Environmental Strategy and Management Systems

In order to further structure and enforce its efforts in the area of environmental management, NORMA Group developed a comprehensive environmental strategy in 2018. In developing the strategy, 2018’s Stakeholder Roundtable was an important milestone, as it helped to validate the Company’s approach and provide new ideas that were subsequently integrated.

The basis of the strategy form the material topics that were identified in the materiality analysis: climate, water and waste management. STAKEHOLDERS AND MATERIALITY The strategy clusters each of these topics into three ­levels (see Graphic G012: ‘Environmental strategy’). At the core is the management within NORMA Group’s own operations. The second level targets impact assessments along the value chain, followed by the outer level of pilot projects. This three-level approach allows the Company to focus on those operations that lie in its direct sphere of influence while not neglecting impacts that arise in its supply chain or during the products’ use phase. The environmental strategy is framed by communication measures and the further development of due diligence and risk management approaches.

The targets set in the environmental strategy have been integrated into the CR Roadmap. CR TARGETS Detailed approaches to the three different topics will be explained in the following chapters. Other environmental topics, such as biodiversity were considered to be less relevant for NORMA Group. As a result, they are not the focus of NORMA Group’s activities.

The increasing importance of environmental management in production processes is reflected in the increasing scarcity of resources, stricter regulatory requirements and the expectations of customers, capital markets and society towards the Company. If not managed systematically and implemented throughout the entire Group, these trends might translate into risks for the Company.

In order to confront these risks, NORMA Group has set itself the goal that all manufacturing sites that have been integrated into NORMA Group for more than 12 months should be certified according to the international standard ISO 14001. As of December 31, 2021, 92.6 % (25 of 27) of these manufacturing sites were certified according to ISO 14001. The two locations missing are a manufacturing site of the subsidiary NDS in the United States and the subsidiary Connectors in Switzerland. The principles laid down in NORMA Group’s global environmental policy form the basis for management in accordance with ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.

Responsibility for the environmental management systems and the associated topics regarding climate, water and waste at NORMA Group’s manufacturing locations lies with the department for EHS department, which is staffed with qualified personnel at all production sites. On the global level, EHS management reports to the Management Board member that is responsible for operations. Corporate Governance report

This structure allows for developing and implementing specific measures in accordance with local environmental challenges on the one hand and site-­specific production processes on the other. To ensure compliance with ISO 14001 standards, sites are audited regularly by external specialists. Progress on the achievement of targets in the areas of climate, water and waste is evaluated in regular management reviews on a local level and through the reporting of aggregated data to the Management Board on a global level.

Along the supply chain, similar environmental risks as for NORMA Group itself exist because the majority of suppliers also come from the manufacturing industry. Assessment and verification of these potential sustainability and financial risks are the responsibilities of the purchasing department. SUSTAINABILITY IN PURCHASING and supplier management