Case study: How PortAventura World promotes sustainability across its supply chain
Located on the Costa Dorada, PortAventura World is one of the main destinations for tourism and holidays in Spain and among Europe’s leading holiday destinations. PortAventura World seeks to create joint synergies and involve its suppliers in its commitment to social, environmental and economic responsibility Tweet This!, so as to effectively promote sustainability among them.
This case study is based on the 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report by PortAventura World, prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards, that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Abstract
PortAventura World evaluates its Top 100 suppliers based on management of service and supply, turnover, occupational health and safety, industrial safety and environmental policy, so as to make sure that they share its commitment to sustainable development. In order to promote sustainability across its supply chain PortAventura World took action to:
- evaluate approved suppliers
- consider environmental aspects when assessing suppliers
- consider social aspects when assessing suppliers
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) PortAventura World has identified;
- How PortAventura World proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by PortAventura World to promote sustainability across its supply chain
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report PortAventura World identified a range of material issues, such as effluents and waste, occupational health and safety, emissions, staff-company relations, indirect economic impacts. Among these, promoting sustainability across its supply chain stands out as a key material issue for PortAventura World.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups PortAventura World engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Shareholders
| · Board meetings · Management meetings · Corporate information published periodically |
| Customers
| · Corporate website · Customer service telephone number · Social networks · Satisfaction surveys · Complaints box · Visitor Services Office · Site staff · Regular publications · Advertisements in the media |
| Workforce
| · Internal communications · Intranet · SMS · Videos · Internal magazine (Acció) · Bulletin boards and posters · Leaflets and other printed materials · Letters · Personal and direct contact · Counter and post box for Employee Services · Suggestions and complaints forms · Staff contests and draws · Online platforms: PortAventura Guide and La Guía app, and E-Nómina (payroll) |
| Suppliers and contractors
| · Procurement managers · Supplier portal · “Dialogue with Suppliers” day |
| Public administration and social environment
| · PortAventura Foundation website · Periodic publication of corporate information · Institutional involvement · Meetings with representatives of public institutions and social organisations |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics PortAventura World engaged with its stakeholders through virtual meetings held with the representatives of different stakeholders, including shareholders, customers, suppliers, human resources, society and the environment.
What actions were taken by PortAventura World to promote sustainability across its supply chain?
In its 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report PortAventura World reports that it took the following actions for promoting sustainability across its supply chain:
- Evaluating approved suppliers
- PortAventura World’s approved suppliers are evaluated to guarantee the quality levels that PortAventura World offers. The system establishes the mechanisms for evaluating the performance of the 100 strategic suppliers of the year who vary depending on the needs of the Resort, of whom 93 were evaluated during 2020. Suppliers are evaluated according to the type of purchase: supplies with distribution, supplies without distribution, in-resort services and off-site services. The evaluation of the suppliers is performed based on the following criteria:
- Service/supply quality
- Invoicing
- Coordination of business activities
- Environmental policy and industrial safety
- There are four scoring levels: satisfactory, correct, improvable or poor. A document of nonconformities is used, supported by a work instruction that enables all the incidents detected to be documented and forwarded to the Central Services Department. Acceptance of the PortAventura World Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Suppliers and Contractors and a commitment to the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact are essential for suppliers who wish to be approved and participate in the regulated bidding procedures for construction works, service or supply contracts.
- Considering environmental aspects when assessing suppliers
- The environmental aspects considered by PortAventura World when evaluating suppliers are as follows:
- existence of a precautionary approach that favours the environment;
- development of initiatives that promote environmental responsibility and measures to reduce consumption of natural resources (correct waste management, efficient water use and energy saving);
- use of technologies that respect the environment;
- extension of the environmental commitment to encompass suppliers of products and services contracted and requiring improvements in environmental protection;
- availability of an environmental policy that is also applicable to suppliers;
- development of environmental training and awareness-raising initiatives for the workforce;
- compliance with the legislation in force on the environment;
- availability of an environmental management system that is documented and/or certified by a third party;
- consideration of specific environmental criteria when providing services to PortAventura World; and
- calculation and publication of the carbon footprint.
- In 2020, 75% of PortAventura World’s new suppliers were screened using environmental criteria.
- Considering social aspects when assessing suppliers
- The social aspects considered by PortAventura World when assessing suppliers are as follows:
- level of employment practices;
- compliance with local health and safety regulations;
- availability of a third-party certified occupational risk prevention system;
- availability of the occupational risk prevention certificate and certificate of the medical aptitude of all workers and
- the existence of a civil liability policy for professional risks with the corresponding receipt of payment.
- Regarding human rights:
- adhesion to the United Nations Global Compact;
- support for freedom of association and effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
- compliance with local labour regulations, including workers’ rights regarding contracting, working hours, salary, etc.;
- support for the protection and respect of internationally recognised basic human rights;
- respect for the rights of children to be protected against economic exploitation;
- support for the elimination of all types of forced and compulsory labour and abuses of authority;
- respect for equal opportunities and rejection of discriminatory practices in the workplace;
- compliance with the legislation in force on workers’ rights;
- occupational health or safety; and
- extension of the commitment to human rights to encompass the supply chain.
- In 2020, 75% of PortAventura World’s new suppliers were screened using social criteria.
Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?
The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:
1) Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria
2) Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria
Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria does not correspond to any SDG.
Disclosure 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
- Targets: 5.2
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Targets: 8.8
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Targets: 16.1
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References:
This case study is based on published information by PortAventura World, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:
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