Respect for Human Rights

The European legal framework in which Vonovia operates with its business model is strictly regulated and overseen in the markets in Germany, Austria and Sweden. This applies in particular to fundamentally enshrined human rights, to which Vonovia attaches great importance irrespective of the legal framework. Compliance with, and the fostering of, these rights is reflected in our ethos and mission statement. We regularly scrutinize our guidelines and adapt them to reflect changing overall conditions. Due to the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the announced European regulation, the way in which supply chains are structured and the due diligence obligations associated with this are of increasing importance to the company.

In our Declaration of Respect for Human Rights, which applies throughout the Group, we communicate our clear conviction for a pluralistic democratic society and zero tolerance of human rights violations and our commitment to respect human rights in all aspects of our business. We adhere to the core labor standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the principles of the UN Global Compact, which we committed to in 2020. Our Code of Conduct also takes account of our stance regarding respect for human rights.

Vonovia’s business model includes the construction, maintenance and modernization of homes. From a human rights perspective, compliance with labor and social standards on construction sites in the course of these activities is of particular relevance. Some trade/construction activities in Germany are carried out by the company’s own technical service – and therefore by its own employees. This lessens both dependency on the services of external construction companies and – thanks to the measures established in the company’s own business area – the risk of noncompliance with labor and social standards.

Concrete cooperation with external partners and contractors is governed by Vonovia through its Business Partner Code, the general terms and conditions of purchasing, the general terms and conditions of Vonovia SE for building services, and individual contractual agreements (available on the Vonovia website) within the scope of structured supplier management. The Business Partner Code must be signed prior to the conclusion of a contract. In this document, we set out, among other things, all material requirements necessary for compliance with human rights – from legal conformity and the fulfillment of legal standards for working conditions to an assurance of freedom of association and the exclusion of child labor, forced labor and discrimination. It is updated regularly – most recently in 2023 – and applies for contractual relations in Germany and Austria. A corresponding separate Business Partner Code is in place in Sweden and was also updated in the reporting year. Restructuring measures meant that the procurement department was assigned to the Chief Financial Officer’s division in the reporting year.

As part of the regular evaluation of our major suppliers and contractors via our partner portal, we strive to ensure that the criteria stated in the Business Partner Code are complied with. In the event of incidents and breaches, a structured management of measures is activated, which – once all other means have been exhausted – may result in blocks on orders or termination of contract. We also use long-term cooperation in the spirit of partnership to build a close relationship of trust with our contractual partners. This is largely the responsibility of the procurement department and allows any misconduct to be addressed. In Germany, contractual conclusion is preceded by an automatic check against EU sanctions lists, with the compliance department informed immediately in the event of a hit. In Austria, the procurement department reviews all new creditors and regularly reviews existing ones on a half-yearly basis as part of a compliance check that also includes an inspection of sanctions lists (via KSV1870). The procurement department in Austria also implemented a partner portal for suppliers and service providers in the reporting year. The portal is based on its German counterpart and has been adapted to reflect national standards.

Furthermore, we addressed the requirements of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, which has been applicable in Germany since January 1, 2023. In the reporting year, we completed a comprehensive risk analysis for our own business area and for our supply chain to identify priority risk areas and develop corresponding measures. We describe our approach to risk analysis and the risk areas in our Declaration of Respect for Human Rights. We have also implemented regular online training courses for employees who come into contact with human rights or environmental risks as part of their work within Vonovia‘s own business area or along the supply chain. We also conducted specific workshops for our procurement employees in relevant business areas in order to further improve awareness of our human rights and environmental due diligence obligations. We initiated a comprehensive supplier survey to further boost transparency regarding activities in the supply chain and dialogue with our business partners.

The Chief Compliance Officer is also our company’s Human Rights Officer and reports to the Management Board at least once a month. He is supported by a committee that brings together due diligence coordinators from relevant departments, namely Procurement, Compliance and Data Protection, Sustainability/Strategy and HR. The committee convened four times in the reporting year and discussed the ongoing fulfillment of Vonovia’s human rights and environmental due diligence obligations. Vonovia has set up various procedures to allow potential abuses (such as human rights violations, environmental pollution, other unlawful actions) to be reported by both internal and external parties (see Combating Corruption and Bribery). We conduct in-depth investigations into indications of human rights violations within our own business area or in the supply chain that come to our attention via the various reporting channels. No reports of breaches of our human rights due diligence obligations were confirmed in the reporting year.