SOCIAL SUSTAI NABI LITY
TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY
4.1 Reporting basis
Unless stated otherwise, the information presented
in this chapter relates to the companies in which
Heineken N.V. has a direct or indirect interest of 50
per cent or more, except for our operating compa
nies in Croatia and Kazakhstan. The figures relating to
social policy may therefore differ from those present
ed elsewhere in this report and in the financial state
ments. The results presented in this chapter are
based partly on the first large-scale study of its kind
carried out within Heineken and partly on estimates
made by local management teams. For that reason,
the results presented here are less reliable than the
data given elsewhere in this report. A full list of the
companies which supplied data for this chapter can
be found in Annex 6.
4.2 Social responsibility policy
and governance
Responsibility for corporate social policy was reallo
cated in 2002 and 2003. Ultimate responsibility is
vested in the Executive Board of Heineken N.V. and
social policy is the chairman's area of special interest.
In determining strategy and making policy choices,
the Executive Board is advised by a multidisciplinary
Social responsibility management
Corporate Social Responsibility Advisory Board
(CSRAB). The council is presided over by the chairman
of the Executive Board and consists of the directors
of the corporate departments who are most closely
involved with this policy area, and the general man
agers of two operating companies. The council facili
tates cooperation between the various disciplines on
social issues, identifies relevant aspects of the activi
ties and policy of the various corporate departments
and determines the level of involvement of these
departments in policy on corporate social responsi
bility. The council is also responsible for monitoring
and evaluation and formulates strategy in the event
of any departure from policy or current practice.
Policy is prepared and coordinated by the Corpo
rate Affairs department and developed and imple
mented by Corporate Affairs in conjunction with
other corporate departments.
In the first structured survey of our performance in
the area of corporate social responsibility, which was
carried out in 2003, a detailed questionnaire was sent
to all Heineken operating companies. The results of
this survey are presented in various sections of this
chapter. The survey findings are used internally to
adjust our priorities with regard to corporate social
responsibility and to compare the performance of the
operating companies with one another. Externally,
the survey findings are used in our dialogue with
stakeholders. We intend to carry out this survey on an
annual basis.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
ADVISORY BOARD
CORPORATE AFFAIRS CORPORATE DEPARTMENTS OPERATING COMPANIES
4.3 Dialogue with stakeholders
Heineken's vision of sustainability, how it is formula
ted and the programmes initiated in pursuit of it are
topics which are discussed frequently at meetings
between the European Works Council and company
representatives. This has established a substantive
dialogue about corporate policy and its conse
quences for the personnel, which will be continued
HEINEKEN N.V. SUS TA INABILITY REPORT 2002-2003
39