This report is our third public sustainability disclosure document using the Global Reporting Initiative™ Sustainability Reporting Standards (GRI Standards). New in this report are a set of sustainability targets, which we expect to continue to update in our future reports.
Transition to the GRI Standards
In 2012, we began to align our systems, data tracking mechanisms and strategic intent toward expanding the use of the GRI Framework. This internationally recognized framework provides a comprehensive, standardized process for evaluating the impacts of our business activities across our value chain. It also enables us to share Compass Minerals’ positive contributions and areas where we’re doing well. At the same time, and perhaps more importantly, the process deepens our understanding of sustainable development and helps identify opportunities for improvement related to environmental impacts, economic results and social impact, including human resource practices and community relations.
The 2014 calendar year report, Taking Care of the Essentials (published in July 2015), was prepared as a GRI G4 Core “In Accordance” Report. It established 2013 as the baseline for performance indicators from which we set targets and gauge progress. In 2016, we published an update on progress made in 2015.
For this reporting cycle, we have transitioned to the GRI Standards. Learn about our reporting process, including stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment efforts, and improvements we implemented in Appendix B.
About Our Data
Any dollar amounts listed within the report are in U.S. dollars.
There are inherent limitations to the accuracy of environmental and social data. We recognize that our data will be affected by these limitations and continue to improve data integrity by strengthening our internal controls. Data in this report is collected from third-party sources, surveys with internal and external stakeholders and other internal sources as indicated. We have not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources. Unless otherwise noted, Produquímica and its subsidiaries, which we acquired in October 2016, are not included in this report.
Environmental data in this report pertains to our direct emissions unless otherwise stated. We report in this way, in line with industry practice, because these are the data we can directly manage and affect through operational improvements. We only include data in this report that were confirmed by 2017. If incidents are reclassified or confirmed, or if significant data changes occur after preparation of this report, they will be updated in the following year’s publication. The accuracy of environmental and social data may be lower than that of data obtained through our financial systems.
The information discussed in this report contains statements regarding future sustainability measures, targets and other goals. These goals are disclosed in the limited context of our sustainability efforts and should not be understood to be statements of management's expectations or estimates of financial results or other guidance. We specifically caution investors not to apply these statements to other contexts.
DeepStore, Protassium+ and Wolf Trax are trademarks of Compass Minerals International, Inc. or our subsidiaries in the U.S. and other countries.
The 2016 report has been prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option. For more information, refer to the GRI Content Index.
Move to Web-based Reporting
We are excited to make the shift to web-based reporting. Sharing our sustainability progress online offers several benefits. We can more efficiently publish updates on our performance metrics on an annual basis while adding updates on the company, our strategy and management approaches, as well as sharing stories and case studies as needed.
We welcome your feedback: Please send comments and questions to Sustainability@compassminerals.com.
Stakeholder Engagement
We value the views and interests of all of our stakeholders regarding sustainability issues. We define “stakeholders” as those who are impacted by our operations and products, along with those who have an interest in, or can influence, how we manage our businesses.
Ways We Engage
We identify stakeholder groups across the value chain and assess stakeholder relationships (responsibility, dependency, influence and proximity) to understand needs and inform level and methods of engagement. Approaches to engagement vary based on stakeholder group and range from informal conversations to surveys, meetings and events.
The following table summarizes key stakeholder groups and the ways and frequency in which we engage with stakeholders. In addition, written communications such as press releases, annual and sustainability reports, and our corporate website provide ways to share information broadly with multiple stakeholder groups.
Stakeholder Group | Methods of Engagement | Frequency | Stakeholder Expectations/Concerns |
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Current employees* | Direct interaction, internal meetings and town halls, internal communications, periodic surveys and intranet | Ongoing/daily |
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Prospective employees* | Direct interaction, trade shows and industry conferences | Varies |
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Customers* | Direct sales relationships, trade shows, customer newsletters | Ongoing/as needed |
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Suppliers* | Direct interaction, trade shows | Ongoing/as needed |
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Investors/shareholders/ financial institutions* |
Investor calls, conferences, annual reports, periodic perception surveys | Quarterly and as needed |
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Local communities* | Site visits, membership/participation in local organizations | As needed |
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Government agencies and regulators* | Direct interactions, audits/inspections | Varies |
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Civil society organizations Includes organizations of which Compass Minerals is a member (see list of association memberships) plus other civil society organizations in communities in which we operate |
Membership/representation, trade shows and industry conferences, partnerships and joint activities, direct interactions | Varies |
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*These stakeholder groups are also involved in our report-specific engagement activities, described in the Defining Report Content section.
Organizational Memberships and Affiliations
Active involvement with a range of associations and organizations reflects our collaborative approach and the value of collective action for shared objectives. This involvement helps strengthen relationships, promote research and knowledge sharing, and support the advancement of best management practices. Level of engagement includes general involvement, formal membership and governance roles.
Defining Report Content
Each reporting cycle presents opportunities for improvement. For the 2016 reporting cycle, we built on progress from previous years by implementing a more strategic and process-based approach to managing sustainability issues and reporting. This includes our approach to identifying material topics.
Though we invited a range of relevant internal and external stakeholder groups to participate in the materiality process described below, we directed increased attention on our workforce in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. (Brazil was excluded in this cycle due to onboarding activities), customers, shareholders and community representatives.
Materiality Assessment Process
Below is a description of our process for implementing the GRI reporting principles for defining report content. The approach Compass Minerals took to identify material topics is stakeholder-informed – meaning stakeholder input is evaluated and prioritized to help shape our non-financial reporting efforts. This process identified the key topics or concerns of our stakeholders. Topics of greatest concern as identified directly from the engagement survey were related to governance and business practices, product and service responsibility, occupational health and safety and environmental compliance. Less than 10 percent of respondents provided open-ended input for each topic area. These direct comments have been shared with the company’s senior leadership.
Step: Description | Stakeholders Engaged | Output |
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Due Diligence: We conducted a comprehensive evaluation to identify medium- and long-term sustainability-related risks, impacts and opportunities. This included:
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Initial list of potential material topics |
Kick-off meeting: We gathered key leaders together to discuss impacts along the value chain, including associated boundaries, and determine key stakeholder groups with which to engage in the materiality process.
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Compass Minerals Sustainability Leadership Committee |
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Stakeholder engagement survey: We conducted a survey with internal and external stakeholders to gather input on significance of topics.
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Internal: Sustainability Leadership Committee and employees External: Customers, investors, suppliers, government/regulatory representatives and other groups community and environmental groups |
Stakeholder input on significance of selected topics, impacts and other areas of importance |
Assessment of survey results and selection of material topics: We analyzed survey results, mapped topics and set threshold for materiality, determined list of material topics for reporting, and explained basis for any inclusions and exclusions.
Reviewing internal and external stakeholder views helps confirm selected topics and identify any missing topics; it validates the broader due diligence activities at the beginning of the process.
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Materiality Matrix
The materiality matrix below charts Compass Minerals’ significant direct or indirect economic, environmental and social impacts against those that have been identified by our stakeholder as relevant through our materiality assessment process.
Threshold 1: On or above radius of 3.5
Threshold 2: Beyond radius of 4
*Reflects the top 10 in ranking of top 5 selected topics
Material Topics
The following table lists the topics selected for inclusion in the report along with a brief description of where the impacts occur. Our ability to fully manage and control outcomes within any issue area is based on whether the impacts occur inside or outside our organizational control.
Categories & Topics | Boundary Within Organization |
Boundary Outside Organization |
Threshold # |
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Governance & Business Practices | Organization | ||
Business integrity and ethics | Organization | 2 | |
Financial performance and economic impact | 2 | ||
Transparency and accountability | 2 | ||
Risk and reputation management | 2 | ||
Industry leadership and knowledge transfer | 2 | ||
Compliance with regulations, laws and international trade practices | 2 | ||
Respecting client privacy and protecting intellectual property | Customers | 2 | |
Compliance with customer codes of conduct | Customers | 2 | |
Fair business, advertising and competition | Customers | 2 | |
Economic Impacts | Organization | ||
Building long-term relationships with suppliers | Organization | Suppliers | 1 |
Investments in production capacity and new plants | Customers, Communities | 1 | |
Supply chain interruption due to upstream disasters, depletion of resources, etc. | Customers | 1 | |
Indirect economic impact on local communities | Communities | 1 | |
Product/Service Responsibility | Organization | ||
Product safety | Development Mining Sites | Customers, Suppliers | 2 |
Product quality | Customers, Suppliers | 2 | |
Customer satisfaction and retention | Organization | Customers | 2 |
Accurate product labeling | 2 | ||
Production costs and price competitiveness | Logistics | 2 | |
Delivery time | 1 | ||
Supplier compliance with Compass Minerals terms and conditions | Suppliers | 1 | |
Product innovation - working on sustainable products | 1 | ||
Supply chain traceability | Customers, Suppliers | 1 | |
Product innovation - introducing new products that meet customer needs | Organization | Customers | 1 |
Accurate production planning | Organization, Development Mining Sites, Logistics | 1 | |
Environmental Impacts | Organization | ||
Environmental Compliance Compliance with environmental regulation |
Organization | 2 | |
Energy and Air Emissions Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from harvesting, drying or mining minerals Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from production Reducing energy use in facilities |
Organization | Customers, Suppliers | 1 |
Water Reducing water consumption Reducing risks of salt contamination of aquatic ecosystems |
Development Mining sites | Communities, Customers | 1 |
Materials Minimizing use of chemical and hazardous materials Responsible procurement practices - e.g. input materials Improving packaging design for transport optimization |
Organization | Suppliers | 1 |
Waste Reducing waste Increasing waste diversion from landfills |
Organization | Customers, Suppliers | 1 |
Biodiversity Protection of biodiversity |
Development Mining sites | Communities, Customers | 1 |
Social Impacts | |||
Occupational health and safety Occupational health and safety for Compass Minerals employees Security practices at Compass Minerals facilities |
Organization | 2 | |
Prevention of corruption throughout our business practices | Organization | 2 | |
Employment conditions Working conditions for Compass Minerals employees Fair wages and working hours Diversity, equal opportunity and non-discrimination Employee engagement and well-being Employee recruitment and retention Work interruption at Compass Minerals facilities |
Organization | 1 | |
Occupational health and safety in the supply chain Working conditions in the supply chain |
Suppliers | 1 | |
Protection of human rights | Organization | 1 | |
Training and development | Organization | * |
iCompli External Assurance Statement
In an effort to provide transparency and make certain the data we have provided in this report is correct and in keeping with general environmental data standards, we sought independent third party assurance using the ISO14064-3 standard for the following metrics for 2017 from iCompli Sustainability.
Please find their verification statements here.
(Twelve months ended December 31) | 2016 | 2015 |
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Operating earnings | $174.6 | $221.4 |
Business acquisition-related items1 | $8.4 | |
Indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment | $3.1 | |
Adjusted operating earnings | $186.1 | $221.4 |
1 Primarily includes additional expense recognized from the sale of finished goods inventory, which had its cost basis increased to fair value as a result of the acquisition of Produquímica.