INDICATOR: 2-16
Communication of critical concerns
The Group’s Internal Audit Division plans relevant audits every year in the annual audit program. The results of the audits are communicated to the Chief Executive Officer, to whom the Group Internal Audit Division reports administratively, and are discussed in the Audit Committee (composed of members of the Board of Directors), to which it reports operationally. In 2023, 53 audits were carried out.
Risks related to sustainability, such as employees, safety, environment, ethics and supply chain management are an integral part of the Group’s Risk Management. For each of the risk categories, for the Group and for each company, the risk assessment is carried out together with the identification of improvement opportunities as a working tool for the Group’s day-to-day operations and activities. Coordinated by the Group’s Internal Audit Division, the Group-wide Risk Assessment process is implemented annually.
In 2023, the Group Internal Audit Division (GIAD) presented to the Board of Directors the high-risk findings through quarterly reports and informed the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors regarding the implementation of the relevant corrective actions. In addition, through quarterly reports, the GIAD informed the Audit Committee on the progress of the “Vision 2025” strategy. Furthermore, the Group’s GIAD presented the progress made in addressing the “non-significant findings” resulting from the first external three-year assessment of the Internal Audit System.
The Executive Committee defines the Group’s Sustainability policy. The Group Corporate Relations and Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Sustainable Development Division recommend sustainable development issues for approval and are responsible for their implementation.
Senior management meetings define sustainability issues, agree on the hierarchy of objectives, and regulate monitoring and results reporting activities.
The Divisions communicate the critical issues to the CEO, who then recommends them to the Board of Directors.
In addition, the critical issues are communicated to the stakeholders through the Sustainable Development Report and are presented to the Sustainability Committee and senior management as part of the “Materiality Analysis” assessment.
See also GRI 2-12 disclosure.