Sustainability and social engagement

Human Rights

All people have the same inalienable rights. Respect for these human rights is a very high priority for us. This applies both to our own company and to the employees of our suppliers and service providers.

Our goal is to avoid any human rights violations within our own company as well as along the entire value chain. To this end, we require our suppliers to comply with environmental and social standards and to ensure the highest possible level of transparency. The mutual observance of human rights forms the basis for a trusting and lasting cooperation with our business partners.
 

Purchasing - responsibility for standards within our supply chain

Supply chain responsibility

We also want to live up to our responsibility in our business relationships with our suppliers. In procurement, we pursue an approach with which we want to establish a sustainable supply chain. A sustainable supply chain must meet certain criteria and objectives. A key aspect for us is on the one hand the creation of an awareness of our requirements for sustainable suppliers and, as a next step, decarbonization within the supply chain, i.e. a gradual reduction of CO₂ emissions. This is a key aspect for AIXTRON as an enormously high proportion of Scope 3 emissions are due to the purchase of goods and services. Here we see a lever to influence the level of Scope 3 emissions in order to implement a low carbon supply chain.

Other aspects relating to our supply chain are the responsible sourcing of raw materials, respect for human rights, and the avoidance of corruption and bribery. In order to achieve these goals, we attach great importance to transparency and very close, long-term cooperation with regard to our supplier relationships.

Sustainability requirements are defined in contracts and specifications and are anchored in particular in the Code of Conduct and our Supplier Manual. When selecting new suppliers, in addition to quality, price, capacity and delivery conditions as well as other factors, we also pay attention to essential aspects with regard to a sustainable supplier relationship. Information on qualification opportunities for business partners can be found here.

Code of Conduct for Suppliers:

In establishing our Supplier Code of Conduct, we have set ethical, moral and legal standards in relation to the sale and use of conflict minerals within the AIXTRON supply chain.

The purpose of this Code of Conduct is:

• about the Conflict Minerals Act,
• present the procedure of the risk-based review (due diligence) of the supply chain,
• formulate expectations of supply chain partners or suppliers, and
• to point out the consequences of non-observance.

Conflict Minerals:

Competition for natural resources such as minerals, oil and charcoal, encourages systematic violations of human rights and environmental pollution worldwide. Proceeds from the extraction of raw materials can help fuel armed conflicts and finance civil wars. The production or extraction of these materials often takes place illegally and outside state control, controlled by groups of rebels or militias, and at the expense of the miners.

We conduct our business fairly and with decency and respect in all countries in which we are represented. That is why the AIXTRON Group supports the legislative objectives of the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act and the EU Conflict Minerals Regulations. These regulate the disclosure of the origin of risky minerals used in our products. To maximize our impact and the impact of a conflict-free sourcing policy, we decided early on to join the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI).

To this end, a Group-wide management system has been implemented as part of our duty of care. This is based on the OECD Guideline for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-affected and High-Risk Regions. Letters are sent to all direct suppliers who may supply materials with potential conflict minerals. The letter asks them to identify the countries of origin of the minerals and report them to us. If there are indications that these raw material suppliers are working with mines where human rights violations and environmental pollution have been proven, we react consistently and work to ensure that this supplier critically examines the raw material supplier in question and removes it from the joint supply chain.

Complaint Process Conflict Minerals

We have established a grievance mechanism that allows internal and external individuals to raise concerns and complaints regarding the circumstances surrounding the extraction, trade and export of minerals from the conflict region, the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding states. 

The Conflict Minerals Complaint Process allows us to be made aware of risks in our supply chain. Our employees, suppliers and other stakeholders can report concerns and suspected violations of the Conflict Minerals Supply Chain Policy to the following entities:

• by letter: AIXTRON SE, Conflict Minerals Team, Dornkaulstr. 2, 52134 Herzogenrath, Germany
• Via email: conflictminerals@aixtron.com

Complaints can be submitted anonymously. Complaints will be treated as highly confidential within the AIXTRON Group. We will never impose sanctions on employees who have made a complaint in good faith.

Community Engagement:

Even as a global company, we want to take responsibility locally. That is why we support numerous social projects and organizations in the region. We see it not only as our social duty, but also as a matter of course to get involved in society. Our goal is to make a valuable contribution in the process.

More detailed information on the projects and organisations we support can be found in our latest sustainability report.