The rating makes sustainability just as important a selection criterion as costs, quality, technological expertise and innovativeness. “This shows how much importance we place on a sustainable supply chain at Audi,” stated Dr. Bernd Martens, Member of the Audi Board of Management responsible for Procurement and IT. “We are convinced that corporate responsibility is a decisive success factor and we only want to work with partners who think and act in the same way.”
For the rating, Audi considers far more than certificates and self-disclosure. The company also makes its own assessment at suppliers’ premises. Audi checks a total of twelve sustainability criteria from the environmental and social sectors – for example, whether the supplier produces in a resource-conserving manner and complies with occupational safety standards. “We do not rely on random checks. We deliberately take the time to determine a sustainability rating for each individual supplier,” said Martens.
The current focus is on suppliers of components for the Audi e-tron, which has its world premiere in September. With the brand’s first all-electric series-produced car, the company is also paying special attention to sustainable value added. If a partner does not meet the sustainability requirements, it must make improvements within a certain period of time. In this way, Audi supports its suppliers in making the processes at their locations more sustainable.
Audi has already rated a total of more than 600 suppliers of components for various Audi models and a further 400 are to be added by the end of the year. Starting in 2019, the entire Volkswagen Group will use these on-site checks to determine sustainability ratings for suppliers, with a direct impact on the awarding of contracts.