Since our company was founded in 1990, our work has focused on the development and marketing of environmentally-friendly technologies. Ecologically and economically optimised products from BWT offer the most modern and environmentally friendly technologies that economise on water, materials and energy, and ensure safe, hygienic contact with water, the elixir of life. We are the market leaders in Europe in our sector, water technology.
By concentrating on Point of Entry and Point of Use applications in water purification, on service, and to some extent also on acquisitions, the BWT Group has undergone thorough change in recent years. We have entered and captured new markets in a geographical and product sense, and attained strategic options. Our vision and goal is to become the world’s leading provider of water technology.
Convinced of our market opportunities, we regard growth and innovation as important parts of our strategy which we intend to pursue with our own strength and out of our own cash resources in the long term. The letters BWT represent the goal, task and solution of our global challenge – water treatment with responsibility. On the path to this goal we have anchored our mission in our company concept which extols our company and brand values. This is backed up by the BWT Code of Conduct, which reflects the ethical values of our business and serves as a guiding light for our employees in their daily work. Further important voluntary and statutory regulations are the BWT Compliance Guidelines and the Corporate Governance Regulations.
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The meaning of CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR“, also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business and corporate social opportunity) is the voluntary contribution of businesses for a sustainable development. According to the European Commission CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. To mark the World Economic Forum on 31st January 1999, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan invited business executives to take part in the international “Global Compact” initiative. The vision of Global Compact is a more sustainable and fairer world economy, in order to improve the standards of living of people all over the world. The members commit themselves to aligning their business and strategies with ten Global Compact principles in areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. BWT has undertaken measures in all areas of the ten principles for the purpose of their implementation, and has also included them in its Code of Conduct.
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Our CSR strategy and organisational framework
In terms of organization, BWT has set itself the goal of making CSR an integral management function, for which the managements of the Group companies in the particular functional responsibilities and the Management Board are chiefly responsible. The leading body of CSR is the Investor Relations Department, responsible for the development of a CSR mechanism, CSR Controlling, and for conveying proposals to the management. The internationally recognised GRI template serves as the reporting standard, which has been incorporated in the present Reporting and Controlling Management System. Current certificates, standards and management systems (eg ISO 9001, ISO 14001, SA 8000) are major points of reference. Further measures include the further development of the CSR indicator system, regular dialogue with stakeholders and a definition of CSR area objectives.
Our compliance system ensures that there is an organisational framework for the realisation of current statutory regulations and our voluntary Group guidelines. The purpose of this is not just to avoid risks (product liability, penalties and fines), but also create a positive public image for the Company and its employees. At top level, i.e. in the Management Board, Compliance is in the hands of Gerhard Speigner (CFO), as Compliance Officer. He heads the Compliance organisation, including Compliance officers in the holding company and in the concern itself.
Our stakeholders
Our most important stakeholders are: Customers (including partners such as wholesalers, installers, planners and architects), employees, suppliers (market partners), the environment, society (authorities, associations etc.) and capital providers such as investor and banks. The following diagram shows the companies included in stakeholder dialogue, together with their dimensions:
| Finance |
Capital providers
(Investors, Banks) |
2 major shareholders, 54 % free float,
50 larger corporate investors, thousands of
retailer investors, banks; total € 12.8 million
dividends, share buy-back, interest. |
| Personnel |
Employees |
2,820 employees at over 40 locations,
98 % in Europe, € 151.7 million in personnel
expenditures. |
| Research & Development |
Environment
(Product effects) |
Economically and environmentally optimized
Water treatment products and processes, R&D
expenditures € 10.9 million. |
| Purchasing |
Market partners
(Suppliers) |
Purchasing volume: € 271.4 million, several
thousand suppliers. |
| Production |
Environment |
4 chief production sites: Mondsee (A),
Schriesheim (D), Paris (F), Aesch, (CH);
vehicles; investments: € 15.4 million. |
| Marketing & Service |
Customers and
distribution partners |
Sales: € 460.7 million with wholesale, retail
customers, planners, architects, businesses and
municipalities. |