materials, processes and strong position in the value chain. <
TenCate Protective Fabrics mission statement
Royal Ten Cate 70
> CORPOR ATE INFORMATION
As a multinational company, TenCate is aware the effect its actions have on the social environment. By maintaining the company on the basis of sustainable profitability, TenCate aims to play a part in making sure that the social, natural and economic environment remains available for future generations. TenCate is increasingly integrating sustainability into its operating processes, products and joint ventures by means of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This creates shared awareness among both internal and external stakeholders, which in turn opens the way to constructive initiatives with buyers, customers, partners and institutions aimed at the responsible deployment of people and the responsible use of commodities and materials.
On the basis of the worldwide trends towards safety and sustainability on which TenCate focuses, numerous underlying themes arise in relation to the protection that TenCate provides for people and their environment. The sustainability themes include weight reduction, limitation of energy consumption, noise reduction, insulation, water management, reuse, recycling, waste water and sludge processing, bullet- and fragment- proofing and heat and flame resistance.
The management of the value chain involves numerous sustainability aspects to greater or lesser degrees. This applies to all the
cornerstones of the business model. The technological innovation cornerstone is the most obvious. Only through continued
groundbreaking innovations in technical and technological areas will it be possible to secure the continuity of TenCate as a technology group and guarantee sustainable development.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
CSR is the means by which TenCate integrates sustainability into its business operations. TenCate uses numerous management systems particularly to make corporate social responsibility visible and controllable. These range from environmental management systems (ISO certifications for quality and the environment and renewal of certification) through to financial accountability concerning the receipt of innovation funds and the provision of sponsorship and donations.
In the various value chains, TenCate plays an active part as a customer, producer, supplier and co-operation partner in delivering sustainability innovations in numerous fields.
In addition to the active branding policy, TenCate conducts an active patent policy. That applies both to the registration of new inventions and to the protection of existing intellectual property rights. The existing portfolio is regularly assessed to ensure that the available intellectual property is being used appropriately. TenCate innovates and develops constantly. The resulting intellectual property is appropriately registered and protected.
TenCate also conducts an active protection policy. Action is taken if any infringements are detected.
DEVELOPMENTS IN 2011
Further work took place in 2011 on the positioning of the corporate brand worldwide. The market groups have consistently implemented the brand strategy.
The fact that the strategy benefits the value of the brand is also evident from the increased market value of the brand compared to 2010. According to the top 100 Dutch companies with the most valuable brands, the TenCate brand represents a value of € 135 million, almost € 30 million more than in 2010. (Source: Brand Competence, The Dutch Top 100 corporate brands ranking 2010 and 2011.)
Various new patents were again added to the existing portfolio in 2011, either by registering new intellectual property developed by TenCate or by means of acquisitions.
The brand portfolio can be viewed on the website. The patent portfolio is not disclosed, however, due to competition considerations.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
TenCate’s sustainability policy forms an integral part of the pursuit of continuity in the company, which has existed for over 300 years. It is based on the forward-looking vision, mission and strategy of the Executive Board. At the same time it reflects the long-term approach and actions of the group managements and employees of TenCate and its subsidiaries and associated companies worldwide.
chemically or mechanically recyclable products using cleaner and more efficient production techniques. TenCate’s technology road maps and product road maps in particular chart the direction of future sustainable innovations.
TenCate’s corporate departments support the managements worldwide with corporate social responsibility initiatives and projects.
The corporate risk management, corporate human resources management and corporate communications departments co-operate with these. The managers of these departments are responsible for the corporate approach to CSR. The CSR team specifies its objectives and programme each year. The objectives, results and compliance with legislation and regulations are assessed with the management and group managements as far as possible on a quarterly basis.
If necessary, the group managements make adjustments to the strategy and its implementation.
The corporate risk manager reports directly to the CFO on the progress of the risk management. In addition to safety aspects, this includes environmental and social aspects of operational management.
The corporate HR director reports directly to the CEO on social and economic aspects and on assessment and remuneration systems.
No TenCate officers have an explicit CSR weighting in their remuneration, as TenCate believes that sustainability is an integral part of the company’s pursuit of continuity.
One of the TenCate core values is reliability. The integrity code applies to everyone employed by TenCate. The code is part of each individual contract of employment. A corporate compliance officer and a confidential adviser have been appointed to support the code.
The future availability of essential natural resources (biodiversity) remains an ever-growing concern for TenCate. The company aims to keep control of developments by focusing on individual areas such as an integrated environmental policy, the prevailing energy policy, the progressive policy on emission allowances, efficient and eco-efficient production, recycling and developing bio-based initiatives.
This approach is in line with the industry’s sector objectives. According to the roadmap to 2030, by that time the technical textile industry must be able to fulfil the needs of customers and users in a flexible and sustainable way. TenCate has a leading position in the pursuit of this objective. By already working further on groundbreaking technologies and techniques for the processing of natural, synthetic, bio-based, biologically degradable, recyclable or secondary raw materials, TenCate will be increasingly able to manufacture biologically,
TenCate Defender™M in South Korea and Australia
TenCate Protective Fabrics has signed an agreement with Samil Spinning in Seoul (South Korea) for a TenCate Defender™ M partnership. The aim is to expand the TenCate Defender™ M product portfolio in the South Korean army and police market.
TenCate Defender™M fabric has also been supplied for 10,000 additional uniforms for an extensive MultiCam® wearing trial in war zones by the Australian Defence Force. TenCate Defender™ M offers an optimum balance between flame retardance, service life, comfort and cost. It has significantly reduced the number of burn injuries, thereby saving many lives since 2007.
GRASS
In April 2011 TenCate Grass, together with Edel Grass and Oranjewoud Realisation, presented Flevo Boys football club in Emmeloord, the Netherlands, with the TenCate Performance Warranty™ certifi cate.
This makes TenCate Grass the fi rst company in the international synthetic turf industry to offer insurance on the performance and durability of synthetic turf pitches made of TenCate components.
The insurance policy that Allianz issued for Flevo Boys’ synthetic turf pitch guarantees a FIFA 2 Star performance for fi ve years. FIFA 2 Star is the benchmark for the highest level of league football on synthetic turf.
TenCate Monoslide™ synthetic turf fi bres based on TenCate XQ™ technology make it possible to construct pitches that fulfi l FIFA 2 Star requirements over a long period of time.
Connected through the value proposition
cornerstone, business units become aware that CSR saves costs or is at least cost-neutral. At the same time, it offers the opportunity to make more sustainability aspects visible to customers and end-users in the end-user marketing cornerstone. A growing number of market groups in TenCate see CSR as a way of increasing revenues.
The subject of ‘sustainable purchasing’ in particular is of growing importance to specific market groups. As market leader, TenCate aims to be among the front runners in the industry, including in terms of sustainability.
During the 2011 reporting year, TenCate was active worldwide in numerous projects related to or aimed at corporate social
responsibility. A full list can be found on TenCate’s corporate website (under CSR projects).
In Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, TenCate provided sponsorship during the reporting year for around ten sports events, for around ten student teams by providing composite and protective materials and for dozens of organisations, including veterans’ and firefighters’ support associations, and – partly through volunteer work – for a large number of events in local communities. TenCate has been the main sponsor of the Heracles Almelo professional football club for a number of years. This first-division club fulfils an important social and community role in the Almelo region.
In Europe, TenCate played an active part in around 20 innovation projects centred on sustainability and safety during the reporting year.
A full summary can be found on the TenCate website.
DEVELOPMENTS IN 2011
CSR essentially involves striking the right balance between People, Planet and Profit. During the reporting year, TenCate recorded an impressive economic performance and profitability (Profit) while respecting – internal and external – social values (People) and operating within an ecological framework (Planet). TenCate’s product portfolio is ideally suited to this since many materials, modules and systems inherently contribute to sustainability.
The personnel policy is also appropriate in this regard. All employees within TenCate have access to ‘10Cate’, which represents the identity of the company. These ten core values are universal within the worldwide company. 10Cate is centred on the customer and together with the TenCate business model provides the guiding principles for each employee. The environmental risks were limited as far as possible during the 2011 reporting year. Only chemicals and dyes listed in the national textile environmental database are used in the Netherlands.
TenCate’s market groups devote a great deal of attention to the control of production processes, rejects and (separate) waste flows. Waste water released during textile finishing is treated or pretreated and where possible reused (particularly in Georgia, US). To conserve energy, the Dutch plants use heat/cold exchangers between factory sites. Waste is processed in collaboration with recognised partners.
TenCate purchases most chemicals and (raw materials for) synthetic fibres worldwide from multinationals which operate policies based on sustainability. The flame-retardant fabrics which TenCate purchases from Lenzing AG in Austria are an interesting example of this. These viscose fibres are produced from wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed forests in the mountains of Austria. Sustainable water management is part of the CSR approach adopted by this supplier to TenCate. These natural fibres are used among other things as the basis for heat- and fire-resistant fabrics developed and produced by TenCate Protective Fabrics.
There was a further increase in the attention devoted by TenCate to CSR last year. There were various reasons for this, such as growing CSR awareness in the organisation and increasing customer demand for sustainable products. The following factors also play a role: cost savings (such as energy reduction), possible raw material scarcity, image and reputational benefits. On the basis of the cost leadership