The need for consistent climate protection remains high, even if it has recently sometimes been overshadowed by acute economic and geopolitical challenges in public debate. Although these also have impacts on BLG, we remain committed to making our contribution to decarbonizing the industry, the supply chains and thus the economy as a whole. To this end, we are not just continuing along the path we have taken, but we are also becoming more ambitious – also with regard to our customers, and our successes help minimize their carbon footprint too.
With this report, we document the progress towards our 2020 emissions reduction targets for the fifth year in a row and for the last time: we will reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by at least 30 percent and Scope 3 emissions by at least 15 percent by 2030, from base year 2018. This target has been validated by the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), confirming that we are acting in line with the objectives laid down in the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C. In order to meet the ever-increasing challenges involved in effective climate protection, we have once again made our climate target more stringent: by 2030, we will reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by at least 50.4 percent and Scope 3 emissions by at least 30 percent. This objective is in line with the requirements of the global 1.5°C target laid down in the Paris Agreement. Validation by the SBTi is still pending as of the publication date. It is an absolute reduction target that applies regardless of the company’s growth. As it looks today, and considering that the target year of 2030 is no longer so far in the future, completely emission-free economies are not realistic from a technological and economic point of view, especially in the transport sector. For the remaining Scopes 1 and 2 emissions that we cannot avoid despite all the actions taken, we foster climate protection measures that cause a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions elsewhere. In this way, we will become a carbon-neutral company by 2030. We call all of these objectives and projects our “Climate Mission”.
Our absolute emission reduction also has a positive impact on the GHG inventories of our customers, who account for our emissions as Scope 3 emissions. On request, we do customer-specific calculations for these and are open to joint decarbonization projects.
Our climate target at a glance
BLG LOGISTICS has an SBTi validated climate target (well below 2°C). It has already been decided to intensify the target in line with the 1.5°C target of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The climate target within the company
Scope 1 and 2
Absolute CO2 reduction in supply chain
Scope 3
Our levers for climate protection
We primarily rely on the following three levers to achieve the defined emission reductions: continually increasing our energy efficiency, producing our own renewable electricity and purchasing green electricity. In doing so, we follow the first avoid, then reduce, and then offset approach. That’s why we place a special focus on increasing efficiency – with the aim of using energy in such a way that more output is achieved with the same input. Exactly how we do this is explained in the Energy Management section.
With regard to the second lever, there was considerable progress in the reporting year. Compared to the previous year, we more than tripled the amount of energy produced and used for our own purposes at our sites. The 9 MWp PV system, which has been supplying our C3 logistics center in Bremen with green energy since October 2023, is a major contributor to this development. In 2024, four PV systems at various BLG sites covered an energy demand of about 1.5 GWh, which resulted in a reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions of about 600 t CO2e over the year. Spurred on by this success, we will continue to consistently pursue the use of solar power from our roofs.
However, it is not realistic for the energy demand at our sites to be fully covered by on-site PV systems in the future. Nevertheless, in order to ensure a complete supply of green electricity, we have set ourselves a clear goal: from 2025, we will source 100 percent of our third-party energy from renewable sources (see the overview of our ESG targets). For this purpose, we are relying on various procurement methods. As described above, we produce green electricity at our sites, and we use this directly on site. In addition, we conclude direct power contracts with producers of renewable energies external to our sites, known as off-site power purchase agreements (PPAs). In 2025, we will obtain some of the energy we need through such an agreement from an onshore wind farm near Fehmarn that was built in 2023. We rely on unlinked guarantees of origin for the remaining share of our energy demand, where we cannot procure green energy in either of the two ways mentioned. In doing so, it is important to us that these guarantees are of high quality and obtained from plants less than six years old. In the current year, we have the guarantees mainly from a newly built wind farm in Germany.
Documentation of our greenhouse gas emissions
If we want to reduce our CO2 emissions as planned, we need to know where and how much energy is consumed and the corresponding greenhouse gases generated. We collect the necessary consumption data with the help of software at the sites, where it is validated and evaluated. The Corporate Sustainability Department then calculates the resulting emissions. We currently take into account the consumption of our consolidated companies in Germany and abroad. In the AUTOMOBILE and CONTRACT Divisions, we use our own diesel trucks, and their consumption is included in our energy and greenhouse gas inventories. Subcontractors also perform services on our behalf, particularly in the freight forwarding and car transport business segments, which we present in our extended reporting (Scope 3).
We follow the guidelines of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) for our greenhouse gas balance sheet, in which we present direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions separately. We distinguish between Scope 1 (direct emissions from the combustion of natural gas, heating oil and fuels), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from the production of electricity and district heating) and Scope 3 (other indirect emissions). Since 2011, we have been calculating the CO2 equivalents (CO2e), which take into account not only carbon dioxide, but also other gases with a high potential emission of greenhouse gases (details in the Glossary).
Absolute greenhouse gas emissions
(in tCO2e) broken down into direct and indirect emissions
For the CO2e calculation for gasoline and diesel vehicles, as well as CNG and LPG consumption, we use well-to-wheel emission factors (WTW) from the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC), which encompasses all CO2e emissions arising from the provision of the energy sources used through to the operating phase and take into account the proportion of biodiesel or ethanol. In order to calculate the further emissions from the energy sources used, including the upstream chain, we use the CO2e emission factors from the Global Emissions Model of Integrated Systems (GEMIS) of the International Institute for Sustainability Analysis and Strategy (IINAS), from the German Federal Environment Agency and from the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). We regularly adjust the factors retrospectively in line with the adjustments to the respective source. The emission factors used for electricity are based on the site, depending on the energy supply company. The corresponding energy factors for our foreign sites are based on the respective country mix from GEMIS.
In the reporting year, we made four major adjustments to our greenhouse gas inventory. Our South African sites were integrated into the inventory, as was the one in Northport in the USA. This means that all sites of our consolidated foreign companies are now fully accounted for, making up a total of 10 percent of our Scopes 1 and 2 emissions. Conversely, two German sites were removed from the locations included in the greenhouse gas balance sheet in the reporting year, as the customer took over energy procurement. We removed the emissions from these two sites from the inventory – also retrospectively – in accordance with the GHG Protocol. In addition, categories 3.1 (purchased goods and services), 3.2 (capital goods) and 3.5 (waste) were added to the Scope 3. As part of the preparation for sustainability reporting in accordance with the CSRD, the definitions for accounting as Scopes 1 to 3 emissions were revised and extended for our joint venture EUROGATE. Among other things, emissions that had previously been presented in Scopes 1 and 2 were corrected and reallocated to Scope 3. As a result, the emissions attributable to BLG LOGISTICS also decrease. In order to ensure a consistent basis for target tracking and the associated evaluation, emission levels were therefore retrospectively adjusted back to the base year of 2018.
Own emissions: continually moving in the right direction
In order to achieve our previous climate target, it was necessary to reduce our CO2 emissions by 2.5 percent annually compared to 2018. Looking at the base year, there has already been a significant decrease after six years. Overall, we reduced our greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 by 17.4 percent compared with 2018, thus exceeding our target of minus 15 percent for the reporting year. With our newly adopted target, annual emission reductions will have to significantly increase: in order to achieve the target by 2030, we must now reduce our CO2 emissions by 4.2 percent per year compared to 2018, which means we must increase our efforts significantly. There will be a significant reduction in emissions in 2025, especially with the complete transition of our energy supply to renewable sources.
Absolute greenhouse gas emissions (Scopes 1 +2)
From 2018 to 2024 and targets until 2030 (tCO2e)
Emissions in supply chain: progress in all categories
Our previous target for emissions in Scope 3 caused in connection with our business activities remained valid in the reporting year: a 15 percent reduction by 2030 compared to the base year. From 2025, we have upped our target to strive for a 30 percent reduction with a view to the 1.5°C target. When determining the sources of Scope 3 emissions to be taken into account, we orientated ourselves around the 15 categories defined in the GHG Protocol and identified those relevant for us.
As a result, we consider emissions resulting from the following categories: Purchased goods, services (3.1) and capital goods (3.2), upstream energy source chains (3.3), upstream transport (3.4), waste (3.5), business travel (3.6), commuting (3.7) and equity interests (3.15).
Within Scope 3, the majority of the emissions, about two-thirds in total, are attributable roughly equally to our activities in connection with the purchase of goods, services and capital goods, as well as the activities of our sub-transport companies.
Percentage of Scope 3 emissions in 2024
Breakdown by categories considered
In the case of upstream transport, we record the emissions generated by third-party transport services by truck, rail and ship. In order to calculate emissions from truck transport, in some cases we use software that is accredited in accordance with international standards for greenhouse gas accounting. Where feasible, it combines transport order data with telematics data not only from our own trucks, but also from some of our subcontractors’ trucks, so that the calculation of emissions is based on primary data as much as possible. Since 2023, we have been sending extended semi-trailers out on the road for land transport, which can transport up to 10 percent more goods compared to conventional semi-trailers. This reduces the number of trips, which in turn cuts down emissions. Accounting for emissions from our purchasing behavior is based on the purchasing volume per goods group (spend-based method).
When considering our equity investments, we include the emissions of our EUROGATE joint venture proportionately, as well as those of other individual companies. The former makes up the absolute majority in this category with about 90 percent.
The emissions in employee mobility are made up of our employees’ daily commutes, the use of private cars for business trips and trips with company or rental cars, as well as air travel. In 2024, we also conducted our annual staff mobility survey to record emissions from commuting. We also collected feedback on the measures we devised based on the previous years’ surveys and have already implemented some of them. For example, questions were asked about user behavior with regard to charging infrastructure for staff and the ride-sharing center in the BLG app – and the satisfaction with both services. Based on the answers, we can pursue meaningful further development.
In the first half of 2024, 40 charging points for company and private electric vehicles were installed at seven German sites, and in 2025, more will be installed at eight additional sites. There is already a uniform system for using and billing the electricity charged, which can be transferred over to the new sites. We inform our employees about their charging options using internal posts and notices. In the reporting year, it was also decided to introduce a mobility budget, which represents an alternative or addition to the company car option. This is to be implemented in the current year – company car holders can then use public transport or sharing services flexibly as a replacement for their company car or as an additional option if a smaller model is chosen.
With regard to the upstream chains of primary energy sources, we record the emissions from the production and transport of the energy we use. The calculation of the emissions resulting from our waste is based on the annual quantities of waste by fraction collected as part of waste management.
After the retrospective expansion of our Scope 3 recognition, we note a significant reduction in Scope 3 emissions in the reporting year after a brief increase for 2023. It was at 20.4 percent compared to the base year. Particularly noteworthy are the emission reductions car transport in partnership with our subtransport service providers. This is due in particular to the economic situation and the challenges facing automotive manufacturers.
Absolute greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3)
from 2018 to 2024 and targets until 2030 (tCO2e)
Across all three Scopes, we produced 209,785 t CO2e in 2024 and thus recorded a total decrease of 4.3 percent compared to the previous year. In the reporting year, we once again significantly exceeded our annual target for both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and those within Scope 3. We describe the measures that have made a tangible contribution to reducing our Scopes 1 and 2 emissions in the Energy Management section.
At the end of 2023, encouraged by the above-mentioned, continual positive development over the past few years and against the backdrop of the environmental, social and economic need to take consistent action, we adopted the new and significantly more stringent target described above for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the 1.5°C target laid down in the Paris Climate Agreement.
Support for international climate protection projects
We are pursuing our climate objectives according to the clear principle of avoiding before reducing before offsetting. Nevertheless, financial support for climate protection projects is indispensable on our way to having a carbon neutral inventory – because some emissions are simply unavoidable as it stands today, and also in the near future. Since 2020, we have been calculating emissions from our company car fleet and our air travel, and supporting selected climate protection projects that lead to a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. These projects are certified and audited exclusively according to the Gold Standard. In 2024, we retired 1,479 tons of carbon credits from a project to provide solar cookers in the Chinese province of Henan.