THE HEINEKEN COMPANY by combining the marketing and sale of the Heineken brand with that of strong local brands. Because we attach great value to consistency of brand perception at both trade and consumer level, especially with regard to the Heineken brand, our overall brand identity strategy and the related guide lines covering such aspects as packaging, sponsor ship and advertising are formulated centrally. Local marketing expertise is developed through training programmes, regular consultation and internal workshops and conferences. The findings of regular brand perception surveys serve as input to a continu ous process of refining our marketing strategy and developing new attributes. The findings of best- practice reviews of our operating companies around the world are communicated immediately to market ing personnel in other countries. 1.2 Vision of sustainability Three cores values have been central to our company since the beginning: respect, enjoyment and a passion for quality. These core values have been a key factor in Heineken's growth and will continue to underpin our growth in the future. Sustainable quality is the yardstick by which we judge both our beers and our financial results. Heineken's goal is a place among the top three companies in the brewing industry in terms of sustainability. Our breweries produce beers of high quality, which are marketed worldwide with respect for local communities and the environment. Sustainable quality is also the criterion by which we judge the working conditions provided for Heineken personnel and the contribution they make to the community. In the community Representing many nationalities and cultures within the organisation, Heineken has a place at the centre of the community and its performance depends directly on the continuity of that community. At Heineken, we therefore make every effort to ensure that our current activities preserve the freedom of choice of other members of the community, now and in the future. Our policy is consistent with the defini tion of 'sustainability' as first formulated in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development, better known as the 'Brundtland Committee'. The three core values are applied to Heineken's current activities and to its economic, environmental and social sustainability programmes, three dimen sions which are strategically important for Heineken. Our programmes are based on the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises formulated by the Organi sation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Examples of how these principles have been applied in practice within our organisation range from more efficient use of materials and resources and the establishment of a health centre at one of our breweries to the promotion of environmentally- aware practices and responsible alcohol use and compliance with human rights in the countries in which we do business. Integral element Striving for sustainability is an integral element in our operations, which requires us systematically to main tain a dialogue with stakeholders and to define and implement programmes and other measures in the light of that dialogue. This is the foundation on which the legitimacy and continuity of our company is built. Heineken wants these programmes and other meas ures to be visible and measurable, which means adopting a transparent communication policy for the various target groups: employees, consumers, shareholders, non-governmental organisations, the international media and other interested parties. This report is an expression of that policy. We take the view that transparent internal and external dia logue yields the best management information and will ultimately result in more sustainable perform ance, an even stronger corporate reputation and positive brand associations. 1.3 Corporate governance While Heineken N.V. endorses the principles of the Corporate Governance Code of the Dutch Corporate Governance Committee and expects to be able to implement virtually all of its provisions in time with out difficulty, the structure of the group, and in HEINEKEN N.V. SUSTA INABILITY REPORT 2 002-2 00 3 10

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

Heineken - Milieuverslag | 2002 | | pagina 12