What does responsibility for people working in the value chain entail?

September 25, 2025
Marta Kęsik
Senior Sustainability Manager
Artur Gazda
Due Diligence Manager, R&D Lead
Lena Chabros
Sustainability Specialist
Sonia Kortas
Ethics Specialist
How to protect the rights of suppliers' employees? Read about the process of developing the Code of Conduct for Suppliers at the Auto Partner Group.
What is the responsibility for those doing the work in the value chain

Responsibility in the value chain seems to be a distant and incomprehensible issue for many companies, and they limit their relationships with suppliers to ensuring timely payments.

In fact, companies that base their business model on close cooperation with business partners can have a significant impact on the working conditions of people working in the value chain. The basic document that regulates these relationships and sets requirements for contractors in the context of human and employee rights is the Supplier Code of Conduct.

A team of experts from MATERIALITY supported Auto Partner SA Group, a leading distributor of automotive parts in Poland, in developing a method for managing its impact on employees hired by suppliers. The result of this cooperation was the creation of a Code of Conduct for Suppliers of the Auto Partner Capital Group, which precisely regulates the requirements for business partners in areas such as health and safety, freedom of association, non-discrimination and diversity, prohibition of child labor and forced labor, and information security.

The document is based on internationally recognized legal standards and guidelines, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Labor Organization Conventions, OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights. In addition, the Code also regulates issues of anti-corruption and care for the climate and the environment.

We are delighted to observe the steps taken by the Auto Partner Group on the path to sustainable development and our client's responsible approach to identifying its impact on society and the environment.

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with Auto Partner Capital Group Sustainability Report for 2024 the year in which the Supplier Code of Conduct was described in detail.

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