Our contribution to climate protection: carbon offsetting through afforestation
ESG 07.07.2025
Responsible decisions and transparency on corporate practices are just as much part of a corporate culture that is in keeping with the times as the sustainable use of resources. Deutsche Börse Commodities, the issuer of Xetra-Gold, has therefore made the conscious decision to offset its unavoidable CO₂ emissions by sponsoring a German reforestation project which directly promotes climate protection. In 2024, the business activities of Deutsche Börse Commodities caused the emission of 249 tons of CO₂. They have been offset by planting 1,245 trees in Germany.
Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions
The CO₂ emissions generated by Deutsche Börse Commodities are relatively low and almost exclusively attributable to Scope 3. These indirect emissions occur upstream or downstream along the value chain, for example during transport, among service providers or with the customer. They are therefore beyond the direct influence of Deutsche Börse Commodities and cannot be reduced within the scope of its business activities. We have decided to offset them for the second year running via the German reforestation project ForTomorrow.
Climate protection through afforestation
ForTomorrow is a non-profit, for purpose climate protection company based in Berlin, specialized on planting climate-resilient mixed forests in Germany for a long-term impact. Protected by the Federal Forest Act of 1975, all forests planted by ForTomorrow must be preserved. To achieve the greatest possible CO2 compensation, each planting event is a first-time afforestation, supervised by experts who place great emphasis on the quality and sustainability of forest management. Completely new mixed forests are created on the publicly accessible land. The ForTomorrow community has already funded a total of 102,443 trees.
Climate-resilient mixed forests store CO2
In the EU, forests play an important role in absorbing industrially emitted CO2. Mixed forests are the most effective long-term solution for carbon storage. And they are so much more, storing water, acting as an air filter and cooler, and helping to protect biodiversity by providing habitats. We need new, healthy forests for a livable climate and a functioning ecosystem, and forest diversity is key. Mixed forests are resilient, offer protection against droughts, storms and diseases, and promote regional biodiversity.
Emissions trading
At Deutsche Börse Commodities, we have deliberately chosen to offset our emissions in accordance with these standards to make a lasting, local contribution to climate protection. In addition to its reforestation events, ForTomorrow actively works to reduce the availability of European emission allowances by purchasing and retiring them. In this way, energy-intensive production methods become economically unprofitable in the long run, which in turn promotes and increases investments in sustainable solutions. EU emissions trading slowly but surely reduces carbon emissions, and by further lowering the number of EU emission allowances through purchase and decommission, the impact is amplified.
