ESG and sustainability

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 global goals designed to support a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for people and the planet. They recognise the strong connection between environmental, social, and economic progress, and place sustainability at the centre of long-term development.

Our 2023 materiality assessment identified five SDGs where we can have the greatest impact as a business. Together with our three strategic pillars, these goals now guide our sustainability strategy and help shape the actions we take across our business and communities.

5 primary Sustainable Development Goals

• Good health and wellbeing.
• Quality education.
• Decent work and economic growth.
• Reduced inequalities.
• Climate action.

Cpl has achieved ISO 14001:2015 certification from the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which recognises that our Environmental Management System meets the internationally recognised standards for environmental management across the Cpl Group.

This certification reflects the strong processes we have in place to identify, manage, and reduce our environmental impact, meet our obligations, and support continuous improvement. It is an important milestone in our commitment to operating as a responsible and sustainable business.

While our operations are considered low environmental risk, achieving ISO 14001 reinforces our commitment to meeting the expectations of our clients, candidates, partners, and wider stakeholders, who increasingly value recognised environmental standards when choosing who they work with.

Cpl uses recognised reporting frameworks to support transparent, consistent, and robust sustainability reporting. In 2024, we voluntarily disclosed to CDP and continued to participate in its Supply Chain Programme, reflecting the growing expectations of our clients and stakeholders for climate transparency.

As a fourth-time discloser, we retained our CDP B score for the third year in a row. Our CDP reporting supports the wider work we are doing to identify, measure, and manage climate-related impacts, risks, and opportunities across our business.

As part of our due diligence and supplier engagement approach, Cpl participates in EcoVadis assessments across both our parent company and subsidiaries. These assessments support our commitment to responsible sourcing and provide independent insight into our environmental, social, and governance practices, including labour and human rights standards across our value chain.

Following continued progress across all ESG areas assessed by EcoVadis, Cpl achieved Bronze Medal status, performing above the industry average across every pillar.