Statement from the Chairwoman of the Executive Board

Ladies and gentlemen,

The current coronavirus pandemic has one positive side effect: according to calculations of the Hamburg-based market research institute Statista, global CO₂ emissions dropped by seven percent in 2020 compared with the previous year. This corresponds to 2.4 billion tonnes of CO₂. As welcome as this reduction is, it will at best slow global warming, but by no means stop it. In fact, there is reason to fear that emissions may suddenly leap again when mobility and the movement of goods are no longer restricted by lockdowns. The fight against the coronavirus pandemic is a significant drain on resources, but this cannot be used as an excuse to neglect other global challenges such as climate change. The coronavirus pandemic and climate change have one thing in common: neither crisis respects national borders and can therefore only be overcome if everyone pulls together in a concerted effort.

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) has been making an effective contribution towards climate protection for many years. HHLA’s sustainability management strategy is not contingent on crises or the economic situation, but an integral element of our business activities. Our claim to be the “gateway to the future” is not limited to strengthening our position as one of Europe’s leading logistics companies. For us, shaping the future also means taking a responsible approach and acting sustainably, if for no other reason than that it is in our own interests. After all, the destruction of our environment would also mean the destruction of our business model. In this way, we can create added value for our clients, our employees, our shareholders, our community and our company – while at the same time reducing our environmental footprint. For us, Balanced Logistics means finding the right balance between our economic success, good working conditions, our social responsibility, and environmental and climate protection. Each is a prerequisite for the others: we will only have the means and the opportunity to invest in our most important resource, our employees, and meet our responsibilities to society and the environment if we also make good returns.

And as you can read in this sustainability report, we successfully did this again in the 2020 financial year – despite the exceptional conditions. For example, we achieved a further reduction in our CO₂ emissions. The Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) was once again certified climate-neutral – the first in the world. Our product “HHLA Pure” offers customers a solution for climate-neutral transportation between the Port of Hamburg and the hinterland. We have started replacing diesel-powered vehicles used for container transport at the terminal with battery-powered versions.

We are convinced that the future of HHLA is based not only on technological innovation, but above all on sustainable innovation. This means that we review not only the benefit for our business of every innovation and new technical development, but also the sustainability aspect.

Regardless of the unusual circumstances that we and most companies are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, we are upholding our target of achieving largely climate-neutral production by 2040. Similarly, our promise to halve our CO₂ emissions by 2030 compared with 2018 still holds. A Statista survey of the sustainability activities of 2,000 major companies ranked HHLA among the top 30 most sustainable companies in Germany. We see this as a confirmation of the success of our “Balanced Logistics” approach. At the same time, this recognition serves as an obligation to maintain the intensity of our efforts. In order to improve further, we also aim to learn from others. We therefore actively engage with environmental associations, organisations and initiatives, and invite them to share their experiences.

Yours,

Angela Titzrath
Chairwoman of the Executive Board