Sustainability

As a leading European parcel logistics provider, the GLS Group is fully aware of its special responsibility to the environment and to society.

GLS electric delivery van charges at a depot GLS electric delivery van charges at a depot

GLS understands sustainability as a holistic concept – including ecological as well as social and economic aspects of social responsibility.

This means providing excellence in parcel logistics for customers and job-security for employees, both going hand in hand. With its service GLS also contributes to mobility and the reliable supply of goods, which are the backbone of economy.

It is the Group’s objective to achieve sustainable economic success in accordance with the protection of the environment for future generations. GLS also considers itself committed to the society in and for which it operates.

climate protect GLS emblem
 

Sustainability and environmental protection are an integral part of the GLS logistics strategy

To increasingly use alternative vehicles and city logistics concepts for parcel transport and to involve our transport partners in these activities.

To continuously modernise the vehicle fleet for parcel transport and GLS company cars and make them more and more environmentally friendly.

To continuously reduce resource consumption at our locations in relation to our parcel volume and to invest in environmentally friendly locations, e.g. through the use of photovoltaic systems.

Eco drive GLS

Eco footprint

GLS continuously monitors and records its achievements in environment protection.

Since 2008/2009, the company has been conducting eco-footprint calculations for all member companies of the Group, as part of which it collects data on carbon emissions, the use of natural resources and waste management. GLS publishes emissions data in its current environmental report.

The method used to calculate the emissions corresponds to that described in the ISO 14064-1 standard and it has also been laid down in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

GLS calculates its carbon footprint based on the results of the eco-footprint calculation.

 

EN 16258 certification for CO2 per parcel calculation

The calculation of emissions is certified according to EN 16258.

GLS calculates all emissions as CO2 equivalents (CO2e). As a result, greenhouse gas emissions other than CO2 are included.

The calculation considers the well-to-wheel CO2e emissions. This means, considered are the emissions from fuel generation until the use in road traffic.

Responsible use of resources

GLS General Logistics Systems Hungary Ltd. uses 100% electricity from renewable energy sources. The amount of green electricity used for this business year is more than 3 GWh.

In practice, this means that GLS uses renewable energy, which means less environmental impact. In everyday use, this means that the green electricity is delivered to the company via our existing electricity grid, without any extra investment.

In the spirit of sustainability and in order to reduce its ecological footprint, GLS considers it important to join the effort to increase the share of renewable energy sources.

The installation of our current 60 kWp solar system has been completed and will be expanded to 260 kWp in the future.

To save energy, we have accomplished relamping projects with LED technology.

EcoVadis
 

GLS Group’s sustainability efforts rewarded with EcoVadis Silver Certificate in 2023.

The company’s environmental impact puts it in the top 7% of the postal, courier and multimodal freight transport activities industry

Responsible use of resources

Environmentally conscious thinking and action covers every area of the company, from delivery planning to the construction of buildings and workplaces.

ISO Certification

GLS guarantees, checks and improves quality and sustainability with a pan-European quality and environmental management system. It is certified to DIN ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 by DEKRA, one of the largest and highly respected international providers of management system certifications.
With its quality management system GLS fulfils high, internationally recognised standards.

Seal of approval for environmental management

GLS is an environmentally-conscious company and implements sustainability projects in all its national subsidiaries. 18 subsidiaries have obtained the ISO 14001 certification for their environmental management systems. This internationally accepted standard is considered to be one of the most important in relation to environmental management by manufacturers and service providers.

New GLS ParcelShops – With local emission-free parcel delivery

GLS welcomes those partners in the ParcelShop network for whom environmentally conscious, sustainable operations are also of utmost importance. We are constantly working on the possibilities with which we can ensure the transport, delivery and pick-up of parcels with the lowest possible carbon dioxide emissions.

Within the framework of our initiative, the following environmentally conscious, newly joined shops are GLS ParcelShops where we pick up and deliver parcels with our existing electric vehicles and via our local emission-free delivery, thus ensuring a sustainable solution. Here is a presentation of these ParcelShops for you:

• A shop that distributes natural cosmetics, whose owner attaches particular importance to the protection of our environment. They place great emphasis on waste and packaging-free operation, selective waste collection, energy efficient lighting, and furniture made from recycled wood. Address of the ParcelShop: 4400 Nyíregyháza, Debreceni út 173/a

• Our other, newly joined partner supports its customers on the path of sustainability by operating as a bicycle shop. The packaging materials of the products sold, and the waste ultimately generated during assembly are also sorted to the end and sent to their selective collectors, and then to the appropriate place. It was important for our partner to design the shop to be energy efficient, and at the same time reuse existing raw materials for furniture. Address of the ParcelShop: 1056 Budapest Irányi utca 12.