Human Rights
As an internationally operating maritime powerhouse, we bear responsibility throughout our value chain. It is therefore our duty to ensure respect for human rights, identify risks at an early stage, and provide transparent grievance mechanisms.
TKMS offers innovative products and aims to achieve sustainable success for its customers. To do so, we source the required resources, raw materials, materials, and services worldwide. To achieve long-term sustainable value creation, responsible governance is of great importance. People are at the center of everything we do. This applies equally to everyone—both our own employees and our suppliers.
Respect for human rights and fundamental environmental standards is naturally one of our core values. Values such as personal responsibility, openness and transparency, and consistently lawful and ethical conduct play an important role. For this reason, we are committed to upholding the United Nations human rights framework, the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, and the International Framework Agreement.
Structures and Responsibilities
The core values must be put into practice. They are reflected in a group-wide concept and a corresponding organizational structure designed to establish a responsible culture of compliance with human rights and environmental due diligence obligations. The implementation of these due diligence obligations is achieved through interdisciplinary cooperation among various departments and experts within our own business area and throughout our supply chain. This holistic approach is also reflected in the responsibility borne by our managers for human rights and environmental protection. In addition to risk-based analysis throughout the supply chain and regular assessments and monitoring, a defined escalation and action process in the event of irregularities is a central focus of our efforts to uphold human rights.
Further details on the structures and responsibilities can be found in our policy statement.
Whistleblowing System
Human rights can only be adequately respected where an open culture of communication exists. For this reason, we provide an online reporting system for both our employees and external persons so that potential compliance violations, including potential human rights violations, can be reported anonymously at any time.
The option to submit reports is available to all TKMS employees as well as customers, suppliers, and other third parties. TKMS and the Compliance organizational unit safeguard the interests of whistleblowers not only by establishing this secure reporting system, but also by committing to treat incoming reports confidentially and to protect whistleblowers acting in good faith, by all necessary means, from any disadvantages resulting from a report. The underlying processes are defined in specific internal regulations. In addition to the confidential handling of the information provided, only those persons who are necessary for the further process are involved. Only the persons involved have access to the investigation results. Should measures prove necessary, they are implemented directly by TKMS.
Reports can be submitted, including anonymously, via the contact details listed on the Governance page and via the following link:
Through clear standards, transparent structures, and effective grievance mechanisms, we build trust and promote responsible value creation. In this way, we make a sustainable contribution to the protection of human rights—within our company and throughout our global supply chain.