Supply & Value Chain

Sustainability plays an important role from purchasing, through internal processes, to our customer relationships. In our purchasing practice, we consider social, ecological and business ethical criteria when selecting suppliers and the products and services we require. When developing new services or improving existing ones through our Service Divisions, we also ensure that we make a positive contribution to sustainable development and create added value for our customers.
    Our purchasing guidelines define the consideration of sustainability in our purchasing management. We require our suppliers to comply with sustainability standards. This is laid down in the General Purchasing Conditions and, in particular, in the Sustainability Supplier Code of Conduct and is checked by means of risk and demand-oriented audits.
    The General Terms and Conditions of Purchase set clear requirements with regard to ecological (climate protection, pollution, environmental management system) as well as social and business ethical responsibility (human rights, non-discrimination, ILO standards, health and safety, compliance).
    With our Sustainability Code of Conduct we expect our suppliers to follow our principles in the following four areas: Sustainability management & ethical business practices, environment & climate protection, social standards & Support human rights and sustainability in supply chain management.
    As laid down in our Sustainability Supplier Code of Conduct both environmental and social sustainability are important to us. Especially the adherence of human rights and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions play a role. In this context we also aim to have a positive impact on diversity and equal opportunities. Also supply chain management can contribute to promote diversity and equal opportunities. Supplier diversity, in terms of working together with suppliers with an inclusion-supportive business model and organization, owned by vulnerable groups, or women-owned, is important to us. This is laid down in our Sustainability Supplier Code of Conduct and also considered in our supplier assessments. This concerns our Global Procurement activities. We aim to consider diversity of our suppliers in our supplier selection and by that support diversity also beyond our own organization. Supporting diversity and equal opportunities is part of our mission and concerns our business relations too.
    An example of this is our cooperation with AfB gemeinnützige GmbH , a non-profit company with a focus on inclusion, in the area of IT hardware refurbishment and recycling.