GRI 2-29 Identification and selection of stakeholders, plus stakeholder engagement

Significant stakeholder groups for Geberit are customers, shareholders and analysts, the media, employees and trade unions, neighbours, municipalities and authorities, research institutes, suppliers, transport companies, associations, non-government organisations and the general public.

A systematic guided dialogue with stakeholders helps Geberit to identify possible conflict issues and opportunities for further development and to respond to these in good time. On national and international levels, the Geberit Group and its local companies maintain relations with organisations and institutions in the respective countries that direct requests and suggestions to the company. The stakeholders mentioned above have been identified as important for systematic stakeholder dialogue as they fulfil at least one of two criteria: either the stakeholder group exerts a strong influence on the economic, environmental or social performance of Geberit and/or the stakeholder group is strongly affected by the economic, environmental or social performance of Geberit. An external stakeholder panel helps Geberit to review its assessment of important stakeholder groups and their concerns.

In 2022, Geberit consulted an external Stakeholder Panel for the sixth time. Their mandate was to give feedback on the sustainability performance, materiality analysis, new CO₂ strategy, strategic approaches on the topics of diversity and inclusion, and ESG governance. The results are presented in the Panel Statement. The external review and the recommendations contained therein are dealt with in detail in the response from Geberit to the Panel Statement. The next stakeholder panel is planned for 2024.

Based on the stakeholder analysis, Geberit identifies both potential for conflict and opportunities, and pursues a cooperative approach when it comes to discussing and further developing possible measures with the stakeholders concerned. Feedback from stakeholder dialogues is incorporated into the Materiality analysis and into the Sustainability strategy.

Engagement of stakeholders according to stakeholder group:

Customers

Technical advisors working in the field who are in daily contact with plumbers, sanitary engineers and architects.
During the reporting year, around 48,000 professionals were trained on products, tools, software tools and installation skills at the 30 Geberit Information Centres in Europe and overseas and 19,000 people took part in a wide range of webinars and alternative training formats.
The new trade fair concept with its open, modular booths was introduced to a wide audience for the first time after only being seen online at the virtual Geberit Innovation Days in the previous year. In addition to IFH in Nuremberg (DE), other important presentations were made at Nordbygg in Stockholm (SE) and VSK in Utrecht (NL). Architects and designers were specifically addressed at the Salone del Mobile in Milan (IT).
Worldwide, there have been more than 8,000 downloads of the Building Information Modelling plug-in (BIM) by planning and engineering companies.
The end user campaign “Better bathrooms, better lives” has been running since 2019.
End users can find inspiration for their bathroom design using apps such as the Washplace Configurator, 3D bathroom planner or virtual showrooms for actuator plates.
Further expansion and intensification of social media presence and the sending of e-newsletters.

For further information, see Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2022 > Customers.

Shareholders and analysts

Shareholders have statutory participatory rights.
Regular telephone conferences, bilateral meetings, conferences and roadshows with the CEO, CFO and Head Corporate Communications and Investor Relations.

Media

Regular conference calls, bilateral meetings and interviews with the relevant media for Geberit.
Sustainability topics and in particular Geberit’s performance in this area play an important role in the media activities of Geberit.

Employees and trade unions

Geberit Europe Forum with employee representatives from most European countries, during which a member of the Group Executive Board and the Head Corporate Human Resources meet with the delegates. In the reporting year, this included a presentation and discussion of the Geberit Safety System, among other aspects.
Training and feedback opportunities on topics regarding the Code of Conduct.
Group-wide Geberit Integrity Line to enable all employees across the world to report irregularities anonymously in the corresponding language.
Regular employee survey of all employees of the Geberit Group, the latest one in 2021.

For further information, see Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2022 > Employees.

Neighbours, municipalities and authorities

Consultation with and inclusion of the neighbours of production plants in larger construction projects.

Research institutes

Partner of the research platform NEST (Next Evolution in Sustainable Building Technologies) at EAWAG and Empa in Dübendorf (CH). In the Water Hub, systems are tested that use water and waste water as efficiently and diversely as possible.
Cooperation on technological trends and developments directly related to sanitary technology with Empa Dübendorf, University of Applied Sciences OST Rapperswil, University of Zurich, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland Brugg-Windisch, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (all CH), as well as the Technical University Dresden and the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences (both DE) and others.

Suppliers

Initial contact within the scope of the assessment procedure and implementation of the Code of Conduct for Suppliers.
Regular discussions between buyers and suppliers on site.
On-site audits (quality, environment, occupational health and safety) carried out by Geberit and external partners.
Integrity Line for suppliers for anonymously reporting irregularities in the procurement process or non-compliance with the Code of Conduct for Suppliers.
Increased exchange on product data during the creation of environmental product declarations (EPDs), on sustainable product solutions and on possibilities of reducing CO₂ emissions in the supply chain.

For further information, see Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2022 > Procurement and logistics.

Transport companies

Discussions with transport service providers based on the results of environmental monitoring, see Logistics.

Associations

Involvement in various associations and organisations with participation in corresponding management bodies and programmes, see GRI 2‑28.

Non-government organisations and the general public

Partnership with the Swiss development organisation Helvetas.
Membership of the charitable organisation Swiss Water Partnership.