Organization

Efficient sustainability management requires clear structures and a consistent integration of the sustainability strategy in our company’s organization. Here we have taken another important step at Siemens with the appointment of Managing Board member Barbara Kux as Chief Sustainability Officer. The Sustainability Office ensures that our sustainability activities are closely interconnected with the operating units. In addition, we have bundled and realigned the areas of environmental protection, health management and safety at the Managing Board level under Chief Human Resources Officer, Siegfried Russwurm.

In the future, we intend to make more vigorous use of the opportunities that sustainable management offers our company to expand our business activities. To achieve this, we have adapted our organizational structure to the new requirements.

Siemens Sustainability Board

The Sustainability Board, chaired by Barbara Kux, is the central steering committee for sustainability at Siemens. The members of the Sustainability Board decide on the ongoing development of our sustainability strategy and adopt the appropriate measures and initiatives. They also coordinate the company's sustainability activities across Sectors and functions, and promote the implementation of these activities in their own specialist functions.

The Sustainability Board includes one Division CEO from each of our three Sectors: Industry, Energy and Healthcare. In addition, the heads of all corporate departments responsible for sustainability-relevant themes – Corporate Legal and Compliance (represented by Managing Board member Peter Y. Solmssen); Corporate Development Strategy; Corporate Technology; Environmental Protection, Health Management, Safety; Corporate Communications and Government Affairs; and Corporate Human Resources – are also on the Board.

Sustainability Office

The Sustainability Office develops the Siemens sustainability strategy and corresponding programs under the direction of the Chief Sustainability Officer. It also advises the Managing Board and Sustainability Board regarding sustainability issues, and is responsible for implementing strategies and coordinating company-wide programs and measures. This is done in close contact and communication with the managers responsible for the individual corporate functions, Sectors, Divisions and Regional Companies. The key performance indicators are determined and defined in a collaborative effort.

The Sustainability Office systematically monitors whether and to what extent the goals formulated in the Sustainability Program are being attained. Its duties also include coordinating the Sustainability Report, containing information relevant to all stakeholder groups. In an ongoing dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, the Sustainability Office ascertains their expectations of the company, evaluates them and incorporates them in the development of the strategy (see Materiality portfolio). The Sustainability Board and Sustainability Office are supported by the newly established Siemens Sustainability Advisory Board.

Siemens Sustainability Advisory Board

As part of our efforts to promote an ongoing dialogue with experts throughout the world, we’ve established a new body called the Siemens Sustainability Board. Composed of ten leading figures in science and industry from a range of disciplines and different parts of the world, the Board was formed with the goal of helping Siemens become a leader in sustainability.

The complementary backgrounds of Board members from the scientific community, such as Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute of Columbia University, and from the business community, such as Jamshed Irani, member of the Board of Directors of Tata Sons, make possible valuable interaction from various external perspectives. In addition to the professional exchanges, Board Meetings are held at least four times a year to focus on concrete initiatives. Among its activities, the Board accompanies and drives selected lighthouse solutions in various business fields that have a clear focus on innovative sustainable solutions.

Through these professional exchanges and concrete initiatives, the Board makes valuable contributions to the further development of our company’s Sustainability Program.

EHS organization

In August 2009, Siemens consolidated company-wide EHS governance into the Environmental Protection, Health Management and Safety department. At the Managing Board level, these combined EHS issues are handled by Siegfried Russwurm, our Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director.

Now that these function are consolidated under one roof, the wide-ranging technical expertise available worldwide can be bundled and synergies better exploited. Our goal is to develop and implement a single company-wide, transparent and integrated EHS management system (see also Environmental protection, Product responsibility and Occupational health and safety management).

Important steps taken toward this goal:

In February 2009, we created the position of Medical Director to reflect the high value placed on health management in our company.
In the fall of 2009, we published the EHS Principles, revised in the year under review, that provide a uniform, binding framework for the EHS management approach and the EHS organization at Siemens worldwide. On the basis of these principles, the EHS program under development will include clearly defined projects over a fixed time period. Its implementation will be binding for Divisions and Regional Companies worldwide.

The benefits for us are obvious: Sustainable production and ecofriendly product designs to protect the air, soil, water and climate are just as rewarding for the company's future as safe working conditions and concern for the health and well-being of our employees.