GEMEINSAM BEWEGEN THE VFL WOLFSBURG SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016 WWW.VFL-WOLFSBURG.DE MOVING TOGEHTER 4 | 5 CONTENT CONCENTRATING CONTENT ON WHAT IS CRUCIAL ABOUT THIS REPORT Welcome by Klaus Mohrs, Lord Mayor of Wolfsburg 06 VfL Wolfsburg is traditionally very closely connected with soci- ment and the Lord Mayor of Wolfsburg are then followed by a Welcome message from Thomas Röttgermann, ety, and in the same way as classic industrial companies, is also portrait of VfL Wolfsburg. The subsequent chapters in the re- Managing Director of VfL Wolfsburg-Fußball GmbH 07 responsible with respect to society (Corporate Social Respon- port focus on the club’s main CSR spheres of action: “Strategy sibility, CSR). The club is very aware of its responsibility for the and Management”, “Employees”, “Environment” and “Society”, consequences of its actions on people and the environment, as well as “Fans and Members”. PORTRAIT AND HIGHLIGHTS 08 and has therefore strongly anchored its commitment to CSR in its corporate philosophy. It wants to be seen as a responsible Within each chapter, the report presents how VfL strategi- player nationally and internationally, and to therefore occupy a cally tackles the main topics, the measures it implements to STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT leading position in professional football. The central commu- achieve its targets, and the metrics it uses to control progress. FOOTBALL IS MORE nication instrument for this purpose is its sustainability or CSR VfL Wolfsburg collects those metrics which help improve its THAN JUST A MATCH PLAN 12 report. This is addressed in particular at fans, employees, part- measures in the football business. These are therefore differ- ners and VfL sponsors, as well as Volkswagen AG. Moreover, it ent in some cases to the metrics presented by classic business- is also aimed at non-governmental organisations and associa- es. Each chapter also includes an overview of the special mile- EMPLOYEES tions representing specific interests, as well as representatives stones achieved during the reporting period; and an outlook FOOTBALL IS MORE of politics, science and research. announces activities planned for the future. The information THAN 11 VERSUS 11 30 required for this purpose was gathered during discussions with VfL therefore publishes a very comprehensive CSR report every the employees responsible in each case. four years. The previous updated progress report was published ECOLOGY in 2014. With this 2016 publication, VfL now comprehensive- The introduction to each chapter contains an overview of the tar- FOOTBALL IS MORE THAN JUST ly discloses for the second time since 2012 how it handles the gets published in 2014, and the current status of their implemen- THE EFFICIENT UTILISATION OF most important topics for which it is responsible. The report tation. At the end of the “Strategy and Management” chapter, the OPPORTUNITIES ON THE PITCH 42 concentrates here on the most important activities, but also on updated CSR programme specifies objectives for the subsequent the shortcomings of the last two years, and defines the targets reporting periods, and the measures selected to realise them. and plans for the next reporting period. The choice of the con- The report was prepared “in conformity” with the G4 guidelines SOCIETY tent was largely determined by the results of a stakeholder di- of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and therefore corresponds FOOTBALL IS MORE alogue in which the most significant topics for VfL Wolfsburg to the so-called core option. The last pages contain an overview THAN JUST 90 MINUTES 54 were systematically determined for the first time. with information on the relevant indicators in the GRI-G4 stand- ard, and refer to the relevant positions in the text. The reporting period basically covers the 2014/2015 and FANS AND MEMBERS 2015/2016 seasons; in individual cases, later developments The GRI-G4 standard stipulates systematic determination of FOOTBALL IS MORE THAN JUST were also taken into consideration where this was possible be- the reporting topics on the basis of the materiality criterion and CHEERING IN THE STADIUM 64 fore the editorial deadline, and announcements were also in- the involvement of stakeholders. With the Materiality Disclo- cluded on already planned measures. All of the content refers sure Service, GRI examined and verified the correct positioning to VfL Wolfsburg-Fußball GmbH as a whole. The report is pub- of the details with respect to the materiality process in the text, GRI CONTENT INDEX 76 lished in German and English. as well as in the GRI content index. IMPRINT 79 The layout of the report is oriented to the first published sus- To improve legibility, this report dispenses with the use of gen- tainability report in 2012, and the CSR progress report 2014. der-based double naming. More detailed information and news Maintaining a similar structure is aimed at creating transparen- is available at the VfL Wolfsburg website at www.vfl-wolfsburg. cy and helping readers to understand the development steps de; special content covering the topic of sustainability can be achieved by the club. Introductory words from the manage- found at www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/soziales. 6 | 7 FOREWORD WORKING TOGETHER ONE STEP AHEAD AND MANY TO ACHIEVE MORE STEPS TOWARDS EACH OTHER WOLFSBURG’S LORD MAYOR KLAUS MOHRS THOMAS RÖTTGERMANN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ON THE INFLUENCE OF FOOTBALL, AND THE VFL WOLFSBURG-FUSSBALL GMBH, ON DIALOGUE WITH SOCIETY CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE CLUB AND THE CITY AND THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF FOOTBALL IN WOLFSBURG Dear Readers, social and environmental facet. With its a forward-looking and lively Wolfsburg. Dear Readers, not to mention our fans in the region Those like VfL Wolfsburg that are inter- The 2016 European Championships campaign slogan “Moving Together” it I look forward to a lot of future success VfL Wolfsburg is striding ahead on its and everywhere around the world. ested in dialogue, must also ensure that again showed how much enthusiasm works alongside its partners in the fields in the sporting, social and environmen- chosen course, and this journey remains this is accompanied by transparency. football creates, and the thrill it gives of education, integration and health, for tal arenas, and cross my fingers for the the objective: we want to work togeth- The objectives derived from this are now This CSR report is one means of achiev- to a very large number of people. Foot- instance in the VfL Diversity Weeks. In men’s and women’s teams, as well as er with others to achieve things, and to documented for everyone to see in the ing this. We warmly invite you to read this ball’s special magic was shown in very addition, VfL has set itself the target of the whole club, as they tackle the chal- move forward in a resolute way – always VfL Wolfsburg CSR programme. They are independently and let us know what you many ways in France: in particular, the reducing its CO2 emissions by 25 per cent lenges they face in future. at least one step ahead of the others. also an integral part of our internal tar- think, and thus to enter dialogue with us fans of supposedly smaller footballing by the end of the 2017/2018 season. Last Going the extra step, whether in train- get agreements. These are implemented as well. I very much look forward to re- nations clearly demonstrated the pow- year, VfL was an important partner in the ing, in coaching young players, or when with the aim of giving our employees in- ceiving your feedback. er football has to bring people together. integration of refugees, and I know it will it comes to corporate social responsibil- centives to go the extra step for sustaina- The sportsmen and sportswomen regu- continue to support us here. This is an- ity, is the secret of our success and our bility. Important areas of activity here are larly use up their last reserves of energy, other area where we work together har- charisma. This also includes investing education, integration, the environment and the public and fans are totally cap- nessing the strong potential of football the crucial Euro more in sustainable in- and health. These four aspects continue tivated whether a team wins or loses. to bring people together. novations. to form the platform for our “Moving To- Wolfsburg is also football crazy. In the Yours, Klaus Mohrs gether” initiative, with which we support last two years, we enjoyed successes The club acts as a role model. We all Lord Mayor of Wolfsburg Our success justifies our approach – and our social environment. Yours, Thomas Röttgermann – in particular the joint DFB cup victo- could and should pick up the ball and makes us a role model. This also increas- Managing Director of ries in 2015 – of the men’s and women’s play our part in treating the environ- es the expectations on VfL’s corporate so- Today, we link up all four areas of activi- VfL Wolfsburg-Fußball GmbH football teams of VfL Wolfsburg, but we ment with more respect, as well as act- cial responsibility (CSR). To learn more in ty even more closely together, such as in were also frustrated on occasions by ing fairly in our dealings with our fellow detail about these expectations, we enter innovative integrated education offers, missed opportunities. I am sure that VfL human beings. Find out more in this re- open dialogue with our stakeholders, and including the extra-curricular teaching will keep its eyes on its targets, and will port about what VfL is doing for you discuss the opportunities and limits of our location in the VfL FootballWorld. The again be able to bring us back into the and your environment, and how you commitment and involvement.