Working conditions at our business partners
Our goal: Ensuring that all our suppliers comply with the international labor standards and local laws.
We do not have our own factories – so we look all the more closely at our business partners. Our Code of Conduct requires every supplier to adhere to fair working conditions and is a prerequisite for any collaboration. We have this checked by independent experts.
We produce with partners
This makes it all the more important for us to have trustworthy and reliable suppliers who share our values. Around 90 percent of our products come from European partners.
The basis for every collaboration is compliance with fair and socially sustainable working conditions. We therefore require all suppliers to comply with our Code of Conduct. This is based on the core labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and is uniform for all business partners and product categories worldwide. Basic environmental and animal welfare principles (we have always been cruelty-free) are also part of our Code of Conduct.
We listen to the workers on site
Our Social Audit Program: Every year, we monitor the compliance with our sustainability standards by certain suppliers in the form of a standardized evaluation. We do this both through visits by our own experienced staff and with the help of the service provider ELEVATE, which specializes in so-called Social Compliance Audits.
In this process, the suppliers are assessed regarding occupational safety, working hours, transparency or environmental aspects. ELEVATE carries out inspection tours as well as employee interviews in the factories. At the end of the process, the insights obtained result in an overall assessment.
This way, we always have an up-to-date overview of the status quo on site. If we discover violations, we develop corrective measures together with the supplier and monitor their implementation at regular intervals.
EcoVadis sustainability ranking
In addition to the Social Audit Program, we have been conducting regular sustainability assessments of our suppliers since 2017. The evaluation by EcoVadis is based on a total of 21 criteria in the areas of environment, labor and human rights, fair business practices and sustainable supply chains. The percentage rating of our suppliers provides us with a basis for taking joint steps towards greater sustainability.
Of course, we have also had ourselves audited by EcoVadis and are proud of the EcoVadis Gold Medal, which was awarded to us in 2019 for particularly good results. It encourages us to continue to promote social and environmental sustainability and to keep getting better every day.
Our digital whistleblowing system
With our whistleblower system cosnova - Startseite (integrityline.com), cosnova offers all employees and external parties the opportunity to report possible violations of legal provisions and internal policies.
Our Human Rights Policy is our promise to create a fair and inclusive environment for everyone we work with — employees, suppliers, customers, and society.
By firmly integrating human rights into our business practices, we aim to make the world a fairer place. Inspired by global standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, our Human Rights Policy demonstrates how we actively address human rights challenges.
We are happy to have you join us on this journey. Together, we can make a real difference and ensure that our actions always align with our values.
