Human rights
In the Dürr Group, we act according to the maxim of neither causing nor contributing to human rights violations. We are committed to respecting human rights and promoting fair working conditions in our own business area and at our direct suppliers.
Fundamental position on the respect for human rights
As a globally active company, we bear responsibility for all people connected with our business activities. By signing the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), we have reinforced this responsibility.
The respect for internationally recognized human rights, as set out in the International Bill of Human Rights* and the ten Core Labor Standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO), is a top priority for us. In implementing them, we are guided by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
* International Bill of Human Rights, consisting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the main legal instruments that codified it (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights).
Our principles on the respect for human rights and fair working conditions
- We reject any form of child labor without exception.
- We reject any form of forced or compulsory labor and are strongly committed to the prohibition of human trafficking and modern slavery.
- We provide safe working conditions.
- We are committed to freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike.
- We do not tolerate discrimination, stand up for tolerance, and ensure equal opportunities and equal treatment in the workplace.
- We pay fair wages and salaries.
- We stand up for fair working conditions and reasonable working hours.
- We take measures to reduce greenhouse gases.
- We use natural resources responsibly and avoid negative impacts on people and the environment.
Our goal is to create a common understanding of sustainability along our global supply chain. After all, major social challenges such as the international protection of human and labor rights can only be met when everyone pulls together.
We encourage all employees worldwide to comply with our human rights principles. The principles also apply to members of supervisory boards and comparable supervisory bodies, the Board of Management and the senior management.
We expect our suppliers to respect human rights and to ensure fair working conditions. We monitor compliance with our requirements as part of our supplier management and purchasing process.
Responsibility and organization
The Board of Management of Dürr AG bears overall responsibility for our human rights due diligence. The Corporate Sustainability, Corporate Compliance, and Corporate Legal departments support and accompany the specialist departments in dealing with human rights on a topic-specific basis.
Measures to ensure respect for human rights in own business operations are coordinated by Corporate Human Resources, Health & Safety or Corporate Compliance, depending on the subject matter.
The Group-wide Sustainable Supply Chain department is in charge of responsible procurement. It defines the due diligence processes in the supply chain and is responsible for their implementation. Local purchasing organizations act in a supportive capacity.
Human Rights Officer
As of January 1, 2023, → Karina Türkmen was appointed Human Rights Officer. She is responsible for ensuring compliance with the due diligence requirements of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) and oversees human rights compliance processes in the Dürr Group and in the supply chain. She is part of the Corporate Sustainability department and, in her function, reports directly to the Board of Management of Dürr AG.
Policies and guidelines
We report in detail on → our activities to respect human rights in our Sustainability report 2023 and in the → report on the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (“BAFA report”) to the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control.
Due diligence process on the respect for human rights
Our business activities are associated with human rights risks in various areas. In order to avoid negative impacts on human rights, we have implemented a due diligence process. It is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and follows the legal requirements of the LkSG Act.
Responsible procurement
When dealing with human rights, we relate our corporate duty of care not only to our own business activities, but also to the supply chain. We initiate prevention measures with our direct suppliers based on our annual risk analysis. We consider indirect suppliers separately if there are actual indications of possible human rights or environmental violations. In this way, we would like to contribute to the respect for human rights along the entire supply chain. We have set ourselves specific targets to promote a sustainable supply chain.
Risk analysis
In order to create transparency about potential human rights and environmental risks in the direct supply chain, we conduct risk analyses on an annual basis and – if necessary – when circumstances require. The analysis is an important element of our risk management. It forms the basis for subsequent preventive measures that we carry out with potential risk suppliers. If necessary, we define measures against human rights and environmental violations together with suppliers.
Prevention and remediation measures
We aim to prevent human rights violations at our direct suppliers through three preventive measures:
Code of Conduct for suppliers
Suppliers and business partners sign the Code of Conduct for suppliers of the Dürr Group. The Code is a binding part of the contractual terms and conditions, and a prerequisite for collaboration. It includes our expectations of suppliers with regard to social standards, ethical business conduct, and environmental protection.
Sustainability-specific eLearning
We use our specific online training to raise suppliers’ awareness of human rights and environmental issues, highlight the importance of our Code of Conduct for suppliers, and draw attention to our complaint channels, such as the Dürr Group Integrity Line.
Self-assessment questionnaire on the topic of sustainability
We use self-assessment questionnaires to evaluate the handling of human rights and other sustainability issues that are relevant to us. If critical results occur, we conduct feedback discussions and develop action plans for improvement. If the situation does not improve, we reserve the right to take further escalation steps. If necessary, we conduct random on-site audits to verify the information.
Complaints mechanism / Integrity Line
Reports of possible misconduct, cases of failure to respect human rights or other violations of our principles and guidelines by employees, suppliers, or business partners can be made at any time through various channels – anonymously, if desired.
The → rules of procedure pursuant to Section 8 (2) of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) describe in detail how we deal with such reports.
For further information, please refer to the → Compliance / Integrity Line page.
Carl-Benz-Str. 34
74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen
Germany
