The CR action areas were developed in 2013 in the dialogue with stakeholders: using an extensive selection of the contents of leading standards for sustainability reporting, the respondents prioritised the issues relevant for Haniel. This resulted in the crystallisation of three focal points – innovation, value-added chain and employees. After a group-wide consensus on the requirements in the three action areas was reached at the Haniel CR round table, the Haniel Management Board adopted them as the binding CR framework for the entire Group.

Relevance analysis

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Haniel has interpreted the three action areas based on the principle according to which the needs of people, the environment and businesses are harmonised in such a way that future generations have at least the same opportunities as their antecedents do today. Haniel has formulated the requirements in the three CR priorities as follows:

Employees: Respectful and reliable partnership for sustainable work conditions: The Haniel Group considers challenges such as globalisation and demographic change as a joint mandate for companies and employees. It develops solutions in their mutual interest in order to meet the changing conditions in the labour market. The Haniel Group thus secures the fundamental precondition for competitiveness, innovation and the long-term success of the companies. As a result, it offers employees the foundation for employment, social participation and quality of life.

Value-added chain – High environmental and social standards in all activities to create value: The Haniel Group combines profitability with a high degree of social and ecological responsibility in all primary and supporting value-creation activities. In order to achieve the best 'reconciliation of interests' to the mutual benefit of companies, society and the environment, it integrates rules, structures and incentive systems systematically into each value-creation stage. The comprehensive approach also includes suppliers and customers: The Haniel Group provides incentives so that environmental and social standards are also applied in the value chain.

Innovation – Innovations: the response to global challenges and an opportunity for growth: The Haniel Group counters global challenges (climate change, scarcity of resources, population growth, demographic change in industrialised nations, urbanisation in developing and emerging countries, etc.) with innovative approaches to solutions. In order to develop new business models, business processes, services, products and product applications, it takes existing expertise in unconventional directions (revolutionary innovation), improves existing solutions to meet additional requirements (evolutionary innovation) and creates suitable conditions for innovation (innovation culture).

This GRI report is based on the three CR action areas – Employees, Value Chain and Innovation – for the last time, since these are based on the Holding Company’s first stakeholder survey and materiality analysis from 2013, which is currently under review. This review is a result of the experiences and further developments collected by Haniel in recent years in the field of corporate responsibility, as well as a change in the CR organisation: The responsibility for coordinating CR activities in the Holding Company and the Haniel Group was transferred in 2017 from “Shareholders and Sustainability” department to Strategic Investment Controlling. In addition, new external requirements make an adjustment necessary. This includes in particular the European Union’s CSR Directive and the corresponding German implementing legislation.