Report structure and purpose
HARMAN is proud of our continued commitment to promoting sustainability. This report covers our performance from FY2012 through FY2016 (HARMAN runs on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal schedule).
In fiscal year 2015, we experienced the biggest period of growth and change in our entire history with a number of strategic acquisitions throughout the second half of the fiscal year that allowed us to greatly expand our business, augment our capabilities and boost our employee base. Perhaps most notable were the acquisitions of two major players in the world of software and services: Symphony Teleca® and Red Bend®. These two organizations, comprising more than 8,000 employees and a number of innovative proprietary solutions, afforded us immediate increase in scale of software and services across the many diverse markets they serve, including telecom, automotive, consumer electronics, retail, financial services and healthcare. With the addition of cloud, mobility and analytics competencies, we accelerated our solutions for the connected car and a broader set of industries and markets, bringing the seamless, safe and secure connected lifestyle that our customers expect from HARMAN to a burgeoning population of consumers around the planet.
New names for our newly evolved businesses
To reflect the evolution of our businesses and the markets we serve, we also changed division names:
- Connected Car: Formerly known as Infotainment, Connected Car more accurately describes the comprehensive, integrated systems that we are designing to usher in an era of truly connected vehicles that use augmented navigation, telematics, infotainment, multimedia, safety and security functionality and over-the-air updating to redefine the driving experience.
- Connected Services: Our success in the connected world hinges on developing software and services that are second to none. Expanding our capabilities around cloud, mobility and analytics, we’ve given this division the raw materials needed to accelerate innovation and revolutionize the automotive, audio, enterprise and mobile communications marketplace.
- Lifestyle Audio: HARMAN continues to introduce incredible innovations in luxury listening with speakers, headphones and home and multimedia products that embody industry-first advancements in audio and sound management. We have the strongest audio brand portfolio in the world, and continue to capitalize on our full spectrum of assets not only through portables and speakers but by setting the standard for automotive audio.
- Professional Solutions: This division encompasses audio, lighting, enterprise automation and video switching systems for the entertainment and enterprise markets. The addition of “Solutions” to this division’s name illustrates the whole-house approach we are now positioned to pursue. With the addition of Martin® Lighting, AMX® and strategic bolt-on technologies that provide key components for smart audio, we now offer complete IT solutions for a broad range of applications that deliver unrivalled performance in any venue.
Our Approach to reporting
In selecting content for inclusion in our 2016 report, HARMAN has utilized the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 reporting principles as guidance to achieve transparency in reporting, adhering to core “in accordance” disclosure.
The context and structure of the report were developed in alignment with key stakeholder expectations, materiality of issues, the global outreach of HARMAN and the scope necessary for completeness.
The quality of information in this report enables our key stakeholders to make sound assessments of our sustainability performance from a balanced perspective. All aspects of HARMAN’s performance have been presented to enable readers to form a reasoned assessment of our overall performance.
In order to facilitate comparability between reports over time, methods and assumptions used to calculate data and prepare information are kept consistent and differences clearly explained.
Unless otherwise noted, the 2016 report includes data from some of our R&D facilities and non-manufacturing locations such as legacy Symphony Teleca operations. In FY2017, we will evaluate our scope of operations and prepare a formal approach for future metrics reporting. HARMAN did not employ a third party agency or organization to provide external assurance for the 2016 Sustainability Report.
This report presents data for GRI G4 indicators that correspond to the material aspects as identified through our 2016 Materiality Assessment refresh and stakeholder engagement (see Cross references and stated omissions table). We detail each indicator in the relevant sections of this Report where they appear.
We also present additional information not required by GRI or specifically identified in our 2016 Materiality Assessment. This includes certain environmental data and initiatives, community and social outreach, product innovations and other aspects that characterize our business.
As always, HARMAN’s support of the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) with respect to human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption is steadfast and uncompromising. We commit to making the UNGC and its principles part of our business strategy, culture, and day-to-day operations. Our company’s efforts to implement the ten principles throughout our FY2015 and FY2016 reporting periods are outlined in our Standard Disclosures.
Questions or comments about our 2016 Sustainability Report?
We’d love to hear from you! Please contact Caroline Moore, Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at CorporateCommunications@harman.com.