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DHL is a leader in the logistics industry, providing top-quality delivery services worldwide.

DHL’s journey started in 1969 as a small air courier service flying between California and Hawaii. 

Today, DHL is a logistics powerhouse with an international network spread over cities in every major region of the world.

DHL’s way of doing things is centered around the two Rs – Respect and Results. 

The company has created a work environment where employees are respected, valued, and motivated to deliver results. 

This is the secret to DHL's ability to remain the number one choice of customers for over 50 years, even as other logistics companies have come and gone.

DHL Is A Dominant Player In The Logistics Industry

Let’s review DHL’s awe-inspiring journey right from its humble beginnings in 1969 to today.

Source: Giftzwerg 88, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Three Young Innovators Take On the World of Logistics

One fine day in San Francisco, three men had a novel idea that would revolutionize the global economy.

They became the pioneers of the international air express service - an emerging industry in the 70s. It proved to be the beginning of an incredible journey as what started as an air courier service went on to become the leading provider of logistics solutions.

How DHL Came To Be?

The year was 1969, and three young shipping executives were grappling with the same problem. 

In those days, cargo ships docking at foreign ports would have to undergo a long and cumbersome document verification process. It caused a lot of delays and increased costs for shipping companies making it quite expensive to transport goods from one country to the next.

So, the three shipping executives, Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom, and Robert Lynn, decided that they needed a novel solution to this problem. Together, they came up with the idea of flying shipping documents to port authorities so that they could be verified and processed in advance before the ship even arrived at the port.

The three men knew that their solution could increase the turnaround speed for ships at port, so they decided to launch their own air-courier service called DHL to deliver important documents across the globe.

The name DHL was chosen because it is an acronym based on the first initial of each of their surnames.

The fledgling delivery service was off to a promising start. Its very first customer was the Bank of America which needed a secure courier service to carry its letters of credit and other documents. So, DHL started flying along the California-Hawaii route and soon expanded its service to other areas to accommodate its customers better.

DHL Goes International

DHL quickly realized that the international market offered immense opportunities that were as of yet unexplored. 

So the company began to branch out into the international market and was the first to start flying to destinations in the Far East. 

At the same time, other competitors were busy improving their position in the U.S. So, DHL was far ahead of its competition in consolidating its international base.

With this aim in mind, the founders of DHL recruited Po Chung in 1972 to establish the company’s global network. Subsequently, Chung set up DHL International Ltd in Brussels as a sister company of DHL Airways. 

The new company grew rapidly and handled a greater volume of courier services, almost five times larger than the courier traffic handled by its domestic counterpart.

DHL International had added multiple destinations in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia in just two years. In 1976 it also expanded into Europe and the Middle East. 

Growth was rapid throughout the 70s, and DHL continued to expand into other regions across the globe, entering the Latin American market in 1977. It also established a significant presence in Africa as the 70s wound to a close.

Until this time, the company had solely focused on transporting documents, but with an ever-growing global network, DHL decided that the time was ripe to diversify its services. So in 1979, the company started delivering small packages to various destinations around the world. These packages would generally weigh around 70 pounds and could be easily transported by air.

Back To The Home Front

The 80s brought increased competition to the delivery service industry as rival FedEx aimed to chip away at DHL’s dominance in the international market. 

However, DHL continued to expand despite the growing competition, and this period was also marked by increased growth for the company.

DHL needed to think creatively and find new outlets for its air courier service to deal with the stiff competition. The company soon discovered a need for express delivery service in the hospitality sector. In 1980, DHL signed an agreement with Hilton International Corporation to provide daily document delivery service from 49 Hilton Hotels. 

Guests staying at these hotels could use the DHL service to send important documents anywhere in the world. DHL couriers would personally oversee that the documents made it through customs and then deliver them to their final destination abroad.

Source: Koen Gladines, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By 1981, the company handled 10 million shipments and flew to over 250 cities. Sales too were at an all-time high that year, peaking at just over $100 million ($318 million today after adjusting for inflation). 

The success fueled DHL's growth, and the company was the first to sign agreements with countries in the Communist bloc. In 1983, it expanded its European network to the Eastern bloc nations of Hungary and East Germany, which were part of the Communist bloc at the time.

While DHL was the service of choice internationally, things back home looked quite different. Although 97 % of the largest U.S. firms used DHL to transport their documents overseas, rivals FedEx and United Parcels Service (UPS) continued to dominate the U.S. market.

To increase its share in the domestic market, DHL launched two major hubs at airports in Cincinnati and Salt Lake City. It also established nine smaller hubs in various cities across the U.S. Furthermore, DHL upgraded its sorting equipment to speed up delivery by reducing shipment processing time. 

DHL Airways started an overnight point-to-point service between 126 American cities as soon as the hubs were ready to handle shipments.

The company also bought an airplane fleet that consisted of three Boeing 727s and seven Learjets to handle domestic shipments. Soon helicopters were added to the growing fleet to transport documents during rush hour in New York, Houston, and Los Angeles.

Overall, in 1983 the company recorded sales worth $600 million ($1.7 billion today after adjusting for inflation) from its international and domestic businesses combined. It was a whopping increase in sales of $500 million in just two years from 1981 to 1983. 

The majority of the shipments included bank documents and shipping documents. According to one estimate, the company was responsible for around 80% of all bank documents traveling by air from Europe to the U.S. However, many of the shipments also consisted of computer tapes and spare parts.

By 1984, DHL delivered to almost 125 countries, and its 500 stations dotted all over the world were handling 15 million international and domestic shipments annually.

But new challenges were looming on the horizon, and in 1985 rivals FedEx and UPS officially entered the international express delivery market.

Key Takeaway 1: Geographical Diversification Unlocks New Opportunities

The early years of DHL's history are characterized by large-scale international expansion. 

The company was quick to understand that there was a need for an air courier service that delivered shipments to different countries. In the international arena, this gap in the market had not been addressed by anyone until DHL decided to set up its international office in Brussels. Within five years, the company was flying to destinations in the Far East, Europe, Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.

DHL's initial geographical diversification strategy became the stepping stone to bigger opportunities. Since the company had a courier network spread across multiple countries, it was able to sign a mutually beneficial agreement with Hilton International Co. to transport documents from Hilton hotels.

Hilton got to offer its guests a world-class delivery service, and DHL got a new outlet for its service.

DHL’s Twenty-Five Years of Impeccable Service

This is the story of DHL’s twenty-five years of unmatched service in the logistics industry before its acquisition by Deutsche Post in the early 2000s.

The company continued to be a pioneer in multiple ways, often being the first to commence operations in new destinations. It also showed a remarkable aptitude for forming symbiotic relationships with other companies that helped it expand its operations at an unprecedented rate.

DHL Outpacing the Competition

As FedEx and UPS upped the ante in the international market, DHL started looking for innovative ways to improve its customer service. 

The company teamed up with Western Union to deliver documents produced on Western Union's EasyLink electronic mail with this goal in mind. It helped save time for customers as they did not have to travel to hand-deliver documents.

DHL was also the very first express delivery service to start operations in China, well before any other company had even reached out to the Chinese Government. In 1986, DHL International signed a joint venture agreement with the People's Republic of China to launch DHL Sinotrans.

To increase DHL’s presence in Eastern Europe, the company also signed a joint venture agreement with a firm in Hungary named DHL Budapest LTD. By 1988, DHL was responsible for 98% of all shipments and packages traveling between the West and Eastern Europe.

The company also showed stellar progress on the domestic front, and sales in the U.S. alone amounted to $375 million in 1988 ($916 million today after adjusting for inflation). By this time, DHL was among the top 400 largest private firms in the U.S., with over 5000 employees. In fact, revenues from its domestic and international network combined were recorded at approximately $1.4 billion in 1988.

DHL Maintaining Market Share

Although DHL Airways had expanded its network in the U.S., by 1989, the company only controlled about 5% of the domestic market. 

Hence, the company launched an aggressive advertising campaign to increase its name recognition in the U.S. DHL decided that it needed a humorous ad concept, so it roped in renowned cartoonist Gary Larson and gave him creative license over the upcoming campaign. Larson did not disappoint, and the following year DHL launched an ad campaign showing DHL vans zooming past the competition flying their high-end planes.

DHL also took a novel approach to air delivery. Although the company had its own cargo fleet, it also entered into agreements with passenger airlines to carry its shipments. In contrast, other air courier services relied exclusively on their own planes to transport documents.

However, DHL’s strategy of using passenger planes freed up capital for investment in technology. The company spent around $220 million in 1991($467 million today after adjusting for inflation) to upgrade its technology and its ground-handling equipment.

At this point, DHL needed an influx of fresh capital to take the business to the next level. In 1990, DHL International sold 5% of its business to Japan Airlines and 5% to German-based Lufthansa airlines. It sold another 2.5% to a Japanese trading firm called Nissho Iwai. These three companies were also given a combined stake of 2.5% in U.S-based DHL Airways. Each firm also had the option to buy more shares in the future. The decision to sell these shares helped DHL gain access to investments worth $500 million and take advantage of the resources of large airlines.

Competition from rivals grew quite intense during this time, so DHL decided to diversify its services by entering the freight services industry. So far, DHL had only transported documents and small packages, but now the company was ready to transport heavy cargo.

Source: PantheraLeo1359531, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It was a step in the right direction, and DHL's total revenue jumped from $1.5 billion to $2.3 billion in 1991. It made DHL the 59th largest company in the U.S., with more than 21,000 employees handling around 80 million shipments annually.

In 1992, all three of DHL's shareholders decided to increase their share in DHL International. Japan Airlines and Lufthansa both decided to increase their stake to 25%, while Nissho Iwai increased its share to 7.5%.

As a result, DHL expanded its European network and started operations in Albania, Latvia, Estonia, and Greenland.

DHL Launches Capital Spending Program

DHL marked its 25th anniversary in 1994. At this point, the company controlled 52% of the Asian express shipment market. In contrast, competitors FedEx and UPS each controlled about 24% of the market.

By 1993, total revenues had hit the $3 billion mark, which allowed the company to set aside $1.25 billion for a capital spending program. The program was spread over four years, and the company used this time to upgrade its communications and automation systems.

As part of this initiative, in 1995, DHL invested $700 million ($1.3 billion today after adjusting for inflation) in expanding its Pacific Rim network. The company upgraded its facilities in Hong Kong and Australia and started operations in 16 new cities in China, India, and Vietnam.

Furthermore, $60 million ($114 million today after adjusting for inflation)was spent on creating a brand new logistics hub in the Philippines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. There were also plans to create more facilities in Bangkok, Tokyo, Auckland, and Sydney.

1995 was also when DHL launched its first website so that customers could connect with the company using the internet. In fact, the company recorded a 23% growth in revenue, with total sales clocking in at $3.8 billion.

The company also saw a massive increase in its Middle East shipments. As a result, DHL established a 42,000-square feet super hub at the Dubai International Airport in 1996. The new hub would coordinate with DHL’s existing facilities in Bahrain to handle shipments in the entire Middle East region.

In 1996, the company announced plans for another super hub worth $100 million ($184 million today after adjusting for inflation) to handle its growing shipments in the U.S. The new hub was located in the Midwest and would work closely with the Cincinnati hub to handle all domestic shipments.

As the 1990s came to a close, DHL was still expanding at a remarkable pace, with 37 new destinations added to the former Soviet Union. The company also set up a hub at Ferihegy Airport in Budapest to handle the increased load of shipments in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

In 1998, DHL announced plans to sell a 25% share of its business to German-based Deutsche Post. It was a strategic alliance between Europe’s largest postal service and the world’s leading air courier service. The partnership helped DHL secure investment funds and allowed the company to gain a significant foothold in the German market.

In the years to come, the new alliance would prove to be the start of a new journey.

Key Takeaway 2: Symbiotic Partnerships Help Maintain Market Share

This period of DHL's journey illustrates its ability to forge mutually beneficial partnerships that helped the company expand its operations to 227 countries with over 2000 stations in major cities across the globe.

DHL pursued a policy of attracting investment from the world’s largest airlines and postal companies to gain access to fresh capital and resources. The company then used the additional investment to upgrade its technological capabilities and provide better service to millions of customers. 

It also expanded its network to service more countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. In fact, this strategy worked so well that DHL controlled around 60% of the international market in 1999 despite stiff competition from other service providers.

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Dawn Of A New Era

The partnership between DHL and Deutsche Post was destined for bigger things. Initially, Deutsche Post only had a 25% stake in DHL, but it increased its stake in DHL in 2000 to 50%. 

As it increased its share in DHL, the company made plans to re-brand DHL's image to make it the leading provider of logistics solutions worldwide.

Deutsche Post acquires DHL

In 2002, Deutsche Post negotiated with Lufthansa Airlines to acquire its 25% share in DHL.

With the acquisition of Lufthansa’s share, Deutsche Post now had a majority stake of 75% in DHL. A few months later, Deutsche Post acquired the remaining shares from Japan Airlines, and DHL officially became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Post.

In 2003, The Deutsche Group initiated a re-branding campaign to introduce DHL in a new design and format. The new brand image of DHL was in line with the Group’s ‘one-stop shopping’ concept. The aim was to create a single company that provided a whole range of diverse services. 

Hence, the Group combined its courier and express business (DHL) and its parcel delivery service (Euro Express) with its logistics arm Danzai under a single entity. With the addition of Euro Express and Danzai, the new DHL was all set to become the leading provider of logistics support and express delivery in the world.

The Group then turned its attention towards making DHL the number one choice of customers everywhere by launching its First Choice' campaign in 2006. 

The goal was to conduct training sessions for employees to equip them with the skills to ensure maximum customer satisfaction.

The Group launched a total of 1000 individual projects worldwide under its First Choice campaign to make sure that individual customers and corporate clients could get the best service and logistical support possible.

The following year, the Group launched the DHL Innovation Center in Germany. The new research and development center carried out joint projects with business partners IBM, Intel, and SAP. 

The center also carried out research work with international logistics institutes based in MIT in the U.S. and the German Fraunhofer institutes. The principal goal of the research partnerships was to develop innovative and marketable products that could keep up with changing trends in the world of logistics.

The newly-developed products and technologies would be displayed in a separate showroom to give visitors, customers, and business partners a closer look at the future of logistics.

Source: Olaf Kosinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons

How Did DHL Expands Its International Network?

In 2008, DHL opened a new air freight hub at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany.

The company chose the airport location for its proximity to growth markets in Eastern Europe. It also gained authorization for operating night-time flights, thereby reducing delivery times. Furthermore, the new hub seamlessly integrated air, road, and rail carriers to create a smooth delivery process which helped DHL improve its customer service and expand its network in Europe.

The Leipzig hub was also the first DHL facility to meet its energy needs self-sufficiently. It was the first facility that powered itself using 1000 square meters of solar energy cells. The hub also had two underground artificial reservoirs with a capacity to store 3000 cubic meters of rainwater annually. DHL used the stored rainwater to wash DHL aircraft instead of relying on precious drinking water.

The new sustainable initiatives signaled a shift in the Group’s philosophy. The Deutsche Post Group launched a climate change protection program in line with growing concerns regarding climate change. The GoGreen program aimed to reduce the Group’s carbon footprint by 30% for every document and package that DHL transported. The company knew that the only way to achieve this target would be to build energy-efficient facilities and warehouses and optimize the use of its air and ground fleets to cut down on wasteful fuel practices.

In 2009, the Group renamed itself Deutsche Post DHL to better represent its revamped internal structure. The overhauled company structure would enable open leadership and a simplified planning process. The Group also laid out a comprehensive strategy for the years 2010-2015 that included paying more attention than ever before to evolving customer needs.

In 2012, DHL once again undertook an international expansion campaign by opening a brand new facility at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China. 

The new facility was named the DHL Express North Asia Hub, and it was the largest logistics facility in Asia at the time. The company bought eight new airplanes to meet extra demand on the routes between Shanghai and North Asia, Europe, and the U.S.

The launch of this new hub in Shanghai helped DHL bolster its market position in Asia, and the company planned to generate at least a third of its total revenue from Asia alone by 2017.

The following year, DHL expanded its existing hub in Cincinnati at the Northern Kentucky (CVG) Airport. It was a much-needed upgrade that equipped the Cincinnati hub to meet the growing demand by multinational corporations and SMEs for shipping and logistical support.

Spurce: Jörg Blobelt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Key Takeaway 3: Re-brand To Meet Changing Consumer Needs

Over the years, DHL has continued to reimagine itself as a logistics service in line with evolving consumer needs and expectations. 

Starting with the ‘one-stop shopping’ concept in 2003 and the 'First Choice campaign' in 2006, DHL has aimed to become the go-to choice for customers by providing integrated air, road, and rail delivery services through a single platform.

DHL also recognized the need to project itself as an innovative problem-solver in a rapidly changing world shaped by technological advances and increased global interconnectivity. 

In line with that goal, The DHL Innovation Center uses cutting-edge technology to design innovative and marketable products that can keep up with changing trends in the logistics industry.

DHL Preparing For The Future Through Digital Transformation!

Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In 2015, DHL re-branded itself with the new tagline ‘The Power of Global Trade’ to highlight the connection between trade and personal well-being. 

As the leading provider of logistical support, DHL is well placed to help businesses flourish especially small-scale startups and local enterprises. 

A bustling entrepreneurial landscape can empower the lives of small business owners and revitalize whole communities.

DHL Teams Up With Smart Today

In 2016, DHL hit upon a new outlet for its services when it teamed up with Smart today. 

Customers who drove smart cars could now use their cars as postal addresses for parcel delivery. DHL tested out the new service in multiple phases to ensure parcels delivered to the smart cars are transported in a secure manner.

Furthermore, DHL developed the Global Trade Barometer in 2018 to gauge the current state of global trade and predict future developments. This initiative was launched in line with DHL's new tagline in 2015 to highlight the role played by logistics in boosting global trade. The indicator itself is based on a wealth of logistics data generated by DHL's annual operations, and it is evaluated using sophisticated A.I. technology. The state of global trade is also a good indicator of the world's economy, so analyzing global trade helps the company predict future trends in the global economy.

In 2020, the Deutsche Post DHL Group partnered with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to launch the GoTrade program to help SMEs from developing countries gain better access to global markets. 

The Ministry and the Deutsche Post DHL Group will spend a total of 30 million euros to digitize the customs and trade processes. They will also promote e-commerce and low-emission logistics in multiple African cities.

The final goal is to empower small business owners in African cities by helping them harness the benefits of globalization.

Key Initiatives in DHL’s Digital Transformation Journey

Over the years DHL has taken a number of steps to transform digitally including:

  • AI powered Advanced Quality Control Center (AQCC) system that quickly located shipments stalled in transit, ensuring corrective actions can be taken right away
  • DHLBot, an automated flyer sorting bot that enhances sorting efficiency while minimizng human interaction
  • Autonomous Guided Vehicles that sense the environment and ferry shipments safely
  • Autonomous Mobile Robots to provide on-demand deliveries
  • Chatbots to offer 24/7 support and delight customers
  • On-demand Delivery Online Portal to give customers the flexibility to schedule and track deliveries
  • QR code to reduce physical contact and manage parcel returns
  • Routo optimization to ensure faster deliveries while minimizing costs
  • Cutting-edge sensors to track-and-trace shipments effectively

All of these have enabled DHL to maximize performance, modernize its systems, and achieve desirable business outcomes.

DHL's "Strategy 2025" Paving The Way For Future Success

The DHL of today is a forward-looking company that deeply understands the changing trends in the logistics industry. 

As a result, the company chalked out its future plan of action in its ‘Strategy 2025’ that is based on four critical trends that will shape the logistics sector in the coming years. 

These trends include:

  1. Globalization
  2. E-commerce
  3. Digitalization
  4. Sustainability

Globalization

Since 2015, the company has been committed to the promotion of global trade. DHL recognizes that it can harness increasing globalization to create new opportunities and outlets for its services. 

DHL’s GoTrade initiative, a core part of its future strategy, is aligned with the latest trends in globalization and e-commerce. The program aims to connect all kinds of enterprises, from large-scale multinationals to small home businesses. 

E-commerce

DHL's e-commerce program provides solutions geared toward the unique needs of different businesses, from a small business in need of a reliable parcel delivery service to an MNC that wants to streamline its shipping operations.

Digitalization

As part of the Strategy2025, DHL aims to spend over €2 billion on digital transformation projects by 2025 to increase operational excellence and delight customers at all end-points.

The company expects the digitalization drive to yield tangible benefits such as a yearly run rate benefit of at least EUR 1.5 billion by FY2025. DHL also expects a 33% increase in its forecasting ability with the new technological upgrades. It will allow the company to better predict daily volumes on international routes for its air courier service.

Moreover, DHL continues with its long-standing mission to become the first choice of customers everywhere by increasing brand loyalty. DHL will do this by using digital technologies to improve customer experience. 

As part of Strategy 2025, it also aims to become the employer of choice by giving its employees the skills and incentives to deliver quality-driven results that meet customer requirements. The company also wants to maintain its reputation as the investment of choice by delivering attractive returns for its shareholders.

Sustainability

Source: Olaf Kosinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

DHL has outlined plans to achieve its zero emissions target by 2050. This will entail a complete de-carbonation of the company. It will also include moving towards carbon-efficient delivery solutions. 

Hence, the Deutsche Post DHL Group is going to invest over 7 billion euros over the next ten years to reduce its CO2 emissions. The funds will be used to switch to less-polluting fuels and to expand the existing zero-emissions e-vehicle fleet.

Key Takeaway 4: Keep Your Finger On the Pulse of Shifting Trends

Right from its inception, DHL has always been acutely aware of changing trends and has clearly demonstrated the ability to adapt its strategy to reflect these changes. 

This flexible approach has paid off for the company by improving output efficiency and quality of service. The digitalization drive is but one example of the company's ability to modernize its operations. It has improved the company's ability to manage shipment traffic along its many air routes. It has also allowed the company to create better products and services, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.

Growth By Numbers and Key Strategic Takeaways

DHL started as an air courier service that only transported documents. 

Over the years, the company has diversified its services, first with the addition of package shipment and later on with freight services. 

Today, the company is a global leader in the logistics industry with an unmatched portfolio of services ranging from international shipments and parcel delivery as well as road, air, and sea transport services to e-commerce solutions. Its diverse range of services is provided under six main divisions: DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Freight, DHL Supply Chain, and DHL eCommerce Solutions.

All of the success DHL has had boils down to its laser-sharp vision, mission, and strategy.

DHL’s Vision

Be a post office for Germany and the shipping company of the world.

It highlights DHL’s focus on being the first choice of people worldwide to get their shipments delivered, seek a job, or invest.

DHL’s Mission

Contribute to the success of all stakeholders, simplify the lives of customers, and make the world a better place - that’s what DHL aims to do.

DHL’s Growth Evident From Numbers

 

2021

2017

Revenue

€81.7 billion

€60.4 billion

Profit

€7.9 billion

€3.7 billion

Share price

€56.5

€39.7

Employees

400,000

519,544

Key Strategic Takeaways From DHL’s Journey

Securing Mutually-Beneficial Partnerships To Fuel Growth

DHL has always looked out for strategic partnerships that have allowed the company to grow even during periods of intense competition from rivals. This strategy gave DHL a competitive edge in two ways. Firstly, it gave the company access to new platforms and customers. Customers were delighted as they got access to exclusive services such as direct parcel shipments from their hotel rooms to any destination in the world. Secondly, DHL's partnerships with major airlines gave it access to capital and investment funds. DHL injected these funds into spending programs that helped upgrade the company’s technological capabilities.

Creative Re-branding

DHL has also pursued a policy of re-branding as the company grows and sets new goals for the future. The re-branding has always been aligned with what customers expect of a global brand. Customers today expect brands to provide multiple services through the same platform, so DHL combined express delivery, freight services, and parcel shipments to create a one-stop shopping solution.

Connecting People, Improving Lives

DHL continues to innovate and produce better solutions and products for millions of customers worldwide. It fully understands the power of seamless logistical support in connecting millions of businesses to their global markets and customers in far-flung corners of the globe. The company has a dedicated R&D program that develops new tools and products based on changing trends within the international market. For instance, innovative tools like a low-emissions logistical support package are then used through DHL’s GoTrade initiative to empower small businesses in developing countries. Empowered business owners became local change leaders in small communities, improving people's lives in the Global South.

Be A Leader For Positive Change

DHL continues to be the change that it wants to see in the world. The company has an extensive sustainability program to pursue its corporate responsibility goals. The programs are oriented towards community service and education. DHL also has a comprehensive GoGreen program to make the company's operations as carbon-neutral as possible. As the climate crisis worsens, DHL has taken it upon itself to invest on a massive scale in greener fuel and carbon-efficient transport solutions that will allow the company to switch from the traditional way of doing business. The company has always maintained that it is not just a profit-making machine but a business that is concerned for the wider community and the planet.

Revolutionizing, shaping, and simplifying logistics, DHL has become a force to be recokned with not only in the logistics industry but in the world. Odds are that if anything is transported or delivered from one place to another, DHL might be involved in the process - such is the size and stature of the company. While it began as an air courier service to transport documents, today DHL delivers it all - prosperity, health, joy, and development, connecting people and businesses worldwide. 

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