Sustainability as a common goal Sustainable conduct can only determine everyday business and company processes if it is understood and accepted as a joint goal of all employees on all company levels. To guarantee this, communication within the company is of decisive importance. It must ensure comprehensive information about the corresponding strategic goals and projects, and also spark and moderate discussions on the topic. Only in this way is it possible to awaken interest, provide full clarity, create acceptance and motivate people to become actively involved.

Survey followed by planning process In 2011 Gira already carried out an internal survey within the framework of a thesis and assessed whether and how the approach of sustainable company management suits Gira. After the survey revealed that the majority of employees and managers fundamentally thought that sustainable orientation is positive and suitable for Gira, in 2012 the Gira Sustainability Committee took up its work. At the same time work also started on a comprehensive sustainability strategy. It identifies "internal communication" as a central factor of success.

Model, design and communication platform This package of tasks includes various measures. The main priority is the formulation and publication of a sustainability model. Published in October 2013, it provides assistance and orientation for sustainable conduct at Gira. At the same time the company worked with its creative agency to introduce a sustainability logo and a uniform design. This achieved a clear recognition effect and summarised the sustainability model in a way that can be easily and quickly identified. Simultaneously the Gira online sustainability portal was also launched as a central communication platform.

Trainee and employee campaigns It is also necessary to give employees the opportunity to take positive action themselves both inside and outside the company. To this purpose Gira has developed and initiated various trainee and employee projects. These are centred on voluntary campaigns such as creating car pools, taking part in a competition to lower paper consumption or concrete involvement in social or ecological projects. These campaigns show that in addition to the economic challenges there are social and ecological matters which also require attention. These opportunities that the company offers employees to become actively involved are well received.

The Gira Sustainability Report Another element of internal communication is a regularly published Sustainability Report that provides information on the sustainability approach of Gira, the strategies evolved as a result and the status of its implementation. At the same time it provides a basis on which groups of employees in the company can discuss the options for sustainable action. This first edition is actually mainly aimed at Gira employees. Next year a report will be published that complies with the principles of the Global Reporting Initiative [GRI] and which will provide information to interested members of the public about sustainable action at Gira. A new version of the internal survey is also planned at Gira for 2016. It will mainly focus on the experiences of employees that they have made with the new strategic orientation and the impressions gained during implementation of the corresponding projects. Not surprisingly the central question will be: what has happened and changed as the result of Gira's approach to sustainable action and business in 2012?