Reducing the Environmental Impact of Our Operations
At DLL, we are mindful of the environmental impact of our operations and take steps toward reducing it. Our emissions primarily stem from office energy use – such as electricity, natural gas, and cooling – and from business travel by car and air.
Improved emissions tracking and methodology
In 2024, we improved our methodology for calculating emissions from our operations by expanding the scope to include air travel, alongside office facilities and car travel. To ensure accuracy and credibility, our data, methodology, and targets were reviewed and validated by an independent third party specializing in climate target setting. Their assessment confirmed that our approach is grounded in the best available data and offers a reliable foundation for tracking our operational emissions.
Overall Progress
In 2024, we achieved a 5% reduction in total operational emissions compared to the previous year (2023) (Table 1).
Since our 2018 baseline, in 2024, we’ve successfully reduced total operational emissions by 35% (Table 1). We see this as a key milestone in reinforcing our focus on climate action.
2030 Emissions Reduction Target
In alignment with Rabobank’s “Road to Paris” climate goals, we’ve set a target to reduce emissions from our own operations – covering office facilities, car travel, and air travel – by at least 40% by 2030, compared to our 2018 baseline. This target reflects a balanced approach that acknowledges the post-pandemic increase in travel and office activity compared to the remote work norms during the pandemic.
DLL monitors emissions across facilities, vehicles, and air travel, implementing targeted solutions that are already delivering results. Below is a summary of our key sources, challenges, interventions, milestones, and future plans.
Operational Emissions Sources
Facilities
Challenges & Interventions
Energy use in both owned and leased buildings remains a key contributor to DLL’s operational emissions. To address this, DLL has implemented measures such as energy efficiency upgrades, electrification of heating systems, and a shift to renewable energy. Hybrid working has also enabled office downsizing, further reducing energy demand.
Key Milestones
As a result of these initiatives, emissions from facilities have been substantially reduced – from 4.7 kt CO₂ in 2018 to 1.3 kt CO2₂ in 2024(Table 1) – reflecting an absolute reduction of 72% over six years. In 2024, DLL’s headquarters in the Netherlands underwent a comprehensive renovation and is now fully electrified, BREEAM-certified1 , and holds an Energy Label rating of A+++.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, DLL aims for all its offices – owned and leased – to comply with the Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) Version 22 pathway by 2030. This target requires achieving an average emissions intensity of less than 16 kg CO₂ per square meter per year, adjusted for country-specific benchmarks. This ensures that DLL’s real estate footprint aligns with science-based decarbonization trajectories.
1 BREEAM In-Use is an internationally recognized sustainability assessment and certification standard specifically designed for existing buildings. It helps property owners, managers, and occupiers improve the environmental performance of their operational assets.
2 CRREM V2 (Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor, Version 2) is a globally recognized framework designed to help real estate investors and managers align their portfolios with the Paris Agreement climate targets. It provides science-based decarbonization pathways for operational carbon emissions from existing buildings.
Vehicles
Challenges & Interventions
Emissions from vehicle use – specifically car travel through DLL-leased or owned vehicles – rose from 3.0 kt CO₂ in 2023 to 3.3 kt CO₂ in 2024 (Table 1). This increase reflects both business growth and greater mobility following the easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions.
Key Milestones
In early 2024, DLL introduced a new lease car policy in the Netherlands. Under this policy, only 100% electric vehicles may be ordered for new leases.
Future Plans
In other countries, DLL is actively promoting the adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles through transition plans tailored to local market conditions and infrastructure readiness. Combined with our new lease car policy in the Netherlands, this marks a significant step toward our broader ambition of transitioning the entire lease fleet to electric vehicles by 2030.
Air Travel
Challenges & Interventions
The pandemic accelerated the use of video conferencing tools like Teams and Zoom, significantly reducing the need for in-person and international meetings—a trend we’ve seen at DLL. This shift, along with our promotion of rail travel for journeys under 600 km and a digital-first meeting approach, has contributed to a notable decline in flight-related emissions.
Key Milestones
Emissions from air travel decreased from 7.3 kt CO₂ in 2023 to 6.7 kt CO₂ in 2024 (Table 1), reflecting a positive shift in DLL’s travel practices.
Future Plans
DLL expects to see further reductions in air travel emissions, following the implementation of carbon budgets3 at a department level. These budgets are designed to increase accountability and support more conscious travel decisions, reinforcing DLL’s commitment to reducing its operational footprint.
3A carbon budget represents the maximum allowable carbon emissions for a specific department over a defined period. It is determined based on the nature of the department’s activities and informed by historical emissions data.
The remaining operational emissions primarily originate from paper use and reimbursed car travel. Although not currently included in our operational reduction targets, these sources are actively monitored and reported as part of our broader environmental footprint in our annual report on page 22. In 2024, emissions from these categories rose from 0.2 kt CO₂ in 2023 to 0.4 kt CO₂ (Table 1), reflecting a partial return to pre-pandemic activity levels. As office and client site visits resumed, related travel and paper consumption increased. This trend is expected to stabilize, and DLL may consider incorporating these sources into future reduction targets as part of its ongoing commitment to environmental performance.
Table 1. GHG Emissions from Own Operations 2023-2024 (in tons of CO2)
