GRI Index

• Strategy and Analysis
• Organizational Profile
• Report Parameters
• Governance, Commitments, and Engagement

Indicator	Description	2011 Report	Response or Link
Strategy and Analysis
1.1	Statement from the most senior decision maker of the organization		Statement from the CEO
1.2	Description of key impacts, risks, and opportunities		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility; 2011 Performance Summary; PDF Report - Corporate Responsibility Challenges and Opportunities. For information about financial risk factors, refer to the Risk Factors section in Form 10-K of the Annual Report.
Organizational Profile
2.1	Name of the organization		National Instruments Corporation
2.2	Primary brands, products, and/or services		Annual Report
2.3	Operational structure of the organization		Annual Report
2.4	Location of organization’s headquarters		Austin, Texas, USA
2.5	Number and names of countries where the organization operates		ni.com/niglobal
2.6	Nature of ownership and legal form		Annual Report
2.7	Markets served		Annual Report
2.8	Scale of the reporting organization		Annual Report
2.9	Significant changes during the reporting period		Annual Report
2.10	Awards received in the reporting period		Awards
Report Parameters
3.1	Reporting period for information provided		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.2	Date of most recent previous report (if any)		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.3	Reporting cycle		Annual
3.4	Contact point for questions regarding the report or its contents		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.5	Process for defining report content		PDF Report - Stakeholder Engagement; PDF Report - Corporate Responsibility Challenges and Opportunities; Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.6	Boundary of the report		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.7	State any specific limitations on the scope or boundary of the report		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
3.8	Basis for reporting on joint ventures, subsidiaries, leased facilities, outsourced operations, and other entities		This report does not include data on joint ventures, subsidiaries, leased facilities, or outsourced operations, unless otherwise noted.
3.9	Data measurement techniques and the bases of calculations, including assumptions and techniques underlying estimations applied to the compilation of the indicators and other information in the report		NI captures data from its relevant organizational units as well as third parties such as energy providers. Where only estimates of data were available, that fact is noted along with the data.
3.10	Explanation of the effect of any restatements of information provided in earlier reports		No restatements have occurred since 2010. Those restatements are included in the 2010 report, which is available here.
3.11	Significant changes from previous reporting periods in the scope, boundary, or measurement methods applied in the report		None.
3.12	Table identifying the location of the Standard Disclosures in the report		GRI Index
3.13	Policy and current practice with regard to seeking external assurance for the report		Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
Governance, Commitments, and Engagement
4.1	Governance structure of the organization		Corporate Governance
4.2	Indicate whether the Chair of the highest governance body is also an executive officer		Corporate Governance
4.3	State the number of members of the highest governance body that are independent and/or non-executive members		Corporate Governance
4.4	Mechanisms for shareholders and employees to provide recommendations or direction to the highest governance body		Corporate Governance
4.5	Linkage between compensation for members of the highest governance body, senior managers, and executives, and the organization’s performance		NI believes that a significant portion of its executives’ total compensation should be directly linked to achieving specified financial objectives that NI thinks will create stockholder value. Under an annual incentive cash bonus program, executives receive payments based on the achievement of NI business goals approved by the NI board. In addition, all regular full-time and part-time employees, including executives, participate in a company performance bonus program. For employees to receive the maximum payout under this program, NI must achieve predetermined goals for revenue growth and profitability. NI also uses stock-based equity compensation to incentivize a large number of its regular, full-time, and exempt employees, including executives. Refer to the Executive Compensation section of the Proxy Statement for more information about the NI approach toward compensation as well as specific business goals under the annual incentive program.
4.6	Processes in place for the highest governance body to ensure conflicts of interest are avoided		Proxy Statement, Certain Relationships and Related Transactions section
4.7	Process for determining the qualifications and expertise of the members of the highest governance body for guiding the organization’s strategy on economic, environmental, and social topics		Charter for the Nomination and Governance Committee of the NI Board of Directors; Proxy Statement, Corporate Governance section
4.8	Internally developed statements of mission or values, codes of conduct, and principles relevant to economic, environmental, and social performance and the status of their implementation		The following statements and tools serve as a way of ensuring the company’s performance meets its standards. Statement Implementation Company Mission and Vision Statements At NI corporate headquarters, the new employee training program and leadership development program cover these core principles. At branch offices, local leaders are responsible for integrating these principles into their branch organizations. NI Code of Ethics Refer to the Create a Great Place to Work section of this report. Supplier Code of Conduct Refer to the Operations and Product Recycling section of this report.
4.9	Procedures of the highest governance body for overseeing the organization’s identification and management of economic, environmental, and social performance, including relevant risks and opportunities, and adherence or compliance with internationally agreed standards, codes of conduct, and principles		PDF Report - Corporate Responsibility Challenges and Opportunities; Our Approach to Corporate Responsibility
4.10	Processes for evaluating the highest governance body’s own performance, particularly with respect to economic, environmental, and social performance		Charter for the Audit Committee of the NI Board of Directors
4.11	Explanation of whether and how the precautionary approach or principle is addressed by the organization		NI has not explicitly addressed the precautionary approach. However, both of the company’s manufacturing facilities are certified to ISO 14001 standards, which NI uses to proactively identify where its activities have an environmental impact.
4.12	Externally developed economic, environmental, and social charters, principles, or other initiatives to which the organization subscribes or endorses		External Initiative Year of Adoption Operations Where Applied Key Stakeholders Voluntary or Required Clean Air Partners Program 2004 Corporate headquarters Employees Voluntary Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) Code of Conduct 2008 Worldwide Suppliers Voluntary ISO 14001 standards 2003 Corporate headquarters and NI Hungary Employees Voluntary
4.13	Memberships in associations (such as industry associations) and/or national/international advocacy organizations		PDF Report - NI Memberships and Associations
4.14	List of stakeholder groups engaged by the organization		NI Culture and Stakeholder Engagement
4.15	Basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom to engage		NI Culture and Stakeholder Engagement
4.16	Approaches to stakeholder engagement, including frequency of engagement by type and by stakeholder group		PDF Report - Stakeholder Engagement
4.17	Key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organization has responded to those key topics and concerns, including through its reporting		NI Culture and Stakeholder Engagement

Back to Top

• Economic
• Environmental
• Social
• Labor Practices and Decent Work
• Human Rights
• Society
• Product Responsibility

Indicator	Description	2011 Report	Response or Link
Economic
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following economic aspects: Economic performance Market presence Indirect economic impacts		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
EC1	Economic value generated and distributed		PDF Report - Financial Information
EC3	Coverage of the organization’s defined benefit plan obligations		Create a Great Place to Work
Environmental
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following environmental aspects: Materials Energy Water Biodiversity Emissions, effluents, and waste Products and services Compliance Transport Overall		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
EN1	Materials used by weight or volume		Product Design and Packaging
EN3	Direct energy consumption by primary energy source		Electricity, Natural Gas, and Emissions
EN4	Indirect energy consumption by primary source		Electricity, Natural Gas, and Emissions. For purchased electricity, the corresponding primary energy consumed in production is not available.
EN5	Energy saved due to conservation and efficiency improvements		Electricity, Natural Gas, and Emissions; Employees Driving Change
EN7	Initiatives to reduce indirect energy consumption and reductions achieved		Electricity, Natural Gas, and Emissions; Employees Driving Change
EN8	Total water withdrawal by source		Water Usage, Recycling, and Waste Reduction
EN10	Percentage and total volume of water recycled and reused		NI does not recycle or reuse water at its corporate headquarters or NI Hungary.
EN13	Habitats protected or restored		Approximately 63%, or 16.6 hectares, of the NI corporate headquarters campus remains in its original state with a healthy functioning ecosystem and is protected from any harm during operational activities. For more information about this campus, refer to the Water Usage, Recycling, and Waste Reduction section of this report.
EN16	Total direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by weight		Electricity, Natural Gas, and Emissions
EN22	Total weight of waste by type and disposal method		Water Usage, Recycling, and Waste Reduction
EN23	Total number and volume of significant spills		No hazardous spills occurred at either NI manufacturing facility.
EN26	Initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts of products and services, and extent of impact mitigation		Product Life Cycle
EN28	Monetary value of significant fines and total number of nonmonetary sanctions for noncompliance with environmental laws and regulations		No fines or sanctions were incurred for noncompliance with environmental laws and regulations at either NI manufacturing facility.
Social
Labor Practices and Decent Work
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following labor aspects: Employment Labor/management relations Occupational health and safety Training and education Diversity and equal opportunity		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
LA1	Total workforce by employment type, employment contract, and region		Recruiting and Retention
LA2	Total number and rate of employee turnover by age group, gender, and region		Recruiting and Retention
LA7	Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and number of work-related fatalities by region		Create a Great Place to Work
LA10	Average hours of training per year per employee by employee category		Superior Employee Development
LA11	Programs for skills management and lifelong learning that support the continued employability of employees and assist them in managing career endings		Superior Employee Development. NI does not offer paid educational leave or sabbaticals as an employee benefit. NI offers the following transition assistance programs for employees who are retiring or who have been terminated. Program Offered Details Retirement planning for intended retirees Yes NI offers resources on retirement planning to all employees. Retraining for those intending to continue working No Severance pay Yes NI offers severance pay in some situations. Typically, severance pay takes into account years of service. Job placement services Yes NI offers job placement assistance in some situations. Assistance on transitioning to a nonworking life No
LA12	Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews		Superior Employee Development
LA13	Composition of governance bodies and breakdown of employees per category according to gender, age group, minority group membership, and other indicators of diversity		Recruiting and Retention
Human Rights
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following human rights aspects: Investment and procurement practices Nondiscrimination Freedom of association and collective bargaining Abolition of child labor Prevention of forced and compulsory labor Complaints and grievance practices Security practices Indigenous rights		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
HR2	Percentage of significant suppliers and contractors that have undergone screening on human rights and actions taken		Sixty-five percent of suppliers have undergone this screening, and no actions have resulted from the screening. For more information about supplier screening, refer to the Operations and Product Recycling section of this report.
HR6	Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of child labor, and measures taken to contribute to the elimination of child labor		NI has not identified any operations with significant risk for incidents of child labor of young workers exposed to hazardous work. NI does not and will not use child labor. The term “child” refers to any employed person under the age of 16, under the age for completing compulsory education, or under the minimum age for employment in the country, whichever is greatest. NI supports the use of legitimate workplace apprenticeship, internship, and similar programs that comply with all laws and regulations applicable to such programs.
HR7	Operations identified as having significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor, and measures to contribute to the elimination of forced or compulsory labor		NI has not identified any operations with significant risk for incidents of forced or compulsory labor. NI does not and will not use forced or involuntary labor of any type, including but not limited to forced, bonded, indentured, or involuntary prison labor. Employment is voluntary.
Society
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following society aspects: Community Corruption Public policy Anticompetitive behavior Compliance		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
SO3	Percentage of employees trained in organization’s anticorruption policies and procedures		Create a Great Place to Work
Product Responsibility
Disclosure on Management Approach	A concise disclosure with reference to the following product responsibility aspects: Customer health and safety Product and service labeling Marketing communications Customer privacy Compliance		PDF Report - Management Approach Disclosures
PR1	Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement, and percentage of significant products and services categories subject to such procedures		NI assesses the health and safety impacts of products and services for improvement during the following life cycle stages. Life Cycle Stage Impacts Assessed Development of product concept No R&D Yes Certification Yes Manufacturing and production Yes Marketing and promotion No Storage distribution and supply Yes Use and service Yes Disposal, reuse, or recycling Yes Of the significant NI product or service categories, 100% are covered by and assessed for compliance with such procedures.
PR5	Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction		PDF Report - Measuring NI Customer Satisfaction

Back to Top