Since 2005, we’ve pledged our commitment to the principles of the UN Global Compact, which include the protection of human rights. Working conditions in most of the regions where we operate are governed by American and EU law. Respect for human rights is an integral part of our corporate culture and is embedded in our groupwide policies and processes.

 

In March 2007, we approved the main principles of our responsible procurement policy and incorporated them into our general purchasing terms. These principles were then used to develop suitable mechanisms and procedures to guarantee that our purchasing strategy ensures that our suppliers protect human rights. Our procurement teams receive special training in these issues.

 

The main geographic focus of our business remains in Europe, despite our recent acquisition in Russia. We therefore assume that only an extremely small portion of our suppliers are characterized by a higher risk of human rights violations.