Press Release

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Importance of Sustainability in Supplier Selection Is Further Increased by Continental in Purchasing

• Focus on raw material suppliers and service providers for specific categories like freight

• Eco Vadis takes over standardized evaluation for Continental

• Lighthouse project for traceability of Natural Rubber supply in preparation

• Sustainability Manager ensures strengthened focus in Corporate Purchasing

Hanover, September 4, 2017. The technology company Continental is continuously increasing the importance of sustainability within the Purchasing function. To select and evaluate its suppliers, the Hanover-based company undertook a multi-stage selection process before commissioning the service provider Eco Vadis to conduct a continuous sustainability evaluation of existing and potential suppliers on the basis of standardized questionnaires. “Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for us, and not just for the design of many of our products. In Purchasing, we have also started to increase the priority for sustainable action with our most important raw material suppliers and service providers for freight and capital expenditure,” said Nikolai Setzer, who is in charge of Corporate Purchasing and the Tire division in the Executive Board of Continental AG. “The efforts are enormous as we have to cover a couple of hundreds companies currently supplying to our locations. In Corporate Purchasing however, we want to send a strong signal for sustainable practices within the entire supply chain, particularly for the Rubber Group, as the majority of the raw materials are sourced within the Rubber Group,” he continued.

Natural Rubber is a very specific material when talking about sustainable practices. That is why a special project for analyzing sustainability in the delivery chain of natural rubber is in preparation. “This lighthouse project involves both the Tire and ContiTech divisions. Its purpose is to enable the tracking of the delivery chain, from the rubber cultivators up to our production, together with selected existing suppliers. The goal here is both, to treat nature in a more resource-friendly manner and thus avoid further destruction of the rainforests, as well as to improve the overall income situation of the rubber cultivators,” continued Setzer.

In Corporate Purchasing at Continental, one of the roles of the Sustainability Management is to coordinate all these sustainability activities in the supply chain. All in all, Continental is thus placing an even greater focus on acting sustainably. This is turning sustainability into a major selection and further development criterion in the company’s dealings with suppliers. If the existing suppliers do not act in a sustainable manner, Continental will require the necessary changes to be implemented. The technology company simply expects its suppliers to join in to the path of more sustainable behavior and to show the same commitment and dedication.

Continental

Continental develops intelligent technologies for transporting people and their goods. As a reliable partner, the international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer and industrial partner provides sustainable, safe, comfortable, individual and affordable solutions. In 2016, the corporation generated provisional sales of approximately €40.5billion with its five divisions, Chassis & Safety, Interior, Powertrain, Tires and ContiTech. Continental currently employs more than 230,000 people in 56 countries.

Tire division
The Tire division currently has 24 production and development locations worldwide. The broad product range and continuous investments in R&D make a major contribution to cost-effective and ecologically efficient mobility. As one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, with more than 50,000 employees, the Tire division achieved sales of €10.7billion in 2016.

www.continental-tires.com

ContiTech division
As a division in the Continental Corporation, ContiTech is one of the world’s leading industrial specialists. Its customers can be found in key industries such as machine and plant engineering, mining, the agricultural industry and the automotive industry. With around 46,000 employees in 44 countries, the company uses its development and material expertise for products and systems made of rubber, plastic, metal, textile and electronic components to combine these with individual services. ContiTech always thinks in terms of customer-friendly and environmentally friendly solutions – going well and truly beyond its roots as a producer of rubber products. With sales of approximately €5.5 billion (2016), the international technology partner is active with core branches in Europe, Asia, and North and South America.

www.contitech.com

Press contact:
Klaus Engelhart
Press Spokesman Passenger and Light Truck / Two-Wheel Tires
Continental AG I Tire division
Büttnerstraße 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 511 938 2285

www.continental-tires.com
www.continental-reifen.de/news / Antje Lewe
Head of Communications Division ContiTech
Continental AG
Büttnerstraße 25, 30165 Hanover, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 511 938 1304

www.contitech.com
www.contitech.de/Media/Press

Your contact:

Klaus Engelhart, phone: +49 (0) 511 938 2285,