2. Organizational profile

Geberit Group.

Geberit offers customers high-quality system solutions for applications in private residential construction and public buildings. The systems are used in both renovation projects and new buildings. A broad range of products is offered within the two product areas of Sanitary Systems and Piping Systems. This ranges from installation systems, cisterns and mechanisms, faucets and flushing systems, waste fittings and traps to supply and building drainage systems. Geberit also increasingly offers products with compelling front-of-the-wall comfort and design, such as the Monolith, the AquaClean shower toilet, the actuator plates or the shower element.

For further information on the product range, see  www.geberit.com > Products > Product range.

For 2014 sales by product areas and product lines, see  Business report > Business and financial review > Sales.

The Geberit Group has its headquarters in Rapperswil-Jona (CH).

Geberit has its own representatives in 41 countries. The products are sold in over 100 countries throughout the world. The company has 17 specialized production companies in eight different countries close to the most important sales markets and a central logistics center in Pfullendorf (DE).

For a list of the countries in which Geberit operates, see  Financial Report > Consolidated financial statements Geberit Group > Notes > Note 33.

Geberit AG, the parent company of the Geberit Group, is a stock corporation (AG) under Swiss law.

In terms of market cultivation, Geberit relies on a three-stage distribution channel. The products are distributed via the wholesale trade. Dealerships then sell them to plumbers and present them at exhibitions and other venues where end customers can gain information. At the same time, Geberit provides plumbers and sanitary planners with intensive support through training and advice, which in turn leads to increased demand for Geberit products from wholesalers. Since 2012, there has been a  web shop for the direct procurement of Geberit AquaClean and Geberit DuoFresh consumables.

For sales by markets and regions as well as by product areas and product lines, see  Business report > Business and financial review > Sales.

The Geberit Group’s market capitalization reached CHF 12,791 million as of the end of 2014 (previous year CHF 10,224 million). For the consolidated balance sheet with details of current assets, non-current assets, equity and liabilities, see  Financial Report > Consolidated financial statements Geberit Group > Balance sheet. The 2014 sales of CHF 2,404 million (previous year CHF 2,292 million) were achieved with products in the two product areas Sanitary Systems and Piping Systems. The packaged products had a total weight of around 188,868 metric tons.

At the end of 2014, the Group had 6,247 employees (previous year 6,226 employees). For the number of business sites, see  G4-6.

The number of employees rose once again in the reporting year. At the end of 2014, the Geberit Group employed 6,247 people worldwide – 21 persons or 0.3% more than in the previous year. This increase is primarily due to capacity adjustments in the production plants and an expansion within sales.

For key figures on the workforce by employment type, employment contract, region and gender, see  Key figures sustainability > Employees and society.

Approximately 4,200 employees, and thus around two-thirds of the workforce, are currently covered by collective agreements (e.g. collective labor agreements, wage agreements). The percentage is especially high in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, where over 95% of employees at the production companies are subject to a collective labor or wage agreement. There are no collective agreements with employees in the USA and China.

See  chapter Suppliers.

No significant changes in the Group structure took place in 2014.

For further information, see  Financial Report > Consolidated financial statements Geberit Group > Notes > Note 2.

The precautionary approach plays an important role for Geberit as a production company. This approach is defined in the  Geberit Code of Conduct.

All production sites and logistics as a whole work with an integrated management system and have a  Group certificate in accordance with ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment). By mid-2016, all plants will also integrate the OHSAS 18001 standard for occupational health and safety management and individual sites will integrate the ISO 50001 standard for energy management. In operations, preventive approaches are implemented for environmental protection, energy efficiency, occupational health and safety and quality assurance. In line with the “best-in-class” approach, ambitious long-term goals were drawn up at the end of 2012. For example, by the year 2020 the aim is to reduce absolute CO₂ emissions by 20% compared with the base year 2000 (based on organic growth) and to halve accident rates compared with 2010.

All eleven European production plants started introducing the Geberit Production System (GPS) 2.0 in 2014. Best-practice standards in production will be uniformly implemented using methods such as SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies), TPM (Total Production Maintenance), 5S (Workplace Organization Methodology) and CIP (Continuous Improvement Process).

An extensive system for the control and management of all risks involved in business activities is in place throughout the Group. For further information, see  Business report > Corporate governance > Board of directors > Information and control instruments vis-à-vis the Group Executive Board.

Geberit has been a formal member of the UN Global Compact since October 2008 and was a founding member of the local Swiss network in 2011. The company has been a member of the Transparency International organization since June 2000 and supports its objectives for combating corruption. Since 2007, Geberit has voluntarily applied the comprehensive guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for sustainability reporting and has thereby made an active contribution towards ensuring transparency and comparability in this reporting.

Furthermore, the company became a member of the non-profit organization “Swiss Water Partnership” in 2012. The goal of this platform is to bring together all those involved in the topic of water supply (from the academic, business, public and private spheres) in order to address future challenges in this area jointly. This partnership also aims to promote international dialog on water.

Geberit is involved in various associations and organizations that make a contribution toward sustainability. In addition, various Geberit companies are members of national associations on topics such as environmentally friendly production, energy, waste management and employee protection. For major commitments, see  www.geberit.com > Sustainability > UN Global Compact and Memberships.