Our Success Depends On Active, Long-Term Engagement With A Diverse Group Of Stakeholders. Good decision making and sustainable growth requires the understanding of relevant issues, evolving trends and unmet needs. To foster strong engagement, we seek opportunities where we can successfully collaborate to achieve a positive impact.
Customers
We serve a diverse customer base worldwide - including industrial gas distributors, manufacturers across an array of industries, engineering firms, metal fabrication shops, wholesalers, and end consumers at retail. We prioritize our customers first and engage through one-on-one discussions, joint development projects, industry tradeshows, and through extensive research and surveys to capture the “voice” of our customers. Additionally, we collaborate with customers to showcase customized solutions at our 38 technical centers around the world and welcome thousands of visitors annually at our Cleveland headquarter campus for educational seminars and collaborative meetings. We also connect with customers through our digital seminars and tradeshows, regional websites, mobile applications, electronic newsletters, Arc magazine, social media presence, and our “Ask the Experts” portal and hotline.
Employees
Our employees are our most valuable asset as they represent the foundation of our great Company and our future success. We engage employees through individual, small group and townhall meetings, our employee-comprised Advisory Board, works councils in select jurisdictions, our global intranet “GlobalLinc” and mobile application “UpLinc”, employee surveys, resource groups, health and safety communications and initiatives, training and development, employee wellness and assistance programs, and an ethics hotline.
I have a strong belief that if each of us give "our best" every day, that collectively, we will continue to drive success for the Company.
Chris Mapes, Chairman & CEO
Community
We are active members in the communities where we live and work. We participate in community meetings, local business associations, offer plant visits, provide grants to nonprofit organizations and donate resources and time through in-kind gifts, employee volunteerism and nonprofit Board service. Our partnership with academia includes executive-led lectures and donations of equipment and engineering expertise to support lab and research initiatives.
Investment Community
We maintain active dialogue with our shareholders, analysts and prospective investors through an investor relations program that includes regular financial filings, meetings (equity and governance focused), conferences, nondeal roadshows, an annual shareholder meeting, tradeshow tours, periodic surveys, and investor relations and sustainability websites. On an annual basis, our General Counsel, VP of Investor Relations, and Head of Environmental Health & Safety conduct governance-focused briefings with our largest shareholders on ESG topics such as corporate governance, execution of our strategy, diversity, and environmental and safety practices. In 2020, these briefings included shareholders that represent approximately 49% of Lincoln’s outstanding common shares.
Industry Associations and Officials
We are actively engaged with industry and trade associations, academic and research partners, and with government agencies to provide us with an in-depth view of emerging issues and opportunities, shifts in industry-specific trends, technologies, and regulations. Our participation also allows us to collaborate on technical and safety standards, and to generate awareness of the welding industry’s contribution to economic prosperity worldwide.
Suppliers
We work with our suppliers on joint initiatives; engage at supplier conferences and associations, and work together to ensure ethics, safety, sustainable practices and compliance in our supply chain.
