Stakeholder interests and views
Stakeholder interests play an important role in the further development of the corporate strategy and the orientation of the business model and are generally integrated into all major business development processes via the representation principle.
HHLA’s corporate and sustainability strategy is designed as an ongoing process and is continuously enhanced. The main bodies involved in this strategy development process are the Corporate Strategy Board and the corresponding steering committee. The Corporate Strategy Board consists of the Corporate Communications, Finance, Executive Board Projects and Human Resources organisational units. The Corporate Strategy Board steering committee comprises the members of the Executive Board and the Head of Executive Board Projects. Focus teams each work on their own topics. The “Sustainability” focus team, i.e. devotes its attention to all topics related to the HHLA Group’s sustainability strategy. The Corporate Strategy Board works closely with the focus teams and liaises with the steering committee to shape and organise the framework for the HHLA Group’s strategic transformation.
Stakeholders are involved in this process indirectly in line with the principle of representation: the internal departments represent the views of external stakeholders in the strategy process, ensuring that their interests are taken into account by the Corporate Strategy Board and the focus teams.
External stakeholders |
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Engaged via the principle of representation by the HHLA department |
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Engagement methods |
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Shareholders / investors / analysts |
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Investor Relations |
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In particular through informative meetings and Annual General Meetings |
General public / civil society |
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Corporate Communications |
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In particular through project and site dialogue sessions, public information events and transparent communication |
Business partners / customers |
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Sales, METRANS, HHLA International |
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In particular through regular bilateral talks and joint project and innovation partnerships |
Environmental NGOs |
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Sustainability |
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In particular through needs-based and topic-centred discussions with representatives of various organisations |
Suppliers |
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Procurement |
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In particular through contractual negotiations with suppliers and collaboration on joint innovation projects |
Hamburg’s Ministry for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture |
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Occupational health and safety management |
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In particular through regular consultation and approval procedures, participation in expert committees and dialogue formats, and project-related cooperation |
Tenants |
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Real Estate |
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In particular through regular dialogue and project cooperation |
Internal stakeholders |
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Own Workforce |
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Human Resources |
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In particular through collaboration with works councils, employee representation (including that of the senior staff) on the Supervisory Board, which is composed equally of staff and shareholder representatives, representation for disabled people at the company and Group level and trade unions, as well as regular internal dialogue formats and feedback systems |
Trade unions / social partners |
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Human Resources |
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In particular through regular collective bargaining and trade union meetings |
The further development process is supported by a market study that HHLA commissioned in 2023 on the further development of the sustainability strategy. This study analysed and aggregated the interests of the company’s stakeholders (HHLA departments, representatives of HHLA subsidiaries, competitors, market participants). The resulting recommendations are incorporated into the further development of the strategy via the “Sustainability” focus team.
Separately from the current development process, shareholders, investors and analysts are regularly involved via the Annual General Meeting, where shareholders have the opportunity to ask questions, voice their own views and vote on items on the agenda. In addition, there are informative meetings such as capital market conferences and briefings by the HHLA Executive Board on the company’s business performance as part of the quarterly conference calls.
Furthermore, the stakeholder interests and views identified as part of HHLA’s due diligence process are incorporated into the ongoing evaluation of the corporate strategy.
As part of the reporting structures, HHLA’s Supervisory Board and Executive Board are informed of the results from the materiality assessment, which also surveys stakeholder interests with regard to sustainability-related impacts. Materiality assessment