Clear commitment to respect human rights, to comply with labor and social standards as well as principles for the protection of people and the environment
Code of Conduct of the RBA will be binding for employees, business partners and suppliers of Vitesco Technologies
Strengthening human rights due diligence in global value chains is part of a comprehensive sustainability agenda
Regensburg, June 18, 2021. Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of advanced drive technologies and solutions for e-mobility, is proud to announce it has become a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) industry coalition as of today. In doing so, Vitesco is setting an example for ethically responsible business and initiating the development of comprehensive measures for the implementation of human rights due diligence across all its activities and along its entire supply chain.
“As an international company with more than 40,000 employees and a complex network of suppliers and business partners worldwide, human rights due diligence is a key issue for us and will be an integral part of our corporate culture”, explains Ingo Holstein, Chief Human Relations Officer at Vitesco Technologies. “I am pleased that with the Responsible Business Alliance we now have a partner at our side that convinces not only because of its expertise in the field of human rights, but also with globally available resources and an internationally oriented, cooperative approach.”
Through its membership, Vitesco Technologies recognizes the Code of Conduct of the RBA and makes it binding for its employees, business partners and suppliers. The focus is on a clear commitment to respect human rights, and to comply with labor and social standards as well as principles for the protection of people and the environment.
To implement appropriate due diligence processes, Vitesco Technologies is setting up management systems along its business activities and is expanding existing mechanisms for risk assessment and monitoring of suppliers, among others. Awareness raising and training for employees and stakeholders in global supply chains as well as providing effective reporting and remediation systems also play a crucial role.
“We pay attention to sustainability and compliance with ethical principles and standards in our purchasing processes as well,” affirms Peter Reidegeld, Head of Purchasing and Supplier Quality Management at Vitesco Technologies. “Complementing our existing activities, we will actively pass on the principles of the Responsible Business Alliance to our supply chain and, together with our suppliers, will drive measures to ensure that our business activities are carried out in a socially, environmentally and ethically sustainable manner.”
Strengthening human rights due diligence in global value chains is a key pillar of Vitesco Technologies’ comprehensive sustainability agenda. In the medium to long term, the company aims to accelerate its progress in areas such as clean mobility, climate protection, resource efficiency and circular economy, fair working conditions and diversity, as well as responsible sourcing and partnerships.