We are aware of the great responsibility that results from our products being manufactured by people worldwide. We are committed to conducting our business in a way that not only promotes a clean environment, but above all respects the human rights of all persons involved in our activities, including our employees, all suppliers, business partners, and customers and prevents violations of these rights. This applies to all aspects of our business activities, including our supply chain. We expect our suppliers and business partners to always maintain the same standards of human rights and ethical behavior.

 

Our commitment to human rights is based on:

• the General Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations

• the core labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO)

• the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights

• the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

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The following principles are therefore anchored in our corporate guidelines and are signed by all suppliers:

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Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity

We are committed to providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. All employment decisions, including hiring, promotion, compensation, and termination, will be based on merit, qualifications, and performance.

 

Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

We respect the right of employees to freely associate, join trade unions, and participate in collective bargaining. We are committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with employee representatives and will not tolerate any form of retaliation against employees who exercise these rights.

 

Prohibition of Slavery, Forced and Child Labor

We strictly prohibit the use of forced, bonded, or involuntary labour in any form. We are committed to ensuring that no underage workers are employed in our operations, in accordance with the ILO conventions and national laws. We expect our suppliers and business partners to uphold these standards and to implement robust mechanisms to prevent forced and child labour in their operations.

 

Safe and Healthy Working Conditions

The health and safety of our employees are of paramount importance. We are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment by implementing appropriate safety standards, conducting regular training, and promoting a culture of safety awareness. We will ensure that all employees have access to clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, and personal protective equipment as needed.

 

Fair Wages and Benefits

We are committed to providing fair wages that meet or exceed the minimum legal standards and are sufficient to meet the basic needs of our employees and their families. We ensure that working hours comply with applicable laws and industry standards, and we provide employees with appropriate rest breaks and leave entitlements. Overtime is always performed voluntarily and remunerated with the legally prescribed additional remuneration.

 

Respect for Community Rights

We recognize the importance of respecting the rights of countries and communities where we operate. We will engage with local communities to understand their concerns and work collaboratively to minimize any negative impact of our operations. We are committed to contributing to the social and economic development of these communities.

 

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The following measures are intended to ensure compliance with our principles

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Training and Awareness

We provide training and resources to employees, suppliers, and business partners to ensure awareness and understanding of our human rights commitments.

 

Risk Assessment

We are regularly monitoring and assessing potential impacts of our actions with regard to human rights and environmental aspects of our operations and along our entire supply chain. We carry out regular – at least once a year - risk analyses of our supply chains and our own business area. We conduct internal audits at our direct and indirect supply chain partners and additionally engage independent third parties to conduct additional audits.

 

Stakeholder Engagement

To ensure and monitor social and environmental compliance as well as safety requirements in our supply chains we work together with multi-stakeholder initiatives like for example the amfori and the International Accord. Together with these initiatives, we are continuously improving our efforts and developing further strategies to adapt our efforts to current circumstances.

 

Grievance Mechanism

We have a Human Rights Officer and implemented a robust internal whistleblowing system via an ombudsman to ensure that all employees and business partners can raise any concerns in a protected manner. Additional grievance systems are implemented in our production countries to make sure all factories of our supply chain have access to a safe complaint mechanism as well.

 

Remedial Measures

We work closely with our suppliers to remedy actual adverse impacts linked to our business and products and defined a variety of measures for incidents considering the severity of these such as:

• corrective action plans (CAP) with findings, remedial actions and timelines for remediation

• implementation of internal processes like audits, trainings, changes of purchasing practices

• temporary suspension of business partners (direct and indirect)

• as last solution suspension of suppliers from business with RIEKER

 

Accountability and Reporting

Karl Rieker GmbH & Co. KG will hold all employees, suppliers, and business partners accountable for upholding the principles outlined in this Human Rights Policy. Any violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or business relationships. We document and report internally on our human rights performance and progress annually through our sustainability reports or other appropriate channels. 

 

Conclusion

Karl Rieker GmbH & Co. KG is committed to upholding the highest standards in all aspects of our business. We believe that respecting human rights is not only a moral obligation but also essential to building a sustainable and successful business. We encourage all employees, suppliers, and stakeholders to join us in our commitment to human rights and to work together to create a fair, safe, and respectful environment for all.