For Daimler, respect for human rights is a fundamental aspect of responsible corporate governance. It is our ambition and objective to ensure that human rights are respected in all our Group companies, by our partners and by our suppliers. Where appropriate, we also work together with various associations, organizations and competitors for the responsible procurement of raw materials.
The automotive industry is undergoing a profound change. The transformation to CO2-neutrality and the associated expansion of electric mobility bring many challenges, for example with regard to raw materials such as cobalt or lithium and supply chains.
Our ambition is to ensure that human rights are respected in our Group companies, by our partners and by our suppliers - from the mines where raw materials are obtained to the processing companies, our own production and finally the customer. Daimler therefore has developed a systematic approach to respect for human rights, the “Daimler Human Rights Respect System” (HRRS).
Our Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights summarise our long-standing commitment to human rights. The Principles are the binding basis for the implementation of human rights standards at Daimler and have been adopted by the Board of Management, the General Works Council and the World Employee Committee of Daimler AG together with the international trade union federation IndustriALL Global Union. In this way, we are supplementing and further specifying the requirements for compliance with human rights in the Daimler Integrity Code. At the same time, we are updating the Principles of Social Responsibility that have existed since 2002.
Respect for human rights has been a key priority for us at Daimler for many years, and is a prerequisite for our long-term success. Our goal is clear: We only want products that have been produced without human rights violations. That is why we have firmly established this topic in our sustainable business strategy.
Renata Jungo Brüngger Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG responsible for Integrity and Legal Affairs
