Our suppliers must adhere to our Business partner code of conduct, which outlines our requirements on respecting human and labor rights in their workforce. We require our suppliers to complete questionnaires upon request and to accommodate visits and audits as necessary to confirm compliance.
Our footprint
Our approach to social matters
We enable healthier living by creating an environment where people feel valued, where we embrace differences and where a shared purpose unites us all.
Embracing and respecting differences
Different perspectives lead to better ideas and stronger results. That’s why we focus on creating a culture where people can be themselves, contribute fully, and thrive together.
As a global company, we bring together people from many cultures and backgrounds — and we’re committed to building a workplace where everyone feels respected, heard, and valued.
We need everyone
Valuing each person’s unique contribution is core to who we are. We understand that different lived experiences shape the opportunities people have — and we’re committed to removing barriers so everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Our strength lies in working together, and that means we need every voice, every perspective, and every person.
How we work with DE&I
We include everyone
We’re committed to removing barriers that hold people back. By understanding where gaps exist, we can create better solutions for everyone. That means making space for all voices, growing allyship, and building a culture of true belonging.
We take a regional approach
We take a regional approach, shaped by local demographics, when we develop and roll-out initiatives to support an inclusive and diverse workplace. Many of our sites have Employee Resource Groups, which aim to foster DE&l on the ground and are open to everyone.
We listen to our employees
Our regular employee engagement survey includes questions related to DE&I, culture, and change. The survey provides valuable insights into how our people feel about belonging, fairness, and growth opportunities, and enables us build a strong culture to the benefit of the company and our stakeholders.
Enable healthier living
A safe place to thrive
With our commitment to care, we ensure we maintain a strong safety culture in everything we do. We prioritize physical and psychological safety, and continually drive safety efforts across our organization. We’re also committed to helping employees thrive at every stage of their professional journey. Our aim is to provide a positive work-life balance, enabling everyone to bring out their best both at work and beyond.
We achieved our health and safety target for 2025
We believe in and promote a safety-first culture. We aim to minimize injuries occurring when performing work-related activities.
1.4
Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF) with absence in 2025, meeting our target of ≤1.5.
How we work with safety
Same high standards globally
We ensure the standardization of our health and safety policies and practices through our Global Minimum Requirements (GMRs). They define the minimum level of requirements that must be complied with at all our sites and are part of any internal audit or Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Assessment.
Robust safety reporting
Our health and safety management system is designed to ensure that robust safety reporting, processes, equipment, standards, tools, and training are fully integrated into our daily operations. This enables us to take preventive and corrective actions, and continuously improve our employees’ health, safety, and thus, well-being at work.
Educating to prevent
We communicate and raise awareness about health and safety-related measures and practices across our global sites and offices. We’ve developed a Safety & Environment Collaboration for Unified Risk Elimination (SECURE) communication, which is distributed to relevant areas in Novonesis. It's aim is to raise awareness about identified issues, their root causes, and corrective and preventive actions.
Enable healthier living
Great working conditions start with a respect for human rights
Our employees are vital to our future success, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse organization where they can thrive. We take responsibility for upholding proper labor practices and ensuring respect for human rights both within our organization and throughout our value chain.
How we work with human and labor rights
We respect human and labor rights
We are committed to respecting human and labor rights, as defined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the International Bill of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. We publish annually a statement required by the UK Modern Slavery Act and the Canadian Supply Chain Act.
We drive ethical practices
We use the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) platform to engage with our suppliers and customers to ensure ethical and responsible practices. Our key production sites regularly complete self-assessment questionnaires, and some of our sites have undergone third-party Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) audits.
We safeguard human rights for all
We have integrated human rights into our operational policies and procedures; we conduct due diligence and impact assessments in countries where we operate; and we offer grievance mechanisms. This is facilitated through our externally hosted Whistleblower Hotline, which is available to both internal and external stakeholders. The hotline allows people to report concerns safely and without fear of retaliation, ensuring fair treatment and resolution.
Our value chain
Responsible sourcing program
Responsible sourcing program
Our value chain
Product stewardship
Product stewardship
At Novonesis, we ensure our biosolutions are produced responsibly and are safe for the environment and people.
We believe in shared responsibility and collaboration in driving product safety and stewardship. We continuously collaborate with our customers, suppliers, and various trade associations on the topic.
- Novonesis Annual Report 2025: Workers in our downstream value chain (p. 102)
- Positive impact of our biosolutions on: Climate (p. 68), Pollution (p. 77), Water (p. 80) Biodiversity (p. 84), Waste (p. 86) Health and safety (p. 97)
Our approach to environment
Explore our commitments, targets and actions to reduce our environmental footprint.
*Gender parity in senior management (director level and above with direct reports).