Our commitment to human rights.

For us, social responsibility and respect for human rights are the pillars of responsible corporate governance and key factors for long-term success.

At Mercedes-Benz, we are committed to ensuring that human rights are respected along our value chains, in our Group companies, by our partners and by our suppliers. We want to protect the rights of the people who work on our products – either directly or indirectly. That is why respecting human rights is one of our sustainability focus areas.

How we proceed.

We have anchored the binding basis for the implementation of human rights standards at Mercedes-Benz in our Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights. With our Human Rights Respect System (HRRS) we have developed an approach to systematically address the topic of human rights. In view of the complexity of our supply chains and the large number of raw materials and materials in our products, we take a risk-based, strategic approach to procurement.

Principles for Social Responsibility and Human Rights.

How our human rights obligations are expressed: Our Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights form the binding basis for the implementation of important human rights standards at Mercedes-Benz.

To the principles

The Human Rights Respect System.

Our systematic human rights approach: With our Human Rights Respect System (HRRS) we identify human rights risks and and their possible negative effects - and try to minimise them.

Human rights in the supply chain.

We pursue the goal of ensuring that our products only contain raw materials and materials that have been mined and produced without violating any human rights and environmental standards.

More on human rights in the supply chain

Jürgen Gleichauf, Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President Legal Product & Technology and Human Rights Officer.

For us, the protection of human rights is both a matter of course and an incentive at the same time. This applies not only to our own units, but also to our supply chains: We only want to offer products and services that have been manufactured without violating human rights. Respect for human rights is one of our central sustainability goals. Through our work, we strive to make a real difference and achieve real improvements for local people.
Jürgen Gleichauf
Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President Legal Product & Technology and Human Rights Officer

Responsible governance.

Clear responsibilities and internal polices: How we manage the topic of human rights within the company.

Fundamentals.

Our goal is clear: A Mercedes-Benz vehicle should be produced without violating human rights or damaging the environment. This is something we are continuously working on with our business partners and suppliers – even along complex global supply chains. We want to bring about change for the better – for the environment, people and society. Of course, this can only be achieved step by step, measure by measure. To this end, we have drawn up clear principles to guide our actions.

Raw Material Report.

We report on our activities to respect human rights in raw material supply chains and on our progress in the context of our sustainable corporate strategy.

To our Raw Material Report

Risk raw materials.

In raw material supply chains that carry a high risk of human rights violations, we aim to create the greatest possible transparency across the upstream stages of the value chain.

Whistleblower system BPO.

An important tool for good corporate governance: our Business & People Protection Office receives reports of rule violations.

Integrity Code.

Our Integrity Code sets out clearly what we mean by integrity, which rules apply to everyone, and which principles we follow.

To the Integrity Code

Gunnar Güthenke, Head of Procurement and Supplier Quality Mercedes-Benz Cars.

In managing our supply chains responsibly, we concentrate on three goals: the decarbonization of our products, the promotion of human rights and the focus on more sustainability over the vehicles' entire life cycle.
Gunnar Güthenke
Head of Procurement and Supplier Quality Mercedes-Benz Cars

News.

More about our current projects and the initiatives with which we promote and respect human rights along the value chain.

Just Transition: Lighthouse project to create positive impacts for both people and nature throughout aluminium supply chain in Brazil.

Making a difference on site.

The Corridor Initiative: How we want to work together with our aluminum supplier Hydro along a bauxite pipeline in Brazil to promote human rights and biodiversity.

Measures in our battery supply chain.

For our electric fleet we need raw materials that are mined and processed as responsibly as possible. We are setting standards for this through a comprehensive approach to key battery raw materials.

We are listening.

We cannot achieve sustainable change alone. That's why we meet up with many stakeholders from civil society, academia and politics at our annual Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Dialogues – and learn from each other.

To the Sustainability Dialogue

Collaborating to promote responsible lithium handling in Chile.

Several companies, including Mercedes-Benz, initiated a partnership to promote the responsible use of natural resources in Chile's Salar de Atacama.

More on the “Responsible Lithium Partnership”

Our social commitment in the supply chain.

Combatting child labour.

Mercedes-Benz is cooperating with non-profit organisations and supporting educational projects in India and the Congo. In this way, we are working to combat child labour in mining regions and create opportunities for the future.