Why DHL Express Invests $6.5M to Bring Employees to its Own ‘Americas Cup’

Ted Kitterman
2025-08-22T00:00:32-04:00
Why DHL Express Invests $6.5M to Bring Employees to its Own ‘Americas Cup’
Great Place To Work

The employee celebration and sports competition is just one of the reasons the logistics company ranks No. 1 on the Best Workplaces in Latin America list in 2025.

On the second of May, 2024, 50 Brazilian nationals arrived in Orlando, Florida, for a unique sports competition. Traveling with this national team were a football team, a cheerleading team, coaches, a mascot, and team supporters.

The group was just one of more than 25 national teams from the Americas joining the competition over a hot weekend. None of the participants were professional athletes, and many were on their first-ever international trip abroad.

The one thing they had in common? They work for DHL Express, the No. 1 company on the Best Workplaces in Latin America? List in 2025.

Experiences like the “DHL Americas Cup” are one of the reasons 96% of employees working for DHL Express in Latin America say they have a great workplace. For the typical company in the region, only 68% of employees said the same.

Employees receive the white glove treatment when traveling to the competition, two full days of games, celebrations, food, and entertainment. “They have everything covered in terms of expenses,” says Mirele Mautschke, country manager of Brazil at DHL Express. That includes air tickets, hotel accommodation, meals, and attire.

Around 1,600 employees participate from 25 to 35 countries, including more than 150 employees who volunteer to help run the event. Employees are eligible to participate if they have worked at least one year with DHL for a minimum of 20 hours per week and have good performance in that period. The Cup started in 2018 and has gone on to be a biannual, cherished part of what it means to be a DHL team member.

Employees can attend as members of the football or cheerleading team, or travel as team supporters. For each cup, DHL ensures that a different group of employees are given the opportunity to have this unique experience with their colleagues.

Those employees then return to their home office, inspired and energized. “People return with a different energy,” Mautschke says, “and they inspire others to want to participate in the next event.”

A multi-million-dollar investment

What does it cost DHL to host the Americas Cup? “It’s around $6.5 million,” Mautschke says, from travel and lodging to activities and facilities costs for the 1600-plus participants. That’s just the cost of direct expenses and doesn’t include things like employees’ time away from the job.

For DHL, the cost is worth it because of the value employees bring to customer service and business operations.

“Everything starts with motivated people,” Mautschke says. “If we don’t have engaged and motivated people, it’s really hard to provide great service quality to our customers, which keeps the loyalty of our customers and keeps our network profitable.”

Events like the Americas Cup show employees they are respected and valued, sentiments captured in DHL’s employee surveys. Nine in 10 DHL employees (91%) in Latin America say that management shows appreciation for their hard work. Only 56% of employees say the same at a typical workplace in Latin America.

A different kind of employee experience is also showing up in productivity and employee performance. At DHL, 92% of employees are willing to go above and beyond at work, compared to just 64% at a typical workplace.

Connecting to a deeper culture

The Americas Cup isn’t held every year — the next one will take place May 7-10 in 2026. For DHL, the special culture that defines the event can be found in many different places beyond just a magical weekend in Orlando.

“Appreciation Week,” for example, is a celebration that occurs every year to show appreciation for employees and give awards to those who have gone the extra mile to support a customer.

“We want employees to thrive in their lives inside and outside the company,” Mautschke says. “Everyone needs to be treated with respect and care.”

This deep respect for employees comes from the value DHL places on long-tenured employees, something that isn’t always prioritized in large organizations.

“It’s common to have a long journey with DHL,” Mautschke says. Many employees have 30 years or more of service in their DHL career, and 95% say they want to stay in their job for a long time. This is made possible by DHL’s constant investment in development opportunities and a belief that any employee can grow and learn new skills.

“You can stay in the company for many years if you feel that we are being challenged, if you feel that we are contributing and also developing,” Mautschke says. Employees have an individual development plan that gets updated every year, and a wealth of internal training resources and opportunities to learn.

At DHL, nine in 10 employees say they are offered training and development opportunities compared to just six in 10 at a typical workplace in Latin America.

Advice for others

While you might not have DHL’s scale or size, companies that want to host a similar event to the Americas Cup can learn from the global logistics leader’s example.

1. Ensure you have the infrastructure to succeed

“If you don’t have the right planning or the right people, it’s impossible,” Mautschke says of the logistical needs of an event like the Americas Cup. The facilities in Orlando are one of the reasons the company hosts the event in the U.S., for example, and every year, the team is learning and making improvements.

“It’s important to have the right mindset, to have continuous improvement, even if you have the expertise to hold the event,” Mautschke adds.

2. Keep good records of past attendees

You don’t want to only bring the same employees to a special team building event year after year, Mautschke says. A comprehensive attendee list that is maintained and updated is crucial for ensuring fairness and equal access for all.

3. Don’t neglect safety

Safety is a big part of DHL’s culture, and its focus on preventing injury extends to events like the Americas Cup. This means ensuring facilities like the football pitch or the cheerleading stage have the required conditions for everyone to safely perform. DHL even adds a massage tent where athletes can receive treatment and get medical attention.

4. Be transparent about the goals for your event

“Everyone needs to be sure there is no hidden agenda,” Mautschke says. Employees know that such an event is a big investment from the company and will have questions about what this means for them and their role.

At DHL, the goal of the cup is simple: Show respect and gratitude for employees. “People want to feel that they belong,” Mautschke says. For DHL, that sense of belonging is part of a bigger strategy, where every employee is empowered, engaged, and delivering their best.

The Americas Cup may cost millions for DHL to produce. Its true value to the organization may be priceless.

Start your journey to reach the Best Workplaces in Latin America list. Become Great Place To Work Certified? today.