Corporate responsibility
At the centre of all our activities stands addressing the needs, demands and expectations of our customers and meeting these with made-to-measure solutions and the supply of top quality products and services. Nevertheless, our sense of responsibility does not start and finish with our customers; at PFARR Stanztechnik it is much more than a nice-sounding catchphrase – it is an attitude of mind, inculcating every fibre of our company. Of course, relationships with our customers, suppliers and other partners are a big part of it; as are the conscientious interactions of employees with machines, materials and products. There is on top of this a corporate, social commitment to employees and their families. We are totally committed to responsible interaction with natural resources (and, indeed, with problematic materials) as a key aspect of our corporate culture.
Quality
Quality is about concurring with customer requirements in terms of functionality, reliability, price and delivery terms for every product and every service. In a manufacturing set-up which is almost entirely customer-specific, a seamless customer interface also becomes relevant to quality. In order to meet these objectives, we have set out the following guiding principles to our quality management stance:
- Quality engenders confidence
- Quality secures our future
PFARR Stanztechnik is certified to DIN 9001: 2015.
Health and safety and environmental issues
A key commitment of our company is to preserve the natural environment in which we live and operate while offering our employees a work setting free from health concerns. In the longer term, this can only be achieved by responsible interaction with our natural resources; supported by appropriate free market mechanisms and a dedication to health and safety.
We believe that a free market economy guided by a strict commitment to quality, the environment and health and safety will provide the maximum corporate growth potential, securing the needs of future generations. For these reasons, we hold environmental responsibility and health and safety concerns to be vital cornerstones of our corprorate management. They are thus central commitments for each and every employee in their daily activities.
PFARR Stanztechnik is certified to DIN 14001:201.
PFARR: Fundamentals of our environmental protection and health and safety policies
Code of conduct
For PFARR Stanztechnik it is obvious that a corporation carries social and ethical responsibilities. We have gone one further, and defined these in a written code of conduct, guiding our daily interactions. We expect our suppliers to concur with these principles and adopt and embrace them. The code of conduct covers the following:
- Compliance with the law
- Prohibition of corruption and bribery
- Respect for basic rights of employees
- Prohibition of child labor
- Health and safety of employees
- Environmental protection
- Confidential information and data protection
- Supply chain
- Reporting of legal violations (whistleblower system)
The Whistleblower’s Charter at PFARR Stanztechnik GmbH
Adherence to all relevant laws and regulations, as well as internal operating procedures such as our internal code of conduct, are prerequisites for employment at PFARR Stanztechnik. Legislators introduced a new law from 02. July 2023 offering greater protection to so-called “whistleblowers”, covering grievances regarding the law in the employment context. In order to ensure that any reporting or dialogue with the colleagues concerned, managers or other individuals does not lead to the subsequent questioning of anybody’s trustworthiness, PFARR has introduced a communication procedure in line with the new law. To this end a universally accessible, formal Procedure Document has been produced which must be followed by anyone reporting issues. Reports surrounding the supply chain diligence can also be reported through this system.
The following channels are available for the communication of potential infringements of the law or of PFARR Stanztechnik internal operating procedures:
1) As previously, potential infringements of the law or of PFARR Stanztechnik internal procedures can be communicated via the normal contacts.
2) In addition, PFARR Stanztechnik has chosen to support the implementation of the supply chain diligence legislation with the creation of a web-based portal to the Federal Gazette. An ombudsman’s office has also been created, acting both to support the communication port and also independently.
There are therefore, in addition to the existing individuals and departments forming a point of contact within the company, the following extended contact possibilities for the communication of potential infringements:
a) The digital platform of the state Federal Gazette :
https://pfarr.hinweisgeberportal.de/
b) The telephone hotline of the state Federal Gazette :
(Montag – Freitag 8:00-18:30): +49 (0)800-1234-205
c) Via e-mail to the state Federal Gazette:
hinweisgeberportal@bundesanzeiger.de
d) By post to the state Federal Gazette using this address:
Hinweisgeberdienst c/o Bundesanzeiger Verlag GmbH
Amsterdamer Str. 192
50735 Köln
e) Through the external ombudsman using this address:
Rechtsanwalt & Notar Alexander Schade
Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Scheurmann, Schraad & Partner
Dudenstraße 14
36251 Bad Hersfeld
Tel.: +49 (0)6621 / 5078-24
E-Mail: schade@scheurmann-schraad.de
Independently of the listed channels of communication, the responsible authorities can be contacted directly; e.g., the external reporting point of the State Office for Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz).
Procedure Document for the communication of suspected non-compliance
Conflict materials
The United States Dodd-Frank Act (Section 1502) of 2014 sought to prevent the financing of armed groups in certain conflict regions via raw material trading. Companies trading on the US stock exchange were required to provide information to the stock exchange regarding the possible inclusion of so-called “conflict materials” in their products. This in turn led to the requirement for suppliers to likewise provide details of the sources of raw materials. The trickle-down effect meant that indirect German suppliers were also required to evidence compliance where they were active as suppliers to the US market, or were acting as intermediaries.
A similar provision has applied within the European Union since 2017: the (EU)2017/821 Directive. A duty of care across the supply chain meant that importers of Tin, Tantalum, Tungsten and Gold had to fulfil self-certification requirements for all transactions with crisis regions.
PFARR Stanztechnik is neither directly subject to the Dodd-Frank Act nor classed as an EU importer in the sense of EU Directive 2017/821. Nevertheless, having regard to our corporate and ethical responsibilities, we embrace the regulations fully. We have a documentary process in place recording the origins of all the materials we deploy.
We require written confirmation from all our suppliers that no conflict materials are delivered to us as set out in the Dodd-Frank Act (Sect. 1502) or the EU Directive (EU)2017/821. This guarantee is an absolute prerequisite to supplying raw materials to PFARR Stanztechnik.
German Chamber of Commerce notes on the Dodd-Frank Act (Section 1502)
REACh
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
EU Regulation 1907/2006 controls the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals. The regulation obliges manufacturers, importers and downstream users to ensure that neither human health nor the the environment are negatively impacted by their products (www.reach-helpdesk.de).
In terms of the Regulation, PFARR Stanztechnik is generally a downstream user. We therefore require of suppliers that the products they deliver are either pre-registered or will be registered within the established legal timeframe.
REACh conformity statements are available for all products supplied Downloads
RoHS
Restriction of Hazardous Substances
The acronym RoHS (Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment) stands for the European Union’s Directive 2002/95/EG.
Similar restrictions listing forbidden substances, usage limitations and exceptions apply in various other countries such as China, the USA, Japan and South Korea. In the electrical industry the key issue is the general prohibition of lead in electrical and electronic equipment. Thus far there have been a range of exceptions to the element’s restriction; but these are to be eliminated step-by-step with advancing technical standards; and further material bans introduced.
The individual member states of the EU have to adopt the directive in their respective national laws. A corresponding law on electrical and electronic equipment has been duly adopted in Germany. The aims of the regulations are improved personal health and reduced environmental impact; as well as the harmonisation of individual state regulations with a view to removing trade barriers and unfair competition. PFARR Stanztechnik, despite the RoHS, continues to offer both Lead-free and Lead-bearing solders in our range: there is no outright ban in place. All solders are alloyed to individual customer needs. Lead-free solders from Pfarr Stanztechnik were already established as reliable alternatives to Lead-bearing products, offering the same high quality, many years prior to the launch of the regulations.