Responsible corporate management

Responsible corporate governance and lawful, compliant conduct are considered natural at Jenoptik in a globalized market environment. We make business decisions on this basis and always ensure that our actions comply with regulations, laws and our values and meet the needs of the environment and society.

Acting responsibly and minimizing risks

As a high-tech company, we help our customers to be successful in international markets with excellent products and solutions. We strive to achieve the highest level of quality, not only in our processes, but also in our conduct towards our business partners and each other. Economic success and responsible action are two inseparably linked goals of Jenoptik.

Compliance with nationally and internationally applicable law is a matter of course for us. In addition to our group guidelines , the “Jenoptik Code of Conduct for Employees”, which summarizes the most important principles of conduct, indicates the behavior to adopt to comply with the rules. It sets minimum standards, provides guidance for ethical and legal issues in day-to-day work, creates transparency and is a pioneer in conflict situations.

Code of Conduct for Employees (PDF)

In order to ensure a uniform understanding of compliance standards throughout the Group, our compliance and risk management systems are closely linked to one another. Both systems complement each other, group together comprehensive measures and ensure that entrepreneurial activity is always in compliance with applicable law and internal requirements.

For this purpose, we train our employees in compliance issues and carry out screenings of our business partners if necessary (third-party due diligence). The internal guidelines and control system provides our employees with the framework conditions necessary for their day-to-day business decisions.

Anti-corruption

Jenoptik combats all forms of active and passive corruption and also expects this from all business partners. Themed training courses and guidelines ensure ample awareness and legally compliant handling of this topic within the Group. A code of conduct, which is equally binding for all employees of the Jenoptik Group, sets minimum standards and serves as guidance framework to ensure the highest level of integrity and ethical and legal standards at Jenoptik.

Respect for human rights

Respect for human rights is an essential part of our sustainability management policy and is a high priority for Jenoptik, particularly in the supply chain. Jenoptik is committed to complying with internationally recognized standards for human rights and does not tolerate any form of slavery, forced labor, child labor, human trafficking or exploitation in its own business or supply chain. To this end, Jenoptik regularly publishes the Statement on the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015.

We also expect our suppliers to comply with and respect internationally recognized human rights, such as those laid down in the International Charter on Human Rights and in the International Labor Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The Jenoptik Group’s own codes of conduct for both sales partners and suppliers define the requirements for our business partners and require them to comply with nationally and internationally applicable laws, regulations and standards.

Management approach

Human rights as a key aspect of Compliance & Risk Management, as well as the cross-functional role of sustainability management, are the responsibility of Jenoptik’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. Guidelines and processes regulate how due diligence obligations are implemented in terms of human rights in business operations. To identify violations and pinpoint any risky business partners in good time, we use a multi-stage test procedure. At Jenoptik, suppliers are monitored with regard to compliance with key sustainability criteria via a central platform solution. Our risk universe reflects Jenoptik’s potential risk categories and also integrates non-financial risks from the areas of environment, social matters and corporate governance. It is regularly checked to ensure it is up to date. You can find more information about this in our Risk and Opportunities Report in the Annual Report.

Implementation measures

We take measures to respect human rights both internally and in our external sphere of influence. Jenoptik strictly prohibits child and forced labor in accordance with the core labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO). We established this prohibition as well as fundamental social rights and principles as part of our corporate policy in a globally binding manner in our Code of Conduct and Statement for Human Rights and Working Conditions for the Jenoptik Group.

Through regular online training courses and face-to-face events, we raise of the awareness of our employees regarding compliance-relevant topics such as preventing corruption, antitrust law and the importance of exercising due diligence in day-to-day work. Human rights aspects can also be found in the Code of Conduct for our suppliers. A whistleblowing system is available to all employees on the Jenoptik intranet, by telephone or by e-mail for reporting serious violations that must be treated confidentially.

Due diligence for conflict minerals

The procurement of minerals, particularly from unstable regions of the world, can lead to the financing of conflicts and thus to violations of human rights. So, Jenoptik endeavors to comply with our corporate policy, legal obligations and existing international standards for the procurement of minerals from conflict or high-risk areas. Our purchasing processes contain mandatory requirements for suppliers for the responsible procurement of minerals and products. In this way, we aim to ensure that conflict minerals are procured taking into account human rights, the need to avoid conflict, and the desire to support development through supply chain practices.

Supplier management

As one of our most important resources, our suppliers significantly influence the value contribution of our products, as well as sustainability and environmental protection. Our purchasing ensures the global, on-time supply of goods and services of the highest quality and in line with our ethical, ecological and social principles.

As part of a holistic supplier management system, we work with our suppliers as partners along the value chain on a long-term basis. In addition to their performance in terms of safety, health and social standards, compliance with human rights, fair business practices, sustainability standards and environmental protection are elementary factors.

Our Code of Conduct as the basis for contractual relationships is binding for all suppliers worldwide, regardless of procurement volume.

To further increase transparency in our supply chain, we use a central platform solution to monitor our suppliers with regard to sustainability and human rights compliance. Suppliers are surveyed in the form of self-disclosures and are used as a basis for assessing and, if necessary, further developing their environmental, human rights, health and safety performance. Our goal is to have a complete self-assessment for at least 50 percent of our suppliers by 2025 (CSR rate: 50 percent by 2025).

Quality management and product responsibility

As a high-tech company, Jenoptik is dependent on various raw materials. We comply with applicable regulations such as the requirements of the European chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and the European RoHS directive (Restriction of certain Hazardous Substances). In future, the evaluation of supplier, raw material and chemical data will be carried out systematically and automatically, as will the preparation of any necessary declarations.

Quality management

Jenoptik's success as a technology company is largely based on the quality of our products and solutions. Above-average quality is a matter of course in many of our product areas and convinces customers worldwide. Process optimization, international quality and occupational safety as well as environmental protection programs are just as much part of our quality assurance measures as the introduction of a CAQ module for audit management for the planning, execution and evaluation of testing activities.

In addition to certifications, Jenoptik's quality management activities also include standardization, process improvements and ongoing dialog with customers as well as customer satisfaction analyses. Almost all our group companies comply with the requirements of the ISO 9001 quality management standard, and many of our companies meet the quality requirements of the ISO 14001 environmental management system or the ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system.