Sustainability is of crucial importance to Sulzer. The company is committed to building its business success on responsible action, which allows it to grow sustainably, and to generate value for current and future economic, social, and ecological stakeholders.
Sulzer's main contribution to a sustainable world is threefold:
- Supporting the needs of a rapidly developing world, leveraging the opportunities of megatrends, while mitigating associated risks
- Improving its own impact on the global environment and society
- Providing customers with sustainable energy-efficient solutions
Highest transparency level A+ achieved
Sulzer continuously measures its performance with key indicators according to economic, social, and ecological aspects. Extensive information on the company's sustainability performance is given in the full online sustainability report: www.sulzer.com/sustainability. The online report was assessed by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS) and it received the highest transparency level A+ of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Since 2012, Sulzer is also constituent company of the internationally renowned FTSE4GOOD Index Series.
Highlights of economic, social, and ecological performance
For social responsibility, health and safety remained of highest importance for Sulzer. In 2011, the company further reduced the frequency of accidents from 4.4 to 3.7 accidents per million working hours. Creating jobs is an essential contribution to supporting the prosperity and quality of life in communities. Sulzer created 940 new jobs worldwide in 2011 (excluding acquisition effects). Find more information on social sustainability under www.sulzer.com/sustainability-social.
In the area of ecological sustainability, Sulzer aspires to be a leader in energy efficiency within its industries, both with regard to its own operations and the ecological performance of the company's solutions. In 2011, CO2 emissions per net value added were reduced by 5% compared to the prior year. In the same year, energy consumption per net value added remained stable. In order to highlight the superior environmental standards of Sulzer solutions, the company issues environmental product declarations. Currently, 15% of the relevant main product categories are covered by environmental product declarations. Sulzer aims to cover all relevant main product categories in 2012. Find more information on ecological sustainability under www.sulzer.com/sustainability-ecological.
For economic sustainability, Sulzer showed adjusted1 growth in sales of 17.2% in 2011. With a return on capital employed of 18.8%, Sulzer clearly created financial value. Find more information on economic sustainability under www.sulzer.com/sustainability-economic and in the Sulzer Annual Report 2011: www.sulzer.com/ar11.
Sustainability will remain at the core of Sulzer's strategy in the future. The company will continue to strive to build trust and act as a credible and competent partner who creates value for its key stakeholders.
Key sustainability performance indicators 2011
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Economic sustainability
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Social sustainability
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Ecological sustainability
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Adjusted1 growth in sales
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New jobs created
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CO2 emissions per net value added
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17.2%
(2010: –6.6%)
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940
(2010: 98)
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17.2 kg/kCHF
(2010: 18.1 kg/kCHF)
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ROS, return on sales
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Leadership succession rate
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Energy consumption per net value added
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10.2%
(2010: 12.8%)
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66%
(2010: 64%)
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1.1 GJ/kCHF
(2010: 1.1 GJ/kCHF)
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ROCE, return on capital employed
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AFR, accident frequency rate
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Hazardous waste per net value added
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18.8%
(2010: 28.1%)
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3.7 accidents per million working hours
(2010: 4.4)
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13.6 kg/kCHF
(2010: 8.8 kg/kCHF)
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Company commitment
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Share of relevant major product category covered by EPD2
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76 pts3
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15%
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Sulzer also published the sustainability brochure "Insights into Sustainability 2011" with highlights of the company's sustainability performance. The document can be downloaded and ordered here: www.sulzer.com/sustainability.
1 Adjusted for currency effects as well as acquisitions and divestitures
2 Environmental Product Declaration
3 Based on Employee Engagement Survey 2011