17-11-2020
Herna Verhagen, PostNL CEO, says: “I am proud of the high rating in the DJSI because it shows that our ongoing efforts to make our day-to-day operations even more sustainable are bearing fruit. We take our responsibility with regard to sustainability very seriously, and we are making progress in various areas. The rating in the DSJI is an important independent measure that shows that PostNL is performing well."
Environmental and social dimensions
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index rates the performance of businesses across a number of criteria, including environmental and social dimensions. The environmental dimension assesses companies' long-term strategy with regard to their impact on the climate: do they focus on clean vehicles and sustainable buildings, and is there clear reporting about this? The social dimension examines what companies are doing to be a good employer, and what contribution the company makes to society.
Minimal impact on climate
PostNL strives to minimise its impact on the climate, and uses fuel-efficient vehicles and sustainable buildings to achieve this. PostNL has set ambitious long-term targets in order to further reduce carbon emissions and make a concrete contribution to the agreements set out in the Paris climate agreement. For example, the target for all parcel and mail deliveries in the Benelux to be emission-free in the last mile by 2030, with emission-free delivery in 25 town and city centres by 2025 as an intermediate step.
PostNL is constantly increasing its emission-free mileage: at the end of this year electric vehicles will be used from eight parcel sorting centres, and various light electric commercial vehicles are being tested in a number of cities in order to investigate which are suitable for emission-free parcel delivery in town and city centres. PostNL’s parcel sorting centres are the Netherlands' most sustainable commercial buildings: at the end of 2020 the seven recently constructed parcel sorting centres had a BREEAM certificate (the quality mark for sustainable buildings with minimal environmental impact). The BREEAM certification for the existing parcel sorting centres is expected to be completed in 2021.
An employer for everyone, at the heart of society
PostNL wants to be a company for which and with which people want to work and which is at the heart of society. A lot of attention is being paid to diversity within the business. After all, a good balance within the staffing makes an organisation stronger, more innovative and more attractive to (continue to) work for. Employees are offered opportunities - e.g. training - within the business to work on their personal development. PostNL is not just at the heart of society because it visits every street on a daily basis. It also offers a helping hand to people who need extra support to stay in touch with the community, by supporting organisations with a social goal such as the Nationale Coalitie tegen Eenzaamheid (National Coalition against Loneliness) het Nationaal Ouderfonds (National Fund for the Elderly) and Stichting Jarige Job (Jarige Job Foundation).
Source: PostNL