Reporting: procedure and organisation
This Sustainability Report complies with the GRI principles on reporting. It is structured in line with the “comprehensive option” under GRI, version 4, meaning that it also contains specific standard disclosures in addition to general standard disclosures. In the year under review, the recommendations of the “SDG Compass” were also taken into account and implemented for the first time. The SDG Compass is a joint guide produced by GRI, WBCSD and the UN Global Compact. It offers guidelines for determining contributions by companies to the SDGs as well as corresponding measures for implementation and disclosure.
In the past few years Swisscom has developed a clear understanding of the issues pertaining to its immediate environment. In addition, issues are reported to Swisscom directly by stakeholder groups or identified through findings taken from recent studies, market research, trend analyses and benchmark reports. All of these issues are included in the materiality matrix.
Swisscom involves its internal and external stakeholder groups in the evaluation and assessment of the materiality of issues as well as in the setting of strategic priorities. Swisscom conducted a survey among representative stakeholders in 2016, achieving a response rate of 70%. The analysis of the responses is contained in the introduction relating to the participation of stakeholders. The results of the materiality analyses and the responses from stakeholders make a significant contribution to the formulation of the CR strategy and the definition of thematic focus areas. They form the basis for the report.
Swisscom often involves stakeholder groups in the corresponding validation of the issues in this report. During the year under review, for example, Swisscom had its Sustainability Report assessed by internal stakeholders.
The processes and procedures to be used with some stakeholder groups can then be defined directly wherever necessary. Swisscom collaborates with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), for instance, to provide information on its contribution to the “Exemplary Role of the Confederation in Energy” (ERCE) working group. Furthermore, it works with the Energy Agency of the Swiss Private Sector (EnAW) and WWF. In collaboration with other businesses in the ICT sector and in contact with the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO), Swisscom also makes a contribution to media skills in Switzerland.
During the year under review, Swisscom nurtured targeted relationships with the following stakeholders or held discussions on topics that are included in this report:
- Customers: Surveys on topics including customer satisfaction (see page 34 of the Annual Report).
- Shareholders and external investors: Discussions on financial topics (revenue, dividends, etc.) at the Annual General Meeting on 4 April 2017 or at roadshows (Financial Report). Swisscom also had contact with SRI fund managers or investors, e.g. in relation to governance topics or finance issues (“green bonds”).
- Public authorities: Contact with municipal authorities regarding the topic of antennas and transmitter stations (140 dialogues in 2017; can be found in the section on work and life on page 41 of the Sustainability Report), with cantonal authorities (once each per canton) and with members of parliament (twice a year) on topics such as roaming, the FTTH rollout and the ICT environment.
- Suppliers: Swisscom maintained commercial contacts with its suppliers and had further contacts as part of the self-assessment and audits (can be found in the section “Fair supply chain” in the Sustainability Report).
- Employees and employee representation: Swisscom met once a month with the trade unions and with the ten employee representations to discuss various topics, as laid down in the collective employment agreement (CEA). There are also two general meetings every year. Ad-hoc meetings are also held that are topic-specific and organised in accordance with the participation table in the CEA (explanations in the sections on employees in the Annual Report from page 28 and in the section on Swisscom as an attractive employer in the Sustainability Report from page 50).
- Partners and NGOs: Two “Leadership Dialogues” and exchange with partners within the framework of individual projects.
The reporting process comprises preparation of the Annual Report and the Sustainability Report. Both reports are subject to the same internal validation stages and are validated by the Disclosure, Review and Audit Committees to ensure the quality of the disclosures. The Sustainability Report is also verified externally.