DHL Global Forwarding, DHL Supply Chain and DHL Express were recognized by the Top Employers Institute as Top Employer for 2021 in the United States. The certifications attest to DHL’s achievement in implementing HR best practices, focused on fostering a positive work environment and encouraging its employees’ personal and professional development. 

The Top Employers Institute Global Certification Program annually certifies and recognizes companies in participating countries who demonstrate a continuous commitment to providing the very best work environment for their employees. It certifies organizations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Well-being and Diversity & Inclusion and more. 

At DHL Global Forwarding, training opportunities and talent development programs are consistently reviewed and benchmarked against the requirements of the industry. All employees go through a mandatory DHL Certified International Forwarder (CIF) program upon induction, to ensure that they adhere to the same global standards as colleagues in the global network, abiding by the strictest code of conduct and business principles. Further, DHL Global Forwarding started initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in the company. For example, with “Women at DHL Global Forwarding, Freight”, an initiative that enables more women to fill leadership roles. The initiative's goal at DHL Global Forwarding is to promote a cultural mindset with focus on equal opportunities by offering work arrangements, transparency, and career support. 

“We are proud to be named Top Employer for the second time in a row this year. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases our organization’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent Human Resources policies and people practices,” David Goldberg, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding US. ““People are our greatest asset at DHL Global Forwarding. Receiving Top Employer in our region is a true testament to our efforts to be a diverse and inclusive workplace and putting our people first.”

From virtual learning, leveraging technology in recruiting and onboarding, to the development of digital skillsets, the focus on digitalization as a pillar of DHL Supply Chain’s long-term HR strategy proved to be an effective approach. With around 80% of employees working on the front line, across multiple shifts five to seven days a week, innovative initiatives to connect colleagues were essential. Therefore, enabling digital skillsets, as well as enhancing virtual training, were highly impactful at DHL Supply Chain. As part of these efforts, the existing training offered within the Certified program was significantly extended over the last 12 months. 

Furthermore, digitalization played a huge part in recruitment efforts. With more than 30,000 people hired per year in to DHL Supply Chain, giving applicants the opportunity to complete online training sessions tailored to different logistical tasks and specific roles has been hugely beneficial.

“We are leaving behind the most wildly unpredictable year in living memory. Amid the global pandemic, the human impact in our business was more visible than ever, making our people agenda business-critical. Our employees are dedicated to their work and motivated not only to give their best to keep our customers’ business running, but to serve our purpose of “Connecting people, and improving lives”,” said Scott Sureddin, CEO, DHL Supply Chain North America.  “Being re-certified as the Top Employer underlines our commitment to excellence in all its aspects. Our HR agenda for 2021 will build on these great achievements and focus on transferrable solutions to support the business.”

This year, DHL Express was certified by the Top Employers Institute in 48 countries and on each continent of the globe, except Antarctic, and also received the certification of Global Top Employer. In the Americas, the company was recognized in 7 countries, including the United States. 

“We take great pride in being truly committed to putting our people first, and being recognized as a Top Employer for the seventh consecutive year in the U.S. is an award we hold in great esteem,” said Greg Hewitt, CEO, DHL Express US.  “When the global pandemic changed how we worked, our employees demonstrated their passion and dedication, and we are grateful for their great efforts these last 12 months. During times like these, it is more important than ever to stay committed to upholding the best possible workplace standards for them and we’re honored to be recognized for that with this award.”

DHL Express annually invests a double digit million Euro amount in its employees around the world. The company runs various HR initiatives to continuously improve the working conditions of its teams and equip its international workforce with the knowledge that they need to be motivated to deliver the best quality service for customers each day. Due to the remarkable efforts of the DHL staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company paid each employee around the world a one-off bonus of 300 EUR.