Stakeholder engagement

The Zurich Airport Group has a large number of stakeholders, both in Switzerland and at the airports it operates abroad.

Our stakeholders

Zurich Airport Ltd. engages in open dialogue with its stakeholders. In Zurich, the 75th anniversary of Zurich Airport was used both as a springboard to look back at its history as well as to imagine the airportʼs future development. Through regular exchanges with stakeholder groups, the company can learn about developments in the areas concerned, and consequently identify potential risks to its business at an early stage. The following sections set out how these groups are defined, the forms of communication used and the respective focal issues.

Residents

Communicating with people in the region is important to Zurich Airport Ltd. In relation to noise specifically, the company actively exchanges information with public bodies such as the Zurich local residents protection association (SBFZ). Zurich Airport Ltd. provides information about its development plans and any related changes, ensuring its intentions and associated actions are communicated transparently through active participation in information events. It proactively communicates via the media as well as in collaboration with the respective political bodies. Particularly relevant during the year under review were the planned runway extensions, the airportʼs anniversary and the handling of delayed flights after 11 p.m. The company also liaises with citizensʼ organisations in connection with specific projects. Local residents affected by noise can contact a 24/7 noise hotline. See the Noise section for further information.

The companyʼs majority-owned subsidiaries in Latin America also maintain close contacts with their local communities. All the airports operate a general telephone hotline for residents to report concerns about their local airport. All offer an online contact facility as well, for example to submit complaints.

Individual customers

No matter whether travellers or other types of visitor, Zurich Airport Ltd. considers it important to know the needs of its individual customers. A variety of contact options are available to customers. In Zurich, the company receives feedback directly at its contact desks at the airport, as well as over the telephone or online. Customer satisfaction is systematically analysed and benchmarked against other comparable European airports. The resulting data are used to identify and implement improvements on an ongoing basis. During the year under review, unusually long waiting times at security checkpoints and other impacts resulting from staff shortages at our airport partners were the issues most frequently raised by individual customers.

Zurich Airport scored highly this year again in regular customer satisfaction surveys carried out by third parties (see also Awards).

Airport partners

Besides the operator companies, numerous other partner firms (around 300 in Zurich) are involved in providing the myriad of services required to run the Zurich site. Almost all of these airport partners are in a direct contractual relationship, but for the most part they operate independently. Together with Zurich Airport Ltd. they ensure the smooth operation of the airport and provide a wide range of services and amenities. Along with police, rescue services and border police, the airport partners include the airlines and the ground handling, maintenance, cleaning and security firms directly involved in flight operations. Further partners are retail businesses, hospitality establishments and a wide range of firms that provide services to companies and private individuals.

As the licence holder for Zurich Airport, Zurich Airport Ltd. attaches great importance to a fair and transparent partnership with all its airport partners. It actively engages in dialogue with these partner companies, wishing to see them prosper to ensure high quality across the board. Evidence of this commitment is the large number of bodies that regularly meet, for example the Strategy Board which brings together executives at management board level, the Airline Operators Committee (AOC), the Airport User Board (AUB), and the annual meeting of airport tenants. Numerous bilateral meetings are also held.

Research and education

Zurich Airport Ltd. maintains close contacts with universities and organisations engaged in research and education. Senior executives and experts from the company regularly participate in public events and lecture at various universities. In addition, the company has been an active partner in European Union research programmes for many years, for instance the SESAR and AVIATOR programmes. Zurich Airport Ltd. regularly makes its personnel and infrastructure available for practice-centered research into new technologies.

Capital market

As a listed company, Zurich Airport Ltd. is obliged to comply with clearly defined requirements as regards transparency and reporting. For instance, there is an information obligation for facts of SIX Exchange Regulation that are relevant to the share price (ad-hoc publicity). Along with analysts and rating agencies, in particular shareholders and external capital providers need to be provided with a range of information.

Zurich Airport Ltd. regularly publishes relevant information about its business situation, such as annual and interim results, monthly traffic statistics and individual ad hoc press releases (Investor News [Ad hoc]), or by e-mail, and on its website (see Information policy for further information). Management and the Investor Relations department maintain a dialogue with the respective stakeholders through direct meetings or participation in conferences and roadshows.

Suppliers

Zurich Airport Ltd. and its subsidiaries purchase goods and services from thousands of different suppliers ranging in size from large multinationals down to small local firms. At Zurich Airport alone there are more than 3,000 suppliers. For many of them, Zurich Airport Ltd. is a major customer. Zurich Airport Ltd. is in regular contact with many of its suppliers about products and services, including their impact on the environment and society. Additional information about local suppliers and tendering requirements can be found in the Regional contribution section.

Media

Airports attract a great deal of interest from the public across a wide range of issues. Here the media play a dual reporting and multiplier role. Open and transparent information is important to the Zurich Airport Group. Its media offices provide timely, high-quality information as and when required. At the Zurich site during the year under review, the focus was very much on the airportʼs 75th anniversary. 

Employees

The staff representation council (PeV) represents the companyʼs Zurich-based employees at a collective level. See the Responsible employer section for further information on employees and their right to be consulted.

The company has an open and transparent culture of communication, with many employees at Zurich Airport being on first-name terms for example. A wide range of communication channels are available at the Zurich site, ranging from a staff magazine to the intranet, along with e-mails from the CEO on current issues. In addition, regular events are held to enable the Management Board to meet senior executives and employees in person.

The areas on which the company is focusing and key developments during the financial year are communicated when the annual and interim results are announced. Employees are able to put questions directly to the Management Board during such events. The “GL im Gespräch” meet-the-management sessions facilitate regular dialogue with the workforce and enable all interested Zurich-based employees (including expats) to gain insights into strategic objectives and developments. Members of the Management Board are also available for informal and one-on-one conversations throughout the year. Significant issues for the workforce during the reporting year were the difficult labour situation across the board at Zurich Airport, the increase in the number of holidays, and further measures aimed at making the conditions of employment more attractive.

A similarly open and transparent culture of communication is encouraged at the companyʼs locations abroad as well. The communication channels used vary from airport to airport.

Non-governmental organisations

The Zurich Airport Group communicates with numerous non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Owing to the wide-ranging nature of issues that arise at Zurich Airport, these include organisations from all spheres of society but in particular ones that are involved in business and commerce generally, labour organisations, or bodies concerned with matters of environmental protection, disability-friendly construction and light aircraft.

The Group also actively engages with NGOs in Latin America on a wide range of issues. In particular these include business and trade interest groups predominantly interested in economic development.

Governments and public authorities

Engaging in dialogue with legislators, administrative authorities and government agencies is very important for the Zurich Airport Group. Airport operation is a highly regulated business in all countries and is subject to both national and international regulations. At the same time, regional (cantonal in Switzerland) and municipal authorities are responsible for certain matters. The main topic in the reporting year was the deliberations on the planned runway extensions in the Zurich Cantonal Parliament.

At the Zurich site, a community event with representatives from the administrations of all five neighbouring municipalities is held every year. In addition, meetings on technical matters are organised with municipal authorities and agencies as and when required, usually in relation to building projects and to noise arising from aircraft, construction or operations generally. Regular exchanges also take place with representatives of neighbouring districts in Germany.

At the cantonal level, regular or ad hoc meetings take place with members of the Government Council, the Cantonal Parliament or the competent authorities, in particular with the Office for Mobility of the Canton of Zurich. Similarly, dialogue is conducted at the federal level with the Federal Council, with commissions of the Federal Assembly or individual members of parliament, or in particular with the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). Zurich Airport Ltd. addresses political issues in a “Political Newsletter” aimed at politicians and officials which is issued at least four times a year. The company also takes an active interest in legislative matters, primarily in relation to infrastructure, transport, spatial planning and environmental policy issues.

The companyʼs airports abroad also communicated regularly with governments and local authorities, among other things with regard to further development of the concession models and specific airport development projects.

Memberships