Voluntary Commitments

GRI 102-11, GRI 102-12, GRI 102-17, GRI 103-1, GRI 103-2, GRI 103-3
Wacker Chemie AG - Sustainability Report 2015/16

Two global initiatives form the basis for sustainable corporate management at WACKER: the chemical industry’s Responsible Care® initiative and the UN’s Global Compact. WACKER has been an active member of the Responsible Care® initiative since 1991. Program participants undertake to continually improve health, safety and environmental performance on a voluntary basis – even in the absence of statutory requirements.

In 2015, WACKER Greater China won the Responsible Care® Chairman’s Award for the second time. With this award, the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers in China (AICM) acknowledged WACKER’s endeavors in environmental and health protection, as well as in plant and workplace safety. WACKER Greater China joined the initiative in 2008.

We attach equal importance to economic and social goals. This explains our strong focus on environmental protection, plant process safety (for both employees and neighbors), occupational safety, and product safety (for customers and end users).

The UN’s Global Compact is another guideline for our actions. We joined the initiative in 2006. Member companies commit to implementing the Global Compact’s ten principles, which are derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. We observe the Global Compact’s ten principles, which address social and environmental standards, anticorruption and the protection of human rights (see Progress Report).

Human Rights

  • Principle 1: businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within their sphere of influence, and
  • Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

Labor Standards

  • Principle 3: businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining,
  • Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor,
  • Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labor, and
  • Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Environmental Protection

  • Principle 7: businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges,
  • Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote environmental responsibility, and
  • Principle 9: encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

Anti-Corruption

  • Principle 10: businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

New regulations such as the UK’s Modern Slavery Act and Germany’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights show that respect for human rights continues to be an important social issue. As a company, we are going to identify and evaluate the risks of our business activities even more systematically to take greater account of them in our decision-making processes.