Environmental and climate protection play a central role at DFS. We ensure that flight procedures are as direct and fuel-efficient as possible and that residents are protected from aircraft noise as best as possible. However, our contribution to environmental protection does not end there. We also take care of the environment at our sites.
The regular commute to the place of work causes a significant share of annual carbon dioxide emissions. That is why DFS supports the use of public transport by offering the DFS JobTicket Deutschland. This is an employer-subsidised ticket which is valid in public transport across the whole of Germany. In addition, our employees can also work in what is known as FlexOffice, a form of remote working. Provided the job allows it, FlexOffice is a model that not only protects the climate, but also promotes the compatibility of work and family life. Likewise, employees can lease a bicycle at low cost through the JobBike scheme, which has tax incentives. Business trips are increasingly being considered from the perspective of climate protection, and travel by rail is being promoted. We are gradually converting the 400-vehicle fleet to lower-emission models.
The more natural resources are saved or recycled, the better it is for the environment. In the transport of goods within the company, we therefore rely on reusable outer packaging and avoid plastic as much as possible. We repair technical systems ourselves for the most part. This shortens transport routes and reduces the use of materials. Waste generated throughout DFS is collected separately and almost completely recycled. In this way, high-quality secondary raw materials are obtained that are used again in production – a contribution to resource conservation. We also work to protect the environment in our everyday office routines: DFS cooperates with the company called Pfandnetzwerk [deposit network] so that the deposit charged on bottles and cans in Germany can be denoted to a local charitable association, for instance.
We are committed to protecting natural habitats and preserving biodiversity. For example, almost half of the 190,000 square metres surface area of the DFS Headquarters in Langen is unsealed and laid out in harmony with nature. Smaller ecosystems have been established by creating water areas on the DFS Campus and at various tower branches, such as those at Düsseldorf, Leipzig and Hannover airports. Fish, frogs, toads and ducks have found a new home. Nesting boxes have become regular breeding grounds for peregrine falcons and a home to bats. In addition, we are re-naturalising the areas of our radio and radar installations, most of which are located in near-natural habitats.
In all investments in buildings and technology, the focus is not only on economic efficiency but also on environmental compatibility. The company's Headquarters in Langen, for example, was built as a low-energy office building and is heated and cooled entirely by geothermal energy. Heat and cold are extracted from the ground via a field of geothermal probes. The construction and renovation of the control centres and towers are also carried out considering ecological issues. In addition, the company's own combined heat and power plant supplies the Langen site with energy. Through a modernisation in 2014, we have been able to significantly increase the efficiency of the plant and have reduced emissions by more than 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. In Langen, a photovoltaic system also supplies energy. In future, we want to use more electricity from renewable sources at all our branches and thus become a climate-neutral company in the long term.
For the digitalisation of processes or working in the cloud, DFS needs servers, which have a high energy consumption. That is why we are continuously reducing the amount of hardware and are virtualising our data. This reduces both the power consumption of the devices and energy consumption for cooling the data centres. When procuring computers or printers, we also follow environmental standards and pay attention to low power consumption.
