Engaging with our stakeholders
Customers, employees and investors are the Group's key stakeholders. We strive to maintain close contact with our stakeholders, making sure to keep them informed about our performance and initiatives in the area of corporate responsibility. Each stakeholder group has a different set of expectations with regard to our corporate responsibility. Understanding the interests and expectations of as many stakeholders as possible is therefore important to us. To this end, we engage with them on a continuous basis and, in the process, gain new insights and ideas that flow into shaping measures and strategic formulations and defining the thematic focus of our reports.
Corporate Responsibility Day firmly established
Frank Appel and Klaus Töpfer
Our second Corporate Responsibility Day was held May 3, 2012 at our corporate headquarters in Bonn, Germany. Our Corporate Responsibility Report 2011 was presented as part of this day-long event. In panel discussions and workshops, experts discussed the relevance, trends and challenges of sustainable business practices. The inaugural event in 2011 focused on energy-efficient business and equal opportunity. The 2012 event focused on the challenges posed by demographic change and also explored the future of capitalism.
Futures study "Delivering Tomorrow: Logistics 2050"
The world in 2050
In 2012 we released our third-ever futures study and discussed the results in an open dialogue with representatives from the sciences and society. As a company that is committed to sustainability, we do not want to be taken unawares by developments. We want to shape our own future - not only for our own sake but that of our stakeholders. In today's globalized and increasingly volatile world, it is more important than ever to be prepared for the unexpected. This is true for all industries, not just in the logistics sector. With the futures study "Delivering Tomorrow: Logistics 2050", we take a far-reaching look into the future of trade, business and society.
Corporate Responsibility reorganized
Over the course of 2012, we carefully reviewed the results of our online stakeholder survey conducted in December 2011. The insights were then shared within the Group at various management levels. Initial results show that we are already addressing many of the high-relevance CR issues identified as such by our stakeholders.
Opportunities were also identified for intensifying dialogue with our various stakeholder groups. In response, during the last six months of 2012 we reallocated the oversight of these projects and topics within the CEO department, moving them from the corporate department for Corporate Public Policy and Responsibility to the corporate department for Corporate Communications and Responsibility. Bundling our activities in this way allows us to continue developing our programs in dialogue with our most important internal and external stakeholders and in greater alignment with our core business. We will present the next steps and measures in our next Corporate Responsibility Report.
Memberships and partnerships
Partnerships with and memberships in national and international organizations are of strategic importance for our company. The exchange that ensues from these alliances has a significant impact on the success of our efforts in the area of corporate responsibility. The fruits of these partnerships and memberships are presented in the chapters that follow.
Indices and ratings
International investors and analysts monitor and evaluate how sustainable a company business is. As a result of our commitment in 2012, we were again listed in FTSE4Good and in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. Our activities were also rated by other agencies and independent institutions. oekom research Corporate Rating assessed us for the first time as a Prime Investment and we led the Transport & Logistics sector in the Newsweek Green Global 500 Ranking.
