Case study: How Stoelzle promotes sustainability among its suppliers
Looking back on more than 200 years of glass production, Stoelzle manufactures moulded glass containers for the pharmaceutical, spirits, food, perfumery and cosmetic industry in a huge variety of different designs and sizes. Implementing sustainability along its supply chain, is an essential aspect of Stoelzle’s business strategy. Tweet This!
This case study is based on the 2019 Sustainability Report by Stoelzle published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database 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
For some time now, sustainability aspects have been gaining increasing significance in Stoelzle’s supply chain management, and have therefore been integrated into its supplier management strategy. In order to promote sustainability among its suppliers Stoelzle took action to:
- implement a new purchasing manual
- audit suppliers
- provide training
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Stoelzle has identified;
- How Stoelzle proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Stoelzle to promote sustainability among its suppliers
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2019 Sustainability Report Stoelzle identified a range of material issues, such as legal compliance, employee health and safety, emissions, employee communication and participation. Among these, promoting sustainability among its suppliers stands out as a key material issue for Stoelzle.
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 Stoelzle engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Owner & Supervisory Board | · Board meetings · Conferences |
| Management & Sister Plants | · Management meetings · Group telephone calls |
| Employees | · Employee dialogues & surveys · Internal media · Employee events · Company meetings · Mentoring programmes |
| Clients | · Customer dialogues · Customer surveys · Social media · Trade fairs · Media |
| Suppliers and Contractors
| · Dialogues · Trade fairs · Training · Audits |
| Work Councils | · Dialogues |
| Local Stakeholders & Neighbourhood
| · Personal talks · Plant tours · Neighbourhood discussions |
| Science & Research
| · Round tables · R&D cooperation · Lectures · Discussions |
| Authorities
| · Events · Submissions |
| Media
| · Press information · Interviews · Telephone conversations · Informal exchange |
| Networks & Associations
| · Participation of (top) managers or technical experts in initiatives, forums and events · Memberships in initiatives |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics Stoelzle engaged with its stakeholders through an anonymous and independent survey among 80 key stakeholders who included customers, suppliers and employees.
What actions were taken by Stoelzle to promote sustainability among its suppliers?
In its 2019 Sustainability Report Stoelzle reports that it took the following actions for promoting sustainability among its suppliers:
- Implementing a new purchasing manual
- In 2019, a new purchasing manual – including a lead buyer concept – was implemented by Stoelzle’s Group Purchasing Manager. This manual standardises purchasing processes and defines lead buyers, who are responsible on a Group level for supplier audits and supplier management with regard to specific product groups, e.g. pallets. Since Stoelzle purchases globally from more than 3,000 single suppliers, ethical as well as environmentally relevant principles are also included in its supplier audits. This standardisation shall ensure that all of the Stoelzle Glass Group’s suppliers meet the requested sustainability standards.
- Auditing suppliers
- Ecological and social aspects are part of Stoelzle’s regular performance audits and significantly influence the supplier’s evaluation. This standardised process was introduced by the Group Purchasing Manager and will gradually be rolled out to all Stoelzle sites. Suppliers that have been rated via risk assessment particularly important are audited by both the Purchasing and CRS manager so that the best possible evaluation of all sustainability aspects is ensured. The Stoelzle policy on sustainable procurement is published on the company website and has also been communicated actively to approximately 50 % of Stoelzle’s suppliers. Additionally, a new “Supplier Code of Conduct” was introduced in 2020. This code, which reflects Stoelzle’s values and principles, aims to establish sustainable procurement as an essential factor and raise suppliers’ awareness as a prerequisite for future collaboration.
- Providing training
- In September 2019, Stoelzle started a Group-wide training for all purchasing managers. Over a period of several months, Stoelzle’s purchasing managers were trained in presentation and general negotiation techniques. Most importantly, the training also focused on strengthening participants’ awareness of quality and sustainability issues.
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:
1) This case study is based on published information by Stoelzle, 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 original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:
http://database.globalreporting.org/
2) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
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