102–8  Information on employees and other workers

All information in this GRI report concerning the number of employees refers to data from actual number of employees on 31 December for the years 2016– 2018, while in the Annual Report, the corresponding figures are calculated and reported as Full Time Employees (FTE). There are no significant variations in the numbers reported due to seasonal variations in production in our operations. The data has been generated through the local HR IT systems at our operations.

The data has been quality assured by the Business Areas ­Management teams each month and annually by Group HR.

102–8a Total number of employees by employment contract (permanent and temporary), by gender

102–8b Total number of employees by employment contract (permanent and temporary), by region

102–8c Total number of permanent employees by employment type (full-time and part-time), by gender

102–13  Membership of associations

Boliden participates in industry organizations that can play an important role in the sustainability dialogue. These organizations include: The International Zinc Association (IZA), The International Copper Association (ICA), The European Copper Institute (ECI),The Scandinavian Copper Development Association,The International Lead Association (ILA), The Nickel Institute, The European Precious Metals Federation (EPMF), The Selenium-­Tellurium Association, The Galvanizers Association of ­Germany/France and the UK, Zinc Info Norden, The International Wrought Copper Council, The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), The European Electronics Recyclers Association (EERA), The Bureau of International Recycling, Återvinnings­industrierna, Jernkontoret, The Association of Finnish Steel and Metal, SveMin, FinMin, Euromines and Eurometaux.

102–16  Values, principles, standards and norms of behavior

We expect our employees to promote our core values by acting responsibly towards colleagues, business associates, and society at large, and to keep in mind that they may be regarded as Boliden employees, even during their leisure time. The Code of Conduct provides a framework for what Boliden considers to be responsible conduct – it is not exhaustive. Our employees should always strive to exercise good judgement, care, and consideration in their work for Boliden.

Boliden, and its employees, shall base their behavior on mutual respect. Boliden does not accept any form of harassment, discrimination, or other behavior that colleagues or business associates may regard as threatening or humanly degrading. We shall also ensure that none of the operations controlled by the company lead to the exploitation of children. We never, either directly or indirectly, collaborate with suppliers or customers where we have reason to believe that child labor is used. Employees and Board Members shall not seek to obtain advantages for themselves (or any related persons) that are improper or may harm Boliden’s interests in any other way. Information beyond general business knowledge acquired in their work for Boliden should be regarded confidential and treated as such.

The company shall communicate its financial results and other information affecting the share price in an appropriate and timely manner and shall, when doing so, comply with relevant legis­lation, stock market contracts, and other regulations.

Gifts or other favors to business associates shall comply with locally accepted good business practice. Gifts and other favors may only be given or granted provided that they are modest, both with respect to value and frequency, and provided the time and place are appropriate.

Employees and Board Members shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including the antitrust and­ competition laws, when conducting business on behalf of Boliden.

The Code of Conduct applies to all Boliden employees, including temporary personnel, worldwide, as well as to members of the Board of Directors of Boliden AB and its subsidiaries. Line managers are responsible for making the guidelines known and for promoting and monitoring compliance. Violation of the Code of Conduct will not be tolerated and may lead to internal disciplinary action, dismissal, or even criminal prosecution. Should an improper practice or incident occur within Boliden, the company is committed to making the necessary corrections and will take remedial action to prevent recurrence.

102–40  List of stakeholder groups

Stakeholder dialogue is an important part of living up to Boliden’s values as a responsible and sustainable company. During 2018, Boliden’s stakeholder groups were reviewed, updated and approved by the Boliden’s Group Management. A stakeholder process with roles and responsibilities was also defined. The new stakeholder process is more generic and can be used at Group, Business Area and Business Unit level to help identify applicable stakeholders and the type of dialogue that should be carried out and by whom.

The stakeholder groups identified as priority groups for engagement on sustainability issues are:

• Employees
• Society
• Market
• Capital markets
• Suppliers
• Environment

102–41  Collective bargaining agreements

The total number of employees at Boliden covered by collective bargaining agreements on 31 December, 2018 was 5,911 (5,798) representing 98.0% (97.9%) of the total workforce.

102–42  Identifying and selecting stakeholders

Boliden’s operations affect many people in a variety of ways, and similarly, our stakeholders have different views and expectations of Boliden. A stakeholder process is implemented to help our business units engage and strengthen dialogue with important stakeholders. Each Boliden business unit is responsible for defining its own stakeholders and stakeholder dialogue. By conducting stakeholder dialogues at different levels and operations, Boliden meets demands for increased transparency and learns about stakeholders’ demands and expectations in greater detail.

An example: Stakeholder mapping at Bergsöe

Boliden Bergsöe identified stakeholders throughout the smelter’s value chain – from scrap batteries to the production of new batteries. The different requirements, risks and opportunities were then identified for each stakeholder, together with the systems Boliden Bergsöe has in place to manage and follow them up. The analysis is reviewed annually by the management team with input from the rest of the organization. The stakeholder analysis highlighted where Bergsöe has value chain risks, both when purchasing raw materials and when selling material to spot market traders. Bergsöe is looking at how tools and agreements, such as the UN Global Compact, could help mitigate these risks where Boliden has limited control over how the material is handled.

102–43  Approach to stakeholder engagement

Boliden has a wide-ranging framework of stakeholders who raise expectations, influence perceptions of the company, and are relevant with regard to sustainability performance. Dialogue is conducted in different ways with different groups, for example, bi-annual employee surveys, open-house meetings with ­employees and the neighboring community, formal and informal meetings with authorities, and capital market days and the ­Annual General Meeting.

102–44  Key topics and concerns raised

Boliden’s employees are naturally a key stakeholder. Employee dialogue aimed at understanding their desires and demands is essential for the overall success of Boliden’s units. The response from internal stakeholders (employees) confirms that health and safety is the most important issue, followed by the ability to create value by maximizing the metal yield and driving technological developments.

External stakeholders (business partners, authorities, future employees) have high expectations when it comes to to Boliden’s focus on increased energy efficiency, its carbon footprint, and reduced environmental impact. The common denominator for all stakeholders is an expectation that Boliden’s innovation and technological development capabilities will benefit both the company and society at large. Sustainability within Boliden means evaluating environmental impact, taking social considerations into account, and securing strong economic results. The stakeholder engagement is part of the Corporate Responsibility strategic process.

102–46  Defining report content and topic boundaries

The information contained in this report, with the exception of environmental performance data, covers facts and figures from Boliden’s eleven business units, from the Group’s head office and various staff functions, and from its sales offices. ­Environmental performance data are limited to Boliden’s eleven operational business units (as they represent Boliden’s significant environmental impact). During the reporting period, there have been no significant changes in the mining and smelting operations, the supply chain, or in the capital structure and capital formation.

Report Content

Boliden’s sustainability work is based on its own norms and values and on the UN Global Compact and the UN’s Sustainable development goals.

Stakeholders have different views and expectations for Boliden. The way in which Boliden’s activities relate to the global goals, to other societal trends and expectations, and to the views expressed internally within the company and in contacts with representatives of other stakeholders have all provided important input for the process of defining material topics. Within Boliden, a ‘material topic’ is a question that reflects Boliden’s material economic, environmental, and social impacts on the environment, as well as the issues that can affect assessments and decisions made by the stakeholders.

Boliden’s material topics are reviewed on an annual basis, and focus areas are decided on as part of the input to the Group Strategy plan.

Reporting Principles

The financial data is drawn from Boliden’s audited annual accounts. The Boliden Group reports in Swedish kronor (SEK). Sustainability reporting is included in the Group Annual Report, pursuant to Swedish legislation, and in a separate report prepared according to GRI standards. Environmental data, including ­energy-related data, is collected on a monthly, quarterly, or ­annual basis and consolidated at Group level. Calculation methods for direct CO₂ emissions are stipulated by national legislation, and in connection with the EU emissions trading scheme. All other emissions have been measured, and/or calculated on the basis of periodic measurements. More detailed measurement techniques, calculation methods, and assumptions are reported in connection with relevant indicators. Social data has been generated through the local HR IT systems at the operations.

102–56  External Assurance

Boliden’s policy is to use external assurance to ensure a high ­quality and credibility of the information published in the Boliden Sustainability index.