Position:
Home
English Home
JP group Sustainability
Sustainability Management
Material Issues Relating to Sustainability

Material Issues Relating to Sustainability

In order to clarify the material issues to be addressed regarding sustainability, the Japan Post Group has identified issues based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ISO 26000, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, etc., and has created the "Sustainability Topic List." Based on this list, we conducted a questionnaire to stakeholders of the Group, and evaluated the two axes of "impact on corporate value" and "importance and expectations for stakeholders" with reference to the opinions of institutional investors, etc., and the opinions of experts in municipalities and regions across the country, and identified particularly important issues. After further grouping these issues and confirming their consistency with the Management Philosophy and the Medium-Term Management Plan, we organized them into six areas and clarified the direction of each initiative.

The Determination Process of Material Issues Relating to Sustainability

The material issues were determined through the following process upon discussions by the Sustainability Committee, the Management Meeting, and the Board of Directors.

1 Extracting the topics

Topics were identi ed by referring to the SDGs, ISO 26000, GRI Standards, etc., grouped, and extracted as the "Sustainability Topic List."

2 Assessment from internal/external perspectives2 Assessment from internal/external perspectives

The issues extracted in Step 1 were evaluated on two axes: "impact on corporate value "and" importance and expectations for stakeholders" with reference to the following, and particularly important issues were identi ed.

Japan Post stakeholders
■ Questionnaire to our executives, employees, customers, and business partners
Investors, etc.
■ Opinions of institutional investors
■ Relationship with matters regarded as important topics by industry in the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Standards
Region
■ Matters expected from post of ces by municipalities across Japan
Experts
■ Opinions of local experts
The "Survey Results on Regional Contributions Required of Post Of ces (Flash Report) (November 21, 2022)," conducted by the Postal Administration Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, reects the responses from municipalities across Japan regarding "areas that we would like to work on in cooperation with post of ces."
Reects opinions and requests to the Group at group meetings for regional opinion leaders conducted by Japan Post Co., Ltd. branch of ces
■ Results of dialogue with experts on sustainability, etc.
3 Veri cation of appropriateness and integrated management

After grouping the particularly important topics and their closely related topics, their consistency with the Management Philosophy and Medium-Term Management Plan was veri ed and sorted into six areas, and the direction to be taken by each initiative was clarified.

Material Issues Relating to Sustainability of the Japan Post Group (Six Areas and the Direction Taken by the Initiatives)

Material issues Six areas Direction of the initiatives
Local communities and economies
  • Local life, local economies, and local creation
  • Responding to local population decline
  • Contribution to the safety and security of the community
  • Disaster prevention, mitigation, and recovery support
Provide solutions corresponding to regional issues through utilization of the Japan Post Holdings network
Responding to the aging society
  • Responding to an aging society
  • Mental and physical health, peace of mind
Give lifelong support in an era of the 100-year lifespan by providing services that support the aging society
Access to services
  • Secure access to services
  • Social participation and inclusion of diverse people
Contribute to an enriched life by providing user-friendly services that align with the various needs of the people
Environment
  • Climate change
  • Effective use of resources and reduction of waste
  • Forest resources/water resources and biodiversity
  • Air pollution
Lessen the environmental load of business operations and contribute to a low-environmental-load society
Human resources and human capital
  • Responding to labor shortages
  • Human resources and human capital
  • Fair working conditions
  • Employee health and safety
  • Responding to human rights issues
  • Work-style reform
  • Diversity and equal opportunities for employees
A workplace where employees can work with "pride and ful llment"
Management foundation
  • Ensuring compliance and internal control
  • Information security, privacy protection
  • Corporate governance
Establish a management foundation that is trusted by our customers and contributes to resolving social issues

Positioning in the Flow of Value Creation

Specific Initiatives

The specific initiatives for dealing with the risks and opportunities associated with the material issues relating to sustainability are confirmed and their progress is managed by the Sustainability Committee and the Japan Post Group Sustainability Liaison Conference. The following initiatives are carried out for the material issues in each of the six areas.

Material issues Indicators and targets Results for FY2023 (Cumulative total unless the fiscal year is specified)
(a) Local communities and economies

Manage progress by using the number of initiatives implemented and the investment and loan balance as indicators.
In particular, implement the initiatives including the following with specific targets.

  • Mutual assistance-type shopping service: Provide the service in six areas by the end of FY2024 (This target is also related to "(b) Responding to the aging society")
  • Balance of GP business-related investments (based on investment commitments): Around 400 billion yen as of the end of FY2025
  • Radio-Taiso exercise implementation rate: 25% (Note 1)
  • Promotion of sustainable investment (Impact "K" Project Certification Fund (Note 2): A total of 15 cases and 50 billion yen by the end of FY2025 (also related to various other social issues)
  • Mutual assistance-type shopping service provided in one area (in the east of Nara City)
  • Balance of GP business-related investments: 48.9 billion yen
  • Radio-Taiso exercise implementation rate: 24%
  • Impact "K" Project Certification Fund: A total of six cases and 22.55 billion yen
(b) Responding to the aging society

Manage progress based on the indicators related to "(a) Local communities and economies" and on the number of users of each service. In particular, implement the initiatives including the following with specific targets.

  • Number of active NISA accounts: 940,000 as of the end of FY2025
  • Number of active NISA accounts: 730,000
(c) Access to services

Manage progress based on indicators such as accessibility of each service.
In particular, implement initiatives including the following with specific targets.

  • Number of registrations for the Post Office App: 5 million downloads by the end of FY2025
  • Number of Japan Post Bank accounts linked to the Yucho Bankbook App: 16 million accounts as of the end of FY2025
  • Number of registrations for the Post Office App: Around 1.7 million downloads
  • Number of Japan Post Bank accounts linked to the Yucho Bankbook App: 10.4 million accounts
(d) Environment

For greenhouse gas emissions, set reduction targets to monitor the achievement level and manage progress by setting indicators regarding progress made in relation to the policies upheld for measures to combat climate change. Also, set indicators for important items regarding the use amounts of resources that produce environmental impacts. (For details, please refer to pages 41 to 47 of the Annual Securities Report(Japanese) Open PDF in separate window available in PDF format in a separate window.)
Further, for contribution to the creation of a low-environmental-impact society, manage progress for the targets related to (a) Local communities and economies and for investment amounts and others.
In particular, implement the initiatives including the following with specific targets.

  • Number of four-wheel EVs introduced: 15,000 by the end of FY2028
  • Number of two-wheel EVs introduced: 30,300 by the end of FY2025
  • Update to more energy-efficient air-conditioning: Update at another 70 post offices by the end of March 2025
  • Use of LED lighting at post offices: Use at another 364 post offices by the end of March 2025
  • Target for the establishment of environmentally responsible post offices: Open another three "+eco post offices" in FY2024
  • By the construction of "+ eco post offices" and the installation of solar power generation facilities, reduce GHG emissions in FY2024 by another 100 t-CO2 per year relative to reductions in FY2023, which were achieved by the establishment of environmentally responsible post offices.
  • Use of FSC-certified paper for postcards
  • ESG theme-based investment and loan balance (Japan Post Bank): 7 trillion yen as of the end of FY2025
  • Number of four-wheel EVs introduced: Around 5,000
  • Number of two-wheel EVs introduced: Around 16,300
  • Update to more energy-efficient air-conditioning: At 196 post offices
  • Use of LED lamps at post offices: 16,452 post offices
  • Number of environmentally responsible post offices established:"+ eco post offices": 14 offices opened
  • Effect of constructing "+ eco post offices," installing solar power generation facilities and implementing other measures for the reduction of GHG emissions: 130 t-CO2 per year (result in FY2023)
  • Use of FSC-certified paper for postcards: 100% for paper currently procured for postcards
  • ESG theme-based investment and loan balance: 4.6 trillion yen
(e) Human resources and human capital

Please refer to "Initiatives relating to human capital" (pages 70 to 79) in the Japan Post Group Annual Report 2024Open PDF in separate window

(f) Management base

Continue to improve the compliance system, enhance the internal reporting system, identify any misconduct, ensure the implementation of cyber security measures, respond to the risk of information security breaches, establish a data governance system, and analyze and make effective use of customers' feedback, thereby building a management base for the Japan Post Group to earn even more trust from customers and make even greater contributions to the solution of social issues.
For measures related to newly introduced systems, manage progress based on indicators, including the situation regarding the use of the systems.

  1. (Note) 1. The percentage of respondents who have heard of radio calisthenics is calculated based on an online survey conducted regularly by JPI (2,400 men and women aged 20-69), and the percentage of those who answered that they practice radio calisthenics at least once a year.
  2. (Note) 2. Targets and results of the Impact "K" Project Certification Fund are the cumulative number of proposals since the start of certification in FY2022 and the amount of investment by JPI (investment or commitment amount depending on the form of fund) (these results are not limited to this item but are related to various social issues).Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
  • 郵便局の魅力を発信するメディア JP CAST List of articles about sustainability