Our material sustainability issues

Refreshing our ESG materiality assessment in 2023

We last carried out an ESG materiality assessment in 2020 as part of a wider ESG Strategic Review. One of our priorities in 2023 was to refresh the assessment by commissioning an independent specialist review and carrying out interviews with both internal and external stakeholders.

 

Methodology and results of the materiality assessment and stakeholder engagement:

Desktop analysis
and issue identification

Research into our initial internal views and communications around material issues. Identifying issues which external stakeholders and peer companies, sector guidance and frameworks commonly identify as being material.

Identifying a list of possible material topics for stakeholder interviews.

Stakeholder
engagement

Interviews with key stakeholders to discuss the possible material issues identified in step 1, and to get their views on any other issues which they considered to be material.

This involved interviews with investors, suppliers, depot managers, other employees and members of the senior leadership team.

Refinement and
consolidation of issues

The findings from all the stakeholder group interviews were examined and consolidated into the matrix below.

We then compared them with our existing ESG strategic pillars and foundation values. Whilst there were variations in some of the terminology used, we were encouraged to see that the issues identified were the issues we were already focused on.

ESG Materiality Assessment in 2023 Howdens Materiality Matrix following an independent specialist review and carrying out interviews with both internal and external stakeholders. Stakeholder view Howdens view Packaging Material and Waste Circularity Distribution Impact Sustainable Product and Brand Business Resilience and Compliance Climate Risk Manufacturing Impact Health and Safety Transparency and Disclosure and Inclusion Equality, Diversity Employee Development Board Accountability Employee Engagement Communities and Charity Employee Wellbeing Supply Chain and Materials Sourcing Carbon Footprint and GHG Emissions Higher importance for stakeholders Higher importance for Howdens Moderate importance Forestry and Timber Supply Chain Waste Management Customer Relations
  • ESG strategic pillars
  • Our ESG foundation values
  • Wider business strategy and governance

Stakeholder view

Gathered from interviews with depot managers, employees, suppliers and investors.

Howdens View

Gathered from interviews with the senior leadership team.

Correlation of material topics with our ESG strategy

As well as showing the relative importance of each of the topics that arose in our stakeholder interviews, the diagram above shows how they link to our ESG strategic pillars and foundation values, as set out on page 45 of the 2023 annual report or in some cases, how they link with our wider business strategy and our governance.

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