UK Modern Slavery Act

Werhahn Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2020

Organisational Structure, Business Operations and Supply Chains

Werhahn Group

Wilh. Werhahn KG with its corporate seat in Neuss, Germany, is a family-run business which puts emphasis on  a relationship of mutual trust with its employees, customers and business partners. Business activities of Wilh. Werhahn KG and its subsidiaries (collectively the Werhahn Group) comprise three corporate divisions - Building Materials, Consumer Goods and Financial Services - with eight business lines. Werhahn Group employed approximately 10,100 employees and has generated a turnover of around 3.7 billion Euro worldwide in the financial year 2020.

The Werhahn Group is committed to act ethically and with integrity in its business dealings and to take the appropriate steps to preserve the fundamental rights and freedoms of its employees. Any activities such as forced or compulsory labour, human trafficking or other forms of slavery will not be tolerated within the Werhahn Group or its supply chains. Essential ethical values and standards of conduct are stipulated in Wilh. Werhahn KG’s Code of Conduct, which applies throughout the Werhahn Group. 

Business Operations

Core business of the Consumer Goods division is the production of high-quality kitchenware (such as knives, cookware, cutlery, etc.) and beauty products (e.g. manicure sets). Production companies of the Consumer Goods division are located in Germany, France, Italy, Japan, India and China. Business operations of the Building Materials division comprise the production of building materials (such as asphalt, natural stones and slate) and are run in Germany, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Financial Services are rendered in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands only.

Employees and Organisational Policies

Employees

We can assure that all employees within the Werhahn Group, whether temporary or permanent workers, work for us on their own free will. We ensure this by a transparent and reliable recruitment system applied on a global and local basis by always applying our general standards as defined in our Code of Conduct.

Code of Conduct

The Werhahn Code of Conduct has been implemented within all Group companies on a worldwide basis (majority owned subsidiaries either apply the Werhahn Code of Conduct or a Code of Conduct with a similar content).

The Werhahn Code of Conduct explains the value system of the Werhahn Group and defines the behavioural standards for all employees. It is based on the following core principles:

  • We are human and straight in our dealings with each other, we are honest and loyal.
  • We respect each individual’s dignity and identity and do not tolerate any discrimination, harassment or abuse.
  • We bear personal responsibility.
  • When attending to personal interests we take care that these do not conflict with the company’s interests.
  •  We comply with all laws and regulations (e.g. environmental protection, occupational safety, hygiene regulations).
  • We do not tolerate corruption in any form (we do not bribe others or accept bribes ourselves).
  • We compete fairly, do not give preferential treatment or discriminate against any business partners, and apply the rules of competition law in our dealings with competitors and customers.

Training

In addition to providing the Werhahn Code of Conduct, Werhahn Group offers - depending on the respective corporate division and in particular within the Consumer Goods division - further training to its employees (such as face-to-face compliance training or online training in the group’s core languages).

Helpline

The Werhahn Group moreover provides their employees inter alia the opportunity to anonymously raise possible concerns with regard to a breach of statutory provisions or internal guidelines via a toll-free helpline. An eventual breach of human or other rights (e.g. through modern slavery or human trafficking) could also be reported via the helpline. Following the report of a potentially critical incident, such incident will be noticed and comprehensively assessed by competent experts. Should the incident in fact constitute an infringement of statutory provisions or guidelines, appropriate measures will be taken immediately in order to sort out the respective issue.

Relationship with Suppliers

Supply Chains

The supply chains differ significantly depending on the respective corporate division. Suppliers and sub-suppliers in the Consumer Goods division are located in Europe, East Asia and Southeast Asia. As far as the Building Material division is concerned, a large part of (preliminary) products is either produced or supplied directly within the division, which guarantees an ideal overview of the production and work conditions. The main suppliers of the Building Materials division are located in Europe; in particular in Germany and Spain, but also in the Czech Republic, Belarus and Poland. Supplementary supplies are delivered by suppliers worldwide. Due to its business model (i.e. only providing financial services), the core business operations of the Financial Services division are not based on any physical supply chains.

Code of Conduct and Corporate Principles regarding Suppliers

Relations with suppliers are regulated individually within the corporate divisions. An additional Code of Conduct - which is the basis for all supplier relationships and needs to be signed by each supplier prior to entering into any supply relationship - has been implemented within the Consumer Goods division. This Code of Conduct sets out the social standards which need to be fulfilled by all suppliers and their sub-suppliers. These include amongst other things:

  • Legal compliance
  • Prohibition of discrimination, child labour, forced labour and disciplinary measures
  • Freedom of association
  • Fair remuneration
  •  Compliance with workplace health and safety as well as environmental standards.

Corporate principles which govern demands and precepts with regard to business partners have also been developed within the Building Materials division and been made available to the majority of its entities. These principles aim at the following objectives:

  • Prohibition of forced labour and child labour
  • Non-discrimination of employees
  • Safety at work
  • Health and environmental protection
  • Fair competition

Due Diligence Process

The Consumer Goods division has furthermore implemented a due diligence process for suppliers to ensure compliance with its standards. In a first step it is determined whether the supplier has already been audited according to amfori BSCI or SA 8000 standards. If the supplier has not been audited yet, further assessment is made on the basis of an extensive questionnaire covering all areas of social and environmental standards. Only if the results of the amfori BSCI or SA 8000 audit or of the questionnaire are positive the supplier will be further evaluated.

If the results of the amfori BSCI or SA 8000 audit or the interview are negative and cannot be cured within a short period of time no business relationship will be concluded with the supplier. 

Supplier Audit / Factory Visits

Within the Consumer Goods division, social compliance checks and audits at its suppliers are carried out on a regular basis. These are either conducted by own employees and/or where required by third parties. They include in particular extensive factory visits and additional detailed interviews with the management and employees.

Documentation of Failure / Termination of Business Relationship

Should a supplier of the Consumer Goods division fail to comply with applicable legal and/or social and environmental standards of the division, remediation will be requested immediately after becoming aware of such failure. Respective incidents are recorded, and - depending on the severity of non-compliance - follow-up audits are carried out or - in case of major failures or ongoing non-compliance - the business relationship will be terminated.

amfori Membership of the Consumer Goods Kitchen Division

Since November 1st 2017, the holding company of the Consumer Goods Kitchen division is member of amfori BSCI (www.amfori.org) and has committed itself to comply with the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct as well as to implement these standards in its supply chain. Thus, all supplies within the Consumer Goods Kitchen division must comply with the amfori BSCI principles and the approach set out in the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct. The Consumer Goods Kitchen division has implemented a due diligence process for suppliers to ensure compliance with the amfori BSCI standards. Moreover, the supplier audits and factory visits for the Consumer Goods Kitchen division are carried out in accordance with the amfori BSCI standards. Should a supplier of the Consumer Goods Kitchen division fail to comply with amfori BSCI standards, remediation will be requested immediately after becoming aware of such failure.

 

 

This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes Werhahn Group’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending December 31, 2020

 

Neuss, June 2021

signed by:

Paolo Dell’ Antonio

Director and Chairman
of Wilh. Werhahn KG

Alexander Boldyreff

Director of Wilh. Werhahn KG

Stephan Kühne

Director of Wilh. Werhahn KG

 

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