Vestas Wind Systems
ESRS disclosure: ESRS ESRS 2 \ DR GOV-2
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- Provide detailed information regarding whether, by whom, and how frequently the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies, including their relevant committees, are informed about material impacts, risks, and opportunities. Additionally, disclose the implementation of due diligence, as well as the results and effectiveness of policies, actions, metrics, and targets adopted to address these issues.
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Question Id: GOV-2_01
During the year, governance bodies are informed about sustainability matters in the following way:
- The CFO gives an update on non-financial matters to the Audit Committee and the Board every quarter.
- The Vice President and Head of Sustainability reports to the Audit Committee on performance on selected metrics relevant to key targets in the Sustainability strategy on a quarterly basis.
- Updates on implementation of due diligence take place via Enterprise Risk Management and the review of persistent risks.
- Reviews of the effectiveness of policies are currently taking place distributed throughout the year.
- Targets are evaluated annually in connection with the policy review cycle, depending on relevance.
Before being presented to the Board, all sustainability topics go through a review by the Executive Management team.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a detailed account of how your administrative, management, and supervisory bodies evaluate impacts, risks, and opportunities in the context of overseeing your company's strategy, major transaction decisions, and risk management processes. Include an explanation of whether trade-offs related to these impacts, risks, and opportunities have been considered.
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Question Id: GOV-2_02
Vestas' governance bodies consider impacts, risks, and opportunities supported by the structure of the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) programme. The structure of the ERM Annual Wheel supports them in overseeing strategy, risk management, and trade-offs related to impacts, risks, and opportunities.
The features of the annual risk management and internal control systems are aligned with the annual integrated reporting process. Relevant information from the double materiality assessment and other operational areas feeds into the risk reviews and thereby also the annual information flow managed by the ERM, involving the Risk Committee, Executive Management Team, Audit Committee, and Board of Directors.
The scope of risk assessments for all relevant areas in terms of strategic, financial, operational, and compliance risks, including material sustainability topics such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, anti-corruption and bribery, working conditions, and human rights. In terms of risk prioritisation, they are aiming at enhancing methodologies for identifying, assessing, and managing risks. Our risk prioritisation methodology is based on an assessment of risk severity (based on likelihood and impact) and mitigation efficiency (evaluating the effectiveness of current mitigation actions). The final discussion of prioritisation related to persistent risks takes place in the Risk Committee. The long-term emerging risks and opportunities are further aligned with the overall strategy process.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 85%
- Provide a comprehensive list of the material impacts, risks, and opportunities that have been addressed by the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies, or their relevant committees, during the reporting period.
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Question Id: GOV-2_03
During 2024, the Board and Audit Committee were updated on sustainability topics by the Vice President and Head of Sustainability, providing information on the CSRD in general, the scope of reporting, implications, and the governance structures supporting the oversight of material impacts, risks, and opportunities.
With regards to policy reviews, the Board and Audit Committee reviewed the Tax Policy, the DEIB Policy, as well as the Human Rights Policy. There was one annual update on the scope of metrics in 2024, which will be revisited in February 2025. Furthermore, the targets on GHG emission reductions were evaluated, as these need to be revisited every five years in line with SBTi requirements.
The timeline to the right shows when these topics were addressed by the Board and the Audit Committee during the year.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 65%
- How do the governance bodies of your undertaking ensure that an appropriate mechanism for performance monitoring is in place, particularly when overarching targets are the focus of administrative, management, and supervisory bodies, and detailed targets are the focus of management? Provide information on the sustainability matters addressed and the information provided to these bodies, especially if no measurable outcome-oriented targets have been set.
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Question Id: GOV-2_04
During 2024, Vestas has also started developing new internal controls that will help ensure completeness checks for the Sustainability statement, referring to qualitative and quantitative data points in line with the ESRS. This internal controls process facilitates the identification of the information to be disclosed in relation to material IROs.
In terms of operational management of risks in a third-party perspective, we are certified in line with international standards, including ISO 9001 for Quality, ISO 14001 for Environment, and ISO 45001 for Health and Safety.
During 2024, we have also started developing new internal controls that will help us do completeness checks for the Sustainability statement, referring to qualitative and quantitative data points in line with the ESRS. This internal controls process facilitates the identification of the information to be disclosed in relation to material IROs.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 60%
- Provide a disclosure detailing whether and how the undertaking's material impacts originate from or are connected to its strategy and business model, in accordance with Disclosure Requirement SBM-3.
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Question Id: SBM-3_05
Wind farms can have a negative impact on biodiversity, but ultimately play a positive role in protecting global biodiversity and ecosystems by replacing traditional energy sources with renewables. By utilizing nature-based solutions and mitigating harm with technology, Vestas collaborates with customers to deliver projects with the lowest impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. The resilience analysis did not identify any material biodiversity risks, opportunities, or dependencies, and strategic focus caters for material impact, with the business currently resilient to changing ecosystem conditions.
Report Date: 4Q2024Relevance: 60%