Boskalis_CSR_report__2016

CSR 2016 – Boskalis 4 Chairman’s statement

Chairman’s STATEMENT

2016 marked the transition from a period of growth and prosperity to one of stagnation and rationalization. Early 2016 we saw dark clouds gather on the horizon, but looking back at the year we are amazed at the pace at which the storm arrived and how severe it is. Right now it is fair to say that we are in the midst of it.

With regard to CSR, we have once again made important progress in numerous areas. Last year we introduced four material topics and related sub-topics resulting from a materiality assessment. These topics form the backbone for our CSR strategy and reporting. This was an important step for us to report over 2016 according the GRI G4 guidelines. One of the material themes both Boskalis and its stakeholders view as important is our impact on local communities.

Impact on local communities

Many of our projects intervene in an existing environment. Our presence when constructing infrastructure or reclaiming land is relatively brief but many of our projects have a lasting impact. As a company we take a responsible approach towards the potential consequences of our activities. We seek to avoid adverse impact arising from our activities and services, and otherwise to mitigate or remedy this impact. We exercise our leverage if we are in a position to influence the entity responsible for the impact to bring about change in the situation. Our social impact program launched in 2016 focuses on employee awareness and training and offers practical tools. As a company with a strong technical background with leading environmental engineering capabilities, this additional focus on our social engineering skills is a natural next step.

Building with Nature

Care for the environment is an aspect that is deeply embedded in our organization, and something that we take into account right from the initial design of a project.