Global standards

• We act according to clearly defined values and standards of conduct that comply with or go beyond laws and regulations
• We review our performance with regular audits and a three-pronged monitoring system

Our standards fulfill or exceed existing laws and regulations and take internationally recognized principles into account. We respect and promote:

• The ten principles of the U.N. Global Compact
• The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the two U.N. human rights covenants
• The ILO’s core labor standards and its Tripartite Declaration of Principles Concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration)
• The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
• The Responsible Care Global Charter
• The German Corporate Governance Code

We stipulate rules for our employees with standards that apply throughout the Group. We set ourselves ambitious goals with voluntary commitments and review our environmental, health and safety performance using our Responsible Care Management System. A worldwide monitoring system ensures our compliance with labor and social standards. At its core are three main pillars:

• External compliance hotlines
• The annual survey of our Group companies
• Close dialog with our stakeholders, such as employee representatives and international organizations

Our business partners are expected to uphold prevailing laws and requirements and to align their actions with internationally recognized principles. We have established monitoring systems to ensure this.