Reports, policies and commitments

As early as 1986, climate protection and socially responsible business practices became part of our corporate strategy. Therefore, reporting on our sustainability goals and measures is an integral part of our annual report.

The ESG factsheet provides a consolidated overview of our non-financial performance in the areas of environmental, social and governance over the past five years. The information should be understood in conjunction with the annual report, where it is placed in the context of our strategy.

For the third time, the Otto Group has publicly reported in accordance with the requirements of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and achieved an overall score of B once again. With this disclosure, we fulfill our duty as a member of the "UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action", where the Otto Group has focused primarily on greenhouse gas management in the supply chain in recent years. The CDP reporting is available for registered users here.

In 2022, we committed to developing a near-term Science-Based Target (SBT) to address our entire value chain. The near-term SBT is a science-based reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions that is in line with the 1.5-degree goal of the Paris Climate Agreement. We submitted our SBT for validation to the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) in spring 2023 and successfully completed the validation process by the end of February 2024.

By the way: Traditional offsetting measures cannot be credited towards the implementation and achievement of a Science-Based Target. Therefore, offsetting does not contribute to our climate goals.

We have been a member of the "Partnership for Sustainable Textiles" since 2015. The Otto Group has supported the initiative of the federal government from the very beginning and has represented the interests of the economy in the steering committee since joining until June 2023. Since 2017, the Otto Group has fulfilled its obligation to regularly report on objectives and measures. All information is verified by an external and independent party and published on the website of the Textile Partnership (Otto Group profile). Here is the direct link to the progress report with target achievement (German only). 

The declaration defines our commitment regarding human rights in our own companies and the value chain. For us, human rights are non-negotiable, and it is our responsibility to uphold respect for human rights together with our business partners. Our declaration is based on international reference instruments, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. It also provides an overview of the key processes we have implemented in the Otto Group to fulfill our human rights due diligence obligations. Further information on our approach to the topic of human rights can be found here >>

• Human Rights Declaration Otto Group >>
• Human Rights Declaration BAUR (German only) >>
  
• Human Rights Declaration Bonprix (German only) >>
  
• Human Rights Declaration Hermes Fulfilment (German only) >>
  
• Human Rights Declaration Hermes Germany (German only) >>
• Human Rights Declaration OTTO >>
  
• Human Rights Declaration Witt-Gruppe (German only) >>
  

Every business partner is required to accept the "Business Partner Declaration on Sustainability". In this document, we consolidate all our requirements for our business partners for merchandise. Signing this document is the fundamental prerequisite for establishing a business relationship with a company of the Otto Group.

Our social standards and rules regarding environmental protection, occupational health and safety are outlined in a Code of Conduct. This applies to all employees, business partners and suppliers. The Otto Group uses the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct for merchandise, which is integrated as Annex 1 in our Business Partner Declaration.

The fundamental requirements of the Otto Group for its service providers, suppliers of non-merchandise goods and their subcontractors are governed by a separate Code of Conduct. These requirements are primarily based on internationally recognized standards, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, applicable ILO conventions, and the legislation of the respective country.

The digital whistleblower system SpeakUp is a central tool for reporting suspected cases to the Otto Group, ensuring prevention and clarification both internally and externally. The portal provides a protected and secure reporting channel for all employees and stakeholders. It is available in multiple languages, can be used anonymously, and thus guarantees the highest protection for whistleblowers and sensitive data. Every piece of information submitted is reviewed in multiple stages by designated experts.

Numerous factories around the world produce for the Otto Group. The publication of the locations is an important step towards greater transparency. The following map shows where the factories of the main producers are located and also provides information on factory audits. 

An awareness of values is rooted in our DNA. Our ethical convictions are defined and encapsulated in our Code of Ethics and set of guiding values. At their core, these values are non-negotiable.

Purchasing plays a significant role in the exercise of human rights and environmental due diligence, because it is here that decisions are made as to where products come from. In addition to criteria such as price, quality and delivery times, sustainability aspects also play an important role. We have formulated specific requirements for this. These also help our business partners to act more sustainably. We have anchored our claim to responsible purchasing practices here.

„NOW“ – The Otto Group sustainability magazine in cooperation with GEO can be ordered here as a print copy, read as an ePaper or downloaded as a PDF.

Ethical consumption has gone from being a trend to a requirement. The Otto Group has been accompanying this development for many years. In 2007, we commissioned the first "Trend Report on Ethical Consumption" from our partner Trendbüro. Five surveys followed (2009, 2011, 2013, 2020 and 2022). An overview of all studies is available here >>

In November 2020, we presented a study on voluntary sustainability collaborations (German language) in partnership with the Institute for Corporate Management and Organization at the Leibniz University Hannover. The study outlines the types of collaborations possible in the textile industry, the strategies that can be pursued, and the approaches that lead to successful, socially and ecologically sustainable actions. The manual is intended to assist other companies in navigating the broad field of collaborations and joint initiatives.