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.

The product area Sanitary Systems comprises all sanitary technology found in buildings (with the exception of pipelines) and is divided into four product lines: Installation Systems, Cisterns and Mechanisms, Faucets and Flushing Systems and Waste Fittings and Traps. The product area Piping Systems comprises all piping technology found in buildings for drinking water, heating, gas and other media and is divided into the product lines Building Drainage Systems and Supply Systems. The product area Sanitary Ceramics comprises nearly all relevant equipment in the bathroom and is divided into the product lines Bathroom Ceramics and Ceramics Complementary Products.

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

For 2015 net sales by product area and product line, see  Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2015 > Net sales.

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

Geberit has its own representatives in 44 countries. The products are sold in over 113 countries throughout the world. Following the integration of the former Sanitec Group, the company has 35 specialised production companies in 14 different countries close to the most important sales markets and a central logistics centre in Pfullendorf (DE).

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

With the takeover of Sanitec, the number of advisors employed in the sales force in Europe was increased by around 200, and now totals more than 800. They are in daily contact with customers and decision-makers. When aligning the future sales organisation, the focus was on meeting the specific needs of wholesalers, plumbers, planners, architects, building owners and end users. In other words: a clear focus on the key customer groups in the respective markets takes precedence over advisors specialising in particular product groups such as ceramic appliances or piping systems.

For net sales by markets and regions as well as by product areas and product lines, see  Business Report > Business and financial review > Financial Year 2015 > Net sales.

As a result of the acquisition, greater changes were seen in the key figures compared with the previous year.

The Geberit Group’s market capitalisation reached CHF 12,859 million as of the end of 2015 (previous year CHF 12,791 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. In 2015, net sales amounted to CHF 2,593.7 million (previous year CHF 2,089.1 million).

At the end of 2015, the Group had 12,126 employees (previous year 6,247 employees). For the number of business sites, see  G4-6.

The number of employees nearly doubled as a result of the acquisition. At the end of 2015, the Geberit Group employed 12,126 staff worldwide, which equates to an increase of 5,879 people or 94.1% year on year.

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

Approximately 7,120 employees, and thus over one-half of the workforce (57%), are currently covered by collective agreements (e.g. collective labour agreements, wage agreements). The percentage is especially high in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Ukraine, Finland and Sweden, where over 95% of employees are subject to a collective labour or wage agreement. There are no collective agreements with employees in the USA and China.

See  chapter Suppliers.

There were significant changes as a result of the acquisition of the Sanitec Group, see  Sanitec acquisition. Their impact has been noted individually for each theme and the associated key figures.

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 described in the  Code of Conduct.

The Geberit Group has a Group certificate in accordance with ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and OHSAS 18001 (health and safety) that is valid until the end of 2018. 16 of the 17 Geberit production plants and 13 of the 18 former Sanitec plants are certified to ISO 14001. By the end of 2018, all new plants will be integrated into the Geberit management system and certified according to ISO 9001 and 14001, as well as OHSAS 18001. Three plants have already been certified according to ISO 50001. Furthermore, all Geberit companies implemented the European Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU in 2015.

In the environmental area, the company remains committed to its ambitious goals of improving the relative environmental impact and relative CO₂ emissions by 5% annually. The long-term target values defined at the end of 2012 for absolute CO₂ emissions and the share of renewable energy sources must be adjusted in 2016 owing to the acquisition of Sanitec. In the area of occupational safety, the aim is to halve the frequency and severity of accidents based on the reference year 2015 by 2025.

The European production plants are gradually implementing a uniform Geberit Production System (GPS) 2.0. 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 Organisation 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 Groupe Excecutive 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 organisation 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 organisation “Swiss Water Partnership” in 2012. The goal of this platform is to bring together all stakeholders 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 dialogue on water.

Geberit is involved in various associations and organisations 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 > Company > Sustainability > UN Global Compact and Memberships.