Business operations

Even though the direct impact of the Deka Group on the climate and the natural environment is comparatively low, the company is continuously working on reducing it. The focus is on climate-relevant emissions that the Deka Group seeks to reduce by 90 percent by 2045 compared to the starting year 2024. The following presents what role will be played in this by the environmental management system and what contribution the compensation for unavoidable emissions will make.

Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024

The following information on this specific topic is in the Sustainability Report 2024:
 

• Climate change (own business operations): p. 279 et seqq.

 
Supplementary information
 
The environmental management system of the Deka Group has been certified since 2009 according to the international standard DIN EN ISO 14001. Within this environmental management system, the Deka Group has systematically worked on reducing its consumption and emissions. In 2025, the Deka Group is now introducing EMAS, the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a system that goes beyond the environmental requirements of ISO 14001. In this context, the collection of relevant data, e.g. on CO₂ emissions, waste, water and paper consumption, will be extended beyond its locations in Frankfurt to include further offices in Leipzig, Düsseldorf, Munich, Hamburg and Berlin. The key goal of the Deka Group is to reduce CO₂ emissions by 90 percent by the year 2045 compared to the year 2024. The remaining 10 percent is balanced by the purchase of certificates for climate protection projects, so that Deka can present itself with CO₂-neutral business operations from 2045.
 
 

Further information

You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.

Deka Group’s website:

Basic information in the Sustainability Report 2024

You can find the following information on this specific topic in the Sustainability Report 2024:

• GHG removals and GHG mitigation projects financed through carbon credits: p. 294

 
 
Supplementary information

Compensation within high-quality, independently tested projects

To balance the CO₂ emissions caused by business activities that are currently unavoidable, DekaBank has been compensating for these since 2020 through the purchase of emission reduction certificates for selected international projects.

DekaBank is aware that compensation for GHG emissions through the decommissioning of emission reduction certificates is not undisputed. It therefore ensures systematically that the compensation is only regularly applied when the current potential for avoidance and reduction of the emissions is exhausted. DekaBank works in this respect according to the principle of “avoid before reduce before off-set".

Furthermore, high standards are set for the climate protection projects from which the emission reduction certificates used for compensation originate. They must not only meet the strict quality standards but also make an active and verifiable contribution to the achievement of at least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN. This is ensured by the projects being implemented primarily in countries in the Global South. The quality of the projects is evaluated by an independent assessor, who ensures e.g. the additionality of the projects, carries out a plausibility check for the calculation of the compensated GHG emissions and checks the vesting and unambiguousness of the allocation.

For the year 2024, the Deka Group compensates for its unavoidable emissions resulting from business operations for example with a biogas project in India and a project for rainforest protection and the conservation of biodiversity in Borneo/Indonesia. In addition, it supports Bergwaldprojekt e. V. with the project “Werdohl in the Sauerland” (Germany) and therefore the protection of local forests and natural landscapes.

Supporting savings banks in compensation

On the basis of its own experiences, DekaBank has developed an offer to support savings banks in the identification and compensation of their GHG emissions pertaining to business activities. More than 290 savings banks and affiliated institutes (effective date: end of 2024) have committed themselves in relation to the "Self-commitment by German Savings Banks to climate-friendly and sustainable business practices” published in the year 2020 to making their business operations CO₂-neutral by 2035 at the latest.

DekaBank offers savings banks the opportunity via the information and trade platform Deka Easy Access (DEA) to decommission emission reduction certificates for climate protection projects previously reviewed by DekaBank. More than 140 savings banks are already using the DEA CO₂ module (effective date: end of 2024). For savings banks, the extensive support by DekaBank has numerous advantages: firstly, with the CO₂ compensation platform in DEA, a functioning infrastructure and reliable process are available to them and secondly, it saves them extensive research on suitable compensation projects, as DekaBank handles this for them. The legal and administrative work is also reduced, as DekaBank has already negotiated a framework contract with all project providers.
 
 

Further information

You can find further information on the addressed topics on the Deka Group’s website and/or in relevant documents.

Deka Group’s website: