Over the past two years, R&M has achieved the objectives of its sustainability strategy. Among other things, the company has refined and clearly defined its mission and corporate culture
Special emphasis was placed on respectful and success-oriented collaboration between colleagues, as well as with customers and other market partners. Colleagues were encouraged to cultivate an entrepreneurial sense of responsibility.
R&M's recently published fourth Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report provides detailed information about the successful implementation of the sustainability strategy in the 2015 and 2016 financial years. R&M sees its increasingly global orientation as key to its sustainability. In 2016, R&M successfully entered the North American market. During the reporting period, a new branch was also opened in Brazil, to enable R&M to work the South American market more intensively. Global market cultivation is enabling R&M to make the most of growth opportunities and balance out disparate regional developments.
Sustainability continued to be a top priority for R&M in an ecological sense, too. Among other things, the company managed to reduce its water consumption, waste water output and use of cardboard packaging and paper at its Wetzikon headquarters during the reporting period.
"The CSR report proves once again that R&M clearly meets the international standards for responsible entrepreneurship," says R&M CEO Michel Riva.
Increasingly, large and international customers are expecting R&M to document its sustainable activities. Riva: "Responsible economic, social and environmental activity has always been part of the culture of this independent family business. Sustainability is a fundamental part of the owners' approach. The company's mission was reformulated and, within the space of a few months, established throughout the Group. This includes a targeted value system called Values for Success."
During the reporting period, R&M managed to improve efficiency in all its plants. These improvements help to conserve natural resources and also contribute to the company's success. Among other things, the plant in Bangalore, India, re-organized its production processes and managed to double its productivity as a result. The more streamlined way of working is having a positive effect on colleagues' motivation. The concept proved easily transferable, and was quickly applied to the plants in Bulgaria and Poland. In 2016, R&M was certified in line with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, confirming the high standards across the Group in terms of quality and environmental management.
Over the past two years, R&M has again placed particular emphasis on training for young people. The company is currently promoting the introduction of dual vocational training in Bulgaria, based on the Swiss model. A delegation from the Bulgarian Parliament visited R&M's headquarters in January 2016 to find out more about this training pathway for young technicians. On average, the R&M Group invests CHF 0.5 million a year globally in training its employees - an increase of 66% compared with the 2013/2014 reporting period.
