Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company focused on professionals, issued its 2010 Sustainability Report today. The report highlights progress and achievements of growing Wolters Kluwer’s business in a responsible way, focusing on customers and solutions, people and community, and the environment.
The report covers Wolters Kluwer’s sustainability activities over 2010, which again led to continued external recognition. The company has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for consecutive years and is a member of the United Nations Global Compact.
Nancy McKinstry, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, commented on Wolters Kluwer’s sustainability: “At Wolters Kluwer we understand that what is good for our business is also good for society. Social, environmental, and governance challenges call on us to constantly review and refine our own business practices.”
Customers and solutions
Wolters Kluwer helps professionals to reach sustainable results through intelligent solutions. The company shapes the opinions of professionals and many of its products cover areas that promote human progress such as healthcare, health and safety regulation, business compliance, and environmental regulation.
Next to the many examples of such solutions highlighted in the Sustainability Report, Wolters Kluwer announced that it is providing free access to emergency, disaster, trauma, and radiation contamination resources to Japanese hospitals via the Wolters Kluwer Health Emergency Resources Portal and through its UpToDate clinical system in support of the relief efforts following the earthquake and tsunami.
People and community
Wolters Kluwer believes good performance and potential of employees should be rewarded through compensation and talent opportunities. Remuneration is linked to values and business principles, fostering sustainability. In 2011, the Selection and Remuneration Committee of the Supervisory Board added a sustainability element to the Executive Board members’ compensation, establishing Wolters Kluwer’s commitment and responsibility at all levels.
Over 2010, Wolters Kluwer employees were actively involved in different initiatives that benefit society, offering their expertise, products, and time. Next to the many community involvement initiatives outlined in the report, more examples are available in the sustainability section of Wolters Kluwer’s website. A recent program that is highlighted is ‘Philadelphia Reads,’ which engages employees to work with school children in improving their reading skills.
Environment
Offering choices for responsible product consumption, such as electronic or paperless products, is a crucial point of attention. Wolters Kluwer also promoted increased opportunities for environmentally-friendly work within its own facilities. In 2010, Wolters Kluwer produced 98% of all its books and 100% of all its journals units for the Tax & Accounting division and the Law & Business unit in the United States under Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications.
As in previous years, Wolters Kluwer’s Sustainability Report uses the G3 sustainability reporting guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative as framework. In addition to the 2010 Sustainability Report, more recent examples and details on Wolters Kluwer’s sustainability efforts are available in the sustainability section of Wolters Kluwer’s website as well as a summary of 2010 accomplishments in the sustainability chapter of the 2010 Annual Report.