3.2 Own workforce

At PostNL, we recognise that our people are our greatest asset. Our human capital drives our ability to deliver reliable and high-quality customer service, create social value, and achieve financial success. PostNL’s dedicated employees, our own workforce, are at the heart of our strategy, supporting the effective execution of our services and the continuous improvement of our operations.

PostNL’s own workforce comprises both employees and non-employees. Our employees are individuals directly employed by PostNL under a labour agreement and included on PostNL’s payroll. Non-employees, by contrast, include both self-employed individuals (ZZP-ers) engaged under an assignment agreement and individuals working through external employment arrangements. These external workers include temporary staffing agency workers (uitzendkrachten, including those under Uitzenden Plus and Social Workplace contracts) engaged under a temporary staffing agreement, as well as secondment agency workers (detacheringskrachten) providing labour under a secondment agreement.

3.2.1 Our actions

PostNL determines actions to address actual or potential negative impacts through structured processes, such as our ISO-based health and safety system, Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) compliance projects, Risk Inventory & Evaluation (RI&E) assessments, integrity mechanisms, and DEI studies.

3.2.1.1 Working conditions

Working time

Agreements on working time

In 2025, we implemented equal treatment for part-time and full-time employees and a working time reduction provision for older employees that entered into force after the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) came into effect in 2024. This action supports our policy goals on fair working conditions and mitigates risks related to scheduling and discrimination. In addition, regulations with the works council for transport employees were renewed in 2025, including working time adjustments.

This CLA provision for Dutch entities took effect on 1 July 2025 and was supported by training for first- and second-line managers and support staff to improve planning and rostering. The change helps mitigate risks related to scheduling and discrimination and ensures fair treatment in practice. The implementation of the CLA provision helps prevent material adverse effects by ensuring fair treatment in scheduling, especially for part-time employees. The renewed regulation for transport employees helps prevent material adverse effects by limiting the number of night shifts. Monitoring will continue through HR and operational channels. The CLA will remain in effect in 2026.

Working time compliance project

The working time compliance project, which commenced in 2024 and continued in 2025 across networks, addresses non-compliance risks by embedding legal standards into scheduling systems and using PDCA cycles for structured monitoring. The initiative supports employee wellbeing and compliance with working time regulations and aims to mitigate the risk of increased labour costs through ill-health and turnover due to excessive work hours. The project remains ongoing across our networks, with updates on PDCA implementation, network coverage, and expansion to temporary workers to follow.

In 2025 the compliance project continued across networks by embedding working time processes and reporting in the business, with operational teams, and by designing and implementing training modules. The project helps to prevent harm by identifying scheduling risks and enabling targeted improvements through root cause analysis. With no set end date, working time compliance will remain a core focus. If breaches of working time requirements are identified, PostNL takes corrective action, restores compliant scheduling, and addresses any negative effects experienced by employees.

Health and safety

Occupational Health and Safety Management System

In 2025, PostNL continued rolling out its ISO-based management system across Dutch entities. The Quentic software was upgraded with additional requirements, supporting incident tracking and RI&E processes. Live webinars were organised to help managers use the system effectively. The system enables more detailed risk assessments and continuous monitoring of effectiveness. Investments were made in digital infrastructure, software and training. We plan to finish the implementation in 2026. When incidents occur, PostNL provides appropriate support to affected employees, investigates the root cause, and implements corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

Digital Health Survey

Following a pilot in 2024, the digital health survey was introduced in parts of Parcels in 2025. It includes periodic occupational health examination (periodiek arbeidsgezondheidskundig onderzoek) elements to identify health risks at an early stage. PostNL plans to extend the survey organisation-wide to support prevention and reduce absenteeism.

Leadership restructuring to reduce absenteeism

In March 2025, Parcel depots adopted a split leadership model with separate People and Logistics managers. All People managers received training, including advanced conversation techniques. At Mail in the Netherlands within delivery, the model proved less effective, leading to a planned return to unified leadership. During the year we launched the Managing Employability programme (Sturen op Inzetbaarheid), combining leadership, absenteeism policy, interventions and prevention. The goal is to reduce absenteeism by 20% compared to 2024, by the end of 2026.

Traffic Safety programme

Annual driver training and support for national road safety campaigns continued in 2025. Awareness tools such as vehicle stickers and cyclist protection were implemented across the fleet. While delivery partners are not included in the training, awareness materials are shared with them. Traffic safety remains a core focus, with no fixed end date.

Physical Workload programme

The programme was expanded to business segments Transport Services and Extra@Home. RI&E assessments were deepened across delivery, sorting and cross-dock processes. Task rotation was formalised with seven rules, and ergonomic tools, including lifting equipment, were piloted and rolled out. Charging stations for smart electric tugs and pilots with stock pickers (orderpicktrucks) were also introduced. In 2026, PostNL will finalise rolling out 37 mast lifts (mastheffers), and evaluate loose unloading solutions. All measures are embedded in governance structures with a clear roadmap.

The new Health & Safety organisation aims to structurally strengthen occupational health & safety in all processes, decision‑making and culture, with a proactive focus on preventing financial risks as well as risks to the health & safety of PostNL employees and third parties.

3.2.1.2 Equal treatment and opportunities for all

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity, equity and inclusion networks

In 2025, we expanded and strengthened our DEI networks. The Cross Culture Community was formalised with a full governance structure, and the Neurodiversity Network was launched in the summer. These networks support multicultural talent in progressing to senior roles and promote knowledge-sharing on neurodiversity across the organisation. With no set end date, they will remain in effect.

Open participation, without formal membership structures, remains a guiding principle, ensuring accessibility for all employees. By year-end, engagement in the networks had increased. A diversity study was completed, resulting in updates to our code of conduct, confidential advisor framework, and DEI training portfolio. Fewer training sessions were held than planned due to capacity constraints.

Training interventions

Our DEI training programmes continued to focus on the six priority areas first defined in 2016: LGBTIQ+, age, diversity in thinking, cultural background, gender, and support for those needing extra guidance. We implemented recommendations from the 2024 DEI survey and maintained our core modules: 3D Diversity, DISC, Cultural Craftsmanship, and Intercultural Communication.

The subsidy rate for DEI trainings increased to 45% in 2025, while the number of available trainers declined from 24 to 14. Despite this, tailored interventions remained available on demand and have no fixed end date.

While diversity metrics were not included in the employee engagement survey in 2025, work began on developing a new Cultural Barometer to be launched in the first quarter of 2026. This tool will enable PostNL to more systematically measure progress on inclusion and belonging, helping inform future DEI priorities.

Measures against violence and harassment

Campaign on (un)desirable behaviour

In 2025, PostNL further strengthened its focus on preventing and addressing undesirable behaviour across all workplaces to reduce harassment and mitigate legal and financial risk. Following its 2024 launch, the campaign, led by Audit & Security and HR, continued through 2025 and enhanced mechanisms to prevent, identify, and address unwanted interpersonal behaviour. It applied to all PostNL employees and indirectly benefitted non-employees working at our sites. The campaign clarified governance structures, accelerated incident management, improved reporting tools and raised awareness. In 2026, we will start management trainings regarding this topic. In cases of violence or harassment, PostNL ensures confidential reporting, protects individuals from retaliation, and provides remedy through investigation, follow-up support, and corrective action.

Roll-out of updated Code of Conduct and Integrity e-learning

In July 2025, the Board of Management approved the updated Code of Conduct, which rolled out the following month alongside a revised Integrity e-learning module. The training explains the Code, outlines desired behaviour and details how employees can report violations. It also includes a dedicated section on unwanted interpersonal behaviour. Completion was mandatory for management and office-based employees across all business segments and became part of the onboarding programme for new hires. The Code of Conduct and the Integrity e-learning are the responsibility of Audit & Security and aim to prevent and detect harassment, as well as mitigate legal and financial risks. Their publication and implementation, including translation to the workplace, are embedded in the integrity awareness programme. An external party is involved in the development and maintenance of the training, and HR data analysts monitor e-learning completion rates. Further details on the Code of Conduct are provided on page in the Business conduct - Policies and procedures section of the Corporate governance chapter and the Promoting awareness of integrity-related policies and procedures paragraph in the Governance disclosures.

Training and skills development

At PostNL, we invest in the continuous growth and development of our employees. Our learning and development approach builds on three pillars:

• Licence to operate trainings
• Licence to perform trainings
• Shaping a learning culture.

Together, these initiatives strengthen our short-term operational performance and our long-term strategic growth. In each operational business unit, dedicated learning and development representatives are responsible for the licence to perform trainings. All our training and skills initiatives fall under the responsibility of our Talent & Learning department. The AI Centre of Excellence is responsible for Copilot trainings.

Licence to operate trainings

We continued to invest in equipping our drivers with the skills and knowledge needed to operate safely and responsibly across our network, to mitigate the risks associated with inadequate training and insufficiently qualified staff. In 2025, this included:

• Comprehensive driver education completed by 133 participants
• Mandatory refresher courses for all drivers, with a total of 1,025 participants
• Work instruction trainings completed by 5,871 employees via our online learning environment.

These initiatives reinforce consistent standards of safety, compliance and operational excellence across our logistics operations. With no set end date, we will continue to offer these trainings.

Licence to perform trainings

In 2025, we further strengthened our leadership development agenda, focusing on capability building and behavioural consistency across the organisation:

• We completed the roll-out of the PostNL Leadership Compass, defining ten core leadership behaviours for managers across Operations and Head Office. The programme was delivered through webinars and business workshops and successfully completed in 2025
• We also expanded our investment in leadership development by introducing a new onboarding module for managers and designing a foundational leadership skills programme to prepare leaders for both current and future challenges.

Together, these programmes equip our leaders to guide teams effectively, drive performance, and support a culture of growth and continuous improvement. They have no set end date and will remain a core focus.

Shaping a learning culture

We continued to strengthen a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and digital skills development across PostNL, to mitigate the risk of increased costs due to lack of qualification and reduced motivation, retention, and productivity. We do not specify an end date for these initiatives. In the following paragraphs we discuss the key highlights from 2025.

Learning agility

A total of 252 colleagues received their learning agility report and discussed the results with their managers, turning insights into practical development actions and strengthening individual and team growth.

Peer-to-peer coaching

Around 60 participants completed our peer learning and coaching programme, UGURU, which was implemented as a structured intervision programme in 2025 to foster a sustainable learning culture. The programme was highlighted last year as an example of how we connect personal development with organisational growth. UGURU places personal leadership and peer learning at the centre. Through small-group sessions, participants created open and safe learning environments where they could reflect, exchange feedback and engage in honest, courageous conversations. This approach encourages employees to take ownership of their own learning while enhancing collaboration and psychological safety across the organisation.

By embedding UGURU into our broader development portfolio, PostNL ensures that learning remains an ongoing and collective process. Participants actively involved their teams, shared continuous feedback and facilitated sessions themselves, helping to embed sustainable behavioural change and make learning part of everyday work.

AI and Digital Skills

In 2025, we continued to strengthen digital capability and adoption across PostNL, supporting our ambition to become a more data- and AI-driven organisation. We rolled out comprehensive Microsoft Copilot trainings to introduce employees to the possibilities of AI and to develop hands-on skills in Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

To date, around 2,200 Copilot licences have been distributed, with the majority of users also completing the training. Feedback from 340 respondents regarding the training course showed strong results, with an average satisfaction score of 7.8/10. In 2025, these activities supported the further development of digital and AI capabilities across PostNL. Going forward, Copilot enablement will primarily be supported through self-paced onboarding materials, with instructor-led trainings organised on an ad hoc basis if there is sufficient demand.

Renewed Your Excellence Programme

In September 2025, we launched the renewed Your Excellence Programme (YEP) for recent graduates, offering a sharper focus on employability, leadership and cross-functional learning. The programme now includes five tracks: Supply Chain, HR, Finance, Commercial, and International, each combining professional training, personal development, and work assignments over a two-year period.

The programme is built around three pillars:

• Functional route – at least two roles within the chosen track to build professional experience
• Network route – mentorship, management team participation, and guidance from Young Talent Ambassadors
• Personal leadership – soft skills and leadership development supported by external training and coaching.

These initiatives help PostNL strengthen alignment between graduate development and organisational needs, while also fostering long-term retention of young talent.

Employment and inclusion of persons with disabilities

PostNL continues to focus on being an inclusive employer that offers meaningful work for everyone, including people with a distance to the labour market. In 2025, we employed more than 3,300 individuals from this group, including 1,250 on direct PostNL contracts. Job coaching coverage reached eight out of ten delivery areas, with a reactive model in the remainder. Effectiveness was monitored via dashboards tracking recruitment, retention and financial flows, reviewed monthly by a steering committee.

Key initiatives included:

• Onboarding – introduced buddies on the work floor, provided buddy training and improved application processes, which will continue into 2026
• Tailored work packages – flexible hours and adjusted workloads for more than 300 employees, supported by municipal subsidies
• Physical support – a pilot introducing noise-cancelling headphones for employees with sensory sensitivities
• Target group expansion – pilots involving status holders, long-term unemployed and practical school students. A pilot in The Hague delivered strong results and will be extended to two additional regions in 2026.

All initiatives were designed to remove barriers, enhance employability and promote an inclusive working environment. Guidance from job coaches ensured positive outcomes for employees and teams, without material negative effects.

3.2.2 Our workforce and performance

3.2.2.1 Characteristics of employees

Workforce characteristics

Unless otherwise stated, workforce characteristics are reported based on headcount as of 31 December. At PostNL, headcount refers to all employees with a direct and active employment agreement. Data used to report on employee characteristics are primarily extracted from our HR systems.

Workforce by region

Workforce by region is aligned with the requirement as per ESRS 2 and is based on the legal entity the employee is employed by. Because PostNL's workforce is mainly based in the Netherlands, no other country represents at least 10% of our total number of employees. Information on the headcount breakdown by segment and FTE by segment can be found in the note Salaries, pensions and social security contributions on page within the financial statements.

PostNL Workforce by region number of employees

The total workforce of PostNL decreased by 2.7% in 2025. The slight reduction in headcount was largely a consequence of the ongoing tight labour market, which has made recruiting and, for certain roles, retaining the right people increasingly challenging. Due to dedicated programmes, we were able to fill a large number of vacancies within Mail in the Netherlands. Another reason is continuous improvement and use of AI which replaces certain tasks, for example our digital recruiter Charlie who communicates with applicants.

Workforce by gender

Workforce by gender is reported based on actual figures for all reporting entities. Our HR system currently allows employees to specify their gender as either male or female. As a result, no employees are reported under 'other gender'. The 'not reported' category includes employees who chose not to disclose their gender.

PostNL Workforce by gender number of employees

The number of female and male employees decreased compared to 2024. Still, more male employees are working within PostNL due to the nature of jobs on offer.

“Continuous improvement and use of AI replaces certain tasks, for example our digital recruiter Charlie who communicates with applicants”

Workforce by other dimensions

Across our main networks, specific CLAs are in place for all employees. In other, smaller entities, different arrangements regarding collective labour may apply. The 'not disclosed’ category includes employees who chose not to disclose their gender.

PostNL Workforce by other dimensions
number of employees

At present, PostNL does not employ any staff on non-guaranteed hours contracts. The majority of our employees have a permanent contract. Most of our contracts are part-time, due to the nature of the jobs on offer, especially mail deliverers. We mainly hire full-time employees within e-commerce, where the hires are predominantly male. Part-time contracts within e-commerce are becoming more common to meet the needs of new hires. In 2025, newly hired mail deliverers were offered temporary contracts.

3.2.2.2 Working conditions

Working time

PostNL has not yet set formal targets for working time. Effectiveness is currently tracked through PDCA cycles across our networks, which help identify risks, improve compliance, and support continuous improvement. Our ambition is to ensure fair and compliant scheduling through equal treatment provisions, working time adjustments, ongoing monitoring, and corrective action.

Health and safety

In line with our Health & Safety Policy, we set an absenteeism target for 2025, aiming to prevent work-related absences and facilitate a timely return to work, to mitigate the financial risk of increased labour costs. We set this target using an outside-in perspective, incorporating input from a third-party advisor and market research, alongside an inside-in approach that draws on insights from various business units and internal teams. This ensures the target reflects both external trends and internal developments. For more details on this KPI, please refer to the Absenteeism metric disclosure.

No corporate targets were identified for traffic safety or for other actions (excluding absenteeism) in 2025. Effectiveness is tracked through RI&E assessments, incident reporting (including accidents resulting in death caused by traffic incidents involving third parties), absenteeism monitoring, and feedback from depots and delivery partners.

Occupational health and safety

At PostNL, our certified ISO 45001 management system enables us to systematically manage the health and safety of all those working for or with us. ISO 45001 is the global standard for occupational health and safety management systems, designed to help organisations manage and mitigate workplace health and safety risks.

The percentage of our total headcount working at ISO 45001-certified sites is calculated by averaging the monthly headcount percentages at each certified site over the total headcount across all sites, divided by the number of months. Our ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certifications are audited by an external party every three years.

PostNL Occupational health and safety as indicated

By the end of 2025, 96% of our workforce was operating at an ISO 45001-certified site.

Fatalities and injuries

A fatality resulting from a work-related injury refers to the death of an employee, non-employee or other worker on a PostNL site due to an occupational accident. An occupational accident is an unexpected and unplanned event, including acts of violence, arising from or in connection with work activities performed for PostNL. At present, PostNL is limited in its ability to report fatalities resulting from work-related ill-health. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) serves as our global baseline and is embedded in our privacy policies. The collection of personal data for reporting on this metric conflicts with GDPR regulations, as PostNL is restricted from recording medical information. In the event that a (former) employee passes away due to work-related ill health, an occupational disease claim can be filed with PostNL’s insurance provider. The fatality is reported if PostNL is found liable. To date, no such claims have been received.

Recordable accidents

Accurate accident reporting relies, in part, on the discipline of our employees in recording incidents that occur throughout the year. Despite the measures PostNL has implemented—including fostering an open safety culture—there remains an inherent risk of incomplete accident reporting. While outsourced employees are not yet included within our reporting scope, incidents can still be reported through designated channels or via their operational managers.

In 2025, we have aligned the PostNL definition of a recordable work-related accident with the CSRD definition classifying a recordable work-related accident as a work-related incident during working hours that results in any of the following: death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer to another job, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. As a result, we are able to report the actual recordable accidents in 2025, instead of on a statistical sample base in prior year. In addition, we have improved the quality of our incident reports, allowing us to more accurately determine if an incident is a recordable accident, although this assessment is inherently subject to interpretation.

Recordable accident rate

The recordable accident rate is determined by the number of recordable accidents per million hours worked.

At PostNL, the calculation of total hours worked (in millions) is based on a standardised approach. This methodology accounts for all workable hours, factoring in adjustments for absenteeism due to ill-health, vacation, and public holidays. The data underpinning this calculation are sourced directly from our HR systems. While this method provides a robust estimate of the total hours worked, it does not involve the direct tracking of individual hours. In the coming years, we will continue to refine this approach to enhance our calculations.

PostNL Health and safety as indicated

We report that no fatalities related to work-related injuries and work-related ill health were recorded among our own workforce or workers in the value chain at a PostNL site in 2025.

We have improved the quality of our incident reporting within the health and safety organisation over the course of 2025, allowing us to more accurately determine if an incident is a recordable accident or not. In 2025, we have also fully embedded the CSRD definition in Health & Safety processes. The total number of reported incidents has remained broadly consistent with the prior year. However, a larger proportion of these incidents were identified as meeting the criteria for recordable accidents, resulting in a higher share of recordable accidents in the total reported incidents, enabling more accurate and reliable reporting.

Road traffic safety

A road traffic accident with third party death refers to any incident involving third party road users not working for PostNL. We report on all road traffic accidents with third party death without distinguishing between types of road users impacted, e.g. pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, and regardless of whether PostNL is blameworthy. This approach provides a comprehensive view of PostNL’s impact on all road users.

We report on road traffic accidents with third party death relative to the nature of our operations; the entity-specific metric 'rate of road traffic accidents with third party death per million kilometres travelled' is calculated by dividing the number of road traffic accidents with third party death by million of kilometres travelled. These kilometres include kilometres travelled by our own networks and those travelled by delivery partners on the road in the Benelux, which aligns with the kilometres reported in Our performance in the Climate change section in our Environmental disclosures.

PostNL Road traffic safety as indicated

We report zero road traffic accidents resulting in third-party fatalities across our operations in 2025, but remain focused on preventing fatalities through initiatives such as training, which enhance road safety awareness and promote responsible driving behaviour. Therefore we keep monitoring our ‘rate of road traffic accidents with third-party death per million kilometres travelled’.

Absenteeism

Absenteeism, an entity-specific KPI, is calculated through the weighted average total days of absence divided by the weighted average calendar days. Corrections are made for the percentage of time an employee is deemed fit for work in the weighted average days of absence and for part-time work in the calculation of weighted average calendar days. The absenteeism percentage follows the definition of the Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) in the Netherlands.

Absenteeism is scaled for smaller entities to provide a comprehensive view of health and safety across all operations. In the coming years, we are working towards full-scope reporting.

PostNL Absenteeism as indicated

Absenteeism remained high within PostNL, which can be partially explained by the physically demanding nature of our work and the ageing profile of our workforce. To reduce absenteeism rates at the Mail in the Netherlands and E-commerce Operations (including Transport Services), and thereby lower overall absenteeism across PostNL, we launched the Managing Employability programme (Sturen op Inzetbaarheid) in Q1, in collaboration with our third-party advisor. With this programme, we set an absenteeism target of 7.0% by the end of 2026, which is a reduction of 20% compared to 2024, and supports a more proactive approach to managing absence. The target is based on analyses performed by the third-party advisor. It is built on four pillars, including a renewed focus on absenteeism policy and a targeted approach for specific employee groups. Through this programme, we aim to decrease labour costs and increase productivity. In the second half of 2025, absenteeism was lower than in the same period of last year. While this does not yet affect the total absenteeism, we expect that we can maintain this downward trend next year.

3.2.2.3 Equal treatment and opportunities for all

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Female representation in senior management

PostNL remains committed to achieving 36% female representation in senior management by 2030, with an interim milestone of 33% by year-end 2025, which we outperformed. The central works council has actively contributed to setting this target, ensuring employee representation in the process. PostNL aims to demonstrate a clear and credible level of ambition in advancing the representation of women in senior management. The initial 33% target was subsequently reassessed to better reflect this ambition and to account for the progress already achieved, while ensuring that the objective remains both realistic and attainable. Therefore, back in 2024, we set a 36% target, set 3% above the applicable legal minimum.

We continued to strengthen the leadership pipeline through inclusive recruitment and development programmes. Cultural, gender, age and neurodiversity remained central focus areas, supported by active DEI networks.

Senior management

Senior management is defined as employees with positions in the Board of Management or one to two levels below.

PostNL Senior management as indicated

The share of female employees in management positions remained stable when compared to last year. Moreover, we are still on track not only to meet the target of 36% women in senior management by 2030 but also to achieve the same representation at the next management level. This has established a strong foundation for the continued advancement of women within PostNL.

Workforce by age group

We divide our workforce into three age groups: < 30 years, 30 - 50 years, and > 50 years.

PostNL Workforce by age group number of employees

Despite the decline in the number of employees, our age distribution remains relatively stable. The number of employees under the age of fifty has increased, while the number of those over fifty has slightly decreased.

At PostNL, the group aged fifty and above is still well represented, but, due to long tenures, we also see a gradual and managed outflow as employees retire. In our strategic workforce planning, the turnover within this demographic is closely monitored, enabling us to effectively anticipate and respond to potential future changes.

Turnover

The total turnover is the number of employees who left our workforce voluntarily or due to dismissal, retirement or death. Voluntary turnover, an entity-specific metric, only includes employees who left at their own request. The share of (voluntary) turnover is the (voluntary) turnover divided by the total headcount of the prior year. To reconcile with the total headcount, the unallocated headcount has been evenly divided between turnover and new hires.

PostNL Turnover as indicated

The total turnover is relatively stable, while the absolute turnover decreased slightly. Due to the operational and physically demanding nature of many of the jobs across PostNL, we employ a relatively high percentage of part-time and seasonal employees, which means our total turnover share is high compared to other sectors. The share of voluntary turnover decreased, which is in line with the trend in the broader Dutch logistics sector in 2025.

New hires

New hires, an entity-specific metric, include employees who started working at PostNL during the reporting period. New hires are shown in absolute numbers and as a rate, which represents the new hires as a share of the total headcount of the prior year.

PostNL New hires as indicated

The total number of new hires decreased compared to last year, because, on average, we had fewer vacancies. Generally, the demand for recruitment was lower in 2025.

“Thanks to our strong foundation of women in all management levels, we remain on track to reach 36% women in senior management positions by 2030”

Measures against violence and harassment

PostNL has not set corporate-level targets specifically for violence and harassment, other than that all reported incidents and complaints must be fully processed. Instead, effectiveness is monitored through training completion rates, reporting mechanisms, and follow-up of incidents under the Integrity and Whistleblowing procedures.

Incidents of discrimination and complaints

We report on the full scope of incidents and complaints registered in our global platform, covering both our own workforce and workers within the value chain. As all our channels, as described in the Grievance and remedy paragraph earlier in the social disclosures, for raising concerns and reporting incidents, are formal, every submitted report is classified as an incident. Some of these channels allow employees to remain anonymous in their report. All reported instances of non-compliance with our code of conduct, as well as complaints, including cases of fraud and bribery, are recorded in our global platform. The scope of incidents we report extends beyond discrimination and harassment. The reported figures include incidents and complaints related to undesirable behaviour, such as discrimination, aggression, violence, (sexual) harassment, and bullying.

Fines, penalties and compensation

Incidents of discrimination and complaints could lead to fines, penalties, or compensation being imposed on PostNL. The figure we report on does not include amounts related to ongoing legal proceedings or deductible costs.

PostNL Incidents and complaints as indicated

Unfortunately, undesirable behaviour sometimes occurs, such as bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination, or aggression. Factors such as willingness to report, classification, context, case severity, and exposure are not visible from these figures. Therefore, in 2026, we will focus on further strengthening the reporting culture.

No severe human rights incidents have been identified in 2025. We are pleased to report that in 2025, no material fines or significant penalties were imposed on PostNL as a result of incidents of discrimination.

Training and skills development

PostNL has not set corporate-level targets specifically for training and skills development. Instead, effectiveness is, for example, monitored through training completion rates. We aim to build a high-performing workforce by integrally strengthening and embedding learning, talent development, leadership, and performance management.

Employee engagement

Employee engagement is measured for our own workforce by an independent external company and considered an entity-specific KPI. All employees in the workforce are invited to participate in our employee engagement survey, divided into three surveys over the course of the year. The resulting engagement score is the weighted average engagement across all responses of employees who participated in the survey. Therefore, this score only reflects the views of employees who participated.

PostNL Employee engagement share of engaged employees

In 2025, the average engagement score was 69% (2024: 67%). We are pleased to report a slight increase in our engagement score, despite all the organisational changes. We see this particularly within our Mail in the Netherlands division, where we have adopted an approach that involves listening to our employees and involving them as much as possible in all changes, thereby increasing their engagement. We performed in-depth data analyses to identify appropriate actions, which help to further improve our engagement. We actively work with these findings to take appropriate actions, tailor-made for the relevant business segments.

Employment and inclusion of persons with disabilities related to PSO

In 2025, PostNL exceeded its target of 7.5% of all mail delivery hours in the Netherlands performed by people with a distance to the labour market, achieving 7.9%. The target, based on the government’s job agreement (banenafspraak), will be maintained in 2026. Progress is reviewed bi-annually with the works council.

This target is related to the policy objectives of eliminating discrimination, providing tailored support, ensuring safe access to the labour market, and enabling full participation in society. Policy effectiveness is independently validated through the Social Entrepreneurship Performance Ladder (Prestatieladder Socialer Ondernemen (PSO)). This independent, science-based tool measures how well organisations support the participation of groups of persons with disabilities or in need of guidance in the Dutch labour market.

PostNL has held PSO certification since 2021, reaching Level 2 in 2022 and Level 3 in 2024 and 2025, as audits are carried out every two years. Maintaining this certification remains a key objective. We already recertified our Level 3 PSO for the coming two years.