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Direct feedback in the form of surveys and workshops as well as evaluations of discussions held with individual
stakeholder groups, including customers, employees, rating agencies, non-governmental organizations and
sustainability experts, as well as the defined focal points of the company strategy, also served as important
sources for RBI and its Sustainability Officers in identifying key topics.
The process for identifying topics is based on the question of whether the given topics influence company
activities now or in the future and whether RBI is in a position to influence them directly or indirectly.
Prioritization of the sustainability aspects and materiality analysis
The prioritization of identified topics with regard to their materiality is based on a multi-stage approach:
1. In order to be able to better evaluate and subsequently prioritize the key topics and areas of activity, the
following tool was used to prepare and present topics in 2015: the topic map.
a. First, a list of the current key issues was drawn up by Group Sustainability Management. This is based on an
internal analysis of past Stakeholder Councils, focus groups, sustainability reports, online surveys (online
materiality survey 2013 and selective evaluations of the materiality of specific sustainability aspects),
discussions with experts and the GRI.
b. The list was checked and added to by an external sustainability expert. At the same time, additional
requirements of recognized standards and guidelines (incl. the Global Reporting Initiative, ISO 26000,
EU Directive on non-financial reporting, Sustainable Development Goals) as well as current corporate
strategies were also incorporated.
c. Next, the relations between the concepts were recorded. On the one hand, this involves hierarchical
structures based on strategic clusters and concept levels (e.g. values, strategies, tools), and on the other,
causal relationships and impact levels (e.g. input, output, outcome, impact).
d. Finally, these data were evaluated with the aid of network analysis software, and a topic map was created
(see Sustainability Report of the RZB Group 2015, page 22).
e. The eight most important topics areas were identified from the topic map. These formed the basis for the
online stakeholder materiality survey carried out in 2016 and 2018:
• Work environment
• Corporate environmental protection
• Commitment to society and the environment
• Sustainable products and services
• Economic added value
• Organizational management
• Regulations and controlling
• Transparency and disclosure
2. The current materiality matrix was created on the basis of the results of the 2018 online stakeholder materiality
survey.
3. In the table “Material topics”, we then present how the topics we identified as material are related to the
associated key GRI topics (see page 30).
4. Validation of the key aspects, including GRI‘s compliance with the key aspects, was carried out by an external
expert who has international experience as an auditor of sustainability reports produced by financial service
providers. This expert examined the identified prioritization of topics and performance indicators.
5. A workshop was held in December 2017 with around 20 external and RBI-internal participants with the appropriate
professional expertise and chaired by external experts, in order to arrive at expert-based weighting and
determination of the impacts of RBI’s business activities on the economy, environment and society. The impacts on
the material topics were identified in two discussion groups. All workshop participants then anonymously assessed
the material topics, and particularly the extent of the impacts thereof. The results were then ranked and subjected
to critical review. In a follow-up meeting, the Group Sustainability Management Team, together with the external
experts, determined and discussed further important impacts that have not yet been achieved.
Raiffeisen Bank International | Sustainability Report 2018