Topics of material importance

GF’s last re-evaluation of the topics of material importance for its operations was in 2019, near the closing of the strategic cycle 2016–2020 and in preparation for the Sustainability Framework 2025. This evaluation resulted in a materiality matrix, which the Executive Committee approved in early 2020. The identified material topics informed the company’s discussions throughout 2020 and defined reference points for its Sustainability Framework 2025.

The re-evaluation had several stages. GF conducted around 30 interviews with key internal and external stakeholders to help identify the material topics. The group of interviewees was diverse in terms of professional experience, origin, country of residence, age and gender. GF also obtained input from key customers, suppliers, investors, its Executive Management, representatives from senior management, and employees from different regions.

In close collaboration with the divisional sustainability teams, the Corporate Sustainability Team then collated and summarized the feedback from the interviews. It also conducted a qualitative impact analysis along GF’s value chain to rank the topics’ relevance for sustainable development. These findings flowed into the resulting materiality matrix. The matrix was then again reviewed and fine-tuned with support from a third-party sustainability communications agency.

Details of each category in the matrix and the reasoning behind their position on the graph are described below (see graphic and tables below).

According to the requirements of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), GF reports on all material topics identified by its stakeholders in its Sustainability Report. Information on measures and progress made can be found in the chapter Progress on Sustainability.