Materiality analysis

The nature of HHLA’s business means it has a large number of stakeholders with a variety of expectations and demands. In order to understand these expectations and demands more fully, HHLA conducted a materiality analysis in 2015 as part of its sustainable management activities, in which sustainability topics of potential relevance to its internal and external stakeholders were examined. The collection and evaluation of the data was based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.

The stakeholder survey process

At a meeting of the Sustainability Council, HHLA’s most significant stakeholders were first identified. This was initially based on internal sources, such as a list of key customers. The main stakeholders identified were customers (e.g. shipping companies), customers’ customers (e.g. forwarders), employees, business partners and suppliers, the media, potential and existing shareholders, associations and institutions, research institutes, political decision makers, NGOs, and local residents close to the terminals.

Secondly, a list of topics known to be relevant to both internal and external stakeholders was drawn up. The results from HHLA’s sustainability initiative “On Course” were also included in the data collection, as the initiative had already discovered relevant topics and determined the main fields of activity.  Sustainability strategy

A two-week online survey using a standard questionnaire was then carried out worldwide. External stakeholders from all of the groups identified, as well as managers from a number of different divisions, took part in the survey.

In total, approximately 100 people rated topics of potential relevance to HHLA, particularly customers, business partners, suppliers and HHLA staff. All stakeholder groups participated in the survey. Stakeholders also had the chance to rate the importance of topics, as well as add to them or make comments on them. The results of the stakeholder survey were discussed during a Sustainability Council meeting and presented to the Executive Board. In autumn 2018, HHLA conducted a further international online survey of the various HHLA stakeholders. The results of this survey will be included in the next HHLA materiality analysis.

The materiality analysis process

Results of the stakeholder survey

The materiality matrix shows the ranking of all sustainability topics. The assessments provided by external stakeholders are combined with those of internal stakeholders in the matrix. The result is a prioritisation of the topics. Key aspects are considered material if they are relevant from the point of view of internal and/or external stakeholders.

Ensuring a high level of data protection, high occupational safety standards, sustainable conduct, compliance, energy efficiency, continual improvements in quality, the long-term alignment of the corporate strategy and the drafting of a code of conduct to ensure non-discriminatory behaviour amongst staff and towards third parties were all rated as very material. Carbon emission reductions, occupational safety and health protection at suppliers, waste prevention and environmentally appropriate disposal, as well as area optimisation and an active dialogue on topics relevant to port management were regarded as material by the survey participants. With a clear majority, the main reasons stated for HHLA’s sustainable approach were long-term, stable economic development and a reduction of environmental effects. The majority of those surveyed considered themselves generally well informed regarding sustainability topics.

Materiality matrix (outcome of the most recent stakeholder survey)

Evaluating the relevance of sustainability topics for HHLA

Due to the high correlation of external and internal stakeholders’ ratings of potentially relevant topics, only slight adjustments had to be made to the weighting of topics compared with earlier reports. The main fields of activity defined during the HHLA sustainability initiative were also largely confirmed by the results: none of the potentially relevant topics were rated as immaterial or less material.

Materiality analysis

In line with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative, a comprehensive materiality analysis was carried out for the first time in 2015. The results are displayed in the following table. The topics have been assigned to the fields of activity determined by HHLA’s sustainability initiative “On Course”. The topics “stable dividend distribution” and “importance of sustainability for investors” were rated as “only material to a certain extent”. None of the potentially relevant topics covered were rated as immaterial or not very material.

Reconciliation of material topics with the German Commercial Code

For the preparation of the non-financial report in accordance with CSR-RUG, the issues identified as material or very material in the HHLA materiality analysis were checked for commercial relevance and degree of impact by a specialist body and prioritised in line with the double materiality clause set out in Section 289c (3) of the German Commercial Code (HGB).

As a result, some issues which were rated as very material in the stakeholder survey are considered non-reportable due to a lack of commercial relevance under CSR-RUG.  Information about the non-financial report, determining the content of the non-financial report