Running a sustainable business
Nobia has a fundamental responsibility for developing and maintaining an ethically and financially healthy business. This responsibility is also assumed by employees and business partners.
To meet this responsibility, Nobia’s business units shall:
- follow local laws and regulations in the countries in which they operate
- respect the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and assume responsibility for applying this declaration to employees in the locations where Nobia is present
- conduct business operations that are characterised by high integrity and sound ethical practices
- adopt an open attitude to those affected by Nobia’s operations. Respond to inquiries from external interested parties and communicate with affected parties in a swift and efficient manner.
Products that are purchased shall be manufactured under socially and environmentally responsible conditions. To ensure that such responsibility is upheld, the Group has prepared specific guidelines which are based on the core labour standards of the International Labour Organisation, comprising four different areas:
- freedom of association
- forced labour
- discrimination
- child labour
Evaluation of sub-contractors
Nobia demands that all of its sub-contractors have long-term sustainable solutions. The company has developed an evaluation process, which includes regular on-site visits to its suppliers. The evaluation process and work to ensure that suppliers adhere to Nobia’s central guidelines for environmental impact, work conditions and social and ethical issues is called the Supplier Quality Process (SQP). Every supplier must have undergone this process and been approved to regardless of whether the supplier is new or already has an existing agreement with Nobia. The evaluation process also provides guidelines on how any potential shortcomings are to be identified and managed with respect to the environmental aspects of production and the work environment for the supplier’s employees.
In 2008, Nobia opened a purchasing office in Shanghai in China, where the company can ensure the on-site monitoring of suppliers in Asia.