Impact assessment

CSRD readiness

In 2022, we began preparing for the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which for PostNL takes effect from financial year 2024. Initial preparations involved gaining high-level insights into the general scope and our conceptual requirements for CSRD, including timelines and an initial double materiality assessment (DMA). During 2023, we performed a bottom-up DMA, initial technical gap assessment, and set up a CSRD governance structure and programme organisation. In 2024, we will focus on implementation, including closing identified gaps with our current ESG reporting, embedding CSRD into relevant processes, and reporting accordingly in our Annual Report.

Double materiality assessment

Ahead of the upcoming CSRD implementation, in 2023 we followed up our initial high-level double materiality assessment from 2022. Based on the main ESG topics we identified, we carried out an in depth assessment on the impacts, risks and opportunities connected to ESG-related subtopics and, where applicable, sub-subtopics. In the assessment, we considered both topics as defined in the CSRD as well as company-specific topics, where applicable. Our aim in 2023 was to take all relevant requirements from the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which were finalised during the summer, into account in our approach. Based on the scope of the assessment and the level of detail required, we involved additional specialists to facilitate more detailed internal discussions and enable us to score and validate both inside-out and outside-in impacts. To date, we are in the finalisation phase of the assessment and our goal is to complete the internal and external validation of the outcomes before the end of the first quarter 2024.

Key material topics

In 2022, we identified 11 key material high-level ESG topics. However, as a result of the bottom-up analysis we carried out in 2023, we deemed the topic ‘Customer experience and digital solutions’ primarily material from a business perspective to our value creation. This leaves 10 key material high-level ESG topics for 2023 in scope of our ESG reporting.

As we are transitioning towards reporting in accordance with the CSRD, the list of topics are expected to be updated for 2024. The infographic shows the relative impact of these topics both from an outside-in (financial) and an inside-out (societal) perspective based on the assessment carried out in 2022. The accompanying table provides additional details on the key material ESG topics identified and the extent to which these are already linked to PostNL's value creation and business practices.

In addition to the ESG topics, we also identified key material topics in relation to the business value of PostNL for customers and shareholders. We apply an integral approach in our value creation, based on the Integrated Reporting principles, which includes both the societal and business value aspects. These topics include the non-ESG key material topics from our latest traditional materiality assessment in 2021, which were still relevant for 2023. As a result, we also connected the following material topics from a business perspective to our value creation:

• Customer experience and digital solutions
• E-commerce growth
• Financial performance and position.

We have made connections to relevant material topics related to our disclosures about performance and developments in 2023 throughout the Value chapters.

More information about the steps taken towards CSRD compliance, how we conducted our double materiality assessment, and how PostNL aligns the key material topics to the GRI standards applied, can be found in the 'Non-financial statements'.

Key material ESG topics