Compliance and Sustainability
For us, sustainability and compliance are not just empty words, but the foundation of an economy that operates fairly and in the interests of all stakeholders. The market has only truly functioned if today’s needs are met in such a way that future generations are also given the opportunity to meet their own needs.
To make our contribution towards this goal, we have made sustainability and compliance an integral part of our corporate culture. This applies to our business strategy, our value creation and the safety of our products and the environment. As an employer, it is very important to us that our employees carry out their work in a safe, collegial and appreciative atmosphere that fosters personal development. After all, it is only with satisfied and motivated employees that we can maintain and improve the quality Walther Trowal is known for.
Business Integrity
Our ethical responsibility is embodied in a corporate culture of ethical and professional conduct, which is reflected in the standards set out in our Code of Conduct and practised throughout our organisation. The Code of Conduct includes a commitment to integrity in everything we do.
Anti-corruption and bribery
Walther Trowal tolerates neither corruption nor bribery nor the acceptance of bribes. We are convinced that by choosing appropriate communication methods, tailored to the target audience, with our employees and third parties acting on our behalf, we can minimise the risk of corruption to the best of our ability. In our efforts to prevent corruption, we are guided, amongst other things, by the guidelines of the UK Bribery Act 2010, which sets particularly high standards.
Labour and Human Rights
We respect and protect human rights in all our day-to-day business operations. Internationally recognised human rights, including the International Charter of Human Rights, the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UN Guiding Principles on Companies and Human Rights (UNGP), form the foundation of our actions.
This is not only because we at Walther Trowal consider ethical conduct to be of fundamental importance, but also because we believe it is economically imperative to always show our employees the respect they deserve. For in a world where we can only succeed through the quality of our products, our employees are also our most important resource.
Accordingly, we make every reasonable effort to ensure a safe, fair and sustainable working environment for everyone who works for us. We respect and operate in accordance with internationally recognised human rights and ensure that we do not violate any human rights principles. These principles also form part of our assessment process prior to entering into sales transactions and when selecting suppliers. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of human rights violations, including modern slavery and child labour, both within our own operations and throughout our supply chain.
Export controls
We comply with all international trade and export control laws of which we are aware in the relevant jurisdictions, not least to contribute to the protection of national and international security and the foreign policy interests of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union. We exercise due diligence in our business activities and, to the best of our ability, ensure that our products are sold exclusively to authorised parties in accordance with applicable legal standards and other relevant regulations.
Environmental protection
We have only the one environment available on our planet. That is why protecting our environment is of particular importance to us. This means that we design our processes and products to be sustainable – not only in accordance with applicable environmental legislation, but also going beyond it – and that we continuously improve them. When selecting our raw materials, we ensure that they are produced sustainably. We also support our customers in making the processes carried out using our products as resource-efficient as possible.
Integrity of the supply chain
For us, the integrity of our value chain means that all our business partners conduct their business activities in an ethical manner and, as a matter of principle, protect all labour and human rights. This also includes the human right to a healthy environment, meaning that environmentally friendly production is given due consideration in our assessment of business relationships. Our expectations of our suppliers are set out in our Code of Conduct, which can be downloaded from our website. This is just as binding on our suppliers as it is on us, as we have committed ourselves to complying with it. We are committed to working with all suppliers to ensure that appropriate ethical and responsible guidelines and practices are also followed there.
Safety and well-being of our employees
Health and safety at work
The health of our employees – and, consequently, safety in the workplace – is not only a factor in boosting productivity and reducing staff absenteeism, but, above all, a key factor in retaining employees who remain committed and feel a sense of loyalty to the company in the long term. A safe working environment plays a significant part in this.
Anti-discrimination and diversity
Nor should the influence of a collegial and respectful working atmosphere be underestimated. This, too, is a key factor in retaining qualified staff. Furthermore, it has always been Walther Trowal’s company policy to view our staff as colleagues and to value them as individuals. We will continue to uphold this policy, as it is also what our good company reputation stands for.
Accordingly, we are committed to creating a working environment that values diversity and is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. We are committed to equal opportunities, performance and a sense of responsibility. Every individual should feel respected. Accordingly, we do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, marital status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, beliefs or any other factors not relevant to the position in question.
Modern slavery
Modern slavery, including forced labour, human trafficking and debt bondage, is a violation of human rights and international labour standards. The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 sets out clear guidelines in this regard, which we regard as binding and consistent with our understanding of modern slavery as something to be combated. We are committed, to the best of our ability, to ensuring that neither modern slavery nor human trafficking occurs within our supply chains. If a business partner, whether a supplier or any other business partner, is involved in slavery or slavery-like practices, we will terminate the business relationship.
Code of Conduct for Suppliers
Ethics and corporate responsibility are at the heart of our business activities, and we expect all our business partners – but in particular our suppliers – to be equally committed to conducting their business in an ethical and responsible manner.
The above outlines what is important to us in terms of responsible and sustainable business practices. A more detailed description can be found in our Code of Conduct. We expect our business partners, and in particular our suppliers, to adhere to this and, where applicable, to ensure it is upheld throughout their supply chain. We are also happy to support our suppliers with our advice should this be necessary or desired.
