UN Global Compact 2023 Communication on Progress

COMMUNICATION ON PROGRESS QUESTIONNAIRE

Governance
Policies and Responsibilities
What is the time period covered by your Communication on Progress? (MM/YYYY) – (MM/YYYY)
01/2022 - 12/2022
G1. Does the board/highest governance body or most senior executive of the company:
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-12, 2-14, 2-22 (2021)
(Multiple choice -Select all that apply)
Issue an annual statement about the relevance of sustainable development to the company
Issue an annual statement that addresses impacts on both people and the environment
Issue an annual statement highlighting a zero tolerance for corruption
Sign off on organizational sustainability targets
Supervise Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting
Regularly review potential risks related to the business model
None of the above
Please provide additional explanation:
G2. Does the company have a publicly stated commitment regarding the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 2-23 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, and the commitment is focused on our own operations
Yes, and the commitment includes our own operations and suppliers
Yes, and the commitment includes our own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships)
Human Rights
Labour Rights/ Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
Code of Conduct, Supplier Code of Conduct, several Factsheets plus a policy statement in accordance with the German Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains

7555en_Factsheet_Nachhaltigkeit-Menschenrechte_A4__070323_interaktiv.pdf
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G3. Does the company have in place a code of conduct regarding each of the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: NASDAQ G6.1; GRI Disclosure 2-23 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)

No, this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, focused on employee conduct
Yes, focused on employees and suppliers
Yes, focused on our own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships)
Human Rights
Labour Rights/ Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
We are currently working on a new Code of Conduct related to company values. We do have a Supplier Code of Conduct with same topics as for employees.
G4. Has the company appointed an individual or group responsible for each of the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 2-13 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No one is specifically responsible for this topic
Yes, with limited influence on outcomes (e.g., limited access to internal information, limited decision-making authority)
Yes, with moderate influence on outcomes (e.g., has access to relevant information, reports to senior manager)
Yes, with direct influence of some outcomes (e.g., has access to relevant information, includes one or more senior manager with decision making rights)
Yes, with direct influence at the highest levels of the organization (e.g., has access to relevant information, includes most senior members of organization)
Human Rights
Labour Rights/Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
G5. Does the company have a formal structure(s) (such as a cross-functional committee) to address each of the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-9, 2-13 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No formal structure
Yes, and with limited influence on outcomes (e.g., limited access to internal information necessary to understand risks, poor representation from relevant departments or functions)
Yes, with moderate influence on outcomes (e.g., it includes representatives of some functions, departments, or business units most relevant for addressing the risks concerned, has access to relevant information, reports to senior manager)
Yes, with direct influence on some outcomes (e.g., it includes representatives of functions, departments, or business units most relevant for addressing the risks concerned, has access to relevant information, it involves one or more members of senior management)
Yes, and with direct influence at the highest level of the organization (e.g., full access to relevant information, it involves members at highest level of organization)
Human Rights
Labour Rights/Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
Prevention
G6. Does the company have a process or processes to assess risk?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 205-1 (2016)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, related to our own operations
Yes, related to our own operations and suppliers [Prompts G6.1]
Yes, related to our own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships) [Prompts G6.1]
Human rights risks
Labour rights risks
Environmental risks
Corruption risks
Please provide additional explanation:
G6.1 During the assessment of risk, has your company reviewed those suppliers and/or other business relationships where the risk related to human rights, labour, environment and/or anti-corruption may be particularly severe?
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No
Yes
Human rights risks
Labour rights risks
Environmental risks
Corruption risks
Please provide additional explanation:
G7. Does the company have a due diligence process through which it identifies, prevents, mitigates, and accounts for actual and potential negative impacts on sustainability topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-12, 2-23-a-ii, 3-1, 3-3-d (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, related to our own operations
Yes, related to our own operations and suppliers [Prompts G7.1]
Yes, related to our own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships) [Prompts G7.1]
Human rights risks
Labour rights risks
Environmental risks
Corruption risks
Please provide additional explanation:
G7.1 During the due diligence process, has your company reviewed those suppliers and/or other business relationships where the risk of adverse impacts on human rights, labour, environment and/or anti-corruption may be particularly severe?
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-23-e, 3-1 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No
Yes
Human rights risks
Labour rights risks
Environmental risks
Corruption risks
Please provide additional explanation:
Concerns and Grievance Mechanisms
G8. Are there any processes through which members of the company’s workforce can raise concerns about the company’s conduct related to human rights, labour rights, environment, or anti-corruption?
Linked to: Reporting Guidance on the 10th Principle Against Anti-corruption – B3; GRI Disclosure 2-26 (2021)
(Radial – Select One)
No, this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within two years
Yes, we have an informal process (e.g., through supervisors, others) [Prompts G8.1]
Yes, we have a formal process [Prompts G8.1]
Please provide additional explanation:
We have an internal and external Whistleblower Hotline plus a global compliance organization.
G8.1. Please provide additional detail regarding the process(es) the company has through which members of the company’s workforce can raise concerns about the company’s conduct.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 2-26 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No
Yes
Is the process communicated to all employees/workers in local languages
Is the process available to non-employees (e.g., suppliers, consumers, communities, and other business relationships)
Is the process confidential (e.g., whistleblowing process)
Are there processes in place to avoid retaliation
Can concerns be raised about suppliers or other business relationships (e.g., clients, partners, etc.)
Other
Please provide additional explanation:
We have installed different categories in order to filter the messages and sent them directly to the responsible people, e.g. Human rights issues go directly to the Human Rights Officer.
Lessons
G9. How does the company capture lessons regarding each of the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No lessons are regularly captured
Conducts root cause analyses/investigation of incidents
Conducts root cause analyses/investigation and changes organizational policies, processes, and practices accordingly
Systematically conducts root cause analyses/investigation and leverages learnings to influence both internal and external affairs
Human Rights
Labor Rights/Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
Executive Pay
G10. Is executive pay linked to performance on one or more of the following sustainability topics?
Linked to: CDP W6.4 (2022), CDP F4.3a (2022), CDP C1.3a (2022); Nasdaq G3 2335; GRI Disclosure 2-19 (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, and we have no intention to change for this is not a current priority
No, but we plan to within two years
Yes
Human Rights
Labour Rights/Decent Work
Environment
Anti-Corruption
Please provide additional explanation:
Board Composition
G11. Percentage of individuals within the company’s board/highest governance body by:
Linked to: ISAR D.1.2 (2019), ISAR D.1.3 (2019); GRI Disclosures 2-9 (2021), 405-1 (2016)
(Matrix – Percentage & Radial)
Number (Please input answer as a whole number (e.g., 95% = 95))
Not applicable
Total number of board members (#)
Male (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Female (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Non-binary (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Under 30 years old (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
30-50 years old (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Above 50 years old (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
From minority or vulnerable groups (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Executive (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Independent (%) Note: Please input answer as whole number (e.g., 95% = 95)
Please provide additional explanation:
G12. Do you produce sustainability reporting according to:
Linked to: Nasdaq G9.1
(Select all that apply)
National/local regulation on sustainability
Security exchange regulations
Non-Financial Reporting Directive of the European Union (NFRD)
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB, now consolidated into the IFRS Foundation)
International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC, now consolidated into the IFRS Foundation)
Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB, now consolidated into the IFRS Foundation)
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
Other voluntary frameworks (Please specify in text box) [Makes text box mandatory]
No sustainability reporting according to any frameworks nor regulations outside of this Communication on Progress
Please provide additional explanation:
Data Assurance
G13. Is the information disclosed in this questionnaire assured by a third-party?
Linked to: CDP C10.1 (2022); GRI Disclosure 2-5 (2021)
(Select all that apply)
Limited assurance for minority of metrics (e.g., GHG emissions only)
Limited assurance for majority of metrics
Reasonable assurance for minority of metrics
Reasonable assurance for majority of metrics
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
No assurance for any metrics
Please provide additional explanation:
Human Rights
Materiality (including Saliency)
HR1. Which of the following has the company identified as material human rights topics connected with its operations and/or value chain, whether based on their salience (e.g., the most severe potential negative impacts on people) or another basis?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-2 (2021)
(Select all that apply)
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Child labour
Forced labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Working conditions (wages, working hours) [Prompts additional line ‘Working conditions (wages, working hours)’ in Questions L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L11]
Freedom of expression [Prompts additional line ‘Freedom of expression’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Access to water and sanitation [Prompts additional line ‘Access to water and sanitation’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Digital security/privacy [Prompts additional line ‘Digital security/privacy’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Gender equality and women’s rights [Prompts additional line ‘Gender equality and women's rights’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Rights of indigenous peoples [Prompts additional line ‘Rights of indigenous peoples’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Rights of refugees and migrants [Prompts additional line ‘Rights of refugees and migrants’ in Questions HR2–HR7]
Other [Textbox Mandatory]
No human rights topics have been identified as material
Please provide additional explanation:
Corruption and Environmental harm have been identified as further high risks
Commitment
HR2. Does the company have a policy commitment in relation to the following human rights topics? Matrix will be populated only for the human rights topics selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-23-a-iv, 2-23-b, 3-3-c (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, and we have no plans to develop a policy
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, included within a broader policy or as a stand-alone policy
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Gender equality and women’s rights
Rights of indigenous peoples
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:

Please input the year the relevant human rights policy was last reviewed
Year (YYYY)
Please provide additional explanation:
HR2.1. For each human rights policy commitment, is it:
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 2-23-c, 2-23-d, 2-23-e (2021)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Aligned with international human rights standards
Publicly available
Approved at most senior level of the company
Applied to the company’s own operations
Applied to the company’s own operations and suppliers
Applied to the company’s own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships)
Developed involving human rights expertise from inside and outside the company
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Please provide additional explanation:
Prevention
HR3. In the course of the reporting period, has the company engaged with affected stakeholders or their legitimate representatives in relation to the following human rights topics? Matrix will be populated only for the human rights topics selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-1-b, 3-3-f (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No engagement on this topic
To better understand the risks/impacts in question
To discuss potential ways to prevent or mitigate the risks/impacts in question
To agree on a way to prevent/mitigate the risks/impacts in question
To assess progress in preventing/ mitigating the risks/ impacts in question
To collaborate in the prevention/mitigation of the risks/impacts in question
Freedom of expression
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Gender equality and women’s rights
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:
HR4. What type of action has the company taken in the reporting period with the aim of preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with this human rights topic?
Matrix will be populated only for the human rights issues selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Provided internal training/ capacity building for the direct workforce
Built capacity among relevant business relationships (e.g., suppliers, consumers, communities)
Conducted an audit process and/or corrective action plan
Collective Action with peers or other stakeholders, in particular workers’ organizations, to address the issue
Collaborated with governmental or regulatory bodies
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
No action within reporting period
Freedom of expression
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Gender equality and women’s rights
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:
HR5. Who receives training for the following human rights topics? Matrix will be populated only for the human rights topics selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
No training provided
Select employees
All employees
Contractors
Direct suppliers of the organization
Indirect suppliers of the organization
Other – such as partners, clients, etc.
Freedom of expression
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Gender equality and women’s rights
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:
HR6. How does the company assess progress in preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with the following human rights topics? Matrix will be populated only for the human rights issues selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No monitoring of progress
Review topics on ad hoc basis
Set annual targets/goals, track progress over time (internal programmes only)
Set annual targets/goals, track progress over time (internal and external programmes)
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Freedom of expression
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Gender equality and women’s rights
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:
Response and Reporting
HR7. During the reporting period, has the company been involved in providing or enabling remedy if it has caused or contributed to adverse impact associated with the following human rights topic(s)?
Matrix will be populated only for the human rights topics selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d-ii (2021)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No remedy provided/enabled
Yes, remedy provided/enabled
No adverse impact identified or caused
Choose to not disclose
Freedom of expression
Access to water and sanitation
Digital security/privacy
Rights of indigenous peoples
Rights of refugees and migrants
Please provide additional explanation:
HR8. Briefly describe additional relevant practical actions the company has taken during the reporting period and/or plans to take to implement the human rights principles, including goals set and any challenges faced and actions taken towards prevention and/or remediation.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-3-c and 3-3-d (2021)
(Text Box)
We are committed to ensuring that our business activities do not violate, or have any adverse impact on, human rights. We are committed to the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles and thus to protecting human rights and avoiding complicity in human rights abuses. We condemn slavery and all other forms of forced or compulsory labor. We do not use physical violence, mental intimidation or any other form of abuse. In this respect, we follow the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the ILO Core Labor Standards, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In the reporting year, we reviewed the changes in German law, in particular the Supply Chain Act (LkSG), in order to update our standards and prepare for additional requirements. We implemented or enhanced the following steps: We continued to improve our risk management We anchored human rights due diligence in relevant business divisions; we designated or confirmed individuals in charge and refined and supplemented defined processes We appointed a human rights officer We refined risk analyses for suppliers and the WACKER Group; we defined prevention measures and remedy processes in a more binding manner We expanded our existing Supplier Code of Conduct and made it binding We adapted training programs for employees We prepared a Policy Statement We optimized our whistleblower system by tailoring it to internal needs and then introduced it as a digital hotline platform for internal and external contacts Christian Hartel, our president and CEO, is also responsible for sustainability matters, including human rights. He signs our statement on the UK’s Modern Slavery Act, as well as our UN Global Compact Progress Report, and in the future, will sign the yearly report to the relevant German authorities, as required by the Supply Chain Act (LkSG). The human rights officer monitors risk management and is largely responsible for preparing and improving our human rights strategy, Policy Statement and reporting. Whenever a risk is detected, contact is immediately made with the officer, who then consults with affected departments and recommends corrective measures. The human rights officer reports directly to the president and CEO and presents a report on their activities once a year and as needed. The officer convenes the WACKER Human Rights Committee and nominates its members. This committee assists the officer in analyzing potential impacts on human rights at WACKER and throughout the supply chain. It is also responsible for checking existing management approaches in terms of mechanisms that fulfill a protective and monitoring function, as well as for identifying weak points and meeting the need for information. Experts in sustainable development, compliance, law, human resources, procurement, logistics, sales, and human rights meet in this committee at least four times a year. They review the results of audits and assessments and, where necessary, take action to make improvements. No direct violations of human rights became known during the reporting period. With the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative, we commit our supply chain to human rights aspects and provide training through the TfS Academy.
Labour
Commitment
L1. Does the company have a policy commitment in relation to the following labour rights principles? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-c (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)

No, and we have no plans to develop a policy
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, included within a broader policy or as a stand-alone policy [Prompts L1.1]
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:

7555_EN_Menschenrechte_2023.pdf
Download
Please input the year the relevant labour rights policy was last reviewed
Year (YYYY)
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
Furthermore, we will elaborate our new Code of Conduct in 2023 with more focus on all mentioned topics.
L1.1. For each labour rights policy, is it:
Linked to: ILO C155 - Occupational Safety and Health Convention 1981 (No. 155); GRI Disclosures 2-23-c, 2-23-d, 2-23-e (2021)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Aligned with international labour standards
Publicly available
Approved at most senior level of the company
Applied to the company’s own operations
Applied to the company’s own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships)
Developed in consultation with workers and their representatives
Developed involving labour rights expertise from inside and outside the company
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
L1.2. Does the existing company’s policy on freedom of association and collective bargaining:
Linked to: ILO C155 - Occupational Safety and Health Convention 1981 (No. 155); GRI Disclosures 2-23-c, 2-23-d, 2-23-e (2021)
(Multiple choice – Select all that apply)
Reference the respect for the right of all workers to form and join a trade union of their choice without fear of intimidation or reprisal and protect workers against acts of antiunion discrimination
Prohibit any acts of interference in trade unions
Facilitate the collective bargaining with the trade union representatives
Provide trade union representatives with information required for meaningful bargaining in the context of bona fide negotiations
Reference the respect for the right of workers to submit grievances without suffering
We do have a policy on freedom of association and collective bargaining, but it does not include any of these details
We do not have a policy on freedom of association and collective bargaining
Please provide additional explanation:
Our employees in Germany make use of their option to unionize. Every WACKER site in Germany has employee representation. WACKER actively nurtures constructive collaboration. In the interests of the company’s employees, relations between management and employee representatives are close and constructive. Innovative company agreements are one result of this dialogue. WACKER employees abroad are free to unionize as well. At non-German sites where there is no (statutory or voluntary) employee representation, the HR department is the contact for employee interests. As scheduled, employee representatives were elected at the German sites during the reporting year. There are employee representatives at all German sites of Wacker Chemie AG. We do not collect information on individual employees’ membership in collective bargaining organizations.
Prevention
L2. In the course of the reporting period, has the company engaged with affected stakeholders or their legitimate representatives in relation to the following labour rights topics? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-1-b and 3-3-f (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No engagement on this topic
To better understand the risks/impacts in question
To discuss potential ways to prevent or mitigate the risks/ impacts in question
To agree on a way to prevent/mitigate the risks/impacts in question
To assess progress in preventing/ mitigating the risks/ impacts in question
To collaborate in the prevention/ mitigation of the risks/ impacts in question
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced Labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
L3. What type of action has the company taken in the reporting period with the aim of preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with this labour rights topic? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Provided internal training/ capacity building for the direct workforce
Built capacity among relevant business relationships (e.g., suppliers, consumers, communities)
Conducted an audit process and/or corrective action plan
Collective Action with peers or other stakeholders, in particular workers’ organizations, to address the issue
Collaborated with governmental or regulatory bodies
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
No action within reporting period
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
L4. Who receives training for the following labour rights topics? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
No training provided
Select employees
All employees
Contractors
Direct suppliers of the organization
Indirect suppliers of the organization
Other – such as partners, clients, etc.
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
L5. How does the company assess progress in preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with the following labour rights topics? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No monitoring on progress
Review topics on ad hoc basis
Set annual targets/goals, track progress over time (internal programmes only)
Set annual targets/goals, track progress over time (internal and external programmes)
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
Performance
L6. Do(es) the existing collective bargaining agreement(s) provide(s) more favourable rights than those provided in legislation, where appropriate?
(Select all that apply)
Yes, by providing more favourable conditions related to wages
Yes, by providing more favourable conditions related to working hours
Yes, by providing more favourable conditions related to health coverage and/or sick leave
Yes, by providing additional rights not otherwise provided (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
There is (are) no existing collective bargaining agreement(s)
No
Please provide additional explanation:
L7. In the course of the reporting period, what was the percentage of women in managerial positions? (%)
Linked to: ISAR C.1.1
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Percent women (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Managerial position
Please provide additional explanation:
In the reporting year, we set new diversity targets for promoting women and internationality in management: By the year 2030, roughly one-third of management positions in the WACKER Group should be held by women. WACKER is planning to place around every second regional management position outside Germany by 2030.
L8. What was the average ratio of the basic salary and remuneration of women to men (comparing jobs of equal value) during the reporting period?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 405-2 (2016)
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Salary ratio (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Choose to not disclose
Women/Men(%)
Please provide additional explanation:
The applicable collective agreements provide for gender-neutral grouping and remuneration regulations. For non-tariff employees, gender-neutral regulations based on function-related principles have been agreed with the employee representatives. Our Human Resource Department regularly carries out pay analyses to check and document the implementation of and compliance with the agreed rules. This means that the following applies: Whether in the collective bargaining sector, among non-tariff employees or in the group of senior executives: Regardless of gender, the same criteria are used as a basis for determining pay. Current statistical analyses confirm that women and men at WACKER are on an equal footing in terms of pay and that no discrimination against one gender can be identified.
L9. In the course of the reporting period, how frequently were workers injured (injuries per hour worked)?
Linked to: ISAR C.3.2; GRI Disclosure 403-9 (2018)
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Frequency of injury (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Choose to not disclose
Frequency of injury
Please provide additional explanation:
The Group’s accident rate improved slightly in the reporting year, with 3.5 workplace accidents per million hours worked, compared with 3.6 in the previous year. The relative improvement in Europe’s regional accident rate was almost canceled out by an opposing trend in Asia and the Americas. However, our Asian sites continued to report substantially fewer workplace accidents than our sites in Europe and the USA. To lower the accident rate in Europe, we started a safety initiative at our Burghausen and Nünchritz sites involving action days, inspection tours, checklists and a competition of ideas; other German sites joined the initiative in the first quarter of 2023. Very few accidents at WACKER involve chemicals. The most common causes are tripping, slipping, falling and lack of care when performing manual activities. We are never satisfied with our accident rate, and we regularly update our workplace safety initiatives. We raise awareness of employees to help them identify and avoid unsafe behavior through our WACKER Safety Plus (WSP) program, in which we build on elements of successful safety strategies at sites with particularly low accident rates – such as safety patrols, emergency drills and holding discussions with the workforce.
L10. In the course of the reporting period, what was the company’s incident rate (injuries per worker)?
Linked to: ISAR C.3.2; GRI Disclosure 403-9 (2018)
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Incident rate (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Choose to not disclose [Makes text box mandatory]
Incident rate
Please provide additional explanation:
The Environment- and safety-related incidents per 1 million hours worked was 1.5 for the WACKER Group, compared t 1.7 in 2021. Compare: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/plant-and-transport-safety.html?search-highlight=1%20Incidents%20incidents%20Incident%20per
Response and Reporting
L11. In the course of the reporting period, has the company been involved in providing or enabling remedy if it has caused or contributed to the adverse impact associated with the following labour rights topics? For the user, the “Working conditions (wages, working hours)” option would be visible only if selected in HR1.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-3-c and 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No remedy provided/enabled
Yes, remedy provided/enabled
No adverse impact identified or caused
Choose to not disclose [Makes text box mandatory]
Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining
Forced labour
Child labour
Non-discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
Safe and healthy working environment
Please provide additional explanation:
In the reporting year, a fatal workplace accident occurred at our Amtala site in India due to an insufficiently secured, temporary hole in the floor of a construction site. As an immediate response, it was decided, among other things, that construction-site areas would be rigorously cordoned off, more detailed assessments performed of the dangers involved in similar work and employees given specific refresher training courses. Alongside these measures, the site launched a safety initiative that focuses on the reporting of near-misses and safety-critical situations. In addition, external and internal safety audits were conducted and action points to raise safety standards were prepared and implemented. Violations of safety regulations will be punished severely.
L12. Briefly describe additional relevant practical actions the company has taken during the reporting period and/or plans to take to implement the labour principles, including goals set and any challenges faced and actions taken towards prevention and/or remediation.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-3-c and 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 407 (2016), GRI 409 (2016), GRI 408 (2016), GRI 406 (2016), GRI 403 (2018)
(Text Box)
In the reporting year, we reviewed the changes in German law, in particular the Supply Chain Act (LkSG), in order to update our standards and prepare for additional requirements. We implemented or enhanced the following steps: We continued to improve our risk management We anchored human rights due diligence in relevant business divisions; we designated or confirmed individuals in charge and refined and supplemented defined processes We appointed a human rights officer We refined risk analyses for suppliers and the WACKER Group; we defined prevention measures and remedy processes in a more binding manner We expanded our existing Supplier Code of Conduct and made it binding We adapted training programs for employees We prepared a Policy Statement We optimized our whistleblower system by tailoring it to internal needs and then introduced it as a digital hotline platform for internal and external contacts
Environment
Commitment
E1. Does the company have a policy commitment on the following environmental topics?
Linked to: CDP C4.1 (2022), CDP F6.1 (2022), CDP W6.1 (2022); GRI Disclosure 3-3-c (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020),GRI 302 (2016)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
No, and we have no plans to develop a policy
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes, included within a broader policy or as a stand-alone policy [Prompts E1.1]
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
WACKER’s Sustainability Targets Global warming due to rising greenhouse gas emissions is a socially and economically relevant environmental factor. We want to be at the vanguard in the fight against climate change and reduce both our own emissions as a company and those of our products. That is why we have set sustainability targets, with the aim of achieving net zero by 2045. The goals we have set are ambitious. For example, by 2030, WACKER intends to cut its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent relative to 2020. WACKER is striving to ensure that its entire product portfolio meets defined sustainability criteria by 2030. We also expect all our key suppliers to meet defined sustainability standards by 2030. During the same period, we aim to reduce by 25 percent the emissions from the upstream products we use. In addition, WACKER has set new targets for specific water withdrawal and specific energy consumption, striving to achieve a reduction of 15 percent in both by 2030. The targets to cut greenhouse gases are validated science-based targets, meaning they are consistent with the “1.5 °C” target of the Paris Agreement. In addition, we have set ourselves diversity targets. By 2030, we would like women to occupy about one in three management positions and roughly one in two management positions to be located outside of Germany. Safety has top priority at WACKER. Our goal every year is to avoid any chemical accidents with missed workdays or severe plant-safety incidents. See more: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/management/principles-and-goals.html
Please input the year the relevant environment policy was last reviewed
Year (YYYY)
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
E1.1. For each environmental policy commitment, is it:
Linked to: CDP C4.1 (2022), CDP F6.1 (2022), CDP W6.1 2022; GRI Disclosures 2-23-c, 2-23-d, 2-23-e (2021)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Aligned with international environmental standards
Publicly available
Approved at most senior level of the company
Applied to the company’s own operations
Applied to the company’s own operations and the value chain (including suppliers, consumers, communities, other business relationships)
Developed involving environmental expertise from inside and outside the company
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
Our corporate policy guidelines are based on three pillars: our purpose, our goals and strategies, and our ethical principles. These guide our actions and set the standards to which we hold our performance. We pursue strategic planning and value-based management in our development of intelligent solutions for sustainable growth. Sustainability has been firmly entrenched in our business processes for years. At WACKER, we aim to balance economic, ecological and social factors in everything we do. The fact that sustainability appears in two of our five strategic goals underscores its importance. Our corporate management is involved in issues of sustainability, including the managers in charge of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS), Product Safety (PS) and Sustainability. The Executive Board members sit on the Sustainability Council and are kept informed by the Chief Compliance Officer of issues discussed by the Human Rights Committee. With production sites in Europe, the Americas and Asia, WACKER procures goods and services from numerous countries. As a member of both the United Nations Global Compact and the chemical industry’s Responsible Care® initiative, we have long considered it vital that our suppliers fulfill generally accepted sustainability principles. Important aspects include social and ethical standards (especially human rights, working conditions, health and safety standards, responsible management of local resources such as water and energy, and environmental protection). We also expect our suppliers to use a management system that meets the requirements of ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental protection) or those of certifications that exceed these standards, such as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice). These principles are anchored both in our terms and conditions and our Supplier Code of Conduct and, as of the reporting year, must be adhered to along the entire supply chain.
Prevention
E2. In the course of the reporting period, has the company engaged with affected stakeholders or their legitimate representatives in relation to the following environmental topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-1-b and 3-3-f (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)

Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No engagement on this topic
To better understand the risks/impacts in question
To discuss potential ways to prevent or mitigate the risks/ impacts in question
To agree on a way to prevent/mitigate the risks/impacts in question
To assess progress in preventing/ mitigating the risks/ impacts in question
To collaborate in the prevention/ mitigation of the risks/ impacts in question
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
E3. What type of action has the company taken in the reporting period with the aim of preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with these environmental topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-iv (2016)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Provided internal training/ capacity building for the direct workforce
Built capacity among relevant business relationships (e.g., suppliers, consumers, communities)
Conducted an audit process and/or corrective action plan
Collective Action with peers or other stakeholders, in particular workers’ organizations, to address the issue
Collaborated with governmental or regulatory bodies
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
No action within reporting period
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
E4. How does the company assess progress in preventing/mitigating the risks/impacts associated with the following environmental topics?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Please select the company’s highest level of engagement. Options progress from left to right.
No monitoring of progress
Review topics on ad hoc basis
Set annual targets/ goals, track progress over time (internal programmes only) [Prompts E4.1 and E4.2]
Set annual targets/goals, track progress over time (internal and external programmes) [Prompts E4.1 and E4.2]
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
Our ambitious climate change mitigation targets are compatible with the Paris Agreement. Validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), they aim to limit the global rise in temperature to 1.5 °C.
E4.1. For each environmental topic for which the company sets timebound goals/targets, what kind of targets has the company set? Please give a description of targets (e.g., what is the target, absolute vs. intensity, externally verified, on track, etc.)
Linked to: CDP F6.1 (2022); GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Text Box)
Global warming due to rising greenhouse gas emissions is a socially and economically relevant environmental factor. We want to be at the vanguard in the fight against climate change and reduce both our own emissions as a company and those of our products. That is why we have set sustainability targets, with the aim of achieving net zero by 2045. The goals we have set are ambitious. For example, by 2030, WACKER intends to cut its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent relative to 2020. WACKER is striving to ensure that its entire product portfolio meets defined sustainability criteria by 2030. We also expect all our key suppliers to meet defined sustainability standards by 2030. During the same period, we aim to reduce by 25 percent the emissions from the upstream products we use. In addition, WACKER has set new targets for specific water withdrawal and specific energy consumption, striving to achieve a reduction of 15 percent in both by 2030. The targets to cut greenhouse gases are validated science-based targets, meaning they are consistent with the “1.5 °C” target of the Paris Agreement. In addition, we have set ourselves diversity targets. By 2030, we would like women to occupy about one in three management positions and roughly one in two management positions to be located outside of Germany. Safety has top priority at WACKER. Our goal every year is to avoid any chemical accidents with missed workdays or severe plant-safety incidents. SustainaBalance® is WACKER’s holistic sustainability strategy to achieve its medium- and long-term sustainability targets. We promote the balance between ecological, social and economic factors based on three pillars: Value Up, Footprint Down, Collaboration Beyond. SustainaBalance® is directly related to the 17 goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. All targets including progress can be found here: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/management/principles-and-goals.html
E4.2. For each environmental topic in which the company sets timebound goals/targets, how is progress against target/goal tracked?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Matrix – Select all that apply for each line)
Progress is reviewed against goals annually or more frequently
Progress is reported internally to the most senior level
Progress is reported externally
Other (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Climate change
Water
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/management/principles-and-goals.html
E5. In the course of the reporting period, has the company been involved in providing or enabling remedy for any impacts associated with the following environmental topic(s)?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d-ii (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016), and GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Yes, remedy provided/enabled
No remedy provided/enabled
No adverse impact identified or caused
Choose to not disclose
Climate change
Water
Oceans
Forests/biodiversity/land use
Air pollution
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.)
Energy & resource use
Please provide additional explanation:
Climate Action
E6. What were the company’s gross Scope 1 and Scope 2 global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for the reporting period?
Linked to: CDP C6.1 (2022), CDP C6.3 (2022), CDP C6.5 (2022); GRI Disclosures 305-1, 305-2, 305-3 (2016); ISAR B.3.1; ISAR B.3.2
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
Measured Total Emissions (tCO2e)
We did not measure our gross GHG emissions [Please explain in the mandatory text box]
Scope 1 emissions
Scope 2 emissions
Please provide additional explanation:
The Group-wide greenhouse-gas accounting system – the tool we use for recording our greenhouse gas emissions – covers three different areas referred to officially as “scopes”: Scope 1 covers direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources of emissions at WACKER sites worldwide. Examples of these include production facilities and power plants generating electricity and steam, as well as waste disposal systems and emissions from mobile combustion (vehicles). Scope 2 covers indirect greenhouse gas emissions produced by energy suppliers that generate the electricity, steam and heat that WACKER purchases. We report our indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2) in accordance with both the location-based method (using the national energy mix) and the market-based method (using the supplier-specific energy mix). In the table above, you can find the Scope 2 emissions market based. Further data can be found here: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/production/emissions.html
E7. What were the company’s gross Scope 3 global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for the reporting period?
Linked to: CDP C6.1 (2022), CDP C6.3 (2022), CDP C6.5 (2022); GRI Disclosures 305-1, 305-2, 305-3 (2016); ISAR B.3.1; ISAR B.3.2
(Multiple choice– Select one)
We fully measured Scope 3 GHG emissions [Please input the measured tCO2e in the text box below]
We partially measured Scope 3 GHG emissions [Please input the measured tCO2e in the text box below] [Prompts E7.1]
We did not measure Scope 3 GHG emissions
Please provide additional explanation:
Scope 3 includes all greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain that are produced upstream or downstream in relation to WACKER. Examples of such emissions include those created by the production or transportation of raw materials, the generation of fuels or by the disposal of end-of-life products. The GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Protocol divides these emissions into 15 categories, with WACKER reporting on those emissions that are relevant to its operations. In its 2022 annual report, WACKER began publishing Scope 3 data as well. Total Scope 3 emissions: 6621000 Upstream - Category 1 4549000 Upstream - Category 3 407000 other upstream 269000 Downstream 1396000 See: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/production/emissions.html
E7.1. Which Scope 3 categories are included in the organization’s Scope 3 emissions calculation?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 305-3 (2016); CDP C6.5 2022
(Multiple choice – Select all that apply)
Purchased goods and services
Capital goods
Fuel- and energy-related activities
Upstream transportation and distribution
Waste generated in operations
Business travel
Employee commuting
Upstream leased assets
Downstream transportation and distribution
Processing of sold products
Use of sold products
End-of-life treatment of sold products
Downstream leased assets
Franchises
Investments
Other - upstream
Other - downstream
Unknown
Please provide additional explanation:
E8. What percentage of the company’s revenue was invested in R&D of low-carbon products/services during this reporting period?
Linked to: CDP C4.3c (2022), CDP4.2b (2022); (partially linked to) ISAR A.3.3
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Percent of revenue (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
R&D for low-carbon products/services
Please provide additional explanation:
WACKER’s research and development (R&D) activities pursue three goals: We contribute to our customers’ market success by searching for solutions that meet their needs. We optimize our methods and processes in order to be a technology leader and to operate sustainably. We concentrate on creating innovative products and applications for new markets and on serving highly promising fields such as energy storage, renewable energy generation, electromobility, modern construction and biotechnology. WACKER’s R&D ratio – research and development spending as a percentage of Group sales – was 2.2 percent. While that was less than the previous year (2021: 2.6 percent), R&D spending was higher in absolute terms. Compare: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/management-report/research-development.html?search-highlight=Research%20development%20Expenses%20expenses
E9. Has the organization acted to support climate change adaptation and resilience?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 201-2-a-iv (2016)
(Select all that apply)
We have taken action to increase organization-wide resilience to climate change
We have taken action to increase resilience in our supply chains
We have taken action to increase resilience in the communities in which we operate
We have provided funding for climate change adaptation and resilience initiatives and projects
We have not taken actions to build climate change resilience in the reporting period
Unknown
Please provide additional explanation:
Our most important sustainability goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We aim to cut those in half by 2030 – we’re talking about absolute numbers, regardless of how much growth we experience. We are starting with our own products and processes to achieve this target. With our investment budget for sustainable process transformation, we support projects that cut greenhouse gases, other emissions and water consumption, or contribute to a circular economy. In the reporting year, we used this budget to approve projects that aim to achieve annual reductions of more than 100,000 metric tons of CO2. In order to support and further promote our employees’ commitment to sustainable process transformation, we started awarding our annual WACKER Net Zero Award, worth 10,000 euros, in 2022. This is our way of recognizing outstanding projects that significantly reduce our company’s environmental footprint.
Energy/Resource Use
E10. Please report the company’s renewable energy consumption as a percentage of total energy consumption in the reporting period.
Linked to: ISAR B.5.1; GRI Disclosure 302-1 (2016)
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown)
% of total energy consumption (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Renewable energy consumption as % of total energy consumption:
Please provide additional explanation:
At this point, we still rely primarily on natural gas to generate electricity. At Burghausen, our largest site, we produce steam and electricity in a combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The site’s highly efficient, low-emission gas turbine can generate up to 137 megawatts of electricity. Combining this plant with the output of Burghausen’s hydroelectric plant and that of smaller generation facilities, we produced 1,166 GWh of our electricity ourselves in the reporting year (2021: 1,295 GWh), which corresponds to roughly 19 percent of our total electricity demand. With an output of 50 megawatts, our hydropower generator is one of Germany’s biggest industrial hydroelectric power plants. In keeping with its sustainability strategy, and also spurred on by the current gas crisis, WACKER plans to further reduce its energy and gas consumption by pursuing energy-efficiency initiatives (e.g. electrifying steam generation).
Technology
E11. What percent of the company’s revenue came from low-carbon products/services during this reporting period? If applicable, please give a description of the products/services included in your calculation (e.g., relevant certifications)
Linked to: SASB CG-MR-410a.1a; WEF Common Metrics
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Percent of total revenue (%) (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Low-carbon products and services/total revenue for the reporting period
Please provide additional explanation:
Thanks to its diverse array of products, WACKER is helping preserve natural resources and reduce greenhouse gases. We are developing not only modern products for the world of tomorrow, but also pioneering solutions, so that these products make a positive contribution to sustainability throughout the entire life cycle. In this way, we are supporting issues affecting the future of our planet, such as renewable energy sources, the future of construction, digitalization, electromobility, nutrition, health and quality of life. Our products can be found in solar modules, cars and building materials, not to mention a great many everyday objects and consumer goods. Our contribution enables our customers to provide even more sustainable solutions for the end market, thereby jointly advancing the transformation toward a more sustainable economy and society. Transforming the supply chain to create a circular economy will play an increasing role here. We have used the mass balance approach to begin the transformation toward a net zero circular economy. This process allows us to save fossil resources while preserving the quality of our products. Collaboration with customers and business partners is essential to the development of products compatible with the circular economy. A selection of our sustainable products can be found along with additional information in our new online app WACKER City. https://www.wacker.com/cms/en-de/sustainability/sustainable-products/wacker-city.html
Materiality-specific Questions
E12. Which of the following has the company identified as material environmental topics connected with its operations and/or value chain (e.g. the most severe actual or potential negative impacts on people and/or the environment)?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-2 (2021)
(Select all that apply)
Water [Prompts questions E13 and E14]
Forests/biodiversity/land use [Prompts questions E15, E16 and E17]
Air pollution [Prompts questions E18]
Waste (e.g., chemical spills, solid waste, hazardous, plastic, etc.) [Prompts questions E19, E20, E21]
None of these topics have been identified as material by the company
Please provide additional explanation:
Materiality-specific: Water
E13. Please provide details regarding the company’s water withdrawal and consumption (own operations) during the reporting period.
Linked to: ISAR B.1.3; CDP W1.2b (2022), CDP W1.2d (2022); SASB CG-HP-140a.1; GRI Disclosures 303-3, 303-5 (2018)
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Volume of water in megaliters
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Total water withdrawal:
Fresh surface water withdrawal:
Groundwater withdrawal:
Brackish surface water/seawater withdrawal:
Produced water withdrawal:
Third-party water withdrawal:
Percentage of water withdrawn in regions with high or extremely high water stress(%):
Total water consumption:
Fresh surface water consumption:
Brackish surface water/seawater consumption:
Produced water consumption:
Third-party water consumption:
Percentage of water consumed in regions with high or extremely high water stress(%):
Please provide additional explanation:
We do not produce water for water withdrawal. Percentage of water withdrawn in regions with high or extremly higth water stress: 0.06 % , sites rated in WWF Water Risk Filter: Basin Risk / Water Scarcity > 3.4 (CNO, LEN, SAN) Some figures are not collected in such detail yet. Percentage of water consumed in regions with high or extremly higth water stress: 0.02 %, sites rated in WWF Water Risk Filter: Basin Risk / Water Scarcity > 3.4 (CNO, LEN, SAN)
E14. Please provide details about the company’s water intensity of products in regions with high or extremely high water stress.
Linked to: CDP W1.3 (2022); CDP W1.3a (2022 )
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Cubic meter/$ OR cubic meter/product type (Please input a number e.g., 50)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Water intensity of products
Please provide additional explanation:
As last year, we used following definition: Water intensity = (Total water withdrawal [m³] / net production [t]) This totals in a water intensity of 11,4 m³/t We included sites in CNO and LEN according to WWF risk filter. For our site in SAN we do not have data available (no SAP integration yet).
Materiality-specific: Forests, Biodiversity, and Land Use
E15. Please report the number and area (in hectares) of sites owned, leased, or managed by the company in or adjacent to protected areas and/or key biodiversity areas (KBA).
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 304-1 (2016); ISAR B6.1, WEF Common Metrics
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Number
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Sites
Hectares
Please provide additional explanation:
E16. What area (in hectares) of natural ecosystems was converted during the reporting period in areas owned, leased, or managed by the company?
Linked to: CDP F1.3 (2022); GRI Disclosure 304-1 (2016)
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Area (hectares)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Conversion of natural resources
Please provide additional explanation:
E17. Is the company supporting or implementing project(s) focused on ecosystem restoration and protection?
Linked to: CDP F6.11 (2022); GRI Disclosure 304-3 (2016)
(Matrix – Select one option or input a number per line)
No
No, but we plan to within the next 2 years
Yes, Project(s) area to date (hectares)
Forest ecosystem restoration
Other ecosystem restoration
Reforestation
Natural regeneration
Agroforestry
Set-aside land
Biodiversity offsetting
Please provide additional explanation:
Materiality-specific: Air Pollution
E18. Where applicable, please report the company’s emissions of the following pollutants during the reporting period.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 305-7 (2016); ISAR B.1.4
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Emissions (t)
Unknown (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
NOx
SOx
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)
Particulate matter (PM10)
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
Other (Please provide additional information)
Please provide additional explanation:
PM10: 346kg Other emissions are CO. Refer to https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/production/emissions.html
Materiality-specific: Waste
E19. In metric tonnes, please report the company’s total weight of waste generated during the reporting period.
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 306-3 (2020); (partially linked to) ISAR B.2.1
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Waste generated (t)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Solid waste
Please provide additional explanation:
In integrated production, we minimize waste by feeding byproducts back into the production loop. WACKER endeavors to avoid waste throughout the product’s entire life cycle. Groupwide, we record the volume of waste we generate according to the criteria “to be recycled” and “to be disposed of,” as well as “hazardous” and “non-hazardous.” When it comes to solid waste, we prioritize prevention over recycling and recycling over disposal. We see it as one of our ongoing tasks to identify new ways of suitably recycling materials within and outside our sites. It is very important to us that waste is recycled, treated and disposed of in an environmentally compatible and legally compliant manner. To this end, we monitor the disposal companies that we work with for recycling and disposal, performing regular audits. Our German sites can use our internal Environmental Information System (EIS) to exchange information on these companies.
E20. Please report the percentage of the company’s waste that was hazardous waste (e.g., hazardous waste ratio) during the reporting period.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 306-4, 306-5 (2020); ISAR B.2.3
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Hazardous waste ratio (%) (Please input a whole number e.g., 50% = 50)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Hazardous waste
Please provide additional explanation:
Refer to : https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/production/waste.html
E21. Please report the company’s estimated metric tonnes of single-use plastic consumed wherever material along the value chain during the reporting period.
Linked to: WEF Common Metrics
(Matrix – Text Box with option for Unknown or N/A)
Single-use plastic (t)
Unknown
Not applicable (Please provide additional information in the mandatory text box)
Single-use plastics
Please provide additional explanation:
Overall Environment
E22. Briefly describe additional relevant practical actions the company has taken during the reporting period and/or plans to take to implement the environment principles, including goals set and any challenges faced and actions taken towards prevention and/or remediation.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-3-c and 3-3-d (2021) for topics GRI 303 (2018), GRI 304 (2016), GRI 305 (2016), GRI 306 (2020), GRI 302 (2016)
(Text Box)
WACKER attaches particular importance to integrated environmental protection, which begins right in the product-development and plant-planning stage. WACKER constantly strives to improve its production processes in order to conserve resources. A key task is to close material loops and recycle byproducts from other areas back into production. This enables us to reduce or prevent energy and resource consumption, emissions and waste, and to integrate environmental protection into our production processes. At WACKER, we monitor resource and waste targets at site and divisional levels. Our environmental protection measures often surpass statutory requirements – in the spirit of the central idea behind the Responsible Care® initiative. Responsible stewardship is one of the ways we contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In production, we focus on SDG 12 “Sustainable Consumption,” SDG 13 “Climate Action” and SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals,” for example. Our groupwide standards for protecting the environment apply to all production sites and technical competence centers. The site managers ensure that environmental protection requirements and environmental standards are met at their particular locations. Through a groupwide reporting system, our Group Coordinator for the Environment reviews how environmental standards and legal requirements are put into practice. By setting quantifiable environmental targets, we aim to lower the environmental impact of our production activities. We have set ourselves targets with respect to reducing CO2 emissions and specific energy and water consumption. Areas covered by our investments in environmental protection include water-pollution control, waste management, emissions control, climate change mitigation, noise reduction, soil remediation and preservation of the natural landscape. A large portion of the capital expenditures on environmental protection went toward WACKER’s central disposal facilities at the Burghausen site. As part of our sustainability strategy, a special budget was introduced in 2022 with the aim of bringing sustainability projects to fruition quickly. Around €0.9 million of that budget was invested in the reporting year in projects with a positive impact on reaching our environmental targets. To motivate our employees, we presented the WACKER Net Zero Award for the first time in 2022. To be awarded annually from now on, this €10,000 prize recognizes outstanding projects that reduce WACKER’s product environmental footprint. Refer to: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/production/environmental-protection.html
Anti-Corruption
Commitment
AC1. Does the company have an anti-corruption compliance programme?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-c (2021) for the topic GRI 205 (2016)
(Radial – Select One)
No, it is not an immediate business priority
No, but we plan to within the next two years
Yes [Prompts AC1.1]
Please provide additional explanation:
Risk and compliance management are an integral part of corporate management at WACKER. As a global company, we are exposed to numerous risks directly attributable to our operational activities. Starting from an acceptable level of overall risk, the Executive Board decides which risks we should take to utilize opportunities available to the company. We refer you to the Risk Management Report for a detailed description of corporate risk management and compliance management.
AC1.1. If yes, in what year was this programme last reviewed? (YYYY)
(YYYY)
Programme last reviewed
Please provide additional explanation:
Ongoing process with internal audits
AC2. Does your company have policies and recommendations for employees on how to act in case of doubt and/or in situations that may represent a conflict of interest, e.g., with regard to gifts and hospitality, donations, sponsorship, or interactions with public officials?
(Radial – Select One)
No, but we plan to within the next two years
No, and we have no plans to develop them
Yes, included within a broader policy or as a standalone policy
Please provide additional explanation:
WACKER has a global whistleblower system that enables employees and third parties to inform the company of any breaches of compliance. If desired, reports can be made anonymously, while retaining the possibility of communicating with the whistleblower. Beside our vision and goals, our ethical principles form the third pillar of WACKER’s corporate policy guidelines. Embedded in five separate codes, these principles govern how the company’s goals should be achieved. These codes are supplemented by a set of company regulations and directives. Code of Conduct: contains our principles for dealing with business partners and third parties. It also governs the handling of information, confidentiality and data security, the prevention of money laundering, and the separation of personal and business interests. Code of Innovation: specifies our principles concerning research and development, partnerships, patents and innovation management. Code of Teamwork & Leadership: outlines our understanding of teamwork and leadership. Key aspects here include trust and esteem, motivation and success, recognition and development, teamwork and equal opportunity, work-life balance and the positive example set by managerial employees. Code of Safety: defines our safety culture and sets safety guidelines for workplaces, facilities, products and transportation. Code of Sustainability: lists the sustainability principles that are central to R&D, procurement, logistics, production and products as well as our commitment to society.

WAC_Code of Conduct_de.pdf
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Prevention
AC3. Who receives training on anti-corruption and integrity?
Linked to: WEF Common Metrics; GRI Disclosure 205-2 (2016)
(Select all that apply)
Select employees [Prompts AC3.1]
All employees [Prompts AC3.1]
Contractors [Prompts AC3.1]
Direct suppliers of the organization [Prompts AC3.1]
Indirect suppliers of the organization [Prompts AC3.1]
Other – such as partners, clients, etc. [Prompts AC3.1]
No training provided
Please provide additional explanation:
AC3.1. How often is such training provided?
(Matrix – Select one answer option per line)
One time only
Every two or more years
Every year
We do not collect this data
All employees
Contractors
Direct suppliers of the organization
Please provide additional explanation:
Compliance training raises employees’ awareness of the relevant risks and informs them of rules of conduct applicable to their daily work. It is compulsory for all WACKER Group employees. Whistleblower hotlines provide a means for employees and business partners to report any breaches anonymously. Contractors and Direct Suppliers are either trained by us or invited to courses of the TfS Academy.
AC4. Does the company monitor its anti-corruption compliance programme?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-e (2021) for the topic GRI 205 (2016); SDG Action Manager - SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
(Select all that apply)
Review topics on ad hoc basis
Yes, through internal employee self-evaluations
Yes, through automated controls monitoring
Yes, through external independent monitoring
Yes, through other mechanisms (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
No, we do not monitor the anti-corruption compliance programme (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
Please provide additional explanation:
Internal auditors and other functions are monitoring our system.
Performance
AC5. Please report the company’s total number and nature of incidents of corruption during the reporting year. If applicable, please describe the nature of the incidents in the text box below
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 205-3 (2016); WEF Common Metrics; ISAR D.2.1
(Matrix – Text Boxes with option for Unknown or N/A)
Number of incident(s) (Please describe the nature of the incidents in the text box below)
Unknown
Choose to not disclose
Confirmed during the current year, but related to previous years
Confirmed during the current year, and related to this year
Please provide additional explanation:
We explicitly commit ourselves to the UN Global Compact’s Ten Principles. They include the principles on labor standards, namely upholding the freedom of association (Principle 3), eliminating all forms of forced labor (Principle 4), abolishing child labor (Principle 5) and eliminating discrimination (Principle 6). We also make commitments to our customers to uphold these same labor standards. The sanctions we impose for any proven misconduct in personnel matters are determined by the seriousness of the incident. There were no incidents of note in the reporting year. Refer to: https://reports.wacker.com/2022/annual-report/non-financial-report/employees/preventing-corruption-and-bribery.html
Response and Reporting
AC6. Within the reporting period, what measures has the company taken to address suspected incidents of corruption independently or in response to a dispute or investigation by a government regulator?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021) for the topic GRI 205 (2016); Reporting Guidance on the10th Principle Against Anti-corruption – B3
(Select all that apply)
Initial case assessment
Internal investigation
Review by risk/ethics committee
Review by board of directors
External audit/review
Other (Please provide additional information) [Makes text box mandatory]
Not applicable/no incidents in the reporting period
Please provide additional explanation:
AC7. Does your company engage in collective action against corruption?
Linked to: GRI Disclosure 3-3-d (2021) for the topic GRI 205 (2016)
(Radial – Select One)
No, but we plan to within two years
No, it is not an immediate business priority
Yes (Please explain) [Makes text box mandatory]
Please provide additional explanation:
WACKER is member of the Global Compact and the Together for Sustainability initiative.
AC8. Briefly describe additional relevant practical actions the company has taken during the reporting period and/or plans to implement the anti-corruption principle, including goals set and any challenges faced and actions taken towards prevention and/or remediation.
Linked to: GRI Disclosures 3-3-c and 3-3-d (2021) for the topic GRI 205 (2016)
(Text Box)
Corruption and bribery have no place in our business model. Our principles on this are contained in our Code of Conduct and all WACKER employees are required to follow them. The Chief Compliance Officer reports directly to the president and CEO on compliance issues. The full Executive Board is informed on a quarterly basis of any relevant compliance issues in the Group. In urgent cases, the Executive Board is informed immediately. One principal objective is to ensure that neither the company nor its Executive Board or Supervisory Board are exposed to liability risk.

Sustainability Reports*

nfs-non-financial-statement-wacker-ar22.pdf

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