Hellmann and Sustainability
Our corporate culture is rooted in integrity, trust, and cooperation, as reflected in the Hellmann Promise, aiming for a better world through sustainable economic development and innovative logistics solutions.
Corporate Culture
Hellmann is a global family-owned company with over 150 years of tradition. We are proud of that. And that is why we have always been committed to what family means: integrity, understanding, trust and, most importantly, good cooperation. This is the basis of our F.A.M.I.L.Y DNA, which has shaped the Group’s positive development for decades.
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The world in which we all operate is changing rapidly – from political and social challenges to climate change and fundamentally new market conditions. This constant change places new demands not only on Hellmann as a company but also on each of our employees. That is why we have significantly developed our corporate culture with the "Hellmann Promise" and consequently adapted the way we work together to the challenges of the future. The Hellmann Promise defines a vision – For the better. Together. It is the North Star for all of us and describes the overarching goal we pursue in everything we do. Our mission and values define how we intend to achieve this goal. Interpersonal relationships among colleagues and with external stakeholders remain a central element. After all, the decisive constant, in times characterized by constant change, are our approximately 14,000 employees as well as our customers and partners. This awareness is reflected in the overriding corporate value "Relationship matters".
The Hellmann Promise takes the corporate culture that has already been established over decades to a new level. In this way, Hellmann creates the prerequisite for securing the company’s positive development over the long term, ensuring that the company also offers a wide range of opportunities for future generations.
Hellmann Promise
Hellmann has been a family business for over 150 years. We are proud of that. Our unique corporate culture has always stood for integrity, understanding, trust and cooperation.
Our corporate culture – the Hellmann Promise – is the basis of our success. At the same time, the global Hellmann FAMILY is united by a common vision that is reflected in everything we do: At a time when the world is changing rapidly, we as a global family business not only want to deliver first-class service to our customers, but also join forces to make our contribution to overcoming the social and environmental challenges we all face worldwide. For the better. Together.
Our Vision
For the better. Together.
In our vision, we yearn and strive for a better world: A world where humankind takes care of the environment, quality of life is improved and social equity is reality. We can only realize this world together! Fostered by sustainable economic development and driven by creative minds and innovation. As the global Hellmann Family it is our greatest responsibility to create this future jointly – in worldwide logistics.
Our Mission
We care passionately for people and economies everywhere. Delivering reliable integrated logistics solutions powered by technology, expertise and entrepreneurial spirit. Connecting the world every day. Sustainably.
Hellmann in Figures
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics was founded in Osnabrück in 1871. Today, Hellmann is an established global full service provider and is represented with 241 of its own locations in 54 countries group-wide. Hellmann offers intermodal transport solutions worldwide through its land transport, air and seafreight as well as contract logistics product areas. The company's geographical activities are divided into five regions: Americas (AMCS), Asia-Pacific (APAC), India/Middle East/Africa (IMEA), Western Europe (WEUR) and Eastern Europe (EEUR). To meet the specific logistics requirements of individual industries, Hellmann also offers high-quality, specialized Industry Solutions for the following sectors: Automotive & Agricultural, Consumer Goods, Fashion, Healthcare, Industrial, Marine & Cruise, Renewables, Perishables and Technology.
EUR 5.0 Billion
Turnover
241
Offices Worldwide
54
Countries
20 Million
Shipments per Year*
13,949
Employees
As a family business with over 150 years of tradition, Hellmann has always focused on the relationship between people who interact with each other, which is also centrally anchored in the corporate culture: "Relationship matters ." This is just as much about the relationships between the 13,949 employees worldwide as it is about the relationships with customers, suppliers and other partners. Cooperation based on trust and reliability, both internally and externally, is what makes the difference in logistics as a "people business" and positions a company strongly for the future, in addition to continuous further development of processes, innovations and sustainable management. Sustainability, with its three dimensions of the environment, social responsibility and governance, has always been of central importance to Hellmann, both in its operating business and in terms of its strategic corporate positioning, and is firmly anchored in its corporate culture.
Despite the ongoing COVID pandemic in large parts of the world and the war in Ukraine, the financial year 2022 was very successful for Hellmann. Both total revenue of EUR 5 billion (2021: EUR 4.1 billion) and shipment volumes of just under 20 million* (2021: 18.1 million) were increased in the reporting year 2022 compared to 2021.
*In the reporting year 2022, the method of counting shipments was adjusted. Therefore, the number for 2021 has changed to 18.1 million compared to the last sustainability report.
In addition to the increase in sales and shipments, the number of employees also grew significantly in the reporting period to 13,949 (2021: 12,348), largely due to the acquisition of companies, for example in Peru. The largest increase was in the Americas region, where the number of employees increased to 3,615 (2021: 2,758).
Sustainability Approach and Key Topics
The topic of sustainability has always been of particular importance to Hellmann and is firmly anchored in our corporate culture. Particularly in the past decade, the general conditions have changed significantly: Climate change, a shortage of skilled workers, changes in legislation, and new market and customer requirements are presenting the industry with new challenges. Now it is time to take the next step and raise the issue of sustainability to a new level as a central component of corporate strategy: Sustainability therefore plays a central role in the overarching corporate strategy worldwide. The aim is to significantly improve the company's performance in the three dimensions of the environment, social responsibility and governance and thus to play a pioneering role in the global market. Accordingly, a global sustainability strategy will be developed in the course of 2023 as one of four strategic pillars, as part of which far-reaching measures for the further development of corporate standards will be integrated into daily processes. Accordingly, this sustainability report also represents a further development compared to previous reports, in that it is based, for example, on the Global Reporting Initiative Standards as well as the key points of the European sustainability reporting Standards (ESRS) known at the time of editing. In the future, Hellmann will focus its sustainability reporting on the ESRS reporting standard.
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In this context, a global “Sustainability Council” was established at the end of 2021 under the responsibility of the entire Management Board. In addition to the three members of the Management Board, the interdisciplinary Sustainability Council consists of a cross-functional team with colleagues from Sales, Product Management, Compliance, Legal, Real Estate, Human Resources, Communications, Controlling, Finance, and Quality, Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability (QHSE).
With the aim of developing a holistic sustainability strategy for Hellmann, a materiality analysis was carried out in the reporting year 2022 with the help of a stakeholder survey. As part of this, employees, the entire management team, representatives of the shareholder families, and selected external business partners were asked which sustainability issues are most relevant to Hellmann from their perspective. The survey was conducted on the basis of relevance criteria. The survey asked how relevant the impact on the stakeholders themselves is and how relevant the impact of the respective topic is on the areas of the environment, social responsibility and governance. As a result, nine topics were identified as essential, which are also reflected in the structure of the sustainability report. The overall result of the survey is shown in the graphic below:
The results of the materiality analysis were evaluated and further elaborated in the reporting year with the involvement of various bodies such as the Supervisory Board, the Management Board and various other working groups. In this way, they ultimately also served as the basis for the further development of the company's strategic alignment, in which the topic of sustainability plays a central role. At the same time, the results of the analysis are also the basis for the sustainability strategy and consequently also for this report. Strategically, the topic of sustainability at Hellmann is viewed integratively and comprehensively in what is referred to as the sustainability house. The overriding goal is to develop targets for all key issues and to create transparency across all topics. Improvement projects continue to be defined and implemented in the three areas of the environment, social responsibility and governance. The annual monitoring of target achievement enables Hellmann to continuously take corrective measures and/or initiate further improvement projects.
