LETTER OF INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
It is my pleasure to introduce our second Sustainability Report, which provides information on our financial, social and environmental performance in 2013, in accordance with the criteria of the Global Reporting Initiative (G3) and the Supplement for the Media Sector.
This document reflects our aim to disclose publicly our commitments to corporate social responsibility and to describe our relations with Vocento’s key stakeholders, including our shareholders, audiences, and advertisers and the communities in which we work. This report also reaffirms our commitment to the Global Compact and its ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour conditions, the environment, and anti-corruption.
To avoid any overlaps, the document also refers to other reports, including our reports on Governance, the Annual Report of the Audit and Compliance Committee and the Annual Accounts, which contain relevant information about sustainability and responsibility.
The focus of our CSR strategy is based on the identification of the key issues for us as a media company and the importance of each of these issues internally and externally, depending on what we do, for whom, and with whom. It is also based on the mission, vision and values that we aim to define next year.
In 2013, we established indicators to enable us to manage and report accurately on our actions. We also took the first steps towards identifying best practices in our media properties in their relationships with their audiences, in the areas of working processes, and in their relations with advertisers as well as other material issues. Our aim is for Vocento to manage CSR in a decentralized way and to share knowledge across the group, using internal benchmarking and developing a learning community in this area.
We have also started the process of using the criteria of the London Benchmarking Group to quantify social actions such as our cooperation with charitable causes and NGOs in our various media properties. This will enable us to understand better the impact we have on the communities we serve, and full information about this is provided in this document. In addition, in parallel to the other transformative processes that Vocento is experiencing, we have identified education in digital issues and digital literacy as a major issue for corporate responsibility at the Group. This also reflects our traditional strong presence in educational institutions and universities, and Vocento’s continued focus on culture and education.
Our commitment to the Global Compact is reflected in the continuous coverage our media gives to information and opinion in the Human Rights area, especially focused on sustainable development, gender equality, poverty, equal opportunities, and access to education and health. Vocento is completely committed to the freedom of expression and plurality of opinion, as well as the other traditional rights associated with the media in a free and democratic society. We cooperate with various professional bodies in this area, in Spain and beyond.
As a company, we comply with the labour standards and legislation that are currently in force, and our human resources policies are fully committed to diversity, professional development and training talent. We have strong links to educational establishments, journalism colleges and associations of journalists and publishers. We carry out leading training programmes including Master’s courses in Journalism. Finally, we recognise the commitment of our best journalists with the Vocento awards, given each year to journalists in recognition of the social impact of our media properties.
In terms of our environmental impact, our sustainability report provides indicators about the consumption of raw materials and energy and the reductions we have achieved. We have made significant progress in the last two years. Our commitment to digital will in the long term lead to reduced impacts on the environment.
Finally, Vocento is very aware of the role that media companies have played and continue to play in Spain, especially during the years of the Transition and in contributing to continued national cohesion. Our aspiration is to contribute to the economic recovery that is now underway and to regenerate our country from our position as a socially responsible media company.
Luis Enríquez Nistal
Chief Executive Officer of Vocento
PROFILE AND FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
Vocento has a vocation to serve its audiences and society in general, and has a responsibility to society mainly through the publishing and media brands that represent the mission of its business: to provide information, opinion and entertainment.
The fact that Vocento is media group that is completely Spanish owned, that it is independent and financially solid, committed to a plurality of opinions, and committed to the society and culture of the communities where it is present, defines our vision as a socially responsible company and defines the values that differentiate us.
In parallel to other transformative processes at the company, three years again Vocento began to update its corporate social responsibility strategy, in economic, social and environmental terms.
After assessing our initial position, we analysed best practices in the media sector in Spain and internationally. This process helped us identify issues that are most relevant to use because of our business and our impacts. We then examined these issues using both internal and external consultations, to prioritize them and develop a coherent approach.
Our focus in the area of sustainability is based on this list of relevant issues for a media company, and on the importance that each of these issues has for us internally and externally.
Our strategy for corporate social responsibility reflects what we do, as well as for whom and with whom we operate. It is also based on the mission, vision and values that we aim to define next year as socially responsible company. We have called this management process Being better at what we do. It is coordinated by Vocento’s Communications and Institutional Relations department.
In 2013, we established performance indicators and improved our accountability, publishing the second CSR report in accordance with the terms of the Global Reporting Initiative (GR3) and its Media Sector Supplement.
We also continued to establish a system for recording the best practices of our publications, media properties and corporate offices. We understand that increasing visibility is the first step towards internal benchmarking, strengthening our sense of responsibility by sharing practices that we are sometimes not aware of. By increasing shared know-how in the CSR area, we can become better at what we do.
We are also implementing a model to measure our social actions with NGOs and good causes, both in our media properties and as a company, in accordance with the criteria London Benchmarking Group, of which Vocento is a member and which has established an international model in this area.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT
In 2012, we reviewed our action in the areas that we considered relevant for our internal and external stakeholders, assessing what we did and we began to set targets as part of our sustainability plan
SHAREHOLDER RELATIONS
Vocento’s relationships with shareholders, investors and financial analysts are characterised by transparency and regular two-way communication. The financial community is continuously informed about the company’s performance and strategy. The Investor and Shareholder Relations department is responsible for this and for relations with the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores.
Vocento has a Shareholder office which includes a telephone service, e-mail, post and a website. Last year, 56 enquiries were made to this office.
The website is an essential channel for communicating with shareholders, providing shareholders will information about the company, its various business units, relevant filings with the CNMV, quarterly and annual reports, share prices, information about the Board and its members and other issues concerning the company and its governance.
For the General Shareholder Meeting, the company has a register of proxy votes received from the shareholders, and deals with any queries about the meeting. There were 27 contacts made by telephone, post and email in 2013. Vocento has also set up a shareholders’ forum on its website to help facilitate communication between shareholders ahead of the Shareholder Meeting.
To maintain institutional investors informed, Vocento is a very active participant in events and seminars in Spain and abroad.
Regular meetings are also held with institutional investors on request to update them about the company’s strategy.
In total in 2013, Vocento participated in 12 events attended by a total of 66 institutional investors.
Analysts are a key element in our communications with the financial community. The company regularly contacts analysts to discuss results, relevant facts and news in the press about the various business areas.
Likewise, the quarterly publication of results complies with regulations and is supported by a conference call in which analysts can question management about the operational and financial performance of Vocento.
There are fluid, continuous relations with analysts, and we speak at least twice a month to each of them.
RELATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES
Vocento has a total of 2,851 employees, of which 93% are on fixed contracts and over 90% are graduates. Of this total,39% are women.
Vocento does not have a specific policy on discrimination and diversity, but it does apply these principles in its operations. There is no policy for hiring disadvantaged groups, although it also complies with legislation on the employment of the handicapped. Vocento remains committed to equality and diversity in all its selection processes and in managing and promoting employees. These principles have been fully implemented across the Group, with the even split between the genders a clear indication of the applications of these plans.
The Group’s personnel selection policy means that anyvacant position is first offered internally, informing employees and managers of the company on the portal. If the vacancy is not filled, an external selection procedure is undertaken.
Vocento’s Training Plan is based on the following general principles:
- Aligning training with strategic goals in the areas of Innovation, Impact, Collaboration and Quality
- Recognising training as a means of productive transformation
- Making the maximum use of internal and external resources
- Assessing and measuring the effectiveness of training
- Emphasizing internal training and the transfer of knowhow between companies and areas
- The complementarity of training with internal communication activities
Vocento has a Performance Management System that is associated with variable compensation, for directors, managers and heads of teams (about 10% of the workforce). It also has a system of remuneration for sales teams, providing incentives and enhancing the sales performance in line with Vocento’s values. There is no general personnel development policy, although specific projects are carried out when needs are identified in different groups.
The report on activities provides full information about our relations with employees.
RELATIONS WITH AUDIENCES
All of Vocento’s media and publications have their own channels for communicating with their audiences, including letters to the editor, a dedicated corrections section, a reader’s ombudsman, etc.
In 2013, the first steps were taken to set up management indicators for all of these tools, in order to measure more effectively the way in which we respond to and incorporate suggestions and comments and the expectations and values of our audiences
Other reports published with this Sustainability Report
contain detailed information about relations with
advertisers and the strategies of Vocento’s brands.
RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK
In addition to our responsibility to deliver information, opinion and entertainment with independence and plurality, Vocento carries out various social activities in cooperation with not for profit organisations, local administrations, and also independently.
Vocento has also for a long time been closely associated with training the professionals of the future, in particular via two very well established Master’s Courses, the ABC Master’s in Journalism at the Universidad Complutense in Madrid and the Master’s in Multimedia Journalism at the University of the Basque Country (UPV).
TRAINING THE PROFESSIONALS OF THE FUTURE
ABC Master’s in Journalism Last year saw the 24th intake to the ABC’s Master’s in Journalism.
Students learn the literary, ethical and technological skills needed to exercise a profession in all forms of the media. From the first day of the course, theory and practice are combined, with direct contact with editors at the newspaper, helping to close pages and prepare notes for the website, in the conditions of a contemporary multimedia newspaper. This practical work provides real professional experience, and students learn how to write, edit and produce videos, culminating in time at ABC. The newspaper depends partly on the Master’s for its own renewal and continuous improvement and it has become a real talent school.
El Correo – UPV/EHU Master’s in Multimedia Journalism
This renowned Master’s is the second oldest in Spain. It is recognised nationally and in Europe, according to the criteria of the Bologna Declaration, has been certified by ANECA (the National Agency for Evaluation of Quality and Certification), and is catalogued as one of the highest quality courses in the journalism area.
Its main aim is to train the young professionals needed by today’s dynamic media companies, professionals who can work in any of the technologies and platforms used by mass communication, including press, television and digital editions. The profile of new journalists is achieved by applying a programme that covers all areas of applied journalism, and which is taught by teachers, experienced professionals, with personalised attention to students, who are closely monitored throughout the course.
ABC MUSEUM 2013
The establishment of the ABC Museum has been possible thanks to the efforts of Vocento and ABC and the cooperation of the Community and Town Hall of Madrid, as well as various supporting companies. Based in a historic area of Madrid, the museum has a surface area of more than 3,000 m2 for its activities.
In 2010, the process of cataloguing and digitizing the contents of the collection began, which in 2013 involved 3,770 items. In total, 20,245 pieces have so far been digitized and catalogued. In addition, the 1,573 works that are on display in the Museum and other institutions are subject to continuous checks, cleaning and restoration. In 2013, there was an extensive programme of exhibitions of works from the Museum and other institutions. There were also a wide ranging series of cultural and educational activities for all types of public, turning this cultural space into a leading site for cultural events
Our commitment to culture, beyond the work of our media, and the ABC Museum of Drawing and Illustration, is also reflected in the Culture Workshops that for 20 years the Vocento Foundation and our publications have provided. Thanks to these, we are present in more than 14 Spanish cities, and in 2013 more than 200 experts participated, covering various issues of social and cultural relevance.
Each year ABC holds the ABC Solidario awards, now in their eleventh year, including awards for the best Project, Entity and Research, in cooperation with various companies. In addition, El Correo organises Alma Solidaria which is now run for fifth editions. The Congress “What really matters” and other social initiatives are also supported by the Group.
Mujer Hoy provides particular support to causes linked to women, by organising various activities and events and covering women’s issues. It is responsible for the Mujer Hoy awards, and in 2013 participated actively in conferences and actions aimed at improving the work-life balance, diversity management, and the presence of women in the worlds of business, the arts, science, etc.
LONDON BENCHMARKING GROUP:
A MODEL FOR MEASURING AND BUILDING ON THE SOCIAL ACTIONS OF OUR MEDIA
In 2012, Vocento began conversations to form part of the London Benchmarking Group, originally a UK initiative that is now global, comprising of companies who aim to apply a model to measure their dedication to social causes and the returns obtained from this, both for society and for the company itself. Vocento is the only media company in the Spanish initiative, and since early 2013 it has formed part of LBG España, which has a membership of 15 companies. This initiative will serve to make our social actions more visible, manage them more effectively, be able to compare them and learn with other companies about how to make a more effective social impact.
In 2013, Vocento began to collect data about the social actions carried out by our media properties, in order to improve internal awareness and training about this issue.
We consider social actions to be all those actions that are carried out in cooperation with or in the support of non-profit organisations (NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.), of whatever nature (sporting, cultural, educational, environmental, cooperation for development, social integration, support to the disabled).
These actions could take the form of donating funds to these causes or organisations, or, for a media company such as Vocento, in-kind actions including the following:
- Free or discounted advertising space.
- Logistics and other support for causes and events.
- The organisation by the media of events and activities that are not directly related to the business.
- The acquisition of products and/or services from charitable institutions.
Vocento has also identified the following actions and initiatives that comprise its social actions:
1. Awards given by each title
2. Culture: cultural actions including
- Conferences about contemporary issues (such as the Culture workshops)
- Cooperation with the cultural activities of third parties, such as sponsorship, logistical support and others.
3. Support for social and cultural events and other non-business events, which are important for the town or province, support which goes beyond just covering the events in the media, including making direct or indirect donations.
4. Providing discounted advertising space to NGOs.
5. Other forms of cooperation with causes and NGOs, in terms of hours and direct and indirect contributions.
On these foundations, Vocento is developing a system to capture information that assesses all the resources dedicated to social actions, including both monetary donations, human resources and in kind contributions. This will enable us to give visibility to the actions of our media in this area and to understand their real contribution to society and the impacts and benefits they lead to.
ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPLIERS
Vocento has a threefold role in the environment. Firstly, there is its own environmental performance, such as its consumption of energy and raw materials, its emissions, recycling policy, waste management, etc. This document provides information on these issues, using the indicators currently available to use for reporting on sustainability.Secondly, Vocento addresses the various issues of the environment in the content and information provided by its media businesses, where we can influence the audience, serve as an advocate for the environment, generate opinion and improve knowledge, etc.
Thirdly, by working together with public and private institutions at all levels for a better environment.
The increasing contribution of the digital media to Vocento and on-going technological changes will lead to major improvements in the group’s environmental management, by reducing the consumption of paper, ink, etc., as the following table shows.
ABOUT THIS REPORT
The Sustainability Report from Vocento has been preparedby the Department of Communications and follows G3of the Global Reporting Initiative and the Media SectorSupplement. We declare that it achieves level B of the GRI,based on the indicators that we have been able to report,which are referenced in the corresponding index.
The system for collecting non-financial data has beenimplemented following the identification of material topicsin 2011, by the areas to whom these topics have beenallocated and based on interviews with the responsibleparties from November 2013 to February 201T.
In addition, other information has been incorporated thatis considered relevant by stakeholders and by Vocento.
Financial performance and shareholder relations
Joaquín Valencia
Human Resources
Iñigo Argaya
Sales and advertising
Rafael Martínez de Vega
Editorial and content
Benjamín Lana
Social action
Luisa Alli
Environment and suppliers
Fernando Gil