Beckers puts a strong emphasis on understanding our stakeholders’ needs. We not only work together internally, but also along the entire value chain, to find opportunities and address risks in the most comprehensive way possible.
We define stakeholders in two – not necessarily mutually exclusive – ways. First, as entities or individuals that are or could be affected by our own organization’s activities, products and services. And second, as entities or individuals that could affect the ability of our organization to implement its strategies and achieve its objectives.
We group our key stakeholders into internal and external stakeholders. Our internal stakeholders represent our employees and our owner. Our external stakeholders are defined as customers (including specifiers and ➜ OEM), suppliers, the world around us (including children and youth), NGOs, trade associations, legislators and governments. Our interaction with these stakeholder groups helped us design our 2030 Sustainability Strategy.
At Beckers we have been in constant dialogue with our stakeholders for many years. Our most important topics are reviewed annually, with some more extensive stakeholder dialogues in 2015, 2019 and 2022.
In 2022, we reviewed and challenged Beckers’ material topics based on our organization’s most relevant impacts, as defined by key stakeholders and Beckers itself. The aim was to ensure that our material topics remain aligned with the priorities of our stakeholders and also with the new 2021 sustainability standards set by the independent standards organization GRI. In August and September 2022, we conducted a formal stakeholder survey to integrate their views on the topics of greatest importance to them. A total of 483 representatives of our stakeholder groups replied, including customers, employees, community representatives, suppliers and representatives of our owner, Lindéngruppen.
“Our stakeholders are crucial for our sustainability engagement. We used the recent stakeholder survey to benchmark our material topics and ensure our alignment with their priorities.”
Beckers today maintains a well-established dialogue with internal stakeholders – employees at all levels of our business and our owner. Every second year, we conduct a global employee survey to collect insights from our employees about their well-being and working conditions. As part of our strategic business development, we hold regular meetings with Lindéngruppen and an annual conference to discuss the sustainability agenda. Our ➜ Stream Teams channel sustainability topics to every level of the company. Through ➜ internal communication we ensure exchange with all employees on sustainability.
As a company with production sites on five continents and a diverse supplier landscape, we are aware of our impact on the local communities that host us and, on the people employed by the companies we do business with. We take very seriously our responsibility to foster good relations and ensure good working conditions along the value chain of our business. We are also aware of the environmental impact of our raw materials sourcing and production processes. We clearly communicate our goals through our ➜ Supplier Code of Conduct and expect our suppliers to reduce their impact. We evaluate their progress towards these expectations through tools provided by ➜ EcoVadis, the business-sustainability service provider.
With an eye on commitments, especially to the most vulnerable group of our external stakeholders, we started a new collaboration with ➜ “Save the Children” in 2022, reviewing our policies on and commitment to all aspects of children’s rights at Beckers.
Our customers are one of our most important external stakeholder groups. Their ecological footprint is also our footprint. The more sustainable solutions we can provide them, the more sustainable our business becomes. This requires a comprehensive understanding of the market, including how our customers use our products and what their specific needs might be. Our sales staff are vital for this as they have a close and well-established relationship with our customers. We also solicit customer feedback through local surveys. Trade associations such as the European Coil Coating Association (ECCA), the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink, and Artist’s Colours Industry (CEPE) and the National Coil Coatings Association (NCCA) provide us with industry insights. And local authorities hear from us annually as part of our reporting requirements.
This overview shows how we pursue our material topics through a strong interaction with our various stakeholder groups. At the same time, engagement across multiple channels reaches far beyond material topics wherever necessary.
Stakeholder
Key issues
Engagement channels
Internal
Employees
We aim to be a top employer and offer our employees valuable opportunities to grow personally and professionally.
Owner
We are 100% owned by Lindéngruppen.
External
Customers
Customers (B2B)
We need a comprehensive understanding of the market, how customers use our products and their individual needs. Customer focus means we serve our customers by creating value through sustainable solutions that encompass both products and services.
Specifiers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
We benefit from a constructive exchange about needs and expectations with profilers, architects, contractors and specifiers, and OEMs.
Supply chain
Suppliers
We rely on the products and services provided by our crucial partners. We cooperate for better synergies.
The world around us
Children & Youth
We agreed to focus on this one global common cause and are now selecting NGOs, charities and partners to work with.
NGOs and science (universities and research institutions)
We are focusing on technology scouting, i.e., looking outside the company and the traditional supplier base for emerging new technologies.
Trade associations
We value the exchange with other actors in the industry about political and economic developments.
Legislators/ government/ regulatory/ local authorities
We take our responsibilities as a responsible corporate citizen seriously. We comply with or exceed all applicable regulations in the countries in which we operate. We aim to positively contribute in our communities.
