Mercedes 2010 Annual Report Download - page 142

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Sustainability at Daimler
Sustainability is an integral part of our corporate strategy. Efficient management structures support
the implementation of sustainability policies in all of our divisions. We continued the intensive dialogue
with our stakeholders in 2010.
– Environmental sustainability: Environmental protection,
innovation and safety are the biggest challenges our company
faces in its commitment to sustainability. Our passenger cars
and commercial vehicles are among the leaders in their respec-
tive market segments in terms of environmental protection
and safety. As we explore new mobility concepts, we are extend-
ing our focus beyond the vehicle itself and are testing environ-
mentally compatible approaches to urban mobility. Also in the
production of our vehicles, we carefully plan every production
step to be as environmentally compatible as possible.
– A sustainable society: Daimler regards itself as an active
member of our society. That is why we are committed to acting
in the best interests of our employees, our customers and the
people who live and work near our business locations. After all,
we benefit from highly motivated and well-qualified employees,
satisfied customers and good relations with our stakeholders
that are based on mutual trust. We want to create value for
society, and through our donations, sponsorships and founda-
tions, we help people in need, promote intercultural under-
standing, and support the arts, culture, education, science and
sports.
Management structures that promote sustainability. Since
2008, the Daimler Sustainability Board has been complementing
and networking our established sustainability management
structures and supporting the divisions in their implementation of
measures that promote sustainability. In May 2009, Dr. Thomas
Weber, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible
for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development,
became the new chairman of this top-level committee.
125 years of the automobile. Carl Benz changed the world on
January 29, 1886. He registered his “vehicle with gas-engine
drive” under patent number 37435 with the Berlin Patent Office.
This date marks the birth of the automobile, and the roots
of today’s Daimler AG reach back to that time. Sustainability is
an essential condition for such a long and successful corporate
history. Only sustainable business practices can secure a company’s
continued existence, growth and financial success over the long
term. Not least for that reason, we feel bound in the tradition of
our founders, Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, to the principle
of sustainability.
Our sustainability strategy. We intend to enhance the value of
our company over the long term. And we can do that only if we
define value creation holistically and measure the success of our
business operations not only in terms of financial figures but also
in terms of their social acceptance. The principle of sustainability
is therefore an essential component of our corporate strategy.
In addition, we are firmly committed to the ten principles of the
Global Compact, the labor standards of the International Labor
Organization (ILO), and the OECD guidelines for multinational
companies.
Effective and coordinated strategies and initiatives ensure that
sustainability principles are firmly established in our business
operations. These strategies are firmly anchored in our Group-wide
sustainability management system by means of concrete actions
and measurable target indicators:
– Economic sustainability: Profitable growth and long-term
business success ensure our commitment to sustainable
development. As the technological pacemaker of the automo-
tive industry, we aim to stand out because of our top perfor-
mance and to shape the future of safe and environmentally
friendly mobility. The foundation of our business operations
is corporate management based on a sense of responsibility,
building on systematic corporate governance and unequivocal
principles of compliance, and demanding irreproachable ethical
behavior from every single employee and manager.