Our reporting

Working with our stakeholders, we identified the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the key framework for creating our sustainability strategy and reporting on relevant areas for our business. We performed a materiality assessment (as described in An Post Material indicator section below) to map the issues identified as most relevant for An Post under the five SDGs which are core to the business:

We have identified objectives and metrics against each of these SDGs. Our Sustainability Report outlines our plans and monitors our progress against them. To provide transparency to our reporting.

Whilst our core focus is on these five SDGs, we remain committed to helping achieve the remaining SDGs and are aware that these goals are interconnected.  In particular, we understand that, for example, making progress on climate action (SDG 13) is not possible without taking care of our employees (SDG 8); investing in sustainable infrastructure (SDG 9); supporting and being part of sustainable communities (SDG 11); and adopting a circular economy business model (SDG 12).
 
2020 is the first year we have committed to the Science Based Target initiative as part of our work on net carbon zero. This report also benchmarks our achievements against other frameworks and disclosure initiatives, and the best outcomes achieved by other public and private organisations.

An Post's material indicators

Continuous assessment of our material issues 

In addition to considering the SDGs identified by the International Postal Corporation (IPC) as most relevant for the postal sector, we consistently engage in dialogue with our stakeholders to understand their views, worries and expectations. Combining these with An Post’s own evaluation of key risks was crucial in identifying a list of potential areas of focus.

We then plotted the areas of interest to stakeholders against our assessed risk to An Post to gain insight into the overall materiality of the areas to An Post. By reconciling the points in the top right quadrant with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, we were able to identify the core SDGs we should focus on. Reassuringly, this exercise confirmed that the SDGs identified by IPC are also those which are most relevant to An Post.  At the same time, it must be emphasised that An Post remains committed to advancing all 17 UN SDGs.