Value-Enhancing Factors Responsibility and sustainability along the entire value chain
Value-Enhancing Factors Responsibility and sustainability along the entire value chain
Our outstanding team is dedicated to developing and manufacturing first-class automobiles that captivate customers around the world. The focus of our business is on ensuring responsibility and sustainability in respect of our employees, society and the environment along the entire value chain.
The financial key performance indicators for the Volkswagen
Key challenges of doing business sustainably
Group are described in the “Results of Operations, Finan- Together with our stakeholder groups, we use our Strategy cial Position and Net Assets” chapter. Nonfinancial key
2018 to work out which topics are important for Volks- performance indicators also attest to the effectiveness of
wagen’s long-term viability. In this analytically based our Company’s value drivers. These include our processes in
process, we evaluate current international sustainability the areas of research and development, procurement, pro-
studies and engage in comprehensive dialog with our duction, sales and marketing, information technology and
stakeholders. These include analysts, politicians and civil quality assurance. Above all, we are always aware of our
authorities, scientists, nongovernmental organizations responsibility towards our employees, society and the and, not least, our employees. We discuss important chal- environment. In this chapter, we show how we increase the
lenges for our Company and the automotive industry in enterprise value of Volkswagen in a sustainable way with
detail at both brand and Group level. The materiality examples from the various areas.
matrix is an ongoing process during which the internal bodies discuss and evaluate the identified topics. The
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSI BI LITY AN D SUSTAI NABI LITY
result is the roadmap for our sustainability strategy: a Volkswagen is unlike any other company thanks to its
matrix with the key issues. It is shown on the next page. corporate culture, which combines a modern understanding of responsibility and sustainability with the traditional
Sustainability management
values of running a business. As a global company, Volks- The Group Board of Management is also the supreme wagen’s worldwide commitment and corporate giving sustainability board in the Company. It receives regular policy support social projects and help those in need. At
updates from the Group CSR & Sustainability steering the same time, it integrates this concept with a modern
group about the issues of responsibility and sustainability. vision that is focused on strategically anchoring corporate
Senior executives from central Board of Management social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in the value
business areas, the Group Works Council and repre- chain. The challenges of the 21st century, particularly
sentatives of the brands and regions are members of this resource and climate conservation as well as fairness within
steering group. It resolves the sustainability strategy, and between generations, are reflected in our vision of
which aims to help the Group achieve its goal of becoming responsibility and sustainability. Sustainability requires a
the most sustainable automaker in the world in 2018. commitment to balancing economic, ecological and social
Since 2006, the CSR office has coordinated all activities dimensions. Our CSR concept is aimed at ensuring that we
within the Group and the brands, using standardized avoid risks at every step along the value chain, identify
structures, processes and reports. It strategically aligns all opportunities for development early on and improve our
CSR activities and acts as a guidance unit for internal reputation. CSR therefore makes a necessary contribution
management processes and dialog with stakeholders. Our to increasing the value of the Company and safeguarding it
CSR project teams work on current topics across business in the long term.
areas, such as sustainability in supplier relationships. An
MANAGEMENT REPORT 193
Business Development Shares and Bonds Results of Operations, Financial Position and Net Assets Volkswagen AG (HGB) Value-Enhancing Factors
Risk Report Report on Expected Developments
KEY ISSUES (RESULTS OF THE MATERIALITY ANALYSIS)
> Human rights
> Health
> Sustainable
> Noise reduction
> Social
supplier relations
> Land take
> Efficient products
EX
and production
R D E OL E H A K
> Urbanization
> Market shif ts > Segment shif ts
I M P O R TA N C E F O R B U S I N E S S S U C C E S S
international interchange between the CSR coordinators International conventions, laws and internal rules are also of all brands and regions has been taking place regularly key guidelines for our conduct. We also acknowledge our since 2009. There is also a Group environmental conference commitment to the “Declaration on Social Rights and and a Group environmental strategy group to coordinate Industrial Relationships at Volkswagen” (Volkswagen Social environmental officers throughout the Group. We have set Charter), the Temporary Work Charter and the Charter on the course for an ecological reorganization of the Volks- Labor Relations, all of which address fundamental social wagen Group by appointing a Group Chief Officer for the rights and principles. Environment, Energy and New Business Areas.