Human Rights Policy Statement, signed on 27th December 2022
We, the CHEFS CULINAR Group, are a reliable supplier for wholesalers and HoReCa businesses, an expert in industrial kitchen technology, and a strong partner to the maritime industry. As a family business run by the owner, we bear a special responsibility and strive to improve the global human rights situation and environmental protection – both within our own business area as well as across our supply chains. We respect, protect and promote human rights of the individual and commit ourselves to the prevention of human rights violations. We stand by this responsibility as a company, irrespective of the ability or willingness of individual states to fulfil their duty to protect human rights and the environment.
Our entrepreneurial understanding of responsible behaviour is laid down in the Code of Conduct of the CHEFS CULINAR Group. It applies throughout our entire business area and must be observed by our management and all employees when fulfilling the tasks they are entrusted with. We expect the highest social and environmental standards also from our suppliers. The respect of human rights and the promotion of environmental protection are the basic requirements for a cooperation with the CHEFS CULINAR Group.
To identify early on where our supply chains bear special risks we conduct annual event-related risk analyses in our own business area and at our direct suppliers as part of our risk management system. With the help of internal audits our relevant departments are surveyed with respect to human rights and environmental risks and related documents, for example descriptions of procedures, are filed.
With technical support we check our suppliers according to their country of origin and business area and thus identify potential risks (= abstract risk analysis). After that we systematically determine the actual risk potential of probably risky suppliers by means of questionnaires (= concrete risk analysis).
This documented pooling of different kinds of information enables us to draw up a so-called compliance circle for every supplier and our own business area and determine a risk score.
Based on this risk analysis we have identified the following priority risks in our own business area and at direct suppliers:
- unequal treatment in employment,
- causing harmful soil changes or noise emissions, water or air pollution, or excessive water consumption and
- violation of occupational safety and health duties.
To prevent these and other risks in the business area of the CHEFS CULINAR Group we have implemented various prevention measures. For example, the employees concerned are trained in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) at regular intervals and the salaries are laid down in collective agreements to prevent unequal treatment.
Under our Supplier Code of Conduct our suppliers need to contractually confirm that they observe the human rights and environmental due diligence obligations in accordance with the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (SCDDA) and adequately address them across their supply chains. To verify the effectiveness of the agreements made we reserve contractually appropriate rights of control.
If it discovered that a violation of the human rights or environmental due diligence obligations has occurred or is imminent, targeted corrective action will be started. Such violations of rights will not be tolerated by us. Depending on the severity of the violation, we will take individual corrective action, such as trainings or supplier audits, or even termination of the business relationship.
As we have a host of business partners, we cannot rule out that violations remain undiscovered initially, despite all due care. Therefore, we have established our Whistleblower System, an instrument enabling our business partners, customers, employees, and also third parties, to anonymously report due diligence violations at any time.
Our market presence is based on a basic business principle: At all times, we comply with laws and corporate directives. We continuously document the fulfilment of our due diligence obligations and, therefore, are able to provide the respective information in a transparent manner at regular intervals. In the future, a corresponding report will be prepared annually, with the first issue to be published on 30 April 2024 at the latest.
The CHEFS CULINAR Group is aware that implementing and monitoring all human rights and environmental due diligence obligations constitutes an ongoing process. Faced with growing national and international challenges we consistently review our standards. We always strive to meet these challenges with our personal commitment and technical support and continue our development.