With its Climate Strategy, the Otto Group aims to reduce CO2 emissions caused by its transports and facilities. Towards this purpose, the Group sets a concrete goal and implementation framework, while the Group companies implement measures autonomously. That way, adjusted CO2 emissions of the Group´s facilities, procurement and distribution transports, and business trips should be halved by 2020 compared to the base year of 2006. In 2018, CO2 emissions were reduced to 155,827 tons (2017: 174,925 tons). Compared to the base year, the reduction is 47 percent (2017: 41 percent). This can be attributed to increased energy efficiency. Other reasons for a reduction of emissions are the shift of air freight to sea, road, and rail transport, and the purchase of high-quality certified green electricity by German Group companies (around 40% of the total electricity supply at the facilities).
While the Otto Group sets a clear reductions target, the Group companies implement the climate protection measures at a local level. The Group supports them in their operational implementation with measurement and control tools.
Besides activities at the Group's own 400 locations, measures to reduce CO2 emissions also encompass transport from sourcing countries directly to customers, as well as business travel and the use of company cars by the Group’s own employees.
Practical examples from the Otto Group
Climate-friendly goods delivery
With the Urban Blue Strategy, Hermes Germany aims for emission-free goods delivery in the inner-city areas of the 80 biggest cities of Germany by 2025. After a pilot phase, the project operatively started at the beginning of 2019: Daimler handed over the first 20 electric vehicles to Hermes Germany. A total of 300 electric-powered transporters are on the road this year, while a total of 1,500 electric transporters are planned to be used across Germany by 2022. In addition, Hermes Germany and other parcel service providers launched a joint pilot test with electric bicycles at a central micro depot in Berlin. The field experiment called KoMoDo* with a duration of approximately one year intends to* test the efficient operative use of cargo bikes for parcel delivery. We are also carrying out other tests and projects concerning alternative delivery vehicles in various regions of Germany – for example Hamburg, Rostock, and Munich – and we are gradually expanding them this year
Experiencing sustainability
October 8, 2018 was all about sustainability for the Witt Group. More than 200 employees from different fields came together to learn about and discuss sustainable cotton, waste separation, CO2 emissions, and the Otto Group’s Social Programme. Besides this, a sustainability forum provided room for a lively discussion. The highlight of the day: In his presentation, Dr. Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex, gave an impressive explanation of the economic benefits of sustainable action. He pointed out that Sustainability should not only be a moral imperative, but it can also bring considerable economic benefits. Through this action, we could root the idea of sustainability in employees – as they are the pioneers and the drive of our responsible-minded orientation.
Promoting climate-neutral mobility
In order to reduce its transport-related ecological footprint, the Baur Group is expanding its “Green Transport Fleet” – a total of three hybrid and six electric cars are provided by the company. Baur fosters the utilisation of alternative drives among employees as well: Since 2018 they have been able to charge their private hybrid and electric cars at 14 charging points at selected locations. The modern charging stations have particularly high power, so that the vehicles can be fully charged within two hours at some places. The drivers of e-bikes were also taken into account: Lockable charging cabinets have been installed for them for free use. These initiatives of the Baur Group contribute to the rise of environmental awareness in employees and the promotion of climate protection.
Climate protection within the supply chain
To significantly reduce CO2 emissions at production facilities as well, in 2012 the Otto Group joined forces with seven other large German retail companies to launch the "Carbon Performance Improvement Initiative" (CPI2). The Initiative has developed an online management tool which allows factories to evaluate and control energy consumption in all company areas.
In addition to CPI2 and other commitments to climate protection along the supply chain, the company-owned consulting firm Systain Consulting was conducting a training workshop in Vietnam in 2018 together with the Otto Group, WWF, UN Global Compact, and companies in the textile industry. The goal here was to raise awareness of climate protection in the factories and to point out concrete solutions. With more than 80 producers and suppliers, the issue of climate protection within the supply chain was discussed for the first time in the framework of a multi-day workshop. Besides the central topics of energy efficiency and renewable energies, the systematic recording of CO2 emissions was dealt with. For the Future, we aim at building on this measure and continuously expanding our commitment to climate protection within the supply chain.