About this report
GRI 102-45, 102-46, 102-47, 102-48, 102-49, 102-50, 102-52, 102-54, 102-56
In June, 41% of uvex group employees around the world took part in our survey “Help us to make the uvex group more sustainable!”. The results of this survey are currently being summarized in a materiality matrix in close cooperation with the sustainability steering committee. Why did the uvex group decide to carry out a materiality analysis? Well, put simply, here is a range of potential sustainability themes to consider, e.g. green products, social standards, ecological KPIs and measures for production facilities, employee projects and the issue of supply chains. In order to ascertain which of these issues are particularly important to individual stakeholder groups (i.e. employees, management, but also external stakeholders including customers, suppliers and banks), this form of analysis was carried out during the 2020/21 financial year. Moreover, systematic and traceable action focal points were derived and defined on the back of the results of this analysis. Strategic sustainability management is therefore dependent on constant review and, if necessary, adjustment of the existing focal points and activities.
This approach can be broken down into several steps: in May 2020, potentially relevant sustainability issues along operational value chains were identified. Thereafter, an online survey was carried out in June 2020, in which a total of 908 people took part. In July 2020, the contribution of sustainability issues to the success of the company was discussed with a select group of executives and the management. Here, a total of 24 representatives took part in a survey and/or several workshops, before evaluating the issues with regard to efficiency, brand, resilience, innovation and compliance. The process of combining both perspectives (stakeholder views and contribution to the success of the company) including producing the materiality matrix is well underway in the current 2020/21 financial year. A priority of this process is defining specific targets for the focus areas and sustainability issues in addition to examining to what extent activities aimed at achieving these targets are already in place and to what degree they have been implemented, as well as pinpointing areas where measures aimed at advancing the commitment to increased sustainability are still lacking.
Economy, ecology and social will remain the three central pillars of the uvex group’s sustainability strategy. In terms of content, the Sustainability Report 2019/20 will highlight activities that have taken place in these areas. In addition, the report also outlines examples of “green” products for the first time. These are manufactured in a resource-friendly process that makes use of sustainable materials. Filtral is getting the ball rolling in this regard with the launch of the “Green Line” collection. These are sunglasses for which the frames are produced using 65% renewable resources, while the uvex sports group is also offering sunglasses from its “ocean” range, for which the frames have been produced via an injection-moulding process that makes use of recycled fishing nets. ALPINA, which had already presented a protector made from sustainable virgin wool at ISPO 2020, will continue to focus on environmentally friendly, sustainable products. The uvex safety group will showcase sustainable product concepts across the whole portfolio at the world’s leading trade fair for occupational health and safety, the A+A 2021. You can find an overview of the sustainability measures implemented in uvex group production facilities in the "Plants" chapter.
Over the course of the reporting period (financial year 2019/20), no organisational changes of material importance occurred. The comparability of the data for the reporting period against the previous financial year is guaranteed by ensuring that data is specifically allocated to the relevant time period. Individual deviations from the previous report are explained in each case.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option.
External audit
The consolidated financial statements and group management report of the uvex group are audited in line with legal requirements by the auditing firm Rödl & Partner GmbH. The uvex group did not carry out a separate audit for the Sustainability Report 2014, the 2015, 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19 updates or for the Sustainability Report 2019/20.
