Human rights at SAP
Human rights governance
The company-wide approach to human rights due diligence is monitored by our Human Rights Office that is part of the Corporate Sustainability organisation. It is driven together with the Human Rights Steering Committee and their teams from various board areas.
To integrate human rights considerations into our standard business practices, we take guidance from the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as well as legal requirements like the German Supply Chain Act. We have a range of policies and procedures in place to ensure we treat everyone with respect and to mitigate human rights risks occurring in our own business and along the value chain. We also expect all our business partners to respect human rights and avoid complicity in any abuse.
Human rights due diligence
To put our commitment to human rights into action, we have created a Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Program. This program is designed to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remediate the adverse human rights impacts that may be associated with our business activities. It includes the following key components:
Policy commitment
We have outlined out commitment to respect and advance human rights in SAP's Global Human Rights Commitment Statement.
Risk assessment
We conduct an annual (or, if required, ad hoc) risk analyses to identity and assess actual and potential human rights impacts.
Measures and monitoring
We implement preventative and mitigative measures to address potential adverse human rights impacts and check their effectiveness as outlined in SAP's Global Human Rights Commitment Statement.
Reporting
We strive to be transparent and disclose our human rights impacts, measures and overall advancements in the annual SAP Integrated Report. Further reports address requirements of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Original German report for 2023 and 2024, English translation for 2023), UK Modern Slavery Act, AUS Modern Slavery Act, and Norway Transparency Act.
Grievance mechanism
Speak out at SAP is SAP's internal and external reporting channel for concerns on human rights and the environment. Moreover, SAP's Global Ombuds Office provides internal conflict consulting, coaching, and mediation.
Stakeholder engagement
We actively engage with others to learn and take stakeholder perspectives into account when assessing impacts and developing appropriate measures.
Focus areas across SAP’s value chain
As a business software company, SAP is committed to respecting human rights across its value chain. Assessing actual and potential human rights risks and impacts of our business activities, SAP addresses the following areas with special focus:
Occupational Health and Safety
SAP provides a safe and health-promoting workplace for our employees in line with our Global Health & Safety Policy and corresponding external Health, Safety and Well-Being Commitment Statement. SAP equally requires suppliers to uphold human and labour rights and provide a safe, and healthy work environment.
Anti-Discrimination
All employees and managers are expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect, as defined in SAP’s Global Anti-Discrimination Policy. SAP proactively promotes equal employment opportunities and inclusion in all employment practices through dedicated programmes. We require suppliers to provide a safe work environment free of discrimination and maintain further procedures in the development of our software that address salient issues of non-discrimination including product accessibility and AI Ethics (see below).
Living Wages
It is SAP’s ambition to ensure a decent living wage as measured through the Value Balancing Alliance (VBA) Methodology for all our own employees and we have embedded this into our annual compensation review process.
As laid out in our Supplier Code of Conduct, SAP expects from its suppliers that all their employees are paid at least minimum wage mandated by local laws. In regions without a legally defined minimum wage, or in the event that living wages are above the legally defined minimum wage, SAP expects its suppliers to adhere to the living wage standards.
Responsible Supply Chain
We analyse risks in our supply chain and seek to manage these through human rights due diligence and responsible sourcing processes in collaboration with our business partners. Our codes of conduct require all parties involved in our value chain to uphold human rights.
AI Ethics
Recognising the significant impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on people, our customers, and society, we have established SAP’s Guiding Principles for AI Ethics as well as dedicated due diligence governance, processes, handbooks and the SAP Global AI Ethics Policy.
Data Protection & Privacy
Our commitment to protecting and respecting individuals' privacy is outlined in the SAP Trust Center, which includes our data protection guidelines and approach to comply with global compliance data protection laws.
Grievance and complaints mechanism
Rules of procedure
SAP encourages you to speak out and report any potential breaches of an international human rights norm or environmental harm. Report your concerns that may relate to, for example, child labour, slavery and forced labour, discrimination, unlawful taking of land, occupational health and safety and related health hazards, withholding of an adequate living wage, the right to form trade unions and workers' representations, harmful soil change or water pollution, or torture.
All concerns that relate to any protected right as defined in the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act § 2 sections 2 and 3 can be reported via Speak Out at SAP, online or via the integrated hotline with local language support, confidentially, and if desired, anonymously.
Depending on the nature of the topic, your report is routed to the appropriate expert team for evaluation.
The Global People Compliance Office reviews reports relating to topics covered by the SAP Global Anti-Discrimination Policy or allegations against SAP or SAP employees related to child labour, slavery and forced labour, withholding of an adequate living wage, the right to form trade unions and workers' representations.
SAP Corporate Security Investigations reviews reports related to occupational health and safety obligations, unlawful taking of land, environmental pollution, and criminal acts against persons.
SAP Corporate Security Investigations also reviews reports related to SAP’s supply chain.
The Complaints Mechanism Process Description contains frequently asked questions and answers regarding the handling of human rights complaints.
How do we process your report?
Upon receipt of your report, you will receive an acknowledgement within seven working days. You may receive a request for more detail or questions from us to add further information that may help resolve open points. The reported concern will be assessed to determine the eligibility of the matter, the responsible function, the plausibility, and the appropriate next steps. Further communication will depend on the nature of the concern shared and the follow up actions required. You will receive an update on the status of your reported concern within 90 days after sharing it.
Non-retaliation policy
SAP has a strict non-retaliation policy and does not tolerate any threatened or actual retaliation toward individuals speaking up and reporting concerns about potential noncompliance. You can be confident that you will not suffer adverse consequences or retaliation for reporting potential issues in good faith.
If you believe you have been or are being subjected to retaliation for making a report, please raise your retaliation concern via Speak Out at SAP.
Note that anyone reporting a concern using the Speak Out tool is subject to the protections granted to them by the European Union Directive 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law (EU Whistleblower Directive), in as far as the requirements of the Directive and/or of national implementations thereof apply.
Complaints mechanism process description
This process description outlines SAP’s approach for effectively managing concerns related to risks or violations of human rights or environmental standards according to the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG).
The Global Ombuds Office
The Global Ombuds Office helps any SAP employee worldwide who is experiencing personal and/or professional difficulties by providing consulting and conflict coaching. Our purpose is to provide a place for every employee at SAP worldwide to be heard and to receive impartial attention without fear of retaliation.
External reporting channel
We encourage the reporting of misconduct through our channel Speak Out at SAP. As an OECD member state, Germany has established a National Contact Point (NCP) to handle complaints related to violations of Responsible Business Conduct. NCPs offer an out-of-court mediation and conciliation platform in participating countries for addressing alleged breaches of the OECD Guidelines. Information about the German NCP and its complaint mechanism can be found here: BMWE - Beschwerdeverfahren und Beschwerdedatenbank
View more on our commitments
SAP's approach to sustainability
It’s our responsibility to lead by example and create positive economic, social and environmental impact while respecting the planetary boundaries and human rights.
Social responsibility at SAP
SAP drives socially responsible value chains, respects and advances human rights, fosters an inclusive and healthy workplace and creates positive societal impacts.
Social Responsibility Solutions
SAP solutions help enterprises manage the human impact of their business and protect their entire value chain while integrating ethical and responsible business practices.
Sustainable Development Goals
Find out how SAP is supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).