80 When I finished writing “Sustainability Reports and Financial Statements (ESG): Methodologies, Indicators and Case Studies”, I felt as though events had overtaken me: the US presidency had significantly scaled back its interest in this issue and was not only promoting policies contrary to environmental and social sustainability, but also stigmatising them as a ‘woke’ phenomenon. However, as the months went by, it became clear that a large part of the world, including many organisations operating in the United States, intended to continue along the path they had taken to achieve ESG objectives - where they were serious about it - not only to pursue ethical goals, but also for economic reasons, which are already evident today and are set to grow, particularly looking ahead. Against this backdrop, the analysis of sustainability reports published by companies in the lift sector remains relevant, and I believe it may be of interest to those working in the industry. This demonstrates a genuine commitment to addressing ESG issues and outlines the results achieved - albeit in different ways and to varying degrees - by large companies that appear to be further ahead in the process, or perhaps in their ability to describe it, and by a select group of smaller companies. The extent to which the reports comply with standards varies, as does the degree of transparency, with some having been verified by third parties and others not. However, the reports examined have addressed the majority of ESG issues, albeit not with the same level of detail across their various aspects, which is commendable not least for the positive image this can convey for the sector as a whole. Large companies have greater resources to invest in this area than smaller businesses, not least because truly effective measures involve significant costs. Not all of them, for example, have applied for and obtained an EcoVadis rating, or have worked towards achieving ‘Great Place to Work’ status or other accolades. For SMEs, it is unfortunately problematic that there are various assessment schemes - which are, in reality, similar, but each with its own costs - that may be requested by business partners. Moreover, it does not always make sense to delve into certain topics in reports which, to be done properly, would require large sample sizes to make the statistics meaningful. For example, stating the percentage of women in management is an added value in companies with hundreds of managers, whilst it is not in others with only a few. A sustainability report can be fairly concise: what matters is that it contains meaningful content. It is also normal for each document to have its own focus, reflecting the company’s key priorities regarding various issues. The objectives themselves may vary, although they all aim towards greater environmental and social sustainability, and sound, transparent governance. Among the most relevant elements are data on energy consumption and, in the case of manufacturing companies, on materials; the monitoring and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the use of polluting and hazardous substances in general; data and targets for recycling waste produced, increasing diversity and female participation, the health and safety of workers and customers, staff training aimed at achieving these objectives, and more. The priorities and timelines set for achieving certain results will naturally vary. These documents showcase a wide variety of initiatives and approaches aimed at giving back to the community a portion of the resources generated by the company’s activities, and the level of detail with which they are described. Not all of them highlight aspects such as tax compliance and the relevant financial data. Some reports contain interesting information that is missing from others. In the Millepiani Group’s document, for example, the pay gaps between the highest-paid and lowest-paid employees are highlighted, as are those between male and female staff. Certain aspects depend on the specific context in which the company or its parent company operates: in Germany, trade unions are a stronger counterpart than elsewhere, and there is a mechanism for employee participation in company management. The list of stakeholders is in fact varied, although it invariably includes employees, customers, suppliers, local authorities, and the planet itself - with its climate change that needs to be curbed. Companies that install and maintain lifts have, of course, highlighted aspects specific to this sector, such as the lower environmental impact of a substantial modernisation of a system compared to its complete replacement; the use of reconditioned parts or software that manages traffic more efficiently; and the use of remote lift management, which minimises the need for technicians to travel to site, thereby reducing the company’s fleet emissions. Finally, I would like to emphasise that the text expresses hopes for the future: firstly, that companies which have committed to publishing sustainability reports will be recognised for this and, in some way, rewarded by the market. The other is that the public will be educated to interpret the meaning of these documents correctly, thereby reducing the impact of ‘greenwashing’ - a phenomenon that has, in any case, been scaled back due to Trump’s policies, which, at least in this respect, have been positive. * Koppel A.W. general manager FROM LARGE COMPANIES TO SMES, ESG REPORTS HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, RESULTS AND PRIORITIES, BUT ALSO A GROWING AWARENESS OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL VALUE OF SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability in the lift sector: from reports to concrete commitments EDITORIA DI GIUSEPPE IOTTI*
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUyNTU=