DSV and dm Use State Visit for Contract on Sustainability

During a state visit of the Danish royal family, DSV and dm-drogerie markt sign a declaration of intent in Berlin to promote joint sustainable projects. The Danish transport and logistics provider and its long-standing customer are invited guests at the three-day conference focused on sustainability and aimed at promoting economic relations.

(Berlin) As part of a three-day state visit, Danish Queen Margrethe II and Crown Prince Frederik are guests in Berlin from November 9 to 11, 2021. After the official reception by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Chancellery, they meet with business representatives and decision-makers to discuss the topic of “sustainability.” Germany and Denmark share a strong trade relationship, and the state visit aims to create a platform for discussions and the exchange of experiences in the field of sustainability between the two countries. DSV, as a Danish transport and logistics company with a strong presence in Germany, is among the representatives of the business delegation and seizes the opportunity to jointly initiate a declaration of intent with its long-standing customer dm-drogerie markt to promote joint sustainable projects aimed at improving the ecological balance.

Sustainable Collaboration

Jens Bjørn Andersen, CEO of DSV A/S, and Christian Bodi, dm’s logistics managing director, sign the joint declaration of intent in the presence of Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner on November 11. “We have been successfully working together for many years and want to make a significant contribution to a responsible and sustainable supply chain with this agreement,” explains Peter Fog-Petersen, Managing Director of DSV Road GmbH. DSV, as one of the world’s largest transport and logistics companies, and dm-drogerie markt, as one of the largest German retail chains, intend to jointly reduce the climate-damaging impacts and the resulting effects on people and nature from the transport and storage of goods as much as possible. “Cross-border, we have already implemented many innovative projects with our Danish partner. Now we are intensifying our collaboration with the goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

Avoiding Emissions Before Reduction and Compensation

The following priorities apply: avoiding emissions before reduction and before compensation,” explains Christian Bodi. DSV commits to reducing CO2 emissions from outsourced transport services by 30 percent by the year 2030 compared to the base year 2019. Jens Bjørn Andersen adds: “With these ambitious goals, we are setting a clear direction for our sustainability efforts in the coming years. We intend to take a pioneering role in our industry and firmly believe that sustainability and long-term economic viability go hand in hand.”

Dm-drogerie markt and DSV have been jointly developing sustainable solutions within the logistical supply chains for years. In 2015, a sustainable project was implemented by switching from Euro flat pallets made of wood to self-developed recycling plastic pallets. The pallets used by DSV for order picking and store deliveries offer ergonomic advantages for employees in dm stores and have a significantly longer lifespan compared to wooden pallets. The innovative development of the fleet is also among the ongoing projects. Since 2016, DSV Road has been using an e-truck for deliveries to dm stores in downtown Cologne and will further expand its fleet in the future. Additionally, there are optimizations planned in the area of shipment and network planning that aim to reduce costs and relieve delivery traffic.

Long-standing Partnership

For over 30 years, DSV has been supplying numerous dm stores across Germany. Currently, DSV ensures the nationwide supply of more than 2,000 dm stores from the distribution centers operated by dm-drogerie markt and DSV. On an average day, more than 10,000 pallets are dispatched in over 1,000 trucks.

Photo: © businessphotoberlin.de / Caption: Jens Bjørn Andersen and Christian Bodi sign the sustainability declaration. 2nd row from left: Jeppe Kofod, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, and Julia Klöckner.