Sustainability

Forward Belgium (The Belgian Freight Forwarding Association)  launched its own sustainability label a few months ago for forwarders, customs representatives, and logistics service providers. The label is called 'FORWARD Goals for sustainable development' and has its own logo. Companies that can demonstrate their commitment to the global sustainable development goals through concrete actions that they are taking within their company, qualify for the eligible for the label. Kudos to all companies and very proud to have Ahlers awarded with the Gold label. Other laureates were H.Essers, Ziegler, and Fast Shipping & Forwarding Belgium. 

Commitment to World Cleanup Day with our employees that came together on 18 September to rid our planet of waste in order to create a global call for creating a waste-free world. The aim is not only cleaner cities, parks, beaches, and forests, but to also move towards better waste management, to raise awareness both locally and globally of the global waste problem, and the urgency of tackling it. And more importantly, it aims to support and connect a new generation of community leaders – ready to act together to find sustainable solutions for a cleaner future. Y

Ahlers, one of 37 teams, participated on Saturday, September 11, 2021, in the international environmental campaign “Clean Beach” - one of the largest public environmental education campaigns in St. Petersburg. The campaign “Clean Beach” will be organized by the initiative of the Committee for Environment and Environmental Protection of St. Petersburg via coordination by State company “Mineral”. This event is not just about cleaning up beaches by volunteers but about education and raising public awareness of the Baltic Sea and freshwater and environment issues; and giving people a good opportunity to make a difference to the environmental well-being of the shore through involving an extension of voluntary networks and international cooperation for common Baltic sea area.

Our Responsible Consumption and Production team organized the collection of paper for recycling.  The Technical service collects paper from the containers on a bi-weekly basis. 

We made an agreement with EcoComplex, to export and recycle our paper. In 2018, Ahlers provided 17,700 kg of paper and earned 111,510 rubles. Collecting waste paper is not only environmentally friendly but also beneficial. Paper and cardboard are not only removed from our warehouses, but our office staff can now also contributes.

In 2020 we collected 38 tons of paper and cardboard as well as 11 tons of plastic wrap at the Ahlers premises in St Petersburg alone. With many home office hours, we still collected 3 full @spasiboshop containers of old clothing – some of it will be sold to support charity and some recycled to become new cloth.

We were impressed to see the numbers – little by little they all add up. If you are still thinking to recycle or not to recycle – just try it and track the amounts – you will be impressed by the impact you made on our planet Earth at the end of the year.

To reduce the consumption of plastics we stopped purchasing bottled water in our offices. We have drinking water from purifiers, located in all buildings, using the ceramic mugs provided to our workforce. All purifiers have 4 filters inside, to purify the water from bacteria and viruses.

Our service provider renews the filters regularly, as well as cleans the mechanism. After each cleaning, they mark a date on stickers on all purifiers.

Ahlers Russia collects batteries during the year to send them off for recycling in a facility located in Chelyabinsk. Every employee can put their used batteries into special containers.

This year with many people working from home it’s less than what we collected last year, however, it’s still 17.6 kg!

When batteries are processed the following fractions will have a new life and can be used again: metal scrap, copper powder, manganese dioxide, zinc dust.

Organizing a bike tour through the Port of Antwerp.  During a 3-hour journey, we passed the church of the former polder village of Oosterweel, the Fort Noordkasteel, the Belvédère – the first phase in the realization of the Droogdokkenpark along the Scheldt River; the Red Star Line and MAS Museum; the Port of Antwerp House; the ancient monument Het Steen. We ended our tour in Gaarkeuken 110, a typical and well-known brown café, where we enjoyed a snack and a drink.

Ahlers Russia joined 'Clean Games' organized in Saint Petersburg to contribute to the initiative of World Cleanup Day. To win and receive a prize, the teams had to gather and separate waste. The more garbage a team collected, the more points received.  75 volunteers from 37 teams competed for the first place. Our team 'Green Ahlers' took 16th place, a great result considering it was our first participation. We recorded a short video from this incredible day.

The time to clean our city of any dirt begins with individual action for collective clean communities. In 2020 our colleagues in Antwerp took out an entire week, supporting the world cleanup day initiative.

Every lunchtime, we went walking with a group of employees in the office neighborhood to collect waste.  Ahlers clean-up week

With the Ahlers sustainability team, we participate and pledge to reduce plastic waste. Our team participated in the May Plastic Free initiative for Flanders, Belgium; so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. With the Ahlers sustainability team, we participate and pledge to reduce plastic waste. We already gave all employees a drinking bottle, and we have a program for street volunteers who regularly pick up plastic waste from the streets.