annual report 2009 - Fiskars Corporation

12 FISKARS Annual Report 2009
Responsibility
Products that last
from generation
to generation
Sustainable development
represents a key foundation
of Fiskars’ operations and is
very much part of the company’s
360-year heritage. Good economic
performance and a financial
responsibility are central to sustainability,
and enable environmental issues,
social responsibility for personnel,
and cooperation with society as
a whole to be given the attention they
deserve. Fiskars also has a special responsibility
to safeguard and develop
the cultural heritage associated with
its birthplace, Fiskars Village, and the
numerous iconic design products in
its product portfolio. Fiskars sees the
entire life cycle of its products and
their durable nature as fundamental
to its approach to sustainability. The
company’s mission – lasting everyday
design, since 1649 – is part of the
same continuum.
The principles underlying Fiskars’
approach to business responsibility
are defined in the company’s Code
of Conduct, which was approved by
the Board of Directors at the end of
2008. During spring 2009, employees
in all units took part in training based
around these principles. Under its
Code of Conduct, Fiskars not only
abides by the laws and regulations
of the countries in which it operates,
but is committed to being a good and
ethically responsible corporate citizen.
Quality production
Fiskars’ supply chain, which extends
from in-house manufacturing to
procurement, logistics, and distribution,
is based on sustainable principles.
The company’s own plants,
which total close to 20 units, focus on
their own special areas of expertise.
Manufacturing processes have been
developed to minimize the use of
raw materials and the emissions
and waste they generate.
Supply chain management processes,
together with work on further
developing them, are designed to
ensure that sales needs can be predicted
accurately and production can
respond flexibly to demand. When
production capacity meets demand
as closely as possible, surplus production
can be avoided. Streamlined
logistics also play an important part
in reducing Fiskars’ environmental
footprint, and the aim is to eliminate
unnecessary intermediate stages
throughout the overall logistics chain.
Extended responsibility
As a company that operates on
global markets, Fiskars interacts with
suppliers and partners from a wide
range of backgrounds and societies.
Fiskars expects all its partners
to commit to the human rights set
out in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights approved by the United
Fiskars’ principles of
corporate responsibility
are included in
its Code of Conduct
Nations. An audit of the company’s
supplier network in Asia and Europe
was carried out in 2009, and monitoring
production conditions at the plants
operated by its partners represents
a tangible example of how Fiskars
approaches responsibility in practice.
Auditing is designed to monitor
that local laws and regulations are
observed and that occupational safety,
human rights, and environmental issues
are given due attention. The auditing
process in 2009 reviewed a checklist
of 80 items covering areas such as fire
safety, waste and chemical handling,
and employees’ age and pay.
Caring for personnel
Fiskars’ social responsibility for
its personnel is particularly under -
lined during economically difficult
times in the communities where the
company is a major employer. The
company is committed to treating all
its people fairly and equally. A safe
workplace is also very much part
of this commitment.
Fiskars continued to cooperate
with cancer foundations in 2009 by
donating part of the sales revenue
from its pink garden and home products
to the Pink Ribbon campaign; and
extended its involvement by joining
the Silver Fund dedicated to promoting
research on prostrate cancer.
Fiskars also supports local organizations
in the communities where its
plants are located, together with a
small number of carefully selected
national charities, through donations.
Cooperation with the Finnish Design
Museum, the Arabia Art Department
Society, as well as The Cooperative
of Artisans, Designers and Artists
in Fiskars forms an important part
of Fiskars’ cultural responsibility.