Sustainability Requirements for a stable Supply Chain

1. Principle

Our suppliers and business partners are committed to fulfilling their social responsibility in all their business activities. Suppliers shall comply with the principles set forth in this Code of Conduct by providing appropriate resources within their companies and incorporating all principles applicable to them into policies and procedures.

2. Child Labor and Young Workers

We reject child labor in our supply chain. Suppliers must avoid any form of child labor in their companies. Employees under the legal minimum age are not to be employed.

3. Wages, Social Benefits and Working Hours

Suppliers must comply with the applicable legal regulations on working hours. Compensation shall be paid regularly, on time and in full to employees in accordance with applicable laws and shall be in compliance with applicable national laws on compensation. Compensation and other benefits shall provide employees and their families with an adequate standard of living.

4. Forced Labor

Our suppliers shall not engage in any form of human trafficking or forced labor.

5. Freedom of Association

Our suppliers shall protect the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

6. Occupational Health and Safety

Suppliers shall comply with national standards for a safe and hygienic working environment and, within this framework, shall take appropriate measures to ensure health and safety in the workplace to ensure healthy employment conditions.

7. Discrimination and Harassment

Equal treatment of all employees shall be a fundamental principle of our suppliers’ corporate policy. Discriminatory behaviour typically relates, consciously or unconsciously, to irrelevant personal characteristics such as age, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, sex, gender and gender identity, genetic information, national origin, physical characteristics, political affiliation, pregnancy, religion, social origin, sexual orientation, union membership or any other unlawful criterion. Suppliers must ensure that their employees are not harassed or discriminated against in any way.

8. Corruption, Extortion and Bribery

Our suppliers do not tolerate corruption, extortion or bribery of any kind. They shall not accept or offer bribes or other illegal inducements (e.g. bribes) in business transactions with business partners or public officials. Suppliers may not offer gifts or other benefits to rpm employees for personal gain that could be considered a bribe. Gifts or hospitality may not be used to unfairly influence a business relationship and may not violate applicable laws or ethical standards.

9. Data Protection and Intellectual Property

Suppliers commit themselves to use confidential information in an appropriate manner and to protect it accordingly. They must ensure that confidential data and the intellectual property rights of their own employees and business partners are protected. Information systems containing confidential information or data of customers and business partners shall be appropriately managed at the supplier’s site and protected against unauthorized access and the unauthorized use, disclosure, modification or destruction of the data. Suppliers shall collect personal information only for legitimate business purposes, use it only in a legal, transparent and secure manner, and disclose it only to persons authorized to access it. They will safeguard the information in accordance with security regulations, retain it only as long as necessary, and will require third parties with access to personal information to protect it.

10. Financial Responsibility

Suppliers agree to establish appropriate business continuity plans for operational activities that support our customers’ business.

11. Fair Market Behaviour

Our suppliers commit to promptly address critical issues that could negatively impact the quality of goods and services. They grant us the right to evaluate their sustainability performance with reasonable notice.

12. Fair Competition and Antitrust Law

Suppliers shall ensure fair competition and comply with applicable and valid competition and antitrust laws. They shall not enter into any anti-competitive agreements with competitors, suppliers, customers or other third parties.

13. Conflicts of Interest

Suppliers shall inform rpm of any situation that could lead to a conflict of interest, e.g. if employees of rpm enjoy professional, private and/or significant financial benefits or have shareholdings in a company of the supplier.

14. Plagiarism

Suppliers undertake to implement all necessary and appropriate measures within their area of responsibility to ensure that neither customer products nor their machined components or raw materials nor the corresponding know-how fall into the hands of counterfeiters, smugglers, thieves or other unauthorized third parties or leave the legitimate supply chain.

15. Intellectual Property

Suppliers must make appropriate use of confidential information and protect it accordingly. Suppliers must ensure that data worthy of protection and the valid intellectual property rights of their own employees and business partners are safeguarded.

16. Export Controls and Economic Sanctions

Suppliers agree to comply with export control regulations and applicable economic sanctions applicable to their business and to provide accurate and truthful information about them to customs and other authorities as required.

17. Protection Against Retaliation Measures

Suppliers shall facilitate and establish communication channels for their employees to file complaints or report possible unlawful conduct without fear of repression, intimidation or harassment. Each communication is treated confidentially. You will continually encourage your employees to report misconduct regarding the Code of Conduct.

18. Waste Prevention

Suppliers shall ensure safety and compliance in the handling, storage, transportation, disposal, recycling and reuse of waste, waste gas and wastewater. Activities that may have adverse effects on human health or the environment must be adequately managed, measured and controlled. The release of hazardous substances must be minimized.

19. Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Suppliers must use natural resources (e.g., water, energy sources, raw materials) sparingly and conserve them. To preserve renewable natural resources, suppliers shall support the application of generally accepted sustainability standards and certifications. Negative impacts on the environment and climate caused by suppliers themselves or within their supply chain shall be minimized at the point of origin or preferably avoided. Their practices shall comply with circular economy principles, such as material reduction and substitution, as well as return, shared use, maintenance, reuse, remarketing, remanufacturing, remanufacturing and recycling. Suppliers shall commit to the development and use of environmentally and climate friendly products, processes and technologies. Suppliers shall commit to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.

20. Responsible Chemical Management

Suppliers must ensure that no products are supplied that contain metals whose source minerals or derivatives originate from a conflict region where they directly or indirectly contribute to the financing or support of armed groups or cause or promote human rights abuses.

rpm rapid product manufacturing GmbH
Dieselstrasse 15
38350 Helmstedt

Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Klaus Kreutzburg
Managing Director, Business Operations rpm GmbH

Court of Registry: Local Court of Braunschweig
Registration Number: HRB 100719
VAT Identification Number: DE 812245549

rpm – Sustainability Requirements for Suppliers – Stand 03/2019

Here you can download our Sustainability Requirements for Suppliers as a PDF.