Stakeholder dialogue

GF maintains a continuous dialogue with its internal and external stakeholders, enabling key issues to be proactively recognized and resolved. This exchange is promoted through a range of activities, events, and initiatives.

Employees

GF’s more than 14’118 employees in 34 countries contribute to sustainability in a variety of ways, such as designing social and environmental considerations into products and solutions, conserving natural resources, and embracing safe and healthy work practices.

Customers

GF conducts sustainability workshops with customers in key market segments to jointly develop innovative products, solutions, and services.

GF’s product and solutions specialists cultivate lasting customer loyalty by maintaining close contact with customers. GF participates in trade fairs, organizes in-house and virtual events, and offers customers individually tailored training sessions.

Investors

GF’s CEO and CFO are in regular contact with investors – in person and virtually – at roadshows, events, meetings, and the GF Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. They also maintain an active ESG dialogue with sustainability analysts and stewardship teams.

In 2020, GF intensified its governance dialogue with shareholders and proxy advisors. The Corporation had around 100 meetings with investors representing more than one third of the share capital. The Chairman of the Board led more than 25 virtual and in-person meetings with a focus on ESG matters. The Independent Lead Director, the Chairwoman of the Compensation Committee, and the Head of Investor Relations/Sustainability attended these meetings.

Suppliers

Long-term successful partnerships with GF’s procurement and logistics partners are essential for business continuity. GF places great emphasis on ensuring that they meet its own standards for sustainability and ethics.

GF regards its suppliers as crucial partners in enhancing the environmental efficiency of its production equipment and other aspects of its operations and in minimizing the social and environmental risks along its value chain.

Universities and research institutes

GF maintains close contact with universities and research institutes. Collaboration takes several forms. The Corporation offers internships and junior work opportunities to students at universities and technical institutes. It also partners with academic institutions on specific projects. For example, in 2020, GF entered into an agreement with Oxford Flow, based in Oxford (UK), to develop innovative products and solutions that provide new levels of performance for natural gas transmission, water distribution, and process industries.

Regulators

GF operates in many countries and jurisdictions and complies fully with their respective laws and regulations. To facilitate this, GF is a member of a number of chambers of commerce.

Communities

GF supports and promotes cultural and social programs in the communities where it operates. More generally, it aims to have an overall positive impact on them.

Media and general public

GF regularly publishes media releases on relevant topics and maintains an ongoing exchange of information with journalists. GF supplements media conferences with its active presence in social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Xing.

Industry associations and NGOs

GF is actively involved in a variety of national and international industry associations and trade organizations. Its Clean Water Foundation supports projects focused on improving infrastructure for water filtration and water distribution in rural communities and for hospitals. Water Mission, a non-profit organization in the USA is one of its trusted partners.

The Corporation has endorsed the UN Global Compact’s ten principles for human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption since 2015.

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