As a shoe retailer, Deichmann develops its collections largely on its own, and purchases very large quantities directly from producers in about 40 countries. In this way, we can pass low prices on to our customers. But we also want to make sure, above all, that jobs in emerging countries are created sustainably, safely and with social responsibility. An important tool for this is our Code of Conduct, which is a binding component of our supplier contracts.
To improve work conditions and reduce resource use in the world’s developing countries, for many years we have worked with strong, independent partners. Together with the Society for Technical Cooperation, within a public-private partnership (PPP), we have undertaken a project in India whose results helped form our Code of Conduct. At the European level, we are a member of the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative). In this way we have taken on the obligation to have all of our suppliers inspected regularly by independent testers.