Business Partner Management and Principles

Our Business Partner Principles align with the UN’s Global Compact principles on human rights, working conditions, environment, and anti-corruption. These principles are mandatory for all suppliers/third parties and are integrated into contracts across the supply chain. Suppliers/third parties must sign and adhere to them alongside regular agreements.

Our procurement procedures prioritise transparency, fairness, and structure, creating value for our customers, society, and our company.

Our detailed Procurement Manual supports our Policy and Principles. Local procurement organisations, with the support of the Group Procurement Director and the Group procurement organisation, ensure supplier compliance and assess performance.

Selected suppliers must meet our sustainability criteria. Factors considered include price, delivery, logistics, quality, payment terms, warranty, availability, maintenance costs, lifetime, taxes, regulations, work conditions, human rights, and past performance.

We conduct desktop screenings on new suppliers and utilise a third-party supplier portal/integration for comprehensive supplier assessment. Long-term suppliers undergo reassessments every third year or when renegotiated, and regular benchmarking for competitiveness. Our largest suppliers are monitored continuously. 

Annual key supplier governance meetings address performance, compliance, sustainability, and cooperation. Material supplier audits involve stakeholders and ensure adherence to Business Partner Principles. Inspections focus on suspected non-compliance and prioritise corrective actions, with incidents reported and escalated as necessary.

Read our Business Partner Principles here.

Our Business Partner framework incorporates our Business Partner Policy, Procurement Manual, Code of Conduct, Business Partner Principles, Anti-corruption Policy, and Sustainability Policy.