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Environment

Climate change, with its far-reaching consequences for all areas of sustainability, is the greatest challenge of the 21st century. Counteracting efforts require the participation of policy, business and society – globally. To do its part, Deutsche Börse Commodities holds itself, its suppliers and service providers to high standards in terms of environmental protection and resource conservation.

Deutsche Börse Commodities is a special purpose entity with two managing directors. This highly efficient and extremely lean corporate structure serves to ensure that no resources are consumed unnecessarily.

Although the business model does not pose any direct physical risk to climate change, Deutsche Börse Commodities’ climate strategy contributes to climate protection. The greatest part of the CO2 emissions generated by Deutsche Börse Commodities are caused by the transport of gold. These unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions are offset in full through a German partner charity. Further information and exact figures are available in the most recent DNK Statement Deutsche Börse Commodities 2022 (available in German only)and the CO2 compensation certificate.

Gold can be recycled without loss of quality or value, which reduces dependence on mines and their impact on the environment. When Xetra-Gold customers exercise their right to the delivery of the securitised amount of physical gold, Deutsche Börse Commodities sources bars manufactured from recycled gold if sufficient capacity is available through its joint venture partner Umicore AG & Co. KG. A global materials technology and recycling group, most of Umicore’s precious metals are products of its own recycling plants. The gold refinery is certified as conflict-free and applies state-of-the-art processes to recover valuable metals from a wide range of industrial residues and end-of-life products, returning them to the production cycle. This reduces dependence on gold from mines.

Deutsche Börse Commodities is committed to contributing to a systemic change in gold production processes, to reduce environmental pollution and prevent human rights violations. More information on gold recycling is available in episode 6 of the Goldwissen podcast (in German).

Gold mining is associated with significant land use, the destruction of ecosystems, the contamination of water sources and high emissions. (Illegal) micro-mines are particularly harmful to the environment. Closing these mines for good is part of the groundwork to build a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable world.

Deutsche Börse Commodities is firmly opposed to the development of new mines and advocates the closure of existing ones.