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DHL Group has integrated more than 30,000 refugees into the labor market within ten years

06/17/2025, 09:30 AM CEST

DHL Group supports refugees with language courses, job application training, and internships to facilitate their entry into the job market. 

  • Support with numerous integration measures shows great impact, successful entry often in the mail and parcel sector
  • Cooperation with partners such as the UN Refugee Agency important: facilitating contact, access to language and the labor market
  • CHRO Thomas Ogilvie: "The rapid integration of refugees into the primary labor market is socially important and of great economic interest"

Bonn - DHL Group has given more than 30,000 refugees prospects in the labor market over the past ten years since the refugee wave 2015 and is one of the largest employers of refugees worldwide. In addition to permanent employment contracts and internships, around 350 refugees have completed an apprenticeship at DHL Group since 2015. Many of the current employees come from the main countries of origin for refugees: Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. Due to the high number of low-threshold entry-level jobs, they are primarily employed in the delivery or sorting of letters and parcels. Some have now found employment in the professions for which they were once trained. Many others have been able to develop their careers within DHL Group - for example, from delivery driver to team leader.

"Enabling refugees with work permits to quickly enter the labor market is not only a prerequisite for social integration, it's also in the German economy's own interest, as it can relieve the burden on social systems and mitigate the effects of demographic change. We are therefore proud to be leading the way in this area and to have offered more refugees in Germany an entry into the labor market than any other company in Germany," says Thomas Ogilvie, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director at DHL Group.

DHL Group supports refugees with language courses, job application training, and internships to facilitate their entry into the job market. A focus is on mentoring programs for young talents, providing support not only in a professional context but also in everyday matters - such as finding accommodation or dealing with the authorities. A key issue is language learning. Despite successfully completing courses, some people lack sufficient knowledge in professional or everyday situations. DHL Group offers its own language learning app, which allows users to learn vocabulary from a professional context and simulate conversation situations, such as customer interactions.

According to a study published in 2023 by the "Refugee Integration Insights Institute", DHL Group ranked second worldwide among the 50 largest global companies in terms of integration figures at that time. There is also close internal communication regarding integration measures and programs with DHL divisions worldwide - for example, with France, the Netherlands, and Mexico.

To ensure high quality of offerings and to make early contact with refugees seeking jobs, the company works closely with partners, including the Federal Employment Agency in Germany and the United Nations. Additionally, DHL Group is part of the #WithRefugees initiative, coordinated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Ricarda Brandts, Chairwoman of the UN Refugee Agency: "The successful integration of refugees is a shared responsibility of politics, civil society, and business. DHL Group impressively demonstrates how companies can assume social responsibility and create concrete opportunities. When refugees gain access to education, language training, and job opportunities, all parties benefit - people find security and participation, and societies gain diversity and economic strength."

DHL Group employs approximately 600,000 employees worldwide. The company's headquarters is in Germany, where about 210,000 people work for Deutsche Post and DHL. Around 18,000 employees have already volunteered their time for integration measures - they are involved as translators, in mentoring programs, or provide local support, such as helping people find accommodation.

Jessica Balleer

Personnel, Sustainability (ESG)

DHL Group
Charles-de-Gaulle-Str. 20
53113 Bonn
Germany