What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Stoelzle identified a range of material issues, such as employee health and safety, emissions, consumer awareness, avoidance of problematic substances, employee communication & participation. Among these, promoting legal compliance 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:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

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 carried out an anonymous and independent survey among 80 key stakeholders who included customers, suppliers, and employees.

What actions were taken by Stoelzle to promote legal compliance?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Stoelzle reports that it took the following actions for promoting legal compliance:

• Implementing a Code of Conduct
• The Stoelzle Code of Conduct is the basis of Stoelzle’s Compliance Management. With this code, Stoelzle commits itself to compliance in general, and underlines the commitment of all employees to responsible behaviour and compliance with applicable law. In 2020, Stoelzle will conduct a Group-wide communication and training campaign on the topics of integrity and responsible conduct, aimed at all employees. Compliance Management will be applied to all compliance issues, in particular to prevent corruption and anti-competitive behaviour, as well as to ensure that human rights are respected at all Stoelzle’s The key elements of the system include internal compliance regulations, legal monitoring, complaint management, employee training and communication. Moreover, in 2019, the existing Code of Conduct was completely revised. In a Group-wide and interdisciplinary team, a value-based framework for legal conduct valid for all employees was created, in several joint workshops. The new Code of Conduct encompasses the following principles:
  • Compliance with regulations
  • Respect for human rights
  • General business practices & integrity
  • Internal collaboration
  • Social responsibility
• In addition, IT-supported applications for legal databases in the area of quality, environmental law and working conditions were further expanded. In 2018, for example, a programme was launched to audit all locations. The aim of the audit is to make sure that all local environmental and occupational health and safety legislation, as well as company operating requirements, are being complied with. Independent local experts who are well acquainted with national and local law are consulted for the audit. Furthermore, Stoelzle keeps itself continuously up-to-date and proactively informed about new requirements with the help of nominated representatives and external consultants.

• Applying a software-based legal database
• Stoelzle increased legal compliance through the implementation of a software-based legal database in the field of environmental and working conditions: in Austria, France and the Czech Republic legal audits were carried out in the field of environmental and working conditions by independent third parties, without any significant deviations in findings. The legal obligations are checked every six months to ensure their up-to-datedness and compliance. Additionally, a Group-wide legal database is to be implemented by the end of 2020.

• Promoting business ethics and anti-corruption
• Stoelzle’s employees have the opportunity to ask questions about compliance issues to their managers or to the Stoelzle Group Compliance Contact. External stakeholders can revert to a whistleblower system, which has been integrated into the Stoelzle website. Within the company, eventual infringements can be reported anonymously via the Stoelzle Compliance Line. The Stoelzle Group Compliance Office deals with eventual infringements and sets necessary corrective actions. Despite the manifold scope of its activities, Stoelzle can report that no cases of anticompetitive behaviour, corruption, discrimination, unfair competition or related issues emerged in the reporting period.

• Complying with the legal requirements of product liability
• The Stoelzle Management System aims to avoid product liability cases. Due to the properties of glass, and despite extensive processes for assuring product safety, it is possible that glass breakage may put human health at risk during the use of said glass products. In such cases, Stoelzle works in close cooperation with the customer and provides support with its complete system of traceability. Glass containers for pharmaceutical use must also comply with the specifications established in pharmacopoeia monographs for pharmaceutical glass containers. The Stoelzle sites in Austria and the Czech Republic, where processes and product ranges are specifically geared towards pharmaceutical products, are equipped with special facilities and equipment. This allows Stoelzle to guarantee the pharmaceutical quality of the products. The labelling of the glass products, if applicable to the container, is carried out in accordance with the Finished Pack regulations in accordance with ISO norms (e.g. ISO 8362-4 for injection vials made from moulded glass), and especially in accordance with customer requirements. These requirements are defined in the internal documents, which guarantees the correct labelling. In the reporting year, there were no instances of non-compliance with product labelling. In the period under review, Stoelzle received no fines or sanctions with respect to non-compliance with the legal requirements of product liability.

• Implementing a Supplier Code of Conduct
• Stoelzle works together with its suppliers and partners throughout the entire value chain in order to initiate positive changes. This cooperation is based on the Supplier Code of Conduct, written in 2019. With this guideline, Stoelzle is actively committed to improving sustainable performance along the value chain and thus in the final product in order to create positive effects and additional benefits for people and the environment. The implementation of this guideline will be part of the contractual agreement between Stoelzle and its partners and will be checked in the supplier audits. The rollout of Stoelzle’s global Supplier Code of Conduct will start in 2020.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken

2) Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices

3) Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

4) Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area

 

Disclosure 205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.5

Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.3

Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.3

Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.3

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.
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/

Note to Stoelzle: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report the Talanx Group identified a range of material issues, such as climate change, data protection and cybersecurity, responsibility to customers, employee recruitment and development. Among these, promoting compliance stands out as a key material issue for the Talanx Group.

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:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

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 the Talanx Group engages with: 

Stakeholder Group

Employees

Customers

Business partners

Investors and analysts

NGOs

Academia

Associations

Media

Politics

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics the Talanx Group carried out an internal survey of internal stakeholders and an online survey of external ones, investigating a variety of potential material issues and ranking them for importance on a scale ranging from 1 (= not important) to 7 (= extremely important).

 

What actions were taken by the Talanx Group to promote compliance?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report the Talanx Group reports that it took the following actions for promoting compliance:

• Implementing a Group-wide Code of Conduct
• The Group-wide Code of Conduct is an effective tool for making the Talanx Group’s commitment to complying with existing laws transparent. It sets out key principles and rules applicable to employees at all levels of the Talanx Group. The Code serves to explain to employees the fundamental legal and ethical requirements which they have to abide by during their work for the various Group companies, and to provide further details of their duties in these areas. In addition, it expressly highlights the ban on money laundering and illegal financing and draws attention to the fact that the competent anti-money laundering officer and/or compliance officer must be informed of all suspected cases. The Code of Conduct applies throughout the Group and is available in a number of languages. Customers, employees and other interest groups can access it publicly on the Talanx Group’s The Code is supplemented by a set of more concrete Compliance Guidelines and by other information and explanatory documents, which are available on the Talanx Group’s intranet. The Compliance Guidelines provide detailed content guidance on the principles set out in the Code of Conduct, which have been discussed and adopted as binding by the Group’s companies in Germany and abroad.

• Establishing a whistle-blowing system
• The Talanx Group has established a whistle-blowing system that can be used to report certain significant breaches of the law. It can be accessed from anywhere in the world via the Talanx Group’s website and is currently available in German and six other languages commonly spoken within the Group. The whistle-blowing system can be used – fully anonymously, if desired – to provide information about a variety of issues, including fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and corruption, incorrect bookkeeping or accounting, anti-competitive and antitrust offences, money laundering and terrorism financing, breaches of capital market regulations, sanctions and embargoes, and infringements of supervisory law and tax law provisions. Additionally, employees can report suspected breaches of the law or guidelines to their line manager or directly to the compliance officer responsible for the company in question within the Talanx Group or the division concerned.

• Providing compliance training
• The Talanx Group’s training plan is tailored to the needs of different groups and offers employees regular opportunities to refresh and expand their knowledge of and expertise in selected compliance topics. New employees are regularly familiarised with the compliance framework during induction events. In addition, regular classroom-based courses and web-based training (WBT) are provided on relevant compliance topics. Anti-corruption training ensures that gifts are dealt with correctly. Above and beyond this, the Chief Compliance Officer holds classroom training sessions for executives and selected specialists several times a year, in order to promote the Group’s compliance culture. This dialogue helps Group Compliance identify any needs in good time and develop customised training and consulting offerings to address them. A number of measures are also used to reinforce cooperation within the network of local compliance officers and, in addition to holding an international compliance managers’ meeting, the Talanx Group has established a regular virtual compliance meeting format known as ComplianceXchange, in which Group Compliance and local compliance officers develop and share best practice solutions together.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices

2) Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

3) Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area

 

Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

 

 

 

FBRH GRI Standards Certified & ISEP recognised Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE

By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI Standards Certified & ISEP recognised course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by the Talanx Group, 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/

Note to the Talanx Group: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2017-18 Corporate Sustainability Report KOEL identified a range of material issues, such as human capital development, innovation management, product stewardship, operational eco-efficiency, climate stewardship. Among these, promoting compliance and ethical business behaviour stands out as a key material issue for KOEL.

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:

“The reporting organization shall identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations and interests.”

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 KOEL engages with:

To identify and prioritise material topics KOEL engaged with its stakeholders through the following channels:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Shareholders/ Investors and Equity Research Agency	·      Annual General Meetings ·      Analyst meets ·      Media Releases ·      Web Sites
Customers	·      One-to-one interaction ·      CSS (yearly) ·      Helpdesk ·      Customer events ·      Melas ·      Camps and Exhibitions ·      Meetings ·      Smart phones applications ·      Phones ·      Emails ·      Fax ·      Customer visits ·      Surveys both internal and external
Employees	·      Meetings ·      Seminars ·      News letters
Dealers and Distributors	·      One-to-one interaction ·      Monthly/ Quarterly reviews ·      Helpdesk ·      Dealer conferences and meets
Technical Collaborators	·      Yearly meetings
Banks	·      Consortium meetings ·      Mails
Suppliers and Vendors	·      One-to-one interaction (NB) ·      Supplier meets (yearly) ·      Quality audit, SQTF visit ·      Supplier ‘A’ Panel Meet ·      Technology Day ·      Meetings ·      Emails ·      Fax ·      Mutual visits ·      Surveys both internal and external
Society and Community, Professional Bodies	·      Social functions and welfare activities ·      Community meets on ongoing basis ·      Messages
Local statutory bodies	·      Meetings ·      Mails

What actions were taken by KOEL to promote compliance and ethical business behaviour?

In its 2017-18 Corporate Sustainability Report KOEL reports that it took the following actions for promoting compliance and ethical business behaviour:

• Implementing a Code of Conduct and Ethics
• KOEL has a robust Code of Conduct and Ethics for its Board of Directors, senior management and its other employees, based on the NVG (National Voluntary Guidelines) and makes sure the Code is strictly adhered to, by having an efficient vigil mechanism and a whistleblower policy in place. A senior company official is entrusted with the responsibility of hearing complaints regarding the Code and taking appropriate action, as required. Additionally, KOEL has a separate Code of Conduct for its suppliers, to ensure the delivery of safe and sustainable goods for employees. Every year, all directors and the senior management team reaffirm their commitment to the Code. New KOEL employees are also made aware of KOEL’s way of doing business and are inducted into KOEL’s culture of transparency, integrity and accountability, through sustained and sincere efforts in the initial phase of their career. This helps them discharge their duties professionally on lines of company values and vision. During the reporting period, there were no legal actions pending or completed regarding anti-competitive behaviour and violations of anti-trust and monopoly legislation by KOEL.

• Carrying out audits
• Adherence to statutory rules and regulations has always been given the utmost importance at KOEL, with continuous, sustained efforts by the management to identify possible gaps in its processes so that KOEL had to pay no fines or penalty for breaking rules concerning emissions and health and safety impacts of products and services during their life cycle. KOEL uses a work flow based legal compliance software tool that monitors and ensures compliance with all applicable regulations across all factories and offices. KOEL also has its own Internal Audit Department (IAD), which carries out periodic risk assessments. The internal audit procedure has been designed to cover various aspects of the business, and is commensurate with the size and complexity of KOEL’s operations. Accountability is established by identifying risk owners for every risk detected, who have to submit a detailed risk mitigation plan which is then implemented, after proper review. An IT system has been developed for the IAD, to not only help KOEL conduct audits but also track open issues and their closure. KOEL’s Audit Committee reviews the significant observations made by the IAD and the follow up actions taken thereon. Business risks are also managed through cross functional teams comprised of personnel from various domains and are reviewed by business heads at periodic intervals.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices

2) Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

3) Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area

 

Disclosure 206-1 Legal actions for anti-competitive behavior, anti-trust, and monopoly practices corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

Disclosure 419-1 Non-compliance with laws and regulations in the social and economic area corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

• Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
• Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
• Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
• Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by KOEL, 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/

Note to KOEL: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2019 Integrated Sustainability Report CDL identified a range of material issues, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy, product quality and responsibility, occupational health, safety and well-being, cyber security and data governance, product safety and customer well-being, talent attraction, retention and development. Among these, promoting environmental compliance stands out as a key material issue for CDL.

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:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

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 CDL engages with:   

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Regular dialogue sessions, town halls and forums fronted by Senior Management ·      CDL 360 – Company intranet ·      Daily news bulletin ·      Staff Connect (SC) – an inter-department committee that organises company-wide activities to foster work-life balance and reinforce team spirit ·      Frequent employee activities ·      Biennial Employee Engagement Survey ·      Employee Assistance Programme (counselling service) ·      Employee grievance handling procedures ·      City Sunshine Club (CSC) – employee volunteering platform
Customers	Homebuyers: ·      Integrated customer and call centre ·      Homebuyer e-portal ·      Residential services ·      Green Living Guides ·      Defects management tracking app and procedures ·      Post-TOP customer satisfaction surveys ·      Show suites feedback system Tenants: ·      CDL Green Lease Partnership Programme ·      CDL Green Ambassadors ·      Green fitting out kits ·      Project: Eco-Office kits ·      Recycling programme ·      1°C Up Campaign ·      Curated events and activities for C-suites and office community (e.g. Healthy Workplace Ecosystem and Health screenings) ·      Annual tenant satisfaction surveys ·      Precinct improvement with Raffles Place Business Improvement District
Builders and suppliers	·      Policies including climate change, EHS, human rights and universal design ·      Supplier code of conduct ·      Green procurement specifications ·      CDL 5-Star EHS assessment ·      Quarterly seminars and peer sharing ·      Annual EHS Awards ·      Declaration of EHS commitment through letter and pledge-signing ·      EHS risk assessments at concept, design and construction stages ·      Construction vision casting ·      Bi-annual vendor evaluation
Investors, analysts and media	·      Annual General Meetings ·      Bi-annual financial results briefings and webcasts ·      Quarterly financial results announcements ·      Regular analyst and investor meetings ·      Post-results luncheons ·      Non-deal roadshows ·      Conferences, meetings and site visits ·      Media releases and interviews ·      Annual reports ·      Integrated sustainability reports ·      Company website ·      Sustainability microsite ·      Timely response to ESG rating agencies and analysts ·      Global sustainability rankings and indices
Government agencies and regulators	·      Senior management representation on boards of various industry bodies ·      Participation in tri-sector and sustainability-related consultations and dialogues ·      Longstanding partnership of various national programmes ·      Thought leadership in support of public policies and regulations pertaining to sustainability, green buildings and reporting
Community	·      Public communications plan with residents within a 100-metre radius of new developments ·      Builders’ contact details displayed at construction sites for public feedback ·      Participation in sustainability-related conferences/forums ·      Consultation and dialogues with academics, NGOs, and business associations ·      Annual reports ·      Integrated sustainability reports ·      Company website and social media ·      Corporate advertisements ·      Collaborations with charity and NGOs partners for community development ·      Universal design for homes and offices

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics, CDL engaged with its stakeholders through an online survey and one-on-one stakeholder interviews.

What actions were taken by CDL to promote environmental compliance?

In its 2019 Integrated Sustainability Report CDL reports that it took the following actions for promoting environmental compliance:

• Managing construction noise
• In Singapore, NEA (National Environment Agency) regulates the noise levels from construction sites with a set of permissible noise limits that vary depending on the time of the day and neighbouring premises. To protect nearby residents, CDL makes sure its builders comply with the construction noise limits at all construction sites. To minimise noise-related complaints, builders are encouraged to put in place an active management programme, and to take all necessary action to address and resolve related complaints. As part of CDL’s efforts to keep the community informed about construction status, schedules of the progress at each site are communicated to pre-empt the community about upcoming works that may affect them.

• Implementing vector control at construction sites
• To keep the incidence of vector-borne diseases low in Singapore, local authorities leverage on vector management systems complemented by education, enforcement, and continuous research to achieve this goal. Recognising that construction sites, if not well managed, could become environments for mosquito breeding and rodent infestation, CDL works closely with its builders to make sure effective systems are in place to prevent pests, curb dengue transmission and protect workers and residents around work sites against dengue fever. Besides making sure that its builders schedule and carry out regular housekeeping on site, CDL requires that they maintain comprehensive pest surveillance and control programmes. Additionally, CDL actively engages its contractors and their workers through awareness building and educational talks, to ensure effective vector control and minimise incurring fines for vector breeding.

• Managing water discharge at construction sites
• The discharge of wastewater into the public sewerage system and open drains, canals and rivers is strictly regulated by the PUB (Public Utilities Board) and NEA (National Environment Agency). CDL works closely with all its contractors to track the quality of water discharged to public sewerage and drainage systems, and to make sure that Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) readings of the discharged water do not exceed the legal limits. At all construction sites, Earth Control Measures (ECM) and live-monitoring and alert systems are used to prevent silt from polluting CDL’s waterways. If the TSS limits are exceeded, prompt corrective actions, such as lean concreting to prevent soil discharge, are implemented.

Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed? 

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 303-2 Management of water discharge-related impacts

2) Disclosure 303-4 Water discharge

3) Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

 

Disclosure 303-2 Management of water discharge-related impacts corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
• Business theme: Water quality
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Business theme: Water quality, Water-related ecosystems and biodiversity
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Business theme: Water quality
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
• Business theme: Water discharge to oceans

Disclosure 303-4 Water discharge corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages
• Business theme: Water quality
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Business theme: Water quality, Water-related ecosystems and biodiversity
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Business theme: Water quality
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
• Business theme: Water discharge to oceans

Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

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References:

1) This case study is based on published information by CDL, 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/

Note to CDL: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2014 Sustainability Report DEWA identified a range of material issues, such as economic development, energy efficiency and climate change, water availability and quality, employee and customer relations, stakeholders and communities. Among these, [tweetthis]managing its environmental impacts stands out as a key material issue for DEWA[/tweetthis] as the sole supplier of electricity and water to the Emirate of Dubai, providing services today to more than 730,000 customers.

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:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

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 DEWA engages with:

Stakeholder Group

Suppliers

Customers

Employees

Partners

Society

Government

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

DEWA’s business is answerable to Dubai’s residents, the communities it works in, its own employees and those it works with including the government, suppliers and partners. DEWA’s stakeholders are identified as those categories of individuals, groups and institutions whose contribution is required for DEWA to carry out its mission. It is important that DEWA effectively engages with all its stakeholders so that it can understand what is expected from it on important issues. To achieve this DEWA has established a range of engagement channels, including satisfaction surveys and road-shows, joint ventures and collaboration with government authorities on regulatory priorities, student visits, awareness sessions, media events, marketing campaigns, topic-specific surveys, seminars, direct  customer feedback, one-on-one meetings, supplier engagement, customer suggestion schemes, mystery shoppers, sustainability stakeholder workshops and Public Private Partnerships.

DEWA’s annual Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey addresses its stakeholders’ expectations regarding several issues related to DEWA and each group. Sustainability is embedded in DEWA’s vision, so it is important to ensure the sustainability knowledge is well communicated to its stakeholders. Based on that, DEWA has developed tailored questions that are related to sustainability in each of its stakeholder surveys. The 2014 results of the stakeholder satisfaction surveys revealed that, across all of its stakeholder groups, the majority of respondents were highly aware of DEWA’s approach to sustainability and were broadly satisfied with its performance.

In 2014, for the second consecutive year, DEWA hosted its annual stakeholder sustainability workshops in DEWA’s sustainable building in Al-Quoz, to further the dialogue on sustainability with its stakeholders. The findings from the workshops have provided it with deep insight into what its stakeholders valued and which sustainability issues were most important to them.

What actions were taken by DEWA to manage its environmental impacts?

In its 2014 Sustainability Report DEWA set the following targets for managing its environmental impacts, based on the company’s approach to materiality – on taking action on what matters, where it matters:

• Implementing an ISO-14001 certified environmental management system

To ensure that it effectively manages environmental risks and meets industry and legal standards, DEWA has implemented an ISO-14001 certified environmental management system (EMS) which has been maintained at the corporate level since 2006 and in its Generation division since 1998. It has provided the foundation for continuous improvement in the way DEWA manages its environmental impacts. The success of DEWA’s environmental management system has been recognized by the British Safety Council (BSC), with DEWA maintaining the BSC Environment 5 Star certification since 2011. DEWA has also won the BSC’s Globe of Honour, achieving, in 2014, full marks for the third consecutive year in recognition of its commitment to achieve all-round excellence in environmental management. DEWA was the first utility in the MENA region to achieve this award and one of only four companies worldwide to be awarded with both the Globe of Honour and the Sword of Honor in Health and Safety from the British Safety Council in 2014.

• Complying with all relevant environmental regulations

DEWA complies with all relevant environmental regulations set forth by both the UAE Federal Government and the Dubai Municipality. These regulations set standards for regulating aspects of health, safety, security and environmental quality and impose civil and criminal penalties for any violations. In addition, DEWA also complies with any special permit provisions where it operates in environmentally sensitive areas. During 2014, it has not been in violation of any environmental regulations nor has it received any complaints relating to environmental matters.

• Protecting ecosystems

Prior to the construction of any new DEWA project, an environmental impact assessment is first conducted by independent consultants, using international standards, before any construction can commence. To ensure a healthy marine ecosystem, DEWA also commissions specialist consultants to conduct ecological surveys throughout the year so as to monitor the populations of marine organisms in its area of operations. While environmental specialists monitor its wastewater discharge points to identify any potentially harmful algal blooms that could lead to ‘red tide’ events – these are events where algae grow out of control, produce toxins and deplete oxygen in the water, which is harmful to other marine life and DEWA’s water production facilities. Additionally, contingency plans are in place to combat red tide and oil slick events in the Arabian Gulf to ensure that potable water is safe and in line with the World Health Organisation’s Drinking Water Guidelines.

• Minimizing air emissions

Air emissions have adverse effects on DEWA’s local climate, ecosystems and air quality. In Dubai, regulations are in place to control nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions. Due to continuous improvement in the efficiency of DEWA’s plants, DEWA has achieved excellence in NOx and SO2 emission reduction. DEWA’s strategy to reduce NOx emissions starts at the design stage of any power and water plant by specifying stringent NOx emission limits for gas turbines. For example, its average annual NOx emissions from all units for 2014 were 21.15ppm, inclusive of all fuel types, gas turbines and boilers, which is less than the UAE Federal Government requirement of 37ppm and the European Union Requirement (Large Combustion Plant Directive 2001 for Plant Built After 2003) of 27ppm. Additionally, DEWA has introduced innovative technical solutions, which have resulted in single digit NOx emission levels in its major stations. With regards to SO2 emissions, DEWA has maintained very low emissions due to the burning of sweet natural gas. Regarding the stand by diesel fuel, DEWA has started procuring diesel fuel with 10ppm sulphur content instead of 500ppm sulphur content, in line with the 2014 UAE Government Federal Regulations.

• Implementing an effective waste management system

DEWA has implemented an effective waste management system, through which it aims to reduce the amount of solid and liquid waste it produces by using resources efficiently and recycling or recovering when possible. Its waste management system allows it to be completely compliant with all relevant national and international regulations, policies and procedures. DEWA is also in the process of benchmarking its waste management system with other organisations internationally. Reducing its waste not only minimizes DEWA’s environmental impact, but also generates cost savings. In 2014, it earned AED 830,020 from selling scrap waste materials from its Jebel Ali power station complex. An example of the business benefits of waste management is evident in DEWA’s efforts to recycle waste oils. In the Jebel Ali power station complex, used lubricant, transformer and hydraulic oils are recycled for use in boiler furnaces when oil firing is required. Additionally, large amounts of insulation oil are used in distribution equipment for insulation and cooling. By using recycled oil DEWA is able to significantly reduce its consumption of new oil and minimize waste (and the associated costs for waste disposal). In 2014, it has recovered 19,143 liters of oil for reuse. While closed loop gas analysers at substations are used to reduce SF6 gas emissions. Additionally, wastewater is recovered from its power stations and reused – during 2014 DEWA recovered 266 MIG of wastewater.

• Embedding sustainability values throughout the supply chain

DEWA has launched the Green Procurement Program at WETEX 2013, with the aim of rolling it out throughout its supply chain. The program aims to assess the environmental consequences of the products purchased by DEWA at the various stages of the product’s lifecycle to help DEWA avoid selecting products with adverse environmental impacts. Contracts are awarded based on a range of conventional criteria, but suppliers with certified environmental management systems have an additional advantage. DEWA is also interested in purchasing products that reduce energy, contain recycled materials, are less toxic and can help conserve water or address social impacts. DEWA is committed to business practices that adhere to international standards. Since 2009, DEWA has been certified to SA8000. An internal network of SA8000 representatives and auditors ensure compliance in this area, on a regular basis, through a process that includes conducting site visits and awareness sessions for DEWA’s employees. DEWA is extending this commitment to good labor standards to its supply chain, including its contractors, subcontractors and suppliers.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:

1) G4-EN21: NO_x, SO_x, and other significant air emissions – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-7 Nitrogen oxides (NO X ), sulfur oxides (SO X ), and other significant air emissions

2) G4-EN23: Total weight of waste by type and disposal method – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method

3) G4-EN25: Weight of transported, imported, exported, or treated waste deemed hazardous under the terms of the Basel Convention (2) Annex I, II, III, and VIII, and percentage of transported waste shipped internationally – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 306-4 Transport of hazardous waste

4) G4-EN26: Identity, size, protected status, and biodiversity value of water bodies and related habitats significantly affected by the organization’s discharges of water and runoff – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 306-5 Water bodies affected by water discharges and/or runoff

5) G4-EN27: Extent of impact mitigation of environmental impacts of products and services

6) G4-EN29: Monetary value of significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 307-1 Non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations

7) G4-EN32: Percentage of new suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by DEWA, located at the links 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 links:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

https://www.dewa.gov.ae/aboutus/dewahistory.aspx (May 2016)

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to DEWA: With each case study we send out an email to your listed address in request for a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.