Purpose
Kautschuk Group works with suppliers, contractors and logistics partners whose performance affects product quality, supply reliability, legal compliance, human safety and environmental impact. This guideline defines how we review supplier sustainability risks and how audit findings are handled.
The guideline complements our Code of Conduct, Anti-Corruption Policy, Environment page, Information Security Policy and REACH commitments. It is intended as a practical management tool rather than a one-size-fits-all checklist.
Scope
The guideline applies to suppliers and service providers that may materially influence Kautschuk Group operations, products or customer obligations. This includes, where relevant:
- raw-material and specialty-chemical suppliers;
- toll manufacturers and processing partners;
- packaging suppliers;
- warehousing, transport and logistics providers;
- waste-management and wastewater contractors;
- laboratory, consulting, IT and other service providers with access to sensitive data or operational processes.
Risk-based supplier classification
Supplier review depth depends on risk. Factors considered may include product criticality, chemical hazard profile, regulatory relevance, country and sector risk, volume, substitution difficulty, prior performance, environmental exposure, access to confidential information and history of non-conformance.
Suppliers may be classified as lower, medium or higher risk for the purpose of onboarding, periodic review and audit planning. Higher-risk suppliers can be subject to enhanced due diligence, additional documentation requests, on-site or remote audits, corrective-action plans and follow-up reviews.
Audit and assessment topics
Supplier audits and assessments may cover the following topics, adapted to supplier type and risk profile:
Quality and product stewardship
- quality-management system, process controls, traceability and change control;
- availability and maintenance of SDS, TDS, labels and regulatory documentation;
- safe handling, storage, packaging, transport classification and product release controls;
- customer complaint handling, recall readiness and corrective-action procedures.
Environment
- environmental permits, ISO 14001 or equivalent management practices where relevant;
- energy use, renewable-energy opportunities and emissions control;
- water use, wastewater treatment or disposal, and prevention of soil or water contamination;
- waste segregation, recycling, packaging reuse and compliant hazardous-waste disposal;
- spill prevention, containment, emergency response and incident reporting;
- biodiversity, protected-area or local-community considerations for relevant sites or projects.
Human rights, labor and safety
- prohibition of child labor, forced labor, human trafficking and no-fee recruitment abuses;
- legal working hours, wages, contracts and social-dialogue requirements;
- non-discrimination, anti-harassment and access to confidential grievance channels;
- occupational health and safety, training, PPE, emergency preparedness and contractor safety.
Business ethics and information protection
- anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-fraud and conflict-of-interest controls;
- fair competition and avoidance of collusion or improper market conduct;
- confidentiality, data protection, cybersecurity and controlled access to customer or business information;
- transparent records and cooperation with lawful compliance requests.
Assessment methods
Depending on risk and practical feasibility, supplier assessment may include self-assessment questionnaires, document review, certification review, remote interviews, sample checks, on-site audits, third-party audit evidence, customer-specific audits or performance review based on quality, delivery, compliance and incident history.
Audits are not limited to certificate collection. Certifications can be useful evidence, but the decisive question is whether the supplier has effective controls for the risks associated with the product or service supplied.
Corrective actions and escalation
Where non-conformities are identified, Kautschuk Group may request a corrective-action plan with responsible persons, target dates and evidence of completion. Follow-up can include document review, additional sampling, repeat audit or temporary qualification restrictions.
Critical findings may trigger immediate escalation. Examples include unsafe chemical handling, missing legally required product documentation, serious environmental non-compliance, bribery, forced labor, child labor, falsified records, serious data-security breaches or refusal to address material risks. If a supplier cannot or will not correct a critical issue, Kautschuk Group may suspend qualification, restrict purchases or terminate the relationship where contractually and legally appropriate.
Continuous improvement
The purpose of supplier audits is not only exclusion; it is also improvement. We prefer transparent suppliers who identify issues early, communicate clearly and correct them reliably. Supplier performance, sustainability risk and corrective-action history may influence preferred-supplier status, procurement decisions and long-term partnership planning.