LEAD
Accountability
Global Compact
Stakeholder dialogue
3
The printed and digital versions of this report
are key elements of our public accountability
and demonstrate our genuine commitment
to transparency. They complement our
Annual Report and our corporate website
www.heinekeninternational.com.
In this year's report, we have included a Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Reference Table (see
page 56) and a brief summary of some of the
ways in which we contribute to the United Nations
Millennium Development Goals (see pages 47,48
and 49). Via our membership of the Global Compact
and Global Compact LEAD, Heineken supports
these important ambitions.
A new reporting structure
Brewing a Better Future represents a new way
of thinking and acting. As we promised last year,
we have changed the style and scope of this year's
report in order to bring it in line with this new,
integrated approach.
The diagram on page 10 will help you to understand
the structure of both this report and our approach
to Sustainability. You will see that Brewing a Better
Future is focused on the delivery of three strategic
imperatives - Improve, Empower and Impact.
Each of these is divided into two key initiatives,
six in total. Additionally, in order to support the
delivery of our plans, we have created five key
enablers. This report dedicates one chapter to
each of the three strategic imperatives and we
have dedicated a single chapter to cover all of
the enablers.
You will also read a number of good and best
practices in the report. These represent only
a small proportion of the positive changes
we are helping to make. For more examples
of what we are doing, please visit
www.heinekeninternational.com.
We recognise that our impact - both positive
and negative - is highest within our Operating
Companies. With that in mind you may also want
to read some or all of the 21 local sustainability
reports that our businesses published in 2010.
These reports can be downloaded from
our website.
PARTICIPANT
Assurance
We believe that the data and statements in this
report should be externally assured. We do not
expect our stakeholders to accept only internal or
subjective assurance. So, as in previous years, we
have asked KPMG to provide us with independent,
limited assurance on both the facts and the wording
in this report. KPMG summarises its activities and
conclusions in Appendix 5. In addition, we have
further improved and extended the scrutiny by
our internal audit teams. This improves the quality
and robustness of the data.
Reporting standard
We would welcome the introduction of a global
reporting standard that ensures the data and
reporting of every organisation is independently
assessed. It is the only way that accurate
comparisons can be made and the most effective
practices identified and quantified from which
others can learn. It is also the best way to
ensure the integrity of information and data
for stakeholders.
Stakeholders are a vital part of our Brewing a
Better Future journey. They help us to stay focused
on what matters and warn us if we are moving
off-track. However, balancing business needs
and financial sustainability with the expectations
and requests of our stakeholders is not easy and
means we can never deliver 100 per cent of
every stakeholder's expectation. Our commitment
though is that we will do whatever we can,
wherever we can, to balance these competing
needs and increase the value we add.
Who we spoke to
This year we engaged many different stakeholders
in dialogue, including:
Employees
Our global climate survey formed a key part of
the feedback from employees. In total, 46,539
(86 per cent) of our colleagues responded to
the survey. In addition, online, internal surveys
were held with different groups of employees on
issues such as communication and sustainability.
Employee representatives
It is an important principle that our employees
are free to associate wherever in the world they
work. We maintained strong links with employee
representatives through regular European and
local works councils of Heineken, as well as
meetings and discussions with trade unions.
Heineken N.V. Sustainability Report 2010
