Management of the dialogue with stakeholders
Our business activities affect the interests of many people and take place within frameworks that differ according to country and region. We can thus only do business sustainably if we engage in dialogue with the various groups our company impacts, exchange information with them, address controversial topics without preconditions, and jointly search for solutions that bring us closer to a society that effectively deals with the challenges of the future. Dialogue with our stakeholders is a key element of our sustainability strategy.
Our most important stakeholders are customers, employees, investors, suppliers, associations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the scientific community, national and local governments, local residents, and neighbors. Our main criterion for identifying and evaluating our stakeholders is the question of whether, and to what extent, a specific group is affected by our activities, or can influence such activities itself. The identification of stakeholders is linked to the definition of issue clusters that are highly relevant to sustainability from the point of view of both our company and its stakeholders. The Group has units and contact persons that are responsible for these key dialogue issues — e.g. Investor Relations, Corporate Environmental Protection, Human Resources, the procurement organization, External Affairs and Public Policy, and Communications.
1. Overarching membership bodies
- Global Compact – UN initiative for environmental protection, labor standards, and human rights worldwide
- Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
2. Economic affairs and employment
- Germany: ME Gesamtmetall
- Germany: Südwestmetall – Verband der Metall- und Elektroindustrie Baden-Württemberg
- Germany: Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA)
- Germany: Federation of German Industries (BDI)
- Germany: German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
- Germany: Berlin Center of Corporate Governance
- Germany: AmCham Germany
- Germany: Deutsches Aktieninstitut (DAI)
- Europe: AmCham EU
- Europe: European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)
- Europe: Business Europe (BE)
- U.S.: National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)
- U.S.: Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM)
- U.S.: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- U.S.: Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC)
- U.S.: Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA)
- U.S.: American Trucking Association (ATA)
- U.S.: European-American Business Council (EABC)
- U.S.: National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC)
- U.S.: Organization for International Investment (OFII)
- U.S.: German American Business Council (GABC)
- Japan: Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA)
3. Environmental protection
- B.A.U.M. – Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management
- European Natural Gas Vehicle Association
- Verkehr und Energiestrategie Deutschland (VES)
- European FuelCell & Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (NEW/FCH-JU)
- USCAR/FreedomCAR (new technologies for the U.S. market)
- Clean Energy Partnership Deutschland (CEP)
- Nationales Innovationsprogramm Deutschland (NIP/NOW)
- UNEP Mobility Forum – Initiative for Sustainable Mobility
- World Wide Fund for Nature WWF Germany
- Health Effects Institute
- Resources for the Future
- American Council on Renewable Energy
- Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC) of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change
- Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels
- National Hydrogen Association (U.S.)
- CALSTART (U.S.)
- U.S. Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA)
- U.S. Diesel Technology Forum (DTF)
- U.S. National Biodiesel Board
- U.S. Alliance to Save Energy (ASE)
4. Society and social welfare
- Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria
- SAFRI – Southern Africa Initiative of German Businesses
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP)
- Atlantik-Brücke
- Wittenberg-Zentrum für Globale Ethik
- Deutsches Netzwerk Wirtschaftsethik (DNWE)
- Transatlantic Policy Network (TPN)
- European School of Management and Technology in Berlin
- AccountAbility
- Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft (CDG), Berlin
- German-American Center James F. Byrnes Institute (DAZ), Stuttgart
- Netzwerk Unternehmen für Gesundheit
- Deutsche AIDS-Stiftung
- Association of Works Doctors and Company Medical Officers in Germany (VDBW)
- German Association for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (DGAUM)
- Transparency International (TPI)
5. Road safety
- Europäischer Verein für Unfallforschung und -analyse
- Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrat
- German Traffic Forum
- Deutscher Verkehrsgerichtstag – Deutsche Akademie für Verkehrswissenschaften
