4. SOCIAL 4.3 Human rights in the value chain Issues and impacts Employees in the value chain – contractors, suppliers, business partners, customers and users – are central to the GEODIS operating ecosystem. With operations in 166 countries and a portfolio of 100,000 suppliers and 91,000 active customers, GEODIS is at risk from violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms both upstream and downstream of its value chain, whether through forced labor, child labor, illegal or clandestine labor, failure to respect workers’ rights, discrimination, violence, harassment and so on. The risks for the Group are signifi cant in terms of reputation, loss of market share and fi nancial impact (compensation for damages). To limit these risks, the Group relies on risk mapping for its regions and lines of business, internal control procedures, whistleblowing procedures, policies, responsible purchasing and the responsibility of all employees as the primary ambassadors of compliance with these principles in their interactions with their stakeholders. GEODIS also expects its suppliers and subcontractors to fully adhere to the codes of ethics and conduct that apply within their scope, and to commit to respecting these principles and ensuring that they are respected within their own supply chains. The process of identifying the impacts, risks and opportunities of human rights in the value chain in relation to GEODIS’s business model and strategy is presented in section 2.6 of this report. Governance The Human Resources and Sustainability Departments are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Group’s human rights rules and commitments, and they regularly report to the Group Risk Committee. The Governance, Risks and Compliance Department reports to the Management Board on information received and decisions taken by the Risk Committee. The Group Purchasing Department manages the implementation of the responsible purchasing approach and procedures to check the integrity of third parties (subcontractors, service providers, etc.). Policy These commitments and policies apply to all operations, regardless of the country in which they are performed. They cover fundamental principles defi ned by: ● membership of the United Nations Global Compact since 2003. The Group is committed to promoting and respecting human rights, including labor standards, eliminating forced labor and effectively abolishing child labor; ● the Group Code of Ethics; ● the Business Partner Code of Conduct, revised in 2024, with stricter requirements. In addition to providing a high quality level of service, GEODIS also expects its stakeholders throughout the entire value chain to ensure that the products or services they provide comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as the strictest ethical, environmental safety and quality standards; ● Human rights policy. Published in 2024, this policy applies to all Group employees, entities and lines of business, as well as to external partner network. It presents a reference framework to prevent and identify the risks of human rights violations, as well as the Group’s commitment to recognizing the importance and universality of human rights. It is specifi cally aimed at four types of stakeholders: employees (see section 4.2.3 Human rights and fundamental freedoms), customers, suppliers and subcontractors, and local communities. It is signed by the Group’s Chief Executive Offi cer and the executive vice-president, Human Resources. Action plan In order to minimize the adverse impact of its activities on human rights, GEODIS is committed to engaging with stakeholders who could potentially be affected by its actions. The Group fully recognizes that progress needs to be made to standardize and reinforce its control procedures, to control all levels of subcontracting, and to instill a culture of prevention among employees and managers. The approach is part of an ongoing improvement process. For suppliers, subcontractors and third parties: the Group is strengthening its supplier and subcontractor monitoring process by integrating human rights into its assessment and selection processes. In addition to its assessment program, in 2024 GEODIS initiated a social audit process in several countries to ensure that its sites across the value chain respect working conditions and equal treatment. By checking employee lists, these social audits can reveal situations of undeclared work or employment of illegal workers. For customers: the Group is committed to protecting all confi dential information and personal data of its customers that it may handle as a subcontractor (see section 5.3 Data protection and cybersecurity). For local communities: the Group is committed to ensuring that its activities do not harm local communities, to respecting the local cultural and socio-economic framework, and to sharing value, notably by providing jobs and stimulating economic development. 80 - 2024 ACTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzMxNTcx