Stakeholder engagement
Understanding the needs and concerns of our stakeholders informs our approach to sustainability and our future activity. Since 2007, we have engaged with stakeholders to understand their expectations and their perceptions of our sustainable development performance. Dialogue maintains trust, gains support for our activities and occasionally reconciles differing interests. It also helps us focus on areas for improvement so that we can take corrective action. We define stakeholders as internal and external interest groups who have a significant impact on our business or who are significantly affected by our operations.
We continue to engage with our investors and employees and with policymakers, NGOs, the communities in which we operate and other companies. Stakeholders are identified by reference to their expertise in issues material to us, their influence and their willingness to collaborate. In 2021, we commissioned an external consultancy to conduct two separate engagement exercises:
- To gather targeted feedback on the refreshed SwireTHRIVE 2.0 strategy, we engaged 15 experts from academia, financial institutions, peer companies and civil society through focus group discussion and one-on-one interviews
- To identify material issues to be covered in this report, we conducted four focus groups and three interviews with 12 internal stakeholders (members of management, Board directors) and 13 external stakeholders (academia, civil society representatives, investors, peer companies). The table shows main stakeholder types, mode of engagement and the main topics of interest to them.
Board members
Senior leadership
NGOs and activists
Investors
Peer companies and competitors
Industry associations and chambers of commerce
We continue to engage with our investors and employees and with policymakers, NGOs, the communities in which we operate and other companies. We do this to understand how our operations impact on society and environment, and to foster communication and collaboration to address challenges.
Our operating companies engage their stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of solutions to shared challenges. Through Swire Coc-Cola’s active involvement in multi-stakeholder initiatives including Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, The Coca-Cola Company’s World Without Waste goals and local initiatives such as Drink Without Waste in Hong Kong, it is supporting transition to a circular system that minimises waste generation and associated carbon emissions reduction
Swire Properties’ Green Performance Pledge (GPP) is centred around a performance-based agreement to deepen landlord-tenant partnerships from fit out through operation. Its Green Kitchen Initiative provides a platform for portfolio management teams and tenants to have sustainability conversations before fit-out. It also engages tenants to offer free energy audits to help them identify energy-saving opportunities.
HAECO works with local partners where it operates to achieve common goals. This includes supporting the Hong Kong Airport Authority’s 2050 Net Zero Carbon Pledge and working with suppliers in pursuit of a low impact and highly sustainable supply chain.
Feedback we receive from stakeholders informs our approach to sustainable development strategy development, our policies, practices, and target setting. In our most recent engagement activities, both internal and external stakeholders highlighted how the changing external environment from the global pandemic and geopolitical tensions has posed extra challenges for Swire Pacific on social issues, including traditionally well-managed issues. This is true of issues related to employees, the governance of social issues, and community.
Stakeholders considered Talent Recruitment and Retention, Employee Wellbeing, and Workplace Health and Safety Related to be topics requiring strong management practices. Read about our management of these topics in People and Talent Management.
Governance of social issues included the topics of Human Rights Governance, and Labour Practices and Child Labour and Forced Labour. Read about our management of these topics in Supply Chain.
Community topics raised by our stakeholders included Local Development and Income Inequality. Read about our management of these topics in Communities.