Our Mission
Climate change and the ongoing depletion of natural resources are central challenges of our time. The Stiftung Globale Nachhaltigkeit (SGN Foundation for Global Sustainability), formerly Deutsche Post Foundation, is committed to fostering innovative solutions that align ecological sustainability with economic development.
As a grant-making foundation, we support organizations and projects that develop scientifically sound concepts and translate them into practice—driving tangible progress and measurable impact. One of our key areas of focus is the circular economy, which uses resources more efficiently, enables sustainable growth, and closes material cycles. We promote initiatives that preserve biodiversity, establish natural capital as a concept for the economic valuation of ecosystem services, and integrate climate-related risks into economic and political strategies.
We believe that cross-sector collaboration is essential to achieving a sustainable future. That’s why we support projects that connect policy-makers, businesses, academia, and civil society to develop long-term solutions for protecting our environment. Our vision is a world where sustainability is firmly established as an integral part of every economic and political decision—ensuring a future worth living for generations to come.
History
The Stiftung Globale Nachhaltigkeit (SGN), previously known as the Deutsche Post Stiftung (DPS), was established over two decades ago by Deutsche Post AG, which has since grown into the DHL Group, the world's leading logistics company. With over 600,000 employees across more than 200 countries and territories, the DHL Group evolved from the former state-owned Deutsche Post after 1989 and remains one of Germany's largest employers. Early on, the leadership recognized their responsibility extended beyond business success to engaging with key societal trends and supporting both academic research and non-profit organizations. This commitment led to the creation and funding of the Foundation.
Legally established as a non-profit foundation under German civil law, its formation was officially recorded on December 9, 1996, and approved by the Cologne District Government on February 20, 1997. The foundation operates under the oversight of state authorities and the tax office. Initially, its founder, DHL Group, committed to providing ongoing financial support. However, this funding agreement concluded in 2022.
The Foundation provides financial resources to its own institutes and other non-profit organizations that share its mission of serving the public good. A significant achievement since its inception has been the founding and development of the IZA Institute of Labor Economics as a leading Germany-based global economic research institute. The Foundation also funds the SUN Institute for Environment and Sustainability and various other smaller projects aligned with its charitable objectives.
Following the end of funding from DHL Group, the Foundation is currently undergoing a strategic realignment. Under its new name, Stiftung Globale Nachhaltigkeit (SGN), it will focus on climate, nature, and sustainability issues. As part of this transition, DPS will become a grant-making foundation supporting external projects and organizations through SUN. This means it will no longer operate its own research institutes. In this context, DPS has made the difficult decision to discontinue operations at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics as of December 31, 2025. More detailed information can be found in the press release dated February 24, 2025.
Funding
The foundation's initial endowment at the time of its establishment consisted of 5 million Deutsche Mark. Additionally, the foundation received annual financial contributions from DHL Group until 2022, which were contractually stipulated.
The foundation's task was to build up capital from these inflows and generate sufficient returns to enable sustainable foundation work even after the expiration of institutional funding from DHL Group. The ROI performance of the portion of assets invested in a dedicated fund has averaged 5.9% annually since inception (as of January 31, 2024). The foundation meets current and future challenges in financial markets through continuous review of its investment strategies.
Currently (as of 2025), the foundation primarily allocates its resources to financing its institutes. A small portion goes to projects that align with the foundation's philanthropic goals.
To keep administration costs low, certain specialized services such as data processing are provided by IZA. Accounting and financial statements are handled by a tax consulting firm in Bonn. Additionally, the foundation and its institutes voluntarily undergo annual audits by an auditing firm. To date, unqualified audit opinions have been issued for all fiscal years.
Organization
The SGN (formerly Deutsche Post Foundation) is a non-profit institution which acts autonomously from its founder, DHL Group. The foundation, its governing bodies, and its activities serving the public good are not driven by corporate interests.
Managed by the Board of Trustees and the President, the grant-making foundation has clearly defined funding priorities.
Board of Trustees
In accordance with the statutes, the Board of Trustees is composed of individuals who are independent of DHL Group and must not be subject to any directives.
Members (as of Feb. 1, 2024):
Pictured from left to right:
- Dr. Hans-Dieter Petram, Chairman (Former board member of DHL Group)
- Dr. Aiko Borchert (General practitioner)
- Prof. Dr. Edgar Ernst (Member of multiple supervisory boards, former President of the Financial Reporting Enforcement Panel)
- Prof. Dr. Herbert Henzler (Consultant, former Chairman of McKinsey Europe)
- Michael Volkstedt (Business administrator)
In addition to electing and advising the President, the Board of Trustees also controls budgetary matters.
President
Dr. Klaus Zumwinkel has been President of the Deutsche Post Foundation since the beginning. After ten years at McKinsey and five years as CEO of one of the largest German retail companies, he spent more than eighteen years as CEO of DHL Group. He successfully transformed the organization from the state-owned German Postal Service into one of the largest logistics companies in the world, active in more than 200 countries with 600,000 employees. He was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom and Board Member of many international firms including Lufthansa and Morgan Stanley. Today he pursues several international activities while serving as President of the Deutsche Post Foundation, which is an unpaid position.
Contact
This is how you may reach us:
Stiftung Globale Nachhaltigkeit
Schaumburg-Lippe-Str. 9
D-53113 Bonn
E-Mail: schmitz@sgn-foundation.org
Phone: +49 (228) 3894-306
Fax: +49 (228) 3894-510