What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report Equitrans identified a range of material issues, such as air emissions and climate change, business ethics and integrity, occupational health and safety, diversity and inclusion. Among these, creating economic value for its stakeholders stands out as a key material issue for Equitrans.

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 Equitrans engages with:

Stakeholder Group

Community Members

Contractors

Financial Research Analysts

First Responders

Government Officials and Agencies

Landowners

Shareholders

Suppliers

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Equitrans used a third-party ESG (environmental, social and governance) risk management software platform to collect and evaluate evidence from key external stakeholders (e.g. customers, administrators/standards, investors, non-governmental organisations, and suppliers).

What actions were taken by Equitrans to create economic value for its stakeholders?

In its 2020 Corporate Sustainability Report Equitrans reports that it took the following actions for creating economic value for its stakeholders:

• Contributing to the national economy
• In 2019, Equitrans contributed $2.66 billion in value-added contributions to the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP), excluding activities related to the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). For Equitrans’ business, 54.7 percent of this contribution is a result of its operational activities in its three primary operating states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, with another 4.3 percent coming from operations elsewhere in the United States. The remaining 41.1 percent of Equitrans’ contribution is associated with its business with suppliers that provide the products and services Equitrans utilises in its operations. Equitrans’ direct business activities contributed $470 million to the GDP, while its indirect impact as a result of its business with its suppliers contributed $532 million to the GDP. Lastly, Equitrans’ total induced economic impact, or the personal spending of its employees, contractors, and suppliers, contributed $1,656 million to the GDP.

• Supporting ancillary jobs
• Equitrans’ business activities supported 33,100 ancillary jobs in 2019, excluding any ancillary jobs related to the MVP project, in addition to its own 801 employees as of year-end 2019. These ancillary jobs include people who contribute to the successful operation of construction projects as well as Equitrans’ gathering, transmission and storage, and water services as contractors and suppliers.

• Generating tax revenue
• Equitrans’ business generated millions in state and local tax revenues in 2019, excluding taxes related to the MVP project. These generated revenues support state and local governments and public resource enhancing operations, such as road construction and maintenance, and school funding.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed

2) Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.1, 8.2
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Targets: 9.1, 9.4, 9.5

Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No Poverty
• Targets: 1.2, 1.4
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being
• Targets: 3.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.2, 8.3, 8.5

 

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 Equitrans, 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 Equitrans: 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 Celestica identified a range of material issues, such as occupational health and safety, anti-corruption, non-discrimination, human rights assessments, emissions. Among these, treating waste responsibly stands out as a key material issue for Celestica.

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 Celestica engages with:

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Town hall meetings ·      Leadership meetings ·      Employee surveys ·      Sustainable Workspace programme ·      Open-Door Policy ·      Sustainability Report ·      Annual risk assessment ·      Internal communications
Customers	·      Teleconferences ·      Voluntary reporting ·      Surveys ·      Audits ·      Scorecards ·      Collaboration projects
Academia	·      Emails ·      Presentations ·      Events
Consortia	·      RBA meetings ·      RBA working groups ·      Seminars ·      Webinars
Government	·      Local government regulations ·      Site inspections ·      Site audits
Investors	·      Investor surveys ·      Securities filings (quarterly and annually) ·      Analysts’ calls ·      Sustainability Report
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)	·      Face-to-face meetings ·      Teleconferences ·      On-site tours ·      Collaboration projects
Suppliers	·      Emails ·      Teleconferences ·      Questionnaires ·      Facility tours

What actions were taken by Celestica to treat waste responsibly?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Celestica reports that it took the following actions for treating waste responsibly:

• Enabling waste solutions
• Celestica helps its customers bring their innovations and product solutions to life by working behind the scenes at all stages of the product lifecycle – from design, prototype, manufacturing, and shipping to product recycling and refurbishing solutions. In its Industrial and Smart Energy businesses, Celestica is helping its customers bring smart trash receptacles to market. These highly complex, intelligent and connected systems collect trash bins only when full, which reduces energy costs and improves performance, sustainability, and waste reduction.

• Promoting circularity
• Celestica provides services that focus on designs with full lifecycle circularity, closed-loop systems, and after-market services. Offering products as a service is a tenet of the circular economy because it transforms the concept of ownership and encourages manufacturers to rethink how a product is used over its lifetime. Shifting mindsets from manufacturing products to delivering customer outcomes is growing the circular economy model. Celestica is working with customers to manage products through design, usage, maintenance, reuse, remanufacture, and recycling. This is being done through take-back programmes, keeping useful materials out of landfills or recycling streams, and screening and repairing products to be distributed back to customers. Within its Asset Recovery Services, Celestica has been able to create this circular model and properly recycle any residual materials.

• Organising the Global Waste Reduction Week
• 2019 marked Celestica’s fifth Global Waste Reduction Week, an event that engages employees in reducing waste. Employees at 14 sites participated in the event and, in total, more than 1,900 kg of material was diverted from landfill during the week:
  • Partnering to Reduce Waste (Toronto): Employees hosted an on-site showcase of sustainable partnerships, which included an employee donation drive for smartphones. The phones were refurbished and upgraded with accessible technologies and distributed to the visually impaired through a local charity.
  • Waste Reduction (Valencia): Site employees promoted waste reduction with educational pamphlets featuring best practices for plastic use in their canteens. Additionally, more than 120 kg of unused tables were disassembled and reused for work benches on the manufacturing line.
  • Electronics Recycling (Toronto, Mississauga, Newmarket, Penang, Song Shan Lake): Approximately 115 kg of obsolete electronic waste including batteries were diverted from landfill by being recycled ethically.
  • Book and Clothing Drives (Toronto, Mississauga, Monterrey, Newmarket, Tucson, Penang, Suzhou, Thailand, Valencia, Oradea): Around the world, Celestica employees held book, toy, and clothing drives to reduce overall waste and give back to their communities. More than 300 kg of goods including winter clothing, books, food, toys and more were collected and distributed to orphanages, shelters for the homeless, abused women, and refugees.
  • Greening Meals (Leixlip, Suzhou GBS, Shanghai): Each of these sites introduced reusable cutlery, plates or mugs in their employee cafeterias. It is estimated that these initiatives will reduce 5,400 kg of waste annually.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method

Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
• Targets: 6.3
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Targets: 12.4, 12.5

 

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 Celestica, 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 Celestica: 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 KONE identified a range of material issues, such as product and service quality, resource efficiency, fair employment practices, supporting local communities. Among these, promoting employee safety and well-being stands out as a key material issue for KONE.

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 KONE engages with: 

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Customers	·      Customer meetings and events ·      Constant dialogue through solution support ·      Seminars and conferences ·      Company reports ·      Marketing materials, website and social media channels ·      Annual customer loyalty survey
Employees	·      Performance discussions ·      Continuous face-to-face dialogue between employees and managers ·      Training events ·      Global learning solutions ·      Innovation creation through innovation tool ·      European annual Employee Forum ·      Internal social media channels ·      Compliance Line ·      Company intranet and internal employee publications
Shareholders	·      Stock exchange releases ·      Financial and other company reports ·      Management meetings with investors and analysts ·      Annual general meetings ·      Capital markets days
Suppliers	·      Continuous one-to-one dialogue ·      Annual supplier day for selected strategic suppliers ·      Trade fairs ·      Steering group meetings ·      Supplier workshops
Distributors and agents	·      Continuous dialogue through daily contacts ·      Regular country visits ·      Distributors’ meetings and various support tools
Media	·      Press releases ·      Interviews ·      Background briefings ·      Visits ·      Press events ·      Publications ·      Company website and social media channels
Educational institutions	·      KONE international trainee programme ·      CEMS global alliance of academic and corporate institutions ·      Thesis opportunities ·      Local internships ·      Participation in recruitment fairs ·      Common projects ·      Guest lectures ·      Participation in research programmes and social media platforms
Local communities	·      Company website ·      Stakeholder relations ·      Reports ·      Social media channels

What actions were taken by KONE to promote employee safety and well-being?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report KONE reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee safety and well-being:

• Implementing a safety management system
• KONE Way for Safety, KONE’s safety management system, guides KONE in continuously improving safety in all its workplaces and tasks. It defines KONE’s safety policy and objectives, and how it manages and promotes safety. It is applicable to the management of KONE employee, subcontractor, partner safety as well as promoting equipment user safety. KONE Way for Safety is based on the ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety management systems standard. Safety is a key criterion in the risk assessments across the KONE core processes, from new projects to day-to-day operations. KONE’s Health and Safety Policy empowers all workers, whether employees, subcontractors, or partners, to stop work and ask for support should they identify a suspected safety risk. KONE takes into account employees’ suggestions regarding safety. Every leader is responsible for leading by example and providing their team with a safe working environment. They are also responsible for ensuring that the team is adequately trained for their respective roles. KONE carries out audits among employees as well as subcontractors to measure compliance with policies, rules, and defined working methods. Corrective actions are taken on any identified deviations. Each year, KONE also organises a global safety week. The week presents KONE employees with training, events and activities. Many countries also organise events and trainings together with customers and subcontractors during the week. The theme of the 2019 safety week was safe work environment. It focused on being prepared for sudden changes in the work environment, such as extreme weather conditions. During the week, emergency preparedness and response activities were organised globally to train employees to stay safe while continuing to help customers and the users of KONE’s equipment.

• Improving safety performance
• KONE employees receive health and safety training relevant to their role. KONE also sets requirements for subcontractor training. Depending on local practices, subcontractors participate in safety training and toolbox talk sessions arranged by KONE. During the reporting year, the focus was on strengthening safety competencies using interactive learnings and mobile tools. The global roll-out of KONE’s interactive safety learning application, Safety in Mind, was completed in 2019. Safety in Mind reminds the field personnel about the main risks in their roles and the ways to mitigate them. In addition, KONE produced and shared globally two new toolbox talks on entrance protection on construction sites and elevator brake maintenance. During 2019, all employees were invited to enrol in a new safety training regarding KONE’s safety management framework, and KONE’s Health and Safety Policy. Together they present KONE’s safety objectives, commitment and responsibilities applicable to all KONE employees. The completion rate among the 59,000 KONE employees that were assigned the training was 87%. The e-learning is available in 36 languages, and KONE also organises classroom trainings. KONE’s global mobile safety reporting tool, KONE Safety Solution, is used for reporting and managing employee, subcontractor, third-party and equipment user related near misses and incidents. With the roll-out of the mobile reporting tool the number of near miss reports increased by 21.3% (2018: 4%). In 2019, KONE focused on improving the quality, analysis and investigation of incident and near miss reports. KONE continues to encourage near miss and incident reporting, as it provides valuable information for improving workplace safety. Local safety personnel analyse the reported data and use the results to improve safety. Incidents, lost days per injury, and near misses are part of each unit’s monthly reporting to global functions. Lessons learned from incidents and near misses are shared in quarterly organised safety network meetings. In addition, safety managers discuss concerns and share best practices on a monthly basis.

• Applying a global programme for employee well-being
• KONE has a global framework and programme for employee well-being. KONE’s Elevate your health programme is in place in all its units. It covers topics ranging from taking care of joints and muscles to weight loss initiatives, the importance of sleep, nutrition, increasing physical activity and strengthening your mental well-being. The programme is structured around a global calendar with regular intranet news articles and suggested activities for countries to deploy. The aim is to increase awareness of actions which maintain and improve well-being. KONE has introduced a learning package for leaders to increase their competence in managing the well-being of their teams. This includes an e-learning, a toolkit and short guides. During 2019, KONE set up a network volunteer well-being champions in selected pilot counties. The purpose of the champions is to raise awareness on well-being topics and make sure all employees know what support is available for them. KONE monitors medical insurance data and carries out in-depth reviews on specified locations. The objective of these reviews is to benchmark existing well-being programmes and provide recommendations that will improve the well-being of employees.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries

2) Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health

 

Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.6, 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.1

Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health does not correspond to any SDG.

 

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 KONE, 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 KONE: 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 Greif identified a range of material issues, such as product quality, ethics and compliance, climate strategy, energy and emissions, talent attraction, development and retention. Among these, treating waste responsibly stands out as a key material issue for Greif.

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 Greif engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Greif’s Board of Directors & Leaders	·      Daily interactions ·      Impact mapping interviews ·      Materiality assessment survey ·      Quarterly updates on sustainability
Customers	·      Daily interactions ·      Biannual satisfaction surveys ·      Materiality assessment interviews
Investors	·      Daily interactions ·      Investor day events ·      Materiality assessment interviews
Society/Community	·      Community engagement (face-to-face meetings, interviews, survey) ·      Community service events
Environment	·      Greif LCA ·      Interviews with sustainability experts (e.g., WBCSD)

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Greif conducted interviews and surveys with Greif leadership and external stakeholders.

What actions were taken by Greif to promote treat waste responsibly?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Greif reports that it took the following actions for treating waste responsibly:

• Reducing VOCs through the use of water-based exterior paints
• Since 2009, Greif has been committed to using water-based exterior paints in its operations, rather than high volatile organic compound (VOC) exterior paints. Through transitioning to water-based paints, Greif reduced VOC-based emissions by 40 percent. Greif’s Alsip, Illinois facility reduced VOC content by approximately 2 lbs./gallon. In RIPS China, five Greif facilities successfully tested their capabilities to use water-based exterior paints and some began transitioning customers to the products using them. Additionally, Greif’s North American Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services (RIPS) operations collect excess exterior steel drum paint to reuse to paint the bottom of the drums. Termed “Greif Gray,” this recollected paint reduced paint waste by 22 percent in 2017.

• Reducing waste by addressing wastewater
• In 2017, Greif’s RIPS facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was the largest contributor of waste to landfill in the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) with 36 percent of waste going to landfill. Through analysing their waste streams, the facility team determined that this was primarily due to wastewater that, if treated properly, could be recycled. Despite limited infrastructure support, availability of recycling partners and transportation options, the team worked to establish a process to internally separate and clean water to acceptable levels for local transporters and recyclers, and consistently return water to them. Through these measures, the team reduced the oil content of the water from 60 ppm to 1.5 ppm and decreased their waste-to-landfill to four percent by the end of 2019. Due to Saudi Arabia’s own water scarcity, the impact of this initiative goes far beyond Greif’s operations. Through initiatives like this Greif has the ability to set a precedent for other businesses and, ultimately, impact the local community.

• Turning waste to fuel
• In 2019, Greif collaborated with one of its waste management partners to identify materials used in its operations that could enter their engineered fuels programme, which aims to identify materials that have a high heat value such as plastics, oils and absorbents, that can be used as fuel in certain applications that require significant amounts of energy, such as cement kilns. Through this collaboration, polypropylene lids used on Greif’s fiber and plastic drums were identified as strong options to enter this programme. Since these lids cannot be recycled, Greif’s Naperville, Illinois facility collected and palletised 3.3 tons of lids to enter into this programme. Without this programme, the lids would have been sent to landfill.

• Achieving waste reduction through customer service excellence
• In 2019, Greif’s RIPS facility in Sweden received a customer complaint that Jerry cans were being damaged during unpacking because the plastic film used to wrap the pallets was too tight and difficult to remove. In response, the facility tested a number of film alternatives that were easier to remove and posed less risk of damaging the cans and ultimately selected an alternative that reduced the use of film by 48 percent, saving 7500 kg of materials annually. The transition also led to $12,000 USD savings and a 22,000 kg emission reduction. In order to scale the project, the team updated the standard operating procedure for using similar films and worked with Greif’s procurement team to update the supplier and material for the film.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method

Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
• Targets: 6.3
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Targets: 12.4, 12.5

 

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 Greif, 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 Greif: 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 Annual and Sustainability Report SMPC identified a range of material issues, such as economic performance, effluents and waste, socio-economic compliance, labour-management relations. Among these, promoting occupational health and safety stands out as a key material issue for SMPC.

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 SMPC engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Safety Committee meetings ·      Integrated Management System (IMS) meetings ·      Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) ·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Toolbox meetings, town halls ·      Impact assessment and studies ·      Information, Education, and Communication campaigns (IEC) ·      Internal communication (Postman email and text blast)
Suppliers, contractors, and business partners	·      Safety Committee meetings ·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Toolbox meetings, town halls ·      Site visits, tours, and inspections
Regulators and government agencies	·      Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) ·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Impact assessment and studies ·      Site visits, tours, and inspections ·      Consultations, meetings
Local government units (LGUs)	·      Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) ·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Impact assessment and studies ·      Site visits, tours, and inspections ·      Consultations, meetings ·      Information, Education, and Communication campaigns (IEC)
Customers	·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Site visits, tours, and inspections
Investors and shareholders	·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Investor briefings, conferences ·      Annual Shareholders’ Meeting (ASM)
Host communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs)	·      Multi-partite Monitoring Team (MMT) ·      Integrity hotline and whistleblowing ·      Focus group discussions (FGDs), consultations ·      Impact assessment and studies ·      Site visits, tours, and inspections ·      Consultations, meetings ·      Information, Education, and Communication campaigns (IEC)

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics SMPC conducted workshops with its different stakeholder groups.

What actions were taken by SMPC to promote occupational health and safety?

In its 2019 Annual and Sustainability Report SMPC reports that it took the following actions for promoting occupational health and safety:

• Conducting risk assessments
• SMPC’s Occupational Health (OH) teams conduct a regular risk assessment of the health and associated risks of SMPC’s mining and power operations and activities to its employees, host communities and other key stakeholders. Hazards such as chemicals, fumes, dust, and noise pollution have been identified as hazardous to the health of SMPC’s As such, SMPC enforced mitigation measures and controls such as a dust suppression system, fume hood, work schedule adjustments, and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), among others. SMPC also conducts spirometry and audiometry tests for employees at risk of pulmonary problems and hearing loss, respectively.

• Providing medical services
• Essential medical services are available to SMPC’s employees at its on-site clinic and infirmary. SMPC’s licensed health practitioners include physicians, nurses, dentists, medical technologists, radiologic technologists, and midwives. They possess the necessary qualifications and accreditations, and they comply with the legal requirements and recognised standards and guidelines for medical professionals. Licensed health service providers and emergency transport vehicles are available 24/7. First aid training is also conducted per work group to provide immediate and appropriate responses in case of injuries and emergencies. SMPC has installed emergency facilities such as first aid kits, showers, and eyewashes in strategic locations across its sites of operation.

• Promoting employee wellness
• SMPC provides its regular employees with a Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) coverage, free medical consultations, annual physical examinations, and life and accident insurance, among other health benefits. SMPC also conducts health and wellness activities to promote a healthy lifestyle among its employees.

• Providing health and safety training
• SMPC’s health and safety training is geared towards relevance to the work responsibilities of its employees and their degree of exposure to certain risks and hazards. Through proper training and follow-up mechanisms, SMPC can equip its employees and contractors with the right knowledge on how to assess and manage relevant workplace hazards. Failure to do so may lead to increased occurrence of incidents in the workplace which, in turn, can stifle employee morale and productivity. By properly managing and implementing health and safety trainings, SMPC seeks to develop and maintain healthy workers that can handle their jobs safely, for the benefit of the organisation and all stakeholders.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 403-3 Occupational health services

2) Disclosure 403-4 Worker participation, consultation, and communication on occupational health and safety

3) Disclosure 403-5 Worker training on occupational health and safety

4) Disclosure 403-6 Promotion of worker health

 

Disclosure 403-3 Occupational health services corresponds to:

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

Disclosure 403-4 Worker participation, consultation, and communication on occupational health and safety corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.7

Disclosure 403-5 Worker training on occupational health and safety corresponds to:

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

Disclosure 403-6 Promotion of worker health corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.7, 3.8

 

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 SMPC, 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 SMPC: 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 OCP identified a range of material issues, such as economic growth, community engagement, food security, renewable energy development. Among these, promoting employee health and safety stands out as a key material issue for OCP.

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 OCP engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees	·      Workshops ·      Surveys ·      Situations and movements (Act4Community, diversity, Happy@OCP, etc.) ·      Hackathons ·      Training, peer-to-peer knowledge transfer (OCP Professors) and skills assessment programmes ·      Group intranet ·      1 Pacte ·      Digital applications and workplace, performance evaluation, etc
Senior management	·      Board of Directors ·      Audit and Risk Committee: risk assessment integrating sustainable development ·      Strategic Committee: Global Strategic Review (activities integrating sustainable development criteria through a down-top/bottom-up process) ·      Management Committee (Executive Vice Presidents): advisory process (on environmental and social issues) and thematic focus groups ·      Operational Committee using, in their decision making, input from site management committees (right place, time, rate, source) ·      Contracts with local authorities, public-private partnership ·      Specialised committees (health, safety, environment, technical)
Farmers	·      4R Programme (customised agriculture) ·      Development of a soil fertility map ·      OCP Foundation / Phosboucraa Foundation ·      Al Moutmir caravan and agronomic advice ·      Development of a farmer-friendly business ecosystem (local production and distribution infrastructure)
Customers	·      Feedback in various forms (written, by phone, etc.) ·      Meetings, site visits, road shows, client events (trade fairs, exhibitions, etc.) ·      Quality and risk management processes
Trade unions	·      Social Charter ·      CSP (Staff Status Commission) ·      CAS (Social Action Commission) ·      CHS (Health and Safety Committee) ·      CNC (Collective Bargaining Committee) ·      Training academy
Suppliers	·      Progress pact (training and support for improving social, environmental, and safety compliance, and in other areas) ·      The Movement (Act4Community) ·      OCP purchasing platform (e-purchase) ·      Programmes for suppliers ·      Forums and conferences on the emergence of an industrial ecosystem ·      Meetings and dialogue with local stakeholders at the operational site level
Nearby communities	·      Public survey for industrial projects (development, modification, and expansion projects) ·      Complaint management system at the corporate level and at operational sites ·      Association forums ·      Meetings with residents ·      Thematic forums on entrepreneurship (micro-business, local business, etc.)
Associations and NGOs	·      Skills development programmes ·      Dialogue and joint development: Act4Community ·      Subsidies for projects ·      Association forums ·      Thematic forums on entrepreneurship (micro-business, local business, etc.)
Influencers: Media & rating agencies	·      Discussions with local, national, and international media ·       Site tours ·      Websites (corporate, foundations) and social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) ·      Presentation of the sustainable development programme to local and national media ·      Forums, conferences, national and international events
Institutions, authorities and regulators	·      Global issue advocacy ·      Board of Directors ·      Programme contracts ·      Various discussions (local meetings, informal meetings, written correspondence with institutions, etc.)

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics OCP engaged with its stakeholders through a questionnaire sent to 40 stakeholder representatives.

What actions were taken by OCP to promote employee health and safety?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report OCP reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee health and safety:

• Implementing an occupational health and safety management system
• A corporate team is dedicated to health and safety management for all OCP sites and defines the guidelines of the safety approach based on feedback from the field. Each site implements a programme to address its specific road and safety issues – driven by a safety manager who coordinates a network of safety correspondents assigned to different areas of the site. Health & Safety committees – composed of employees’ representatives – are regularly held to ensure the co-construction and the efficiency of the performance cascading and feedback culture. The DOOC (DUPONT OCP Operations Consulting) joint venture – dedicated to health, safety and environment challenges – transversally supports the OHS management system.

• Providing training
• To build a mature safety culture, training at OCP consists of both technical and soft skills training. Employees acquire knowledge and know-how in accordance with safety standards and job exposure; and behavioural skills to have teams feel ownership, responsibility for safety culture and believe zero injuries is an attainable goal. OCP suppliers and subcontractors also receive safety training and procedures when it comes to intervention on industrial sites. Training mainly goes through OCP’s Industrial Expertise Centres (IECs) that provide site-specific trainings as well as UM6P and OCP professors.

• Identifying and assessing risks
• Aligned with OHSAS 18001 standard, OCP has implemented procedures and standards within its operations and developed a Zero incident roadmap. Prevention measures for serious and potentially serious injuries and fatalities (PSIFs) have been strengthened by developing a methodology to analyse the root causes of serious or potentially serious injuries and make sure that corrective actions are taken accordingly. The aim is to avoid any recurrence of these events and to gradually develop a mature safety culture for all OCP staff and business partners (subcontractors, suppliers, joint ventures). Aligned with OCP’s continuous improvement approach, this methodology is strengthened year-on-year.

• Measuring performance
• OCP has independent bodies conducting regular safety audits to verify the compliance of each unit and site with the management system and safety standard requirements. Each audit follows a defined protocol and schedule and conclusions are sent to the management of both the unit/site and corporate to adapt action plan. In addition, units/sites carry out their own audits based on self-assessment and implement the issued recommendations. OCP’s safety approach is also continuously improved through a regular feedback survey and grievance mechanisms available to employees and people who work for it.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries

2) Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health

 

Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.6, 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.1

Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health does not correspond to any SDG.

 

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 OCP, 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 OCP: 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 Newcrest identified a range of material issues, such as ethical and transparent behaviour, working with communities, respecting human rights, managing waste. Among these, promoting employee health and hygiene stands out as a key material issue for Newcrest.

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 Newcrest engages with:

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Employees and contractors	·      Employee briefings ·      Intranet ·      Social media ·      Email ·      Newsletters ·      Social events ·      Notice boards ·      Departmental site and toolbox meetings ·      Performance reviews ·      Site general manager town hall meetings ·      Direct engagement between people leaders and their teams ·      Annual Organisational Health Survey participation
Shareholders and investors	·      Annual reports ·      Quarterly production reports ·      Half-yearly financial reporting ·      Website ·      Email ·      Investor briefings ·      One-on-one discussions ·      Investor days ·      Conference calls ·      Market announcements ·      Annual general meeting ·      Industry conferences ·      Social media
Local communities	·      Community Relations team visits ·      Resident and community meetings ·      Site visits ·      Communication and feedback forums with leaders and communities ·      Complaints and grievance mechanisms ·      Sponsorships and partnerships ·      Collaborative agreements ·      Media engagement on local initiatives ·      Community newsletters ·      Factsheets ·      Websites ·      Social media
Government and regulators	·      Face-to-face meetings ·      Regular briefings ·      Direct engagement
Suppliers	·      Collaborative guidelines ·      Out-to-market approaches ·      Face-to-face discussions ·      Performance meetings ·      Contractual agreements
Customers	·      Market tenders ·      Meetings ·      Reports ·      Face-to-face discussions ·      Site visits

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Newcrest engaged with its stakeholders through internal and external stakeholder interviews.

What actions were taken by Newcrest to promote employee health and hygiene?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Newcrest reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee health and hygiene:

• Combating workplace fatigue
• To reduce the risk of fatigue-related workplace incidents, Newcrest’s operational sites use fatigue management plans. These focus on areas that may cause workplace fatigue such as work design, including shift rostering and camp facilities, as well as factors related to lifestyle and health. Newcrest has developed a Company-wide Fatigue Management Standard that provides consistent minimum standards to mitigate fatigue risks across the organisation. In FY19, Newcrest developed and delivered fatigue management training across the business, with training materials translated into Indonesian, Tok Pisin (PNG) and Spanish, including site-specific information such as managing fatigue during Ramadan for Newcrest’s teams in Indonesia.

• Reducing exposures
• Reducing workplace exposures continues to be a key part of Newcrest’s health and hygiene programme with all sites undertaking activities to identify and reduce exposures. Gosowong purchased DPM emissions monitoring equipment to supplement the existing exhaust gas testing equipment used onsite. This equipment allows the site maintenance team to undertake comprehensive emissions testing of onsite diesel-powered vehicles to identify when a vehicle is running poorly and generating higher levels of DPM or hazardous exhaust gases. This information assists with repairs and also allows the site ventilation teams to better design ventilation systems throughout the mine to control workforce exposures to DPM. During the reporting period, Telfer and Cadia worked with occupational physicians to review and update health surveillance programmes to better monitor workers for potential health effects from workplace exposures. Cadia partnered with Insurance and Care NSW (iCare) to deliver health surveillance for the workforce, which includes onsite screening using the ‘iCare Lung Bus’. This was followed up with additional screening with specialist medical personnel for anyone identified during the initial screening as requiring more comprehensive health surveillance. Telfer implemented a respiratory protection programme, which involved health surveillance checks of any personnel required to wear respiratory protective equipment. The process included fit testing to ensure the respiratory protective equipment fitted correctly and enforcing the requirement for workers using respiratory protective equipment to be clean shaven. During the reporting year Lihir, Cadia and Telfer all completed surveys to identify noise exposure risks and develop risk control plans.

• Promoting employees’ physical and mental health
• All Newcrest sites are working to improve their wellbeing programmes, with a strong focus on mental wellness. In FY19, the Melbourne office delivered a series of mental health first-aid training courses, to ensure that the office is suitably resourced with personnel who can respond to both physical and psychosocial health issues within the workplace. Several of Newcrest’s sites implemented wellbeing programmes designed to help employees and contractors maintain and improve their physical and mental health.

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

The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:

1) Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries

2) Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health

 

Disclosure 403-9 Work-related injuries corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.6, 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.8
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Targets: 16.1

Disclosure 403-10 Work-related ill health does not correspond to any SDG.

 

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 Newcrest, 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 Newcrest: 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 environmental compliance, GHG emissions, ethics and integrity, occupational health and safety, water availability. Among these, treating waste responsibly 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 treat waste responsibly?

In its 2018-19 Sustainability Report Hindalco reports that it took the following actions for treating waste responsibly:

• Launching the ‘Value from Waste’ initiative
• Hindalco’s ‘Value from Waste’ initiative is aimed at achieving 100 utilisation of key wastes by 2025. In alignment to this initiative, Hindalco’s wastes like bauxite residue, fly ash, spent pot lining, aluminium dross, vanadium sludge, copper slag and phospho-gypsum are collected, stored and disposed. The total waste generation from Hindalco’s operations during the reporting period was 13.07 million MT, of which 0.37 million MT was hazardous waste and 12.70 million MT was non-hazardous waste. A major part of solid waste generated from Hindalco’s operations consists of bauxite residue and fly ash, and Hindalco focuses on maximum utilisation of these wastes.

• Adopting the circular economy approach
• As part of its circular economy approach, Hindalco has identified avenues for utilisation of waste generated from its industry as a raw material for various other industries. Hindalco has taken specific initiatives for waste disposal of bauxite residue and spent pot lining. The spent pot lining is processed in-house for further reuse as a refractory application. The bauxite residue is sold to cement industries as useful raw material and for manufacturing of paver blocks. The project for utilisation of bauxite residue with geo-polymer for construction application was initiated during the reporting period and is under progress as of now. In addition to these initiatives, a study was carried out for utilisation of bauxite residue for backfilling of mines. This has helped Hindalco dispose of the waste generated from the previous financial year as well. In FY 2018-19, a total of 13.75 million MT of waste was disposed, of which 0.32 million MT was hazardous waste and 13.43 million MT was non-hazardous waste.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method

Disclosure 306-2 Waste by type and disposal method corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.9
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
• Targets: 6.3
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Targets: 12.4, 12.5

 

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 2019 Sustainability Report Highland Gold identified a range of material issues, such as legal compliance, greenhouse gas emissions, employee engagement and labour relations, materials and waste management. Among these, promoting employee health and wellbeing stands out as a key material issue for Highland Gold.

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 Highland Gold engages with:                   

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

Stakeholder Group	Method of engagement
Investors	·      Half-yearly annual results conference calls ·      Industry and investment conferences ·      Regular meetings with institutional and private investors ·      Quarterly performance updates and regular news announcements ·      Website
Employees	·      Employee benefits packages ·      Ongoing training and development ·      Workforce posters and communications ·      Staff engagement surveys ·      Workers’ councils ·      Executive site visits and sessions ·      Business Ethics and Anti-Corruption policy ·      Group HSE policy ·      Group Cardinal Safety Rules ·      Established whistleblowing procedures ·      Publication of Modern Slavery Statement
Local communities	·      Community liaison working groups ·      Dialogue between site managers and local administration ·      Dialogue between the Regional Managing Directors and the regional administration ·      Sponsorship and support of “Day of the Metallurgist” and other events in local villages
Government and regulatory bodies	·      Social investment via social contracts with municipal administrations ·      Regulatory audits ·      Direct contact with regulators ·      Industry conferences
Suppliers and contractors	·      Contractual relationships ·      Training ·      Meetings ·      Compliance audits ·      Daily dialogue with contractors on site and through management team
Media and analysts	·      Press releases ·      Interviews and briefings around key announcements and events ·      Presentations ·      Site visits

What actions were taken by Highland Gold to promote employee health and wellbeing?

In its 2019 Sustainability Report Highland Gold reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee health and wellbeing:

• Implementing an electronic health check system
• To make sure its staff are fit to work at the start of shifts, and to limit the spread of seasonal conditions, Highland Gold began rolling out the health check system (“ESMO”) at MNV, Belaya Gora and Novo. The system, which measures blood pressure, body temperature and the presence of alcohol and/or drugs, was also introduced to Valunisty in 2020. Each of Highland Gold’s operating mines carries out regular health checks, as well as pre-shift and pre-trip screenings. If an employee does not pass the check, the system will automatically deactivate their pass, prohibiting access to the mine until they are cleared for work again. These checks are now digitised, which has increased efficiency. Storing the data enables Highland Gold to monitor workers who have ongoing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, so the on-site doctor can provide increased support if necessary. This development is also proving beneficial in enabling Highland Gold to identify health risks earlier. Highland Gold has additionally developed an action plan to reduce and control rates of sickness at each of its assets. As part of this, Highland Gold’s IT department is developing a piece of software that enables the company to identify and monitor employees that frequently take sick leave so Highland Gold can identify causes of ill health and provide health support plans to its staff.

• Supporting healthy lifestyles
• To encourage employees to follow a healthy and active lifestyle, Highland Gold has installed well-equipped and modern gyms at every asset. Highland Gold also piloted a “Well-being” project at its Moscow headquarters, a major and complex project incorporating various components, including breaks for all employees, and making fresh fruit available.

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

The GRI Standard addressed in this case is: Disclosure 403-6 Promotion of worker health

Disclosure 403-6 Promotion of worker health corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.7, 3.8

 

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 Highland Gold, 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 Highland Gold: 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 Annual Review & Sustainability Report Endeavour identified a range of material issues, such as profitability, environmental compliance, job creation and local procurement, community impacts and investment. Among these, promoting employee satisfaction stands out as a key material issue for Endeavour.

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 Endeavour engages with:  

Stakeholder Group

Governments & Regulators

Industry Associations

NGOs

Labour Unions

Local Communities

Employees & Contractors

Customers/ Buyers

Suppliers

Shareholders

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

To identify and prioritise material topics Endeavour conducted 10 interviews with the management team and 198 employee surveys, along with 44 external interviews with representatives from stakeholder groups.

What actions were taken by Endeavour to promote employee satisfaction?

In its 2019 Annual Review & Sustainability Report Endeavour reports that it took the following actions for promoting employee satisfaction:

• Respecting freedom of association
• Endeavour respects its employees’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. In 2019, Endeavour had collective bargaining contracts with two unions: one at El Cubo and the other representing the miners at Guanaceví, Bolañitos and El Compas. Endeavour seeks to maintain positive relationships with both unions and has been able to negotiate contract renewals through effective collaboration.

• Embracing diversity and inclusion
• Diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity are important principles to Endeavour, as a diverse workforce provides a broader range of skills, experiences and ideas to keep the company strong and progressive. Endeavour’s commitment to gender equality includes equal pay for equal work. Men and women should receive the same remuneration for the same position at all of its operations, subject to their training, experience and performance.

• Fostering good working conditions
• Endeavour respects national and international labour standards that protect and guarantee basic rights for all. This includes its commitment to provide good working conditions, including adequate facilities and competitive benefits. Endeavour believes that rewarding people through a well-designed compensation and benefits programme enhances its ability to attract, retain and motivate talented and loyal employees. This is especially relevant in a country such as Mexico, which has a large, active mining sector, thereby making the labour market for qualified workers very competitive. Endeavour significantly exceeds legal minimum wage at all of its work sites in Mexico. Three of its mines are within or near communities, so workers are able to return to their homes following their shifts. Because Guanaceví is in a remote location, some workers live in a camp on-site, which includes living accommodations, lunch and dining rooms, and cleaning services.

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 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees

3) 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) 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Targets: 3.2
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
• Targets: 5.4
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.5

Disclosure 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees corresponds to:

• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality
• Targets: 5.1, 5.5
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Targets: 8.5

 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: 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 Endeavour, 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 Endeavour: 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.