Check Your Value Chain

With the new Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, the Federal Government aims to comply with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The reason for this is the outcome of the action plan adopted in Germany in 2016 to prevent human rights violations in the value chain: Too many companies do not sufficiently protect human rights in their global supply chains.

To ensure that respect for human rights and protection of the environment is implemented in a binding manner throughout the entire supply chain of every company, the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act was passed in 2021.

Unlike other solutions on the market, there is no need to pre-select business partners in Check Your Value Chain. All your existing business partners are analysed and continuously monitored. By automating risk analysis, continuously monitoring and assessing more than 10,000 multilingual media sources and checking up to 200 assessed certificates, up to 500 person-days can be saved. Unique on the market is the double secured media analysis: In addition to AI-based media analysis, an editorial secured media analysis of the renowned NGO Business and Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) is carried out.

The following regulations apply to our own company as well as to our direct suppliers:

• Draw up a policy statement and define internal responsibilities
• Record a risk management and a risk analysis on the topic of human and environmental rights - at least annually or additionally as the occasion arises.
• When identifying risks: take preventive and remedial action
• Ensure grievance mechanisms and procedures to identify risks, including with indirect suppliers.

The following regulations apply to our own company as well as to our direct and indirect suppliers:

• Conduct an effectiveness review of the measures and procedures put in place - at least annually or additionally if there is cause to do so.
• Publication of internal documentation and external reporting - once a year (no later than four months after the end of the financial year)

The risk assessment of suppliers prevents child labour, slavery, forced labour, disregard for occupational health and safety, unequal treatment in employment, discrimination, the use of private/public security services and their disregard for human rights, and the withholding of a decent wage.

The environmental risks covered by the new law include the non-environmentally sound handling, collection, storage and disposal of waste (POPs Convention), the production and use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs Convention), the production of products with added mercury, the use of mercury and mercury compounds, the export and import of hazardous wastes (Basel Convention), harmful soil/water/air pollution, harmful noise emissions, excessive water consumption, and the unlawful clearance and deprivation of land, forests and water bodies.

The implementation effort is conceivably low at 5 days, as no interfaces are absolutely necessary due to the existence of import and export functionalities. Organisational units, roles / users can be set up in one to one and a half days.