What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report Hang Seng identified a range of material issues, such as customer privacy, anti-corruption, financial inclusion, non-discrimination, climate change mitigation and adaptation. Among these, promoting employee engagement stands out as a key material issue for Hang Seng.

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 Hang Seng engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers	·      Daily operations and interactions ·      Financial market updates ·      Relationship manager visits and meetings ·      Seminars and conferences ·      Customer loyalty events ·      Customer satisfaction surveys ·      Online community
Shareholders	·      Annual General Meeting ·      Corporate communications ·      Interim and annual reports ·      Results announcements
Employees	·      Surveys ·      Focus groups ·      Face-to-face interviews ·      Training and workshops ·      Performance and development discussions ·      Staff intranet ·      Staff mobile app ·      Business briefings ·      Town hall meetings, hosted by Chief Executive and business/function heads ·      Regular exchange meetings, hosted by Chief Executive and managers ·      Speed networking events ·      Forums hosted by businesses/functions to profile their work and expose staff to internal opportunities ·      Employee representation on staff retirement committee ·      Volunteer activities ·      CSR programmes and communications
Business analysts/ investors	·      Results announcements ·      Post-results announcement briefings ·      Senior management meetings ·      Investor relations meetings
Business partners	·      Reports ·      Visits and meetings ·      Gatherings and seminars ·      Relationship-building events
Regulators	·      Meetings ·      Compliance reporting ·      On-site inspections ·      Ad hoc enquiries ·      Circulars and guidelines
Media	·      Briefings ·      Press materials ·      Senior management interviews ·      Results announcements ·      Social gatherings
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)	·      Volunteer activities ·      Community investments and donations ·      CSR programmes/communications ·      Staff workshops ·      Visits and meetings
Financial sector peers	·      Strategic collaborations ·      Group circulars ·      Town hall meetings ·      Hong Kong Association of Banks meetings and circulars
Professional bodies (including rating agencies)	·      Visits and meetings ·      Memberships Committees/working groups ·      Workshops ·      External audits ·      Index assessments/questionnaires ·      Financial education programmes
Suppliers	·      Risk management processes ·      Due diligence processes ·      Performance reviews ·      Visits and meetings

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Hang Seng engaged with its stakeholders through an online survey and one-on-one interviews. A total of 260 stakeholders participated in the online survey, to rank the importance of identified topics.

What actions were taken by Hang Seng to promote employee engagement?

In its 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report Hang Seng reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee engagement:

• Implementing the You Matter programme
• Hang Seng implements the multipronged staff engagement programme You Matter, to foster an open, progressive and dynamic culture. The programme promotes key elements of Hang Seng’s brand, such as customer service excellence, inclusion and creativity. It also includes town hall meetings and exchange sessions with senior management, informal networking events, and forums in which heads of businesses and functions profile their work.

• Launching a mobile app
• To enhance communication, collaboration and collegiality, Hang Seng launched the mobile app H@SE in 2019. This interactive platform enables over 8,000 of Hang Seng’s Hong Kong employees to receive bank updates, to freely share comments and to cast votes on various topics, just like on other social media. This app is key to Hang Seng’s open and dynamic culture in which employees are encouraged to engage in transparent, direct and two-way communication with senior management and colleagues at all levels. An 85 per cent activation rate was achieved two months after the app’s launch. In 2019, more than 1,000 posts were published by Hang Seng’s units to communicate corporate information, important news and business-related stories. To generate feedback, polling questions were published and over 5,800 votes were received. Information about the bank is also conveyed to staff through business briefings, town hall meetings, the intranet, morning broadcasts, circulars and emails. Due consideration is additionally given to making sure there are appropriate notification periods and communication channels when any significant operational changes that could substantially affect staff are implemented.

• Conducting an employee survey
• Hang Seng conducts a biannual bank-wide employee survey. The response rate has risen from 38 per cent (first half of 2018) to 66 per cent (second half of 2019) and the number of employees who recommend Hang Seng as a great place to work is at 73 per cent, the highest since 2018. Additionally, a majority – 85 per cent – feel that the bank is genuine in its commitment to encouraging a speak-up culture.

• Organising exchange meetings
• Enhancing the approachability of senior leaders was the number one suggestion made by staff in Hang Seng’s surveys, when asked what would remedy a fear of speaking up. Accordingly, Hang Seng organised exchange meetings, to allow staff to speak with senior management. Staff enjoy their informality, and Hang Seng will continue to make them a core part of its engagement strategy. Hang Seng’s most recent survey, in the second half of 2019, confirmed that 85 per cent of employees were also willing to voice concerns when they saw behaviour that was considered wrong. Staff participation in exchange meetings increased from 14 per cent (second quarter of 2016) to more than 60 per cent (second half of 2019). Attendees hailed the sessions as interactive, constructive and fruitful.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8

 

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 Hang Seng, 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 Hang Seng: 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 2018-19 Sustainability Report Hindalco identified a range of material issues, such as compliance management, GHG emissions, ethics and integrity, waste management, water availability. Among these, respecting and promoting the human rights of its employees stands out as a key material issue for Hindalco.

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 Hindalco engages with:

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Emails and Meetings ·      Intranet Portals ·      Employee Satisfaction Surveys ·      Training Programmes ·      Performance appraisal reviews ·      Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
Customers	·      Emails and Meetings ·      Customer Satisfaction Surveys ·      Grievance Redressal Mechanisms
Suppliers	·      Emails and Meetings ·      Vendor Assessment & Review ·      Supplier Audits ·      Signed Contracts ·      Training Workshops and Seminars ·      Social Gatherings
Communities	·      Training & Workshops ·      Regular Meetings ·      Need Assessment & Satisfaction Surveys ·      CSR Reports
Investors and shareholders	·      Board Meetings ·      Annual Reports ·      Website
Government and regulatory bodies	·      Annual Reports ·      Communication with regulatory bodies ·      Formal Dialogues
Media	·      Social Media ·      Press Releases ·      Interviews ·      Website
Industry associations	·      Meetings

What actions were taken by Hindalco to respect and promote the human rights of its employees?

In its 2018-19 Sustainability Report Hindalco reports that it took the following actions for respecting and promoting the human rights of its employees:

• Supporting collective bargaining
• Hindalco recognises that worker unions at all its operations in India and more than 68.87% of the total workforce are covered under the provision of collective bargaining, supports the right to collective bargaining of its workers and promotes full transparency and trust with its entire workforce. Hindalco’s long-term meaningful relationships with the unions and all settlements follow prevailing labour legislation at the national and state levels, while agreements with trade unions also cover all relevant health and safety topics for operations at respective locations.

• Implementing a Human Rights Policy
• Hindalco has developed a Human Rights Policy which reinforces its commitment to respect and uphold the human rights of all its stakeholders and guides the actions taken to fulfil this commitment. In order to identify potential human rights related risks, Hindalco has a due diligence process which is carried out annually through company-wide compliance monitoring. This entails undertaking a detailed monitoring at 100 of Hindalco’s sites to ensure compliance to various human rights related requirements such as no child labour, working conditions, minimum compensation, equal opportunity, freedom of association. Compliances to Factories Act and labour laws are audited by the legal team and findings are presented to the senior management. Additionally, every business unit has an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) in place to ensure compliance to labour rights. Hindalco also assesses human rights related risks in its supply chain, which is a part of the overall supplier evaluation. The risks identified are addressed through the implementation of appropriate corrective actions, which can range from risk prevention through awareness sessions and precautionary measures, risk reduction through building capacity and safeguards or risk elimination through modifications in the business process or termination of contract. Cases of human rights violations are dealt strictly through warnings, counselling, penalties and even termination of employment, depending upon the severity of violation.

• Providing employee benefits
• Hindalco is committed towards providing benefits to its permanent employees as per defined plan obligations. These benefits include medical insurance, residential accommodation at plants, group personal accident insurance and parental leaves. Hindalco is also an equal opportunity employer, and believes in providing equal benefits to all its employees without any form of discrimination. The ratio of basic salary and remuneration of women to men is always 1:1 for respective job bands. The remuneration structure of Hindalco’s employees is based on their job roles and an industry-wide benchmarking exercise carried out periodically. During revisions of the remuneration structure, the views of all relevant stakeholders are taken into account.

• Promoting employee communication
• Hindalco believes communication is one of the critical aspects for developing a responsible work environment and, in case of any significant changes in operations, notifies all its management staff and workmen about it. The management staff is notified at least 3 months in advance, whereas workmen are notified as per requirements of local regulations. Hindalco also provides trainings to unionised employees on aspects such as skills, business objectives and values which result in better contribution to the Company and the Group, making sure that all its units are 100% compliant in terms of local and national laws, minimum wages, payment of wages, the Factories Act and all other prevailing regulatory requirements.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 401-2 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees

2) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

3) Disclosure 405-2 Ratio of basic salary and remuneration of women to men

4) Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken

5) Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk

 

Disclosure 401-2 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Earnings, wages and benefits

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

Disclosure 405-2 Ratio of basic salary and remuneration of women to men corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Business theme: Equal remuneration for women and men
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Equal remuneration for women and men
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Business theme: Equal remuneration for women and men

Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• 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: Non-discrimination

Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Freedom of association and collective bargaining

 

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 Hindalco, 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 Hindalco: 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 2018-19 Sustainability Report HPCL identified a range of material issues, such as business integrity, product safety, customer relationship experience and satisfaction, water management, safety and security of critical assets, reducing carbon emissions. Among these, protecting employees’ human rights stands out as a key material issue for HPCL.

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 HPCL engages with: 

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Management and Non-Management Employees	·      Annual performance reviews and appraisal system ·      Education Growth Plan (EGP) ·      Monthly/quarterly safety committee meetings ·      Regular interactions ·      E-platforms ·      Regular in-house technical and behavioural trainings ·      Nomination to external trainings, conferences and seminars ·      Annual/biannual recognitions schemes ·      Regular interactions ·      Employee-connect forums
LPG Distributors	·      One-on-one meetings ·      Regular distributor meets ·      Regular visits and inspections ·      Training programmes on safety ·      Regular inspections and safety audits
Retail Dealers	·      Regular meetings with vendors and dealers ·      One-on-one discussions ·      Regular dealer meets
Supplier and Vendors	·      Complaints redressal mechanism ·      Training programmes on safety ·      Regular health check-ups ·      Regular meetings ·      Trainings ·      Tank truck health check-up ·      Regular meets and discussions ·      One-on-one interactions ·      Regular supplier meets at operating level ·      One-on-one meetings ·      Panel meetings ·      Pre-bid meetings ·      Email communications ·      Online platforms ·      Need-based communications ·      Vendor trainings
Delivery Men	·      Regular training sessions ·      Regular interactions ·      Training sessions on safety
Contract Workers	·      Annual health check-ups ·      Regular wellness sessions ·      Regular interaction ·      Need-based communication ·      Regular trainings
Regulators	·      Regular interaction with the community through CSR initiatives ·      Regular interactions with the Government departments and statutory bodies ·      Training on safety issues and mock drills for emergency preparedness ·      Mutual-aid meetings ·      Meetings with local authorities
Communities	·      Meetings with local administration, NGOs and implementing agencies ·      Regular meetings with communities
Shareholders and Investors	·      Annual Report ·      Periodic press releases ·      Annual General Meeting ·      Analyst meet ·      Regular meetings ·      Online platform
Customers	·      Periodic campaigns on safety and resource conservation ·      Periodic customer satisfaction surveys and customer meets ·      One-on-one meetings ·      Need-based communication ·      Online complaint management system

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics HPCL undertook workshops covering a representative sample of 278 internal and external stakeholders, receiving 244 sample survey responses.

What actions were taken by HPCL to protect employees’ human rights?

In its 2018-19 Sustainability Report HPCL reports that it took the following actions for protecting employees’ human rights:

• Protecting freedom of association and collective bargaining
• HPCL strongly upholds freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, and has cordial and productive relations with unions for more than two decades. HPCL has formal agreements with trade unions to deal with issues related to labour laws, health and safety of its employees, training and education and grievance redressal. The effective grievance management system, fairness and emphasis on transparency have aligned unions and employees to HPCL’s In 2018-19, HPCL Trust for Promoting Industrial Harmony awarded ‘Shri Raja Kulkarni Samman’ to six senior union leaders, for their outstanding contribution to industrial relations. At present, more than 94% of HPCL’s non-management employees are a part of unions, which enables them to voice their concerns. Additionally, before implementing any management initiatives that impact or concern non-management employees HPCL discusses them with trade unions, to understand their perspectives and arrive at a mutual agreement.

• Implementing a grievance redressal system
• To make sure that human rights of every individual are upheld, HPCL has a robust grievance mechanism to deal with any cases of human rights violation. HPCL believes that the effective grievance redressal system ensures employee satisfaction and creates a fair, productive and safe work environment. Accordingly, HPCL employees have access to the grievance redressal system to settle their individual grievances and the process for grievance handling, through the Management Employee Relations Committee (MERC), ensures effective and prompt handling of grievances. HPCL has established detailed guidelines for timely grievance redressal, through a decentralised mechanism for process implementation and online workflow application for effective implementation. Through the MERC channel, employees can log in grievances in any of the following matters:
  • Grievances arising out of Performance Management (PM) related matters.
  • Grievances arising out of non-receipt of eligible C&B (compensation and benefits) under the Corporation Policy.
  • Grievances arising out of any other Employee Relations (ER) related matters at the workplace.

• Preventing sexual harassment
• In 2018-19, HPCL organised Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) workshops to inculcate appropriate workplace behaviour and promote gender sensitisation, covering provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. HPCL also reconstituted Internal Complaint Committees (ICC) for marketing zones and refineries in view of the reassignment, superannuation, separation or completion of three years of ICC member. To empower women employees, HPCL carried out self-defence training programmes called ‘Kavach’.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

2) Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Freedom of association and collective bargaining

 

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 HPCL, 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 HPCL: 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 Corporate Social Responsibility Report HTC identified a range of material issues, such as economic performance, customer health and safety, marketing and labelling, socioeconomic compliance. Among these, promoting employee communication and engagement stands out as a key material issue for HTC.

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 HTC engages with:

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Investors	·      Board of Directors meeting ·      Shareholder conference ·      Annual report ·      Investor Conference ·      Monthly revenue statement ·      Visiting investors ·      Investor Relationship Website ·      Spokesperson
Enterprise Customers	·      Business review with key customers (QBR meeting) ·      Reply to customer inquiries ·      Customer audit and replies to customers questionnaires ·      Meeting the customer requirements about environmental and social responsibilities
General Consumers	·      Local service hotlines in 70 countries to provide customers with real-time communication and assistance ·      Websites in different languages for customers to give feedback and to access information in a real-time manner (20 established) ·      Dedicated email boxes for different functions (PR, Service, Copyright, Security, etc.) to provide convenient customer contact with HTC ·      Postal service survey for investigating customer satisfaction ·      Contacting customers who give negative feedback in the satisfaction surveys to address their concerns
Employees	·      Department quarterly meeting ·      One-on-one interview with supervisors ·      Annual performance appraisal/ interview ·      New employee seminar ·      Employee assistance hotline and mailbox, Health Centre, Employee Aid Scheme ·      Labour-management meeting
Suppliers	·      Supplier communication conference ·      Guidance and audit for suppliers ·      Cooperation project with suppliers for addressing CSR and greenhouse gas issues
Contractors	·      Induction training ·      Patrol inspection in the facility
Local Communities	·      Positive employee engagement in public interest activities ·      HTC cooperation with governmental agencies and non- profit organisations in eco, environmental and other public welfare activities ·      Clean the beach

What actions were taken by HTC to promote employee communication and engagement?

In its 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report HTC reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee communication and engagement:

• Organising labour-management meetings
• HTC is committed to creating an atmosphere of mutual trust between employer and employees, while also focusing on internal communications. Accordingly, HTC convenes labour-management meetings every two months and at least six meetings are held every year. Seven representatives are elected by employees for the meetings while seven others are designated by the company. The minutes of these meeting are referred to in the resulting follow-ups, which include any necessary corrective action. In addition to these regular meetings, employees may also reflect their opinions through various communication channels. The shortest notice period for major operational changes shall be handled by HTC in accordance with Article 16 of the Labor Standards Act.

• Carrying out an employee satisfaction survey
• Out of consideration for employees’ feeling towards HTC and their willingness to dedicate themselves to the company, HTC is searching for factors that could enhance employee willingness to devote themselves to corporate operations. So, in 2017, HTC launched a survey of the opinions of its employees around the world. The survey covered a total of 6 aspects of work content, which included work environment, salary and benefits, internal communication, gender equality, and corporate identity. The average score of the survey results was 3.95 points (out of 5 points). The survey results were given to management for review and have become a reference for planning business goals.

• Providing advisory and assistance channels
• To protect the working rights of its employees, HTC has set up a diversified and smooth communication channel that an employee can use to pass on information about problems and to receive a response without delay. In addition to the employee care office in the major units that provides a relaxing space for communication, timely help with workplace problems can also be sought using the following channels:
  • Consultation and Referral to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
  • Production line direct labour extension
  • Indirect labour extension
  • Employee Help hotline
  • Open and registration-exempt staff cares office
• Additionally, to provide employees with a more convenient information network and services, HTC has built a proprietary company APP to provide staff with readily available services. These include relevant course information, the latest event announcements, staff clinic services and all kinds of reservations, such as regular physical examination, gym courses, massage appointments, restaurant bookings, employee issues, and immediate feedback.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

 

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 HTC, 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 HTC: 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 2018 Sustainability Report Wharf identified a range of material issues, such as customer privacy, environmental compliance, marketing and labelling, socioeconomic compliance, training and education. Among these, creating an inclusive and positive working environment stands out as a key material issue for Wharf.

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 Wharf engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Surveys and focus groups ·      Town hall meetings ·      Intranet and internal publications
Shareholders, investors and financial analysts	·      General meetings ·      Financial Reports, announcements and circular(s) ·      Corporate communications and company websites ·      Focus groups
Customers	·      Surveys and focus groups ·      Social media platforms ·      Service centres and hotlines
Government, regulatory bodies and industry associations	·      Regulatory taskforces and committees ·      Industry operational meetings ·      Forums and conferences
Media	·      Media briefings and luncheons ·      Executive interviews ·      Instant internet updates
Business partners (including suppliers, contractors and sub-contractors)	·      Tendering ·      Operational meetings ·      Contract and performance review ·      Focus groups
Local community	·      Community investment programmes ·      Company visits ·      Social media platforms
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)	·      Programme partnership meetings ·      Regular programme review and assessment

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Wharf surveyed stakeholders online, to rank the materiality of various sustainability issues.

What actions were taken by Wharf to create an inclusive and positive working environment?

In its 2018 Sustainability Report Wharf reports that it took the following actions for creating an inclusive and positive working environment:

• Promoting regular two-way communication
• Wharf seeks to understand its employees through engagement activities and regular two-way communication. Communication channels include internal newsletters, staff surveys, luncheons, town hall meetings, and the company intranet. Additionally, Wharf’s staff grievances policy also helps to resolve labour issues in the workplace. Wharf records all grievances and corresponding actions, to refine its human resources management strategy.

• Improving employee wellbeing
• Wharf cares about its employees’ overall wellness, both physical and mental. Individual BUs (business units) offer complimentary pre-employment and regular health checks, counselling services, outpatient and hospitalisation coverage, special dental service rates and subsidised meals, along with nursery rooms to help balance employees’ work and personal life, enabling them to meet their family responsibilities. Wharf also arranges staff engagement events like recreational activities, outings, interest classes, and team-building events to help employees relax from work. In 2018, investment properties organised a series of thematic wellbeing activities around the theme of Happy Appreciation. Participants went through different appreciation journeys that included the following:
  • Better Me: Chinese Calligraphy is an art form with long history. Participants learnt to keep a calm mind to carefully decide, construct and write each stroke, which in turn strengthened their mind.
  • Thank Others: Wharf organised museum visits for employees to enjoy with their family members. Wharf ‘s employees could spend more quality time with their children, and nurture closer parent-child relations.
  • Admire Beauty: Wharf organised a ukulele class for its employees to learn this special musical instrument and open their ears to the beautiful music.
  • Honour Tradition: Chinese paper-cutting is a complicated traditional art, which requires patience and craftsmanship. Wharf arranged a learning class for its employees, to enhance their understanding of this tradition.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 401-2 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees

2) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

 

Disclosure 401-2 Benefits provided to full-time employees that are not provided to temporary or part-time employees corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Earnings, wages and benefits

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

 

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 Wharf, 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 Wharf: 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 2018 Sustainability Report Gildan identified a range of material issues, such as occupational health and safety, operational water and wastewater management, business impact on the community, energy and emissions management. Among these, protecting employee rights stands out as a key material issue for Gildan.

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 Gildan engages with:

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Investors/Shareholders	·      Annual General Meeting – includes the opportunity to cast an advisory vote on the Company’s approach to executive compensation ·      Earnings Release Conference Calls ·      2017 Materiality Assessment ·      Investor perception study ·      Investor day on-site ·      On-request meetings with Board members
Board of Directors	·      Board meetings ·      Various site visits
Employees	·      Global employee engagement survey ·      Pulse surveys ·      2017 Materiality Assessment ·      Worker-Management Committee Meetings ·      Employee Meetings – Headquarters ·      Gildan TV Internal Communications ·      Round tables
Customers	·      2017 Materiality Assessment ·      Benchmarking ·      Audits
NGOs	·      Memberships ·      Audit requests ·      Participation in Roundtables ·      Committee Meetings ·      Conferences ·      Webinars ·      Workshops ·      Materiality Assessment
Local Communities	·      Town Hall Meetings ·      Also through relevant NGOs
Students / Academia / Schools	·      Mentoring ·      Internship Programme ·      Participation in research projects
Government	·      Meetings

What actions were taken by Gildan to protect employee rights?

In its 2018 Sustainability Report Gildan reports that it took the following actions for protecting employee rights:

• Protecting the freedom of association
• Gildan fundamentally respect its employees’ rights to form or join any organisation or association of their choosing, including unions. Gildan also respects their rights to engage in collective bargaining. Approximately 55% of Gildan’s global employees are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement in place between unions and corresponding facilities.

• Providing grievance mechanisms
• Gildan has an open-door policy to encourage employees to contact management on any matter and receive immediate feedback, and hosts roundtables organised by management and employees to define best practices, identify grievances and collectively develop action plans for remediation. Gildan also offers options to report grievances anonymously at all of its administrative offices and manufacturing facilities, including through its Integrity and Social Responsibility Hotline and in suggestion boxes. Employees can report their grievances without fear of reprisals. Gildan’s confidential Integrity and Social Responsibility Hotline, administered by an independent third party, is available to all employees, suppliers and others in multiple languages to report any suspected misconduct in any area. Complaints are reported on a quarterly basis to the Ethics and Compliance Committee, the Compliance Steering Committee, the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors, and the Chair of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors. The hotline is tested annually by the Company’s internal audit department and, in 2018, Gildan received a total of 41 calls, the majority of which related to minor Human Resources issues. Employees can also anonymously place written comments in suggestion boxes, which are situated on the production floor and in the cafeterias of all manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Basin and Bangladesh, at Gildan’s Barbados offices and in a number of locations in the U.S. Written messages are retrieved from the boxes on a regular basis by a regional, non-management employee. The majority of concerns relate to Human Resources matters, operational issues and personnel management. Gildan seeks to fully resolve 100% of issues raised, in a timely manner. Additionally, to make sure new employees are aware of the resources available to them and how they can be used, Gildan provides training on grievance mechanisms as part of their orientation process and, in 2018, grievance mechanism training was provided to a total of 35,303 employees throughout Bangladesh, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

• Respecting human rights
• Gildan is committed to respecting human rights and its Human Rights Policy, which is based on the United Nations’ Guiding Principles, sets clear standards that Gildan-owned manufacturing facilities as well as its contractors are required to follow. The policy is complemented with Gildan’s Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct, which include principles related to workers’ fundamental rights such as Freedom of Association, Non-discrimination, prohibition of forced labour and child labour. Respect for human rights is supervised by Gildan’s Corporate Citizenship department, validating compliance through the Social Compliance audit program and reporting any violation of human rights on a quarterly basis to Gildan’s Board of Directors. The Human Resources team also plays a key role in ensuring respect for human rights, on a day-to-day basis. In October 2018, as part of its commitment to respecting human rights, Gildan joined the Industry Commitment to Responsible Recruitment developed in conjunction with the American Apparel & Footwear Association and the Fair Labor Association. The commitment is a proactive industry effort to address potential forced labour risks for migrant workers in the global supply chain and signatories must ensure that no workers pay for their job, that workers retain control of their travel documents and that they have full freedom of movement.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

2) Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken

3) Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• 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: Non-discrimination

Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Freedom of association and collective bargaining

 

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 Gildan, 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 Gildan: 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 2016 Yearbook Tallink identified a range of material issues, such as onboard safety and emergency planning, customer satisfaction, occupational health and safety, waste, chemicals and wastewater management, compliance and fair business. Among these, promoting human rights and workplace diversity stands out as a key material issue for Tallink.

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 s 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 Tallink engages with:   

Stakeholder Group

Employees

Customers

Shareholders

Suppliers

Partners

Governmental institutions

Educational organisations

Community

NGOs

Media

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Tallink conducted an online survey among internal and external stakeholders, and also organised a stakeholder symposium.

What actions were taken by Tallink to promote human rights and workplace diversity?

In its 2016 Yearbook Tallink reports that it took the following actions for promoting human rights and workplace diversity:

• Promoting labour-management relations
• Tallink’s management often reaches out to employees to have a dialogue with the employees and to secure a good information flow necessary for sustainable operations. There are regular meetings and larger events organised, and the management participates in the free time activities organised for the Group`s employees, several times per year. All employees have the right to belong to trade unions, and the percentage of total employees covered by collective bargaining agreements is close to 80%. There is also no evidence of the right to exercise the freedom of association and collective bargaining being violated, or at significant risk. The minimum notice periods regarding operational changes are determined by the Group`s responsibilities towards current and potential shareholders, as significant operational changes must be reported via stock exchange to all stakeholders at the same time, to diminish the risk of illegal transactions in the stock exchange. Still, the conditions of any significant changes in the employees’ workplace and/or conditions are handled according to the local and international legislation, and trade union agreements.

• Being an equal opportunities employer
• Tallink is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All people can apply for a job or a promotion in the company, set aside the regulatory specifics related to safety matters. Salaries are determined by the local labour market developments and Tallink follows the equal and leading market position dependant to the availability and skills of vacant employees. The salaries of ships and hotel employees are subject to collective agreements with the trade unions, and there are no differences between the salaries of different genders – the salary rates are connected to the concrete position and responsibilities. Accordingly, in 2016 there were no reports on discrimination by gender, age, race, or other such characteristics.

• Providing human rights training for security personnel
• Tallink’s regular, annual training for all security personnel also includes, by default, training on human rights topics. Without passing it, it is not possible to be employed on board of Tallink’s Additionally, every year, security personnel has to go through renewed training.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

2) Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk

3) Disclosure 410-1 Security personnel trained in human rights policies or procedures

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

Disclosure 407-1 Operations and suppliers in which the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining may be at risk corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Freedom of association and collective bargaining

Disclosure 410-1 Security personnel trained in human rights policies or procedures 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: Security

 

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 Tallink, 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) 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 Tallink: 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 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Compeq identified a range of material issues, such as employee recruitment and retention, occupational health and safety, economic performance, effluents and waste, market presence. Among these, promoting labour-management relations stands out as a key material issue for Compeq.

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 s 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 Compeq engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Employee conference ·      Communication hotline, suggestion box, and email ·      Intranet and extranet ·      Memo/weekly assembly announcements ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Union	·      Union Directors and Supervisors ·      Labor Union Congress ·      Employer-Employee Meeting ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Customer	·      Email ·      Extranet ·      Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire ·      Client Audit ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Supplier	·      Email ·      Supplier Monthly Review Meeting ·      Supplier annual audit and review ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Investor (Shareholder)	General shareholders: ·      Shareholders Meeting ·      Annual Report ·      Information Publication ·      Website ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire Institutional investors: ·      Company Visit ·      Seminar ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Government authorities	·      Correspondence of official documents ·      On-site interview and inspection by competent authority ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Media	·      Press conference ·      Press release ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire
Local communities	·      Local community organisation ·      School ·      Corporate Social Responsibility Questionnaire

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Compeq engaged with its stakeholders through a survey. Out of a total of 485 copies of the survey questionnaire that were distributed, 256 were collected, representing a response rate of 53%.

What actions were taken by Compeq to promote labour-management relations?

In its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Compeq reports that it took the following actions for promoting labour-management relations:

• Supporting employees’ freedom of association
• Compeq respects the rights of employees bestowed by law and has never inhibited employees’ freedom of association. In 2016, all employees joined the labour union. The labour union holds a meeting bimonthly or a provisional team leader meeting, as necessary. The union also holds a general meeting of its members every year. A board meeting is held monthly or whenever necessary. Team leader meetings take place on an ad hoc basis, to communicate organisational policies and union policies to members and collect their opinions. Employee concerns are reviewed and discussed by labour representatives and management representatives, so effective responses can be proposed. The meeting minutes are also published internally, to inform employees of the actions to be taken for every issue. Labour-management meetings are held on a regular basis, for management and labour representatives to review and discuss issues that concern employees and propose practical measures. Weekly and monthly meetings are regularly organised to inform employees of the company’s business direction and accomplishments, and important announcements are emailed as memos to all employees or announced during shift changes for on-site workers.

• Providing communication channels
• Compeq values having a dialogue with employees, to understand their needs and opinions, through various communication channels. Accordingly, Compeq has established diversified internal grievance and communication channels and releases memos every month to encourage employees to use various communication channels. These channels include “direct communication with supervisors”, “direct communication with the HR unit/HR head”, “employee suggestion box”, “email”, “grievance hotline”, and “seminar”. In Taiwan, Compeq translates memos into the languages of foreign workers and posts them in each plant and the shoe changing area, to achieve barrier-free communication with employees. The scope of CSR grievances covers labour practices, industrial safety, and environmental safety.

• Building a friendly workplace
• Since 2015, Compeq started holding quarterly meetings for building a harmonious and friendly work environment. Attendees include the parties involved and supervisors or management staff of the general affairs unit, industrial safety unit, and the Employee Welfare Committee (EWC). Compeq also requests all function owners to make quarterly suggestions or proposals for improving working conditions or employee benefits. Improvement policies proposed in 2016 included employee relations training courses for supervisors, monthly health topic sharing, and breastfeeding room environment optimisation.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

 

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 Compeq, 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) 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 Compeq: 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 2018 Health for Humanity Report Johnson & Johnson identified a range of material issues, such as product quality, safety and reliability, ethics and compliance, innovation, workplace safety, procurement and supplier management. Among these, respecting and promoting human rights stands out as a key material issue for Johnson & Johnson.

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 s 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 Johnson & Johnson engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Advocacy Groups/Trade Associations	·      Organisational memberships ·      Direct engagement ·      Dialogue ·      Sponsorships ·      Conferences ·      Research efforts
Consumers	·      Dedicated 24-hour, 7-days-a-week toll-free hotline in 23 languages ·      Johnson & Johnson website ·      Brand websites ·      Social media ·      Focus groups ·      Clinical trials
Customers	·      Direct contact through sales ·      Customer relationship managers ·      Customer call centres ·      Customer meetings ·      Industry trade groups/meetings
Employees	·      Credo survey ·      Intranets ·      Newsletters ·      Company webcasts ·      Town hall meetings ·      Quarterly business updates ·      Training sessions ·      Anonymous 24-hour, 7-days-a-week toll-free hotline in 23 languages
Government/Policy Makers	·      Governmental affairs liaisons ·      Direct engagement ·      Johnson & Johnson Political Action Committee ·      Meetings ·      Advocacy
Healthcare Providers	·      Sales representatives ·      Continuing medical education liaisons ·      Education initiatives ·      Clinical researchers ·      Advisory boards ·      Support and education programmes for caregivers
Socially Responsible Investors	·      Annual report ·      Annual sustainability report ·      Annual shareholders meeting ·      Investor releases ·      Quarterly earnings ·      Road shows ·      Completion of surveys ·      Johnson & Johnson website ·      Conferences ·      Dialogue ·      Direct engagement
Local Communities	·      Direct local engagement ·      Philanthropic efforts ·      Employee volunteers ·      Sponsorships ·      Collaborative partnerships
NGOs	·      Direct engagement ·      Dialogue ·      Collaborative partnerships ·      Sponsorships ·      Organisational memberships ·      Conferences ·      Social media
Quasi-Governmental Organisations/Academic Institutions	·      Direct engagement ·      Collaborative partnerships ·      Face-to-face meetings ·      Research ·      Academic studies
Suppliers	·      Direct engagement ·      Collaborative partnerships ·      Responsibility Standards for Suppliers ·      Outreach by category leaders ·      Supplier scorecards ·      Face-to-face meetings ·      Trainings and workshops ·      Supplier diversity initiatives ·      Surveys ·      Assessments and audits

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Johnson & Johnson carried out a survey among over 1,500 stakeholders, who were asked to rank topics by importance to them and by their potential for social, environmental and economic impact.

What actions were taken byJohnson & Johnson to respect and promote human rights?

In its 2018 Health for Humanity Report Johnson & Johnson reports that it took the following actions for respecting and promoting human rights:

• Implementing Global Labor & Employment Guidelines
• Johnson & Johnson’s Global Labor & Employment Guidelines articulate its expectations for labour and employment practices at its sites, including preventing forced labour and child labour, and non-discrimination, among other matters. Johnson & Johnson provides the freedom to establish a formal employee organisation or representation structure across the Enterprise, including in Johnson & Johnson’s operating companies. Company sites can establish an employee representation structure or framework, except where prohibited by law. Minimum notice periods, the management of reorganisations and layoffs, and the policies associated with such actions vary depending on the location, nature, size and scale of the action and applicable law. Local operating leaders try to communicate significant plans of operational changes to employees and their representatives in a timely and practical manner, in advance of actions being taken. Many of Johnson & Johnson’s collective bargaining agreements contain negotiated provisions covering severance or separation pay and benefits. Where there is no legal minimum notice period, Johnson & Johnson operating companies typically provide 30 days of notice.

• Promoting human rights among suppliers
• The Johnson & Johnson Responsibility Standards for Suppliers outline Johnson & Johnson’s expectations of supplier business conduct. The Standards align closely with relevant provisions of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Consumer Goods Forum Forced Labor Resolution and Priority Industry Principles. In 2018, Johnson & Johnson’s updated and launched its online training on Human Rights, a training that is mandatory for all Global Procurement employees and is available to other relevant functions. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson’s cross-functional Human Rights Working Group – comprised of Global Procurement, Law Department, Environmental Health, Safety & Sustainability, and Corporate Governance functional groups – meets regularly, and rolled out the social audit programme in 2018.

• Developing grievance mechanisms
• The Johnson & Johnson Credo Hotline – a grievance mechanism available to all employees, suppliers and other business partners – offers a secure mechanism for anonymous reporting of suspected concerns or potential violations of Johnson & Johnson’s policies or the law. Johnson & Johnson communicates the hotline access broadly, and the visibility of this access and hotline functionality are in scope for enterprise-wide audit procedures. Concerns raised through the hotline are reported at an enterprise level. In addition to the Credo Hotline, employees can anonymously report potential violations to the Human Resources function within each operating company locally.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

2) Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

Disclosure 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Non-discrimination
• 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: Non-discrimination

 

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 Johnson & Johnson, 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 Johnson & Johnson: 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 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report ASE identified a range of material issues, such as regulatory compliance, employee health and safety, waste management, water resource management, training and talent development. Among these, promoting employee communication and engagement stands out as a key material issue for ASE.

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 ASE engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers	·      Customer quarterly business review meeting ·      Customer audits ·      Technical forums ·      Customer service platform
Employees	·      GM mailbox ·      Intranet website ·      Satisfaction survey on employees ·      Dedicated employee helpline
Shareholders	·      Annual financial reports ·      Quarterly earnings release ·      Annual shareholder meeting ·      Institutional investors’ conference
Suppliers	·      Supplier questionnaire survey ·      Supplier on-site audits ·      Annual supplier forum ·      Supplier capacity-building activities
Government	·      Communication meetings, conferences, forums or seminars held by government authorities ·      Proactive dialogue with government authorities ·      Reporting through government portal
Community	·      ASE Charity Foundation ·      ASE Cultural and Educational Foundation ·      Employee volunteer activities ·      Community perception surveys and needs assessments
Industry Unions and Associations	·      Organisational member conference ·      Technology forums held by industry unions/associations
Media	·      Press releases ·      Spokesperson interviews ·      Company’s website
NGOs	·      Communication meetings, forums, seminars or workshops held by NGOs ·      Company’s website ·      Volunteer activity cooperation with NGOs

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics ASE carried out a survey among its stakeholders, who completed a total of 866 questionnaires.

What actions were taken by ASE to promote employee communication and engagement?

In its 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report ASE reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee communication and engagement:

• Providing two-way communication channels
• ASE’s Human Resources Department provides various two-way communication channels for employees to voice any concerns they may have related to their workplace, including the following:
  • Intranet
  • E-mails Announcements
  • Bulletin Boards
  • On-Site TV News / Information
  • General Manager Mailbox
  • Plant Director Mailbox
  • Employee Opinions Box
  • Employee Symposium
  • Topics Workshop
  • Counselling Room
  • Labour Meeting

• In addition to these channels, ASE emphasises and prioritises dialogues among managers and employees. Managers are expected to actively communicate with employees, and employees are encouraged to provide direct feedback to management through face-to-face dialogues, online surveys, informal gathering and learning course discussion.

• Entering into collective agreements with labour unions
• ASE has entered into collective agreements with the labour unions at ASE Kaohsiung of Taiwan, ASE Weihai/Suzhou/Wuxi of China, ASE Korea, ASE Japan, ASE Singapore and USI, unions that have been serving ASE employees for many years. In addition, to safeguard and improve employees’ rights and interests, ASE’s Shanghai Packaging and Testing Plant has established the “Shanghai Plant Employees’ Union”. At the end of 2016, the total number of union members was 28,876, accounting for approximately 43% of ASE Group’s total headcount. Union meetings are held once every quarter to communicate with employee representatives and resolve employee welfare issues.

• Collecting and analysing employees’ feedback through surveys
• ASE formulated the “ASE Group Employee Engagement Survey Implementation Guidelines” to systematically collect and analyse employees’ feedback and suggestions about ASE’s policies. ASE expects all facilities to follow the principles and implementation of the guidelines, focusing on: Corporate Culture, Work Environment, Training & Development, Leadership & Management, Employee Relations and Compensation and Benefits. ASE also carries out employee satisfaction surveys every two years and, in order to encourage employee involvement, in 2016 conducted a total of 320 communications with new employees, 341 symposiums with foreign employees and 263 communication sessions with general employees.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is:

 Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes

 

Disclosure 402-1 Minimum notice periods regarding operational changes corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Business theme: Labor/management relations

 

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 ASE, 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) 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 ASE: 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.