Human Rights Respect System

Identify and avoid risks

The Mercedes-Benz Human Rights Respect System.

The Human Rights Respect System (HRRS) is Mercedes-Benz's human rights due diligence approach. It is designed to identify and avoid systemic risks and possible negative effects of our business activities on human rights at an early stage. The HRRS especially focuses on the risks faced by affected individuals on the ground.

In our Integrity Code and our Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights, we commit ourselves to respect and uphold all internationally recognized human rights within our company as well as throughout our supply chain. All our employees must respect and promote the human rights standards set out in our Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights. In a corporate context, these especially include freedom of assembly and association, prevention of child labour, free choice of employment, fair remuneration, compliance with and implementation of working time requirements, prevention of discrimination, equal opportunities and health and safety at the workplace.

To this end, we have developed a due diligence approach in the form of the Mercedes-Benz Human Rights Respect System.

This risk-based approach allows us to identify and avoid systemic risks and possible negative effects of our business activities on human rights at an early stage. In the event of potential and actual negative effects of our actions, we initiate the necessary countermeasures. The HRRS is applied both in our supply chains and in our companies in which we are the majority shareholder.

We monitor the human rights of our own employees internally via the Group-wide compliance management system. In addition, we apply specific guidelines and supplier compliance risk management in procurement to enforce compliance with human rights due diligence obligations by direct and indirect suppliers.

The four steps of our Human Rights Respect System (HRRS).
The four steps of our Human Rights Respect System (HRRS).

The HRRS comprises four steps:

1. Risk assessment Close

Risk assessment

In the first step, risks are systematically identified, assessed with the help of internationally recognised reference frameworks and legal requirements and prioritised accordingly. The risk assessment is carried out regularly as well as on an ad hoc basis.

2. Program implementation Close

Program implementation

Based on this, appropriate preventive measures are developed to prevent or minimise the identified risks. In the event of a violation of human rights-related obligations or an imminent violation, appropriate remedial measures will be developed and implemented.

3. Monitoring Close

Monitoring

The third step is the evaluation of the implementation and the effectiveness of the measures. Of course, we constantly adapt the system to new findings and challenges.

4. Reporting Close

Reporting

We continuously and transparently report on our progress and the challenges we face, for example in our Sustainability Report.

The Mercedes-Benz Group is continuously expanding the HRRS and is also involving external stakeholders and experts. This includes, for example, rights holders such as our employees and their representatives, the population at our sites and production sites, and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Governance

Responsible governance.

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

Principles of Social Responsibility and Human Rights

Principles for Social Responsibility and Human Rights.

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

Co₂-free steel in the supply chain.

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.

Handling risk raw materials.

Handling risk raw materials.

Our activities in selected raw material supply chains.

Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class – Exterior

Sustainability Report 2023.

Our Mercedes-Benz Group Sustainability Report 2023 outlines milestones that we have already reached on our clearly defined path to greater sustainability.

Mercedes-Benz generisch_20_02

Questions about Sustainability.

Suggestions, compliments, criticism? Please feel free to contact us.