Management approach

Swisscom is committed to improving the working conditions of its suppliers’ employees and to ensuring compliance with social and environmental standards throughout the supply chain. It requires its direct suppliers and their subcontractors to commit to acting in a sustainable manner.

Goal 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

The principles that Swisscom observes are stipulated in its purchasing policy, which is defined by an overarching committee, the Swisscom Purchasing Board. The purchasing policy sets out the principles and procedures to be followed by the procurement organisations and stipulates the requirements that suppliers accept by signing the Corporate Responsibility Contract Annex (CRCA). Swisscom uses a structured risk management system to review suppliers’ compliance with the requirements. It expanded this system on a conceptual level in 2016 and implemented it in the purchasing organisation. The system covers all risk areas along the supply chain.

The measures to achieve a fair supply chain make an active contribution to risk management in the supply chain and are intended to ensure that potential risks are identified at an early stage or dealt with quickly if they occur. This avoids reputational damage and financial losses. This management approach has proven its worth over many years. It is lived and implemented successfully, and therefore is not currently in need of an update. Overall responsibility lies with the Head of Group Business Steering (GBS); in addition, a specialist unit is employed for operational business and strategic orientation.

The suppliers covered by risk management are suppliers from Switzerland, the EU and overseas (mainly North America and the Far East), most of whom are active in the ICT sector in the area of network infrastructure and goods.

With a score of 74 out of 100 in the supply chain rating of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (prior year: 80) and is included on the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Supplier and Climate A List. Swisscom once again ranks among the best telecommunications companies.