HOW WE APPROACH
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is and always has been an essential part of our identity. Long before regulations defined a framework, goetzpartners has taken steps to sustain our employees, clients, environment, and society. Our formal Corporate Social Responsibility program was launched in 2014 with volunteering projects in Germany, followed by pro-bono projects and financial support from the "goetzpartners Foundation". The program has always been organized around four pillars: People, Projects, Planet and Philanthropy. Today, these same four areas still guide our actions.
This Sustainability Report sheds a light on where goetzpartners stands in terms of sustainability and what we strive to achieve in the future. Although we previously detailed our efforts in a CSR report published in 2019, this is the first time we are disclosing non-financial information in accordance with the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). This report also informs stakeholders about our material topics, our actions to address these key sustainability issues, and our goals along the way.
PEOPLE
We understand the responsibility that we bear for our employees. We treat our people fairlyand pay competitive salaries while helping them grow with training, feedback, and mentorship. And we foster diversity and treat everybody with respect.
EXAMPLE INITIATIVES:
- Great Place to Work®: 90% of respondents agreed that we are a very attractive employer.
- Benefit program: We have revised our benefits and e.g. subsidize the company pension fund.
- Multi-career-path program: Our employees can explore goetzpartners and its powerful ecosystem, e.g. other units, offices or investment firms, in multiple ways.
PROJECT
A Project Evaluation Board selects our clients and projects based on standards contained in our Code of Conduct and Ethics. We also undertake projects thoughtfully and respectfully, with full awareness of their consequences for our clients, their employees, and society at large.
EXAMPLE AWARDS:
- "Best of consulting" award (WirtschaftsWoche) : 2nd place within the ‘organization’ category
- "Best advisors 2022" (brandeins & statista) : on the best list for ‘strategy development’, ‘M&A’, and ‘finance and risk management’
- Featured in “World’s Best Management Consulting Firms 2022” ranking (Forbes magazine & statista)
PLANET
In light of our responsibility to our planet and future generations, we strive to do our best for the environment and climate. We try to minimize business travel and choose environmentally friendly options wherever viable. goetzpartners has also introduced a new way of working policy called Flexible Hybrid Work that allows people to work from home (projects permitting) to reduce the number of commutes. What’s more, we endeavor to reduce emissions from our offices and will switch to green power in our offices where practicable.
EXAMPLE INITIATIVES:
- Certified carbon neutral company since 2021 (Climate Partner)
- 63% of eligible employees do not have a company vehicle
- 41% of company vehicles are electric or hybrid, with this percentage steadily rising
- Switch to 100% green electricity where possible by end of 2022
PHILANTROPY
We support numerous non-profit organizations by volunteering our time, talents, and financial resources. Our involvement here focuses on young people and integration projects. Along with undertaking pro-bono consulting projects and supporting social sabbaticals, we also offer funding through the goetzpartners Foundation. This helps us build long-term relationships with our partners to provide them with the reliable and wide-ranging support they need.
- goetzpartners donated EUR 40,000 to social initiatives in 2021.
- We supported 16 volunteering and 8 pro-bono projects in 2021.
- "Missed Opportunities" study published, outlining how DAX40 companies employ corporate citizenship to improve sustainability.
goetzpartners has reinforced its commitment to responsible corporate action by becoming a member of the UN Global Compact. We support the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and want to arrange our sustainability strategy around this blueprint for a better and more sustainable future. Through our four strategic pillars, we believe we can especially contribute to the advancement of these six SDGs:
Sustainability was already part of our DNA when I joined goetzpartners 18 years ago. We are constantly taking steps to advance our formal sustainability program, established in 2014. Improving our clients’ sustainability and our own is one of our biggest missions as consultants in order to help overcome current and future societal challenges.
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Head of ESG Practice,
goetzpartners
