Kuehne + Nagel joins Development and Climate Alliance

Logistics services giant Kuehne + Nagel (K+N) has joined the Development and Climate Alliance, an alliance formed in 2018 with the aim of promoting development and environmental protection.

The Development and Climate Alliance was established by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in co-operation with the Research Institute for Applied Knowledge Processing and the German Society for International Cooperation.

It “recognises, links and promotes” the commitment of the private sector to climate issues.

Several hundred supporters have already signed up to the Alliance – companies, associations, public authorities, project developers, offset providers and civil society actors. Private individuals are also welcome to participate and improve their own personal carbon footprint.

K+N said that it joined the alliance as part of its Net Zero Carbon programme, which was launched in September this year.

Carbon dioxide emissions created directly by K+N that cannot be avoided will be fully compensated for from 2020, the company has promised.

In addition, Kuehne + Nagel has committed to proactively addressing the carbon dioxide footprint of the transportation services undertaken by its suppliers – airlines, shipping lines and haulage companies – by 2030.

Its Net Zero Carbon programme is relevant to three fields of action: detection, reduction and compensation of carbon dioxide emissions. K+N is investing in various nature-based carbon dioxide compensation projects, in which carbon is taken from the atmosphere.

“As a globally operating company, we are convinced that the private sector must also make its contribution to environmental protection,” K+N assured.

German federal minister Gerd Müller commented of K+N’s decision to join the Development and Climate Alliance: “Climate change has long been the question of human survival. The industrialised countries in particular have a special responsibility. It is not only politics that is called upon to act, but also the private sector.

“With the Development and Climate Alliance, we have created a platform for this. I am very pleased that Kuehne + Nagel, one of the world’s leading logistics providers, has decided to join the alliance. This is a major step and shows that environmental protection and entrepreneurial action go hand in hand.”

When K+N launched its Net Zero Carbon programme earlier this year, K+N chief executive Detlef Trefzger said: “As one of the leading logistics companies worldwide, we acknowledge the responsibility we have for the environment, for our ecosystem and essentially for the people.

“Today’s announcement is based on a package of measures to fight CO2 emissions and provide sustainable and innovative supply chain solutions – hand in hand with our suppliers and customers.”