1.3 Our strategy and business model
Our purpose is to deliver special moments and our ambition is to be your favourite deliverer. Every day at PostNL, we remain focused on delivering special moments. The context in which we operate, our position and role in our value chain, the market developments around us, and how we engage with stakeholders, including shareholders, is explained in our value chain infographic later in this chapter. In this infographic, we have also plotted our material topics as result of the DMA assessment on our value chain.
Our value creation model illustrates our business model and our process of achieving long-term value for our customers, our people, society and investors by providing e-commerce and postal services. More information can be found on pages 20-21 of the How we create value chapter.
Our activities can be mapped under the Nomenclature of Economic Activities (NACE) codes, the European statistical classification of economic activities, category H, specifically H53 - Postal and courier activities. As a result PostNL is marked as operating in a high climate impact sector. Detailed information on how we aim to realise our purpose and ambition as well as an explanation of our business activities can be found on pages 26-30 in the Our strategy chapter and on pages 20-23 in the How we create value chapter.
Sustainability-Linked Financing Update
In June 2024, PostNL took a next step in realizing our strategic objectives and reinforcing our commitment to sustainability by successfully issuing €300 million sustainability-linked notes, set to mature on 12 June 2031. Issued under PostNL’s newly established Sustainability-Linked Financing Framework (SLFF), the funds raised will be utilised for general corporate purposes. The notes were priced at 99.557, with an annual coupon rate of 4.75%. Further details about the notes and the SLFF are available here.
Within the terms and conditions of the €300 million sustainability-linked notes, a Step-Up Event is included, which depends on achieving the three Sustainability Performance Targets (SPT) Conditions. The initial rate of interest payable on the notes will increase 1.000 per cent per annum in case of a Step-Up Event, resulting in a "Rate Adjustment". The Rate Adjustment (if any) shall be effective and accrue from and including 12 June 2030 and the amount of interest payable on the final interest payment date shall be adjusted accordingly.
PostNL will report on the status of the three SPT Conditions on a yearly basis. The SPT Conditions are:
- SPT Condition 1: means the scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions reduction percentage, measured as a percentage change at the end of the financial year from the financial year ended 31 December 2021, as reported by PostNL pursuant to the reporting requirements as of the SPT observation date being greater than 90%;
- SPT Condition 2: means the scope 3 GHG emissions reduction percentage, measured as a percentage change at the end of the financial year from the financial year ended 31 December 2021, as reported by PostNL pursuant to the reporting requirements as of the SPT observation date being equal to or greater than 45%;
- SPT Condition 3: means the senior management positions percentage as reported by PostNL pursuant to the reporting requirements as of the SPT observation date being equal to or greater than 36%.
In 2024, scope 1 and market based scope 2 emissions were 21 kilotonnes CO₂e. This represents a decrease of 38%, compared to base year (2021: 35). In 2024, scope 3 emissions were 266 kilotonnes CO₂e. This represents a change of 21%, compared to the base year (2021: 339). More information on our performance on scope 1, 2 and 3 can be found in the Environmental disclosures, section Climate change, Our performance.
In 2024, 35% of senior management was women (2023: 33%). More information on our performance relating to the representation of women in senior management positions can be found in the Social disclosures, section Own workforce, Our performance.