- Responsibility
- Partner & Human Rights
Fashion is made by people
Our Human Rights Due Diligence Statement
Our commitment to human rights is set out in our Human Rights Due Diligence Statement. It defines our standards with regard to human rights in our own company and the value chain and explains how we implement our duty of care. The policy statement also provides an overview of the key processes that we have implemented in order to fulfil our human rights due diligence obligations. We recognise that due diligence in relation to human rights is an ongoing process. For this reason, we regularly subject our own business operations and our business partners to a risk analysis to identify potential risks and actual violations. Key levers for countering these risks are binding guidelines and specifications, our measures in the supply chain that initiate social and environmental improvements, opportunities for our employees and the employees of our partners to draw attention to grievances and our involvement in multi-stakeholder initiatives to contribute to industry solutions.
We consistently follow up on reports of human rights violations
Despite all measures and care, it is possible that violations of human rights will be recognised. We can only deal with this if we learn about it. In such cases, there is a whistleblowing and complaints system within the Otto Group that can be used by our employees and supply chain workers as well as customers or external parties. Every report is carefully scrutinised. If complaints are received by amfori or ACCORD in factories where we have production facilities, a structured process is in place to ensure that the Otto Group learns about the cases and is involved in the resolution process. Overlaps in the supplier base and fast, comprehensive access to resources - should the need for remediation arise - make an Otto Group-wide approach to complaints particularly useful. We therefore report on the number of complaints and any remedial action taken at Group level in the Otto Group's annual report.
Shared standards
These production requirements are mandatory for all partners
Code of Conduct
The starting point for our social compliance activities is the amfori Code of Conduct. It covers the topics of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, occupational health and safety, special protection for young employees, exclusion of forced labour, ethical business practices, exclusion of discrimination, reasonable working hours, exclusion of child labour, exclusion of precarious employment and environmental protection. The Code of Conduct is also part of our Business Partner Declaration. This declaration lists all sustainability requirements for our suppliers and must be signed by all business partners in the area of merchandise.
The Otto Group Social Programme
As a member of the Otto Group, we implement the Group-wide social programme. The aim of the social programme is to disclose local working conditions and improve them in the long term. Specifically, this means that production facilities in risk countries (according to amfori BSCI) must present a valid social audit in order to be able to produce for us. We accept SA8000 certificates, amfori BSCI audits with the result A-C or the Otto Group assessment. All audits are carried out by independent auditing companies on site.
