Sustainability governance
Accountability for sustainability must be led from the top. In March 2021, the ESG (environmental, social and governance) Task Force was established to bring sustainability to the forefront of the Group's organization. This Task Force, led by Straumann Group's Board of Directors, developed a sustainability framework, roadmaps and set targets. After completion of these tasks, the Task Force transitioned into three committees. Today, the main responsibility on the operational side lies with the Executive Management Board. They define the roadmap for the Group to ensure the company follows its sustainability framework and achieves or adjusts its targets as needed. The Sustainability, Technology and Innovation Committee (STIC) is responsible for climate-related matters and assists the Board of Directors and monitors the respective progress.
The Audit and Risk Committee is responsible for overall non-financial reporting and the sustainability commitment 'acting with responsibility', the Human Resource Compensation Committee is in charge of 'empowering people' and the Sustainability, Technology and Innovation Committee oversees 'advancing oral care' and 'caring for the planet and society'. The overall sustainability strategy and climate-related matters are covered by the STIC committee which is chaired by the Board member and Vice Chair, Petra Rumpf.
The Executive Management Board has the overall responsibility for environmental, social and governance matters, assessing periodically the associated risks and opportunities together with the subject matter experts and Head of Sustainability who reports to the Group CFO. The Board of Directors is responsible for approving the annual report including the sustainability approach. The Corporate Communications team prepares the annual and sustainability report. Following TCFD guidelines, climate-related risks and opportunities encompass efforts for climate mitigation of low-emission energy, product/service innovation, market access, and supply chain resilience. Local positions, typically the production heads in collaboration with the COO, manage environmental issues at manufacturing sites, while global headquarters oversight falls under the COO. Climate-related aspects in sales distribution are overseen by local CFOs, and at the top level, the Group CFO is responsible for environmental reporting."
"The Group's compliance management system is under regular supervision by the Audit and Risk Committee and the Executive Management Board. Oversight for compliance ultimately lies with the Board of Directors, which usually acts through its Audit and Risk Committee. [...] The Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for deciding if and how cases of non-compliance should be reported to the Executive Management Board, the Straumann Board of Directors, and other relevant parties. The SpeakUp procedure outlines the process, roles, and responsibilities for the compliance hotline. Additionally, the Corporate Procedure on Disciplinary Measures for Code of Conduct violations helps management determine the appropriate disciplinary actions in cases of misconduct. [...] In addition to the internal SpeakUp line, the Straumann Group established a compliance hotline for external business partners in 2023, encouraging both employees and third parties to report any concerns regarding potential violations of the code.