on its strong global footprint and local expertise to double down on geographic tailwinds. This addresses the profound shift in growth of trade lanes, diversification of global supply chains, and the needs of fast-growing companies around the world.

E-Commerce

The megatrend e-commerce has been a steady growth driver for DHL Group in recent years. DHL Group will enhance its footprint in the e-commerce market by using the combined strength of its divisions for integrated offerings, such as combined fulfillment and last-mile delivery. The global e-commerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% p.a. until 2030.

Digital Sales

DHL Group expects digital sales capabilities to become a standard to gain and retain customers. Therefore, the Group will further expand its digital sales program to create enhanced online transactions for the customers across the Group. 

Life Sciences & Healthcare

DHL Group is strongly positioned to address structural shifts in the pharma market, which depends on specialized logistics solutions such as temperature-controlled frozen or cryogenic storage. The biopharma, cell & gene, and clinical trials market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of >10% p.a. between 2023 and 2030 and thus significantly above global GDP.

New Energy

The transformation of the renewable energy and auto-mobility sectors requires dedicated logistics solutions, e.g., handling windmill blades or battery energy storage systems. An expected CAGR of >15% p.a. between 2023 and 2030 offers DHL Group significant growth potential.

Geographic Tailwinds

DHL Group will build on its strong global footprint and local expertise to double down on geographic tailwinds. This addresses the profound shift in growth of trade lanes, diversification of global supply chains, and the needs of fast-growing companies around the world.

E-Commerce

The megatrend e-commerce has been a steady growth driver for DHL Group in recent years. DHL Group will enhance its footprint in the e-commerce market by using the combined strength of its divisions for integrated offerings, such as combined fulfillment and last-mile delivery. The global e-commerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% p.a. until 2030.

Digital Sales

DHL Group expects digital sales capabilities to become a standard to gain and retain customers. Therefore, the Group will further expand its digital sales program to create enhanced online transactions for the customers across the Group. 

DHL Group's Board of Management
DHL Group's Board of Management presenting Strategy 2030: "Accelerate sustainable growth".