Education initiatives

Deutsche Post DHL has been a strong supporter of the development of young people - in schools, through internships and prior to vocational training - for a long time.

Throughout Germany, there are about 300 collaborations between Deutsche Post DHL companies and schools of all kinds. For instance, each year, as part of the Group's sponsorship of Bertolt Brecht Comprehensive School in Bonn, Deutsche Post DHL employees of our personnel department run a one week project on the topic of "career and life planning".

High school graduates experiencing difficulties entering the job market are just as important to us as gifted students with a migrant background. Both groups receive special support. In addition, Deutsche Post DHL offers an international exchange program for employees' children.

Programs with a particular emphasis on sustainability are "Einstiegsqualifizierung" (Job-Market Entrance Qualification) for young people without an vocational training position and business@school, an international business competition for students completing their senior secondary education at comprehensive schools, senior secondary schools and secondary-level vocational colleges.

Deutsche Post DHL has been involved in programs aiming at reducing youth unemployment since 2001. The Job-Market Entrance Qualification is a program that once was developed by the business community and industry as part of the German Federal Government's Training Pact. Deutsche Post DHL is participating in that program with "Perspektive Gelb". Young people, who did not find a vocational training position and are usually younger than 25 years, are being offered a six to twelve-month internship, which is arranged and supported by the federal employment agency.

Thus, they are given the opportunity to be accepted into a vocational training program. Almost 90 percent of trainees are subsequently accepted into training programs at Deutsche Post - significantly more than in other companies. These positive results encourage us to continue this program as part of our efforts to meet our corporate responsibility goals.

The business@school initiative launched by The Boston Consulting Group has, since 1998, been bringing business know-how into schools in collaboration with a large number of major international companies. Their aim is to contribute to the provision of basic economics education in schools. Representatives from the world of business become involved in schools and add to the young students knowledge with their business know-how and experience. Deutsche Post DHL volunteers coach student teams at the following participating schools in Bonn:

• Ernst-Kalkuhl-Gymnasium (senior secondary school)
• Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium (senior secondary school)
• Bonn-Beuel Integrated Comprehensive School