Policy statement on the human rights strategy
Messe Frankfurt undertakes to satisfy the duties of care for human rights and the environment that are set out in the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG).
Even beyond the scope of this act, we have been working to protect human rights and the environment for many years now. As part of these efforts, Messe Frankfurt signed the UN Global Compact in 2010, committing itself to its ten principles in the fields of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. We have passed the audit for the internationally recognised environmental management system in accordance with the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and have been awarded an ESG rating by Ecovadis. This involved examining a number of areas, including environmental protection, labour and human rights.
A commitment to fundamental rights is firmly anchored in our corporate culture and is reflected in our business practices.
Risk management
We have implemented an integrated risk management system with a view to fulfilling our corporate responsibility to protect human rights and the environment. Our aim is to recognise any risks in our own area of business and at our suppliers as early as possible and to take steps to minimise or eliminate these risks. All areas of our corporate group have been integrated into our risk management system. Human rights and environmental concerns are also an integral part of our purchasing and decision-making processes.
Every year, we carry out situational risk analyses in our own area of business and at our direct suppliers, working closely with the respective departments and suppliers to assess and manage the impact of our business decisions. We also account for country- and industry-specific risks. We perceive the environmental risks entailed by Messe Frankfurt’s activities in its own area of business to be low.
Preventive measures
Should there be a risk or suspicion that human rights or environmental requirements might be violated, we take measures to avoid the risk if at all possible, to clarify the situation and to redress any violations. Working together with our suppliers, this might involve training and education measures, legal obligations or establishing control mechanisms.
Setting up a complaint procedure
Messe Frankfurt has introduced a whistleblower system that allows our employees, suppliers and anyone impacted by our business activities to report any information regarding the possible violation of human rights or environmental requirements. We ensure that all reports are treated confidentially and investigated in a fair and transparent process. The information gained from these reports is also used to improve our mechanisms for identifying and avoiding risks.
Reporting obligations
Implementing human rights and environmental duties of care is an ongoing process and we review its effectiveness and optimise it on a regular basis. Starting in 2025, we will be publishing an annual report on our compliance with our duties of care, as well as any risks that may have been identified regarding the violation of our human rights or environmental requirements, and any measures that have been taken in response. We will make this report available here free of charge for a period of seven years. We will also review and update this statement of principles on a regular basis and whenever called for.
Our expectations
We expect our suppliers and business partners to support us in our efforts to satisfy these duties of care. We believe that protecting human rights and the environment is a long-term commitment that we can only achieve through working together and by means of continual improvement.