The DAAD is committed to actively promoting climate protection and green transformation while further reducing the ecological footprint of its own activities.

International academic cooperation has a key role to play in overcoming the climate crisis. Through its funding programmes, the DAAD supports the training of specialists and leaders, climate-related teaching and research, and the establishment of international partnerships. In doing so, it sets priorities in strategic fields of action that are critical to the success of a green and socially just transformation. At the same time, the DAAD is committed to further reducing its own carbon footprint. 

DAAD's climate and environmental policy

The DAAD's sustainability agenda is based on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the German Sustainability Strategy. In its climate and environmental policy, the DAAD commits to consistently aligning its actions with the basic principles of sustainability and climate protection and to minimising negative environmental impacts. Its goal is to achieve climate neutrality in its business operations by 2030, thereby following the avoid before reduce before compensate principle. To improve its carbon footprint, the DAAD adopts a participatory approach to climate and environmental management as well as continuous dialogue and learning with higher education institutions, funding recipients, funding bodies and other partners.

Climate and environmental management at the DAAD

The DAAD strengthens its organisational climate and environmental management with the broad participation of its employees. The focus is on expanding climate and environmental management, continuously improving its carbon footprint balance, and maintaining the ISO 14001 certification. Strategic support, coordination and control of the climate and environmental management is the responsibility of the Sustainability and Diversity Section.

In order to document changes in environmental impact and create a reliable data basis for defining climate and environmental targets, the DAAD has compiled its first carbon footprint impact assessment in accordance with the standards of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in 2022. The carbon footprint impact assessment will be updated on an ongoing basis. The latest report covers the years 2019 to 2024 and focuses on business operations at the DAAD headquarters in Bonn and the DAAD office in Berlin. It also takes into account funding activities that are directly managed and carried out by the DAAD.

Based on the results of the carbon footprint impact assessment the DAAD has developed a comprehensive climate and environmental programme in a broad participation process with its staff. This programme defines key areas of action and sources of emissions, as well as short- and medium-term goals and measures that pave the way to climate neutrality.

The updated results for the carbon footprint 2019 to 2024 can be found in the Climate and Environmental Report 2024 [only available in German] (as of December 2025). It also provides information on the contribution of DAAD funding to climate protection and green transformation, as well as on measures already implemented under the climate and environmental programme.

The DAAD on the path to climate neutrality

Since 2021, the DAAD has successfully implemented numerous measures to reduce its carbon footprint.

In the area of mobility, employees have developed a ‘business trip navigator’ [only available in German] that supports climate-friendly travel planning. The DAAD is also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by expanding mobile working, switching to electric cars as company vehicles and expanding its fleet of company bicycles. The brochure ‘Climate-friendly travel’ contains tips and suggestions on sustainable mobility for scholarship holders. 

Spotlights: How we are reducing our carbon footprint

• In terms of publications, the DAAD is improving its carbon footprint by reducing print products and using recycled paper. 
• The DAAD is reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its properties by modernising its own heating systems, switching to green electricity, installing a photovoltaic system on the roof of its Mexico office, converting to LED lighting systems and raising employee awareness of issues such as conserving energy.
• Where possible and appropriate, the DAAD uses virtual and hybrid formats for events, has its own event app to reduce printed conference documents and increasingly provides vegetarian and locally sourced catering. A practical guide [only available in German] supports climate-friendly and resource-efficient event management.

  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!

You can reach us at nachhaltigkeit at daad.de