Human Rights Declaration
For ourselves and future generations, we want to contribute to improving living conditions on our planet. Respect for human rights and the well-being of our employees are non-negotiable for us.
Our pledge
With over 40 years of experience and a relentless courage and determination to get things done, we combine the best of several very different worlds: the automotive and IT worlds, hardware and software, products and services. With over 7,600 employees, we provide support for customers at more than 25 IAV locations, with first-rate technical equipment to realize your projects – from concept to standard production. Our goal is to improve the mobility of today – and tomorrow.
We want to help create better living conditions on our planet for ourselves and for future generations. As an international company, we strive for profitable growth and are convinced that the best way to achieve this is through sustainable value creation. We are convinced that respect for human rights and the well-being of our employees are non-negotiable.
For this reason, we are committed to ensuring respect for human rights – both in our own business activities and in our global supply and value chains. We therefore operate in accordance with the following international standards:
- United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
- Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact,
- Core Labor Standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO),
- UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
How we approach human rights
This Human Rights Declaration supplements our Code of Conduct and our Supplier Code of Conduct. Together, they form the basis and the benchmark for all regulations to ensure responsible, value-based actions on the part of IAV.
As a development partner for next-generation technologies, integrity, fairness, and autonomy are of vital significance to us. For this reason, the following human rights are of particular importance to us:
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Working conditions
The people at our company are the key to our success. We create fair working conditions and ensure that these conditions are observed. This specifically includes appropriate remuneration, social benefits, observance of working hours, and protection of employee privacy.
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Freedom of association
It is self-evident to us that our employees should take advantage of the opportunity to have their interests represented by bodies they elected. The company management and its executives are committed to open, trust-based cooperation in constructive dialogue with these representative bodies.
Most notably, IAV GmbH, our largest company, which is based in Germany, is bound by collective wage agreements and works with the IG Metall trade union as a social partner.
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Occupational health and safety
We protect the right of every employee to a safe and healthy working environment and have defined occupational health and safety standards and requirements to ensure this in our group-wide policy. We provide training and implement occupational health and safety measures (e.g. for safe handling of technical equipment) to avoid accidents at work, occupational diseases, and occupational health risks.
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Equal opportunities and respect
We promote respectful interaction with one another, as well as openness to people from different countries and cultures. We clearly distance ourselves from discrimination – particularly, discrimination on the basis of nationality, sexual orientation, skin color, physical or mental ability, and race. Gender identity is not a factor for us. We provide equal opportunities for everyone.
We are also committed to taking action against all forms of child labor, slavery, and forced labor – both in our own business area and in the value chain.
Our preventive measures to avoid human rights abuses
We have systematically integrated the assessment of human rights risks into our decision-making processes, especially with regard to procurement. We determine which preventive measures to apply, based on country-specific criteria and the industry involved. We also differentiate according to whether the services provided are integrated into our own products or development services.
Our prevention program includes elements such as:
- Including compliance clauses in our contracts
- Requiring suppliers to maintain their own code of conduct or to recognize IAV’s Supplier Code of Conduct
- Audit rights and certification obligations
In the event of suspicions or complaints, especially when related to possible infringements of human rights, our employees, business partners, and other stakeholders have access to various channels. These can be found on our website and in our IAV intranet. Whistleblowers may also provide information anonymously, if preferred, through our SpeakUP whistleblower system, or they can contact our compliance staff directly by phone, email, or mail.
In this way, we are able to ensure that each individual – regardless of their contractual or business relationship with IAV – can report their concerns. All reports are treated confidentially and followed up.
If the review of the case indicates that IAV has caused an infringement, directly or indirectly, or contributed to such an infringement, we immediately implement all necessary remedial actions.
If we become aware of a violation at one of our business partners, we also require them to take immediate action to end the infringement. This is monitored accordingly by IAV.
Wherever necessary, we support our business partners in addressing such an infringement. However, we also reserve the right to terminate the business relationship immediately in the event of serious human rights abuses.
We provide information on our activities to respect and promote human rights on an annual basis on our website.
Our expectations for employees and business partners
IAV regards respect for human rights as the basis for responsible collaboration. We treat all persons with respect and fairness and require the same from our business partners.
We therefore expect our business partners to maintain appropriate structures to prevent human rights abuses and to immediately remediate any violations that may occur. They should also encourage their own business partners throughout the value chain to do the same.
Dr. Uwe Horn
President and CHRO
Martin Mahlke
Managing Director
Jörn Klenner
Overall Chairman of the General Works Council
Jens Hinze
Vice-Chairman of the General Works Council
- Administration and others
- Administration und andere
- IAV Company
