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Newsletter

Issue  #1 / April 2021
Dear Readers,

Stakeholder engagement is one of the principles that Drive Sustainability is build upon. Today and in the future, stakeholder engagement will be integral to our initiative and will play a vital part in achieving the ambitions that we identified in the Drive Sustainability strategy, launched in 2020.

Following this line, our activities in the beginning of 2021 show how the Drive Sustainability stakeholder engagement can look like: 

  • Collaboration with global automotive associations:
      In coordination with AIAG we developed a revised draft of the Automotive Guiding
      Principles.
  • Supplier Engagement:
      We launched Drive + sustainability platform for automotive suppliers and supplier
      associations and are happy to announce that by April 2021,19 suppliers and 3
      supplier associations are represented in the network.
  • Cross-industry collaboration:
      We joined forces with other initiatives, such as Responsible Steel.

Stakeholder engagement is important to us and hence, we would like to invite you - our stakeholders - to join the effort and participate in the revision of the Automotive Guiding Principles, our major framework outlining sustainability expectations of global automakers towards their suppliers.

To stay updated on upcoming events and current activities, please follow us on drivesustainability.org. To share your comments and learnings please write us at info@drivesustainability.org.

The Drive Sustainability Team
FOCUS TOPICS

Launch of supplier engagement platform Drive+

Since its launch in the beginning of March, 19 automotive suppliers and 3 supplier associations have joined Drive+. Drive+ is a new platform dedicated to suppliers that seek to work closer with the 11 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of the automotive partnership Drive Sustainability. The new members come from 11 different countries and operate in a wide variety of industries and business segments. Amongst the new members there are large multinationals such as ArcelorMittal, Magna, Robert Bosch, and Umicore, as well as smaller businesses, like 2A, Borgstena, Ages Industrier.

Drive+ is a platform where supplier members can engage in a direct dialogue with the OEM partners of Drive Sustainability - BMW Group, Daimler, Ford, Scania, Volkswagen, Volvo Group, Volvo Cars, Stellantis, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, and Toyota - on key sustainability topics, learn from each other and collaborate towards a common goal: implement a sustainable automotive value chain.

The program of Drive+ provides various opportunities both for smaller and more mature companies to work towards continuous improvement and alignment of their sustainability practices. As a part of 2021 program, Drive+ will offer to the members four thematic workshops, where the first two will be dedicated to improving traceability and transparency in supply chains and preparing for the EU mandatory due diligence legislation. The workshops will bring together Drive Sustainability OEM partners and Drive+ supplier members to discuss common challenges and solutions.

Another notable part of the program are supplier consultations organised by Drive Sustainability that give suppliers an opportunity to contribute to the direction of the automotive partnership. Currently ongoing are a consultation on Carbon Neutrality and the update of the Automotive Guiding Principles. Further planned for 2021 are consultations on raw material standards and the usage of SAQ questionnaire.

Beyond consultations and workshops, Drive+ will also offer to its members two masterclasses, access to Drive Sustainability trainings and raw materials database, and regular updates after Drive Sustainability Steering Committee.

Interested to learn more? Contact us, or check out our website.

Invitation to join the stakeholder consultation for the revision of the Automotive Industry Guiding Principles 

Drive Sustainability and Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) invite all the stakeholders of the automotive value chain to participate in the online consultation for the revision of the Automotive Industry Guiding Principles to Enhance Sustainability Performance in the Supply Chain (the Guiding Principles).

The Guiding Principles is the common voice of global auto manufacturers towards the automotive supply chain. It is also the foundation of Drive Sustainability integrated approach that determines the direction of partnership tools and activities, which is why the integration of stakeholder perspective is essential for the OEM partners.

The revised version should reflect the trends in the global sustainability landscape, the evolution of the individual OEM approach towards sustainability of the automotive supply chain, and the changes in stakeholder expectations.

Drive Sustainability and AIAG invites all the stakeholders along the automotive values chain to join the consultation and hand in your comments by April 16th.

How to take part in the online consultation?
 1. Download the draft from the Drive Sustainability website.
 2. Read through the document and collect comments. The draft is divided into the
     following sections: Business Ethics, Working Conditions and Human Rights,
     Environment, Health and Safety and Supply Chain.
 3. Use the online form to leave your comments until April 16th. You can comment a
     specific section, or the document overall.

The outcomes of online consultation will be analysed in spring 2021, the revised version will be finalised by the end of June and published in September 2021.

Sustainability is a common challenge and opportunity to customers and suppliers alike. The dialogue events are an opportunity to start the exchange and find future common next steps.
NEWS & EVENTS
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Drive Sustainability joins Responsible Steel as an Associate Member

Brussels (Belgium), 19 January 2021 - Drive Sustainability joins Responsible Steel and strengthens joint efforts on responsibly sourced and produced steel.

Launch of Drive Sustainability E-Learning

Brussels (Belgium), 17 January 2021 - Drive Sustainability launches common E-Learning Course on Supply Chain Sustainability for Automotive Suppliers. The 25 minutes long course gives learners an overview of the initiative, how supply chain sustainability relates to them and why we are inviting them to join this and future offers for collaboration.

 
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Release of SAQ Toolbox for Suppliers

Brussels (Belgium), 5 January 2021 – Drive Sustainability releases “SAQ Toolbox” to provide automotive suppliers with guidance on how to excel in the SAQ assessment and how to use the SAQ in their own due diligence processes.
The SAQ Toolbox answers questions related to the SAQ content, how to improve scoring, how to use it for own suppliers and how to get started as SMEs.
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