Fast shipping. Focused on improvement.
Our sustainability strategy
time:matters is your partner for emergency and supply chain logistics. As a specialist in time-critical logistics, we support customers worldwide with fast and reliable transportation solutions, where speed is not only a business imperative but can sometimes be vital to saving lives.
At the same time, we recognize that our services have an impact on the climate and environment.
That is why we are committed to contributing to the reduction of CO₂ emissions, improving the resource efficiency of our processes, and helping to ensure that our planet remains a place worth living in for future generations.
Steps toward lower-emission logistics
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is the generic term for all aviation fuels that are produced without the use of fossil raw materials such as crude oil or natural gas.
SAF is produced by converting carbon from biomass sources, such as used cooking oil and waste fats, into jet fuel. This creates a carbon cycle in which the CO₂ released during combustion was previously absorbed from the atmosphere during the growth of the biomass.
SAF can reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional fossil jet fuel, depending on feedstock and production pathway. However, improvements in production and distribution are needed to maximize the contribution to CO₂ emission reductions. Research continues to advance solutions that may further reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions, with technologies such as Power-to-Liquid (PtL) and Sun-to-Liquid (StL) currently under development.
If customers book a shipment with time:matters and decide to buy SAF, we procure the more sustainable fuel via the Lufthansa Group. The corresponding amount of SAF is integrated into the Lufthansa Group’s flight operations within six months of purchase, thereby contributing to the reduction of CO₂ emissions on future flights.
Investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a key lever to contribute to the reduction of our own CO₂ emissions. That is why we have been investing in SAF since 2022 and give preference to airlines that use these fuels.
Avoidance
Less is more – especially when it comes to CO₂ emissions.
Avoidance is a proactive approach to reducing CO₂ emissions and waste. Rather than trying to mitigate the effects of CO₂ emissions and waste after they have been created, avoidance seeks to prevent them from being created in the first place.
For us, that includes transitioning our energy supply to renewable sources, reducing paper consumption, and implementing energy-efficient LED lighting across our locations.
From an operational perspective, we continuously improve by optimizing transport and network planning, streamlining processes, enforcing our sustainability standards and, since 2017, transitioning the apron fleet at our time:matters Courier Terminals in Frankfurt, Munich and Shanghai to electric and hybrid vehicles.
In addition, we have achieved what once seemed impossible: with our Sameday Rail service, we offer customers an alternative to air and road freight that generates around 70 times fewer CO₂ emissions and yet comes at a lower cost!
Lastly, our same-day air shipments are transported using biodegradable packaging.
Contribution to climate protection projects
Supporting climate protection projects complements our efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions through operational improvements, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and continuous optimization of our logistics network.
Customers can support carefully selected climate protection projects that contribute to broader climate action. These projects help either avoid CO₂ emissions or remove carbon from the atmosphere over the long term.
The projects supported by time:matters include initiatives such as forest conservation, clean cooking solutions and moorland restoration. Beyond their climate-related benefits, these projects can also support biodiversity and local communities.
To ensure transparency and quality, we work with recognized project providers and standards.
Awareness
Sustainability can only be achieved through collaboration. That is why we foster an open dialogue with our employees, partners, and customers, working together toward a more sustainable future.
To support our customers on their compliance journey, we offer a customized dashboard and report detailing your emissions, which can be delivered at flexible intervals or via API.
Our Key Account Managers and Sustainability Manager are available to discuss your sustainability ambitions and explore how we can assist you.
ISO 14001 certification demonstrates our commitment to environmental stewardship, providing a framework for assessing our impact and developing a plan for continuous improvement.
How do we calculate carbon emissions?
The Squake emissions calculator calculator quantifies the direct and indirect, so-called “well to wheel” (WTW) emissions in CO₂-equivalent (CO₂e). The estimated CO₂e emissions represent an average value for the distance between the shipment’s origin and destination. The contribution to climate protection projects for each transport is equivalent to the estimated volume of CO₂e emissions.
Emission calculations and assumptions are in line with GLEC framework and the European standard DIN EN16258.
Various standardized methodologies exist to calculate your carbon footprint. The most known being the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocol, GLEC Framework, DIN EN 16258.
Our emissions are divided through 3 scopes:
- Scope 1 & 2 are our own emissions. They are calculated as per the GHG Protocol once the year is passed.
- Scope 3 represents our core business (our transport solutions) and are directly calculated via an API by our partner Squake.
Due to our intermodal transportation and dedicated drives services, we cannot apply only one methodology to our logistics chain.
We are currently using the following frameworks:
- DEFRA for the On Board Courier shipments
- GLEC for shipments via our Sameday Air network and Next Flight Out (NFO) solutions
- ACRISS for the Sameday Road transports
- ADEME for Sameday Rail shipments
These methodologies allow us to provide the most accurate emission calculation that matches our unique and customized services.
Sustainability Development Goals of the UN
The United Nations (UN) has set out 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals, which were adopted by all UN member states in 2015, provide a blueprint for action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all.
Our activities contribute to several UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to responsible consumption, climate action and partnerships.