Siegwerk has held its first supplier engagement sessions under SustainUP, the company’s global sustainable procurement program. The company has been engaging with suppliers over the past few months to address critical human rights topics identified during workers’ voice activities, reinforcing the company’s commitment to responsible sourcing and long-term sustainability across its supply chain, the company said in a press release.
The supplier engagement initiative with focus on India is aimed at equipping supplier teams with the knowledge, tools, and confidence needed to strengthen labor practices and elevate health and safety performance. The training program was not designed as a compliance or checklist exercise but as a collaborative support offering to learn more about grievance redressal mechanism, fair wages and working hours and occupational health & safety.
Through globally offered webinars and an intensive workshop in Mumbai, suppliers could gain a better understanding of regulatory requirements, sustainable business expectations, and best practices. Siegwerk also shared its own approach and challenges. The training initiative was supported by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), a New Delhi-based think tank, which provided guidance and local insights to ensure meaningful engagement. The content focused on high-risk areas of the supply chain and were especially designed for small and mid-sized suppliers, who often face resource constraints when it comes to meeting complex sustainability and human rights requirements.
The successful implementation of the first supplier engagement sessions represents an important milestone for the company’s global SustainUP program. Building on this achievement, Siegwerk plans to initiate further projects to strengthen its supply chain and mitigate environmental and social risks. “We need our supplier to walk this path with us,” said Cathleen Hansohm, global supplier sustainability manager at Siegwerk. “SustainUP is about partnership, trust, and shared responsibility. By supporting our suppliers today, we are enabling a more resilient and sustainable supply chain for tomorrow.”
Siegwerk launched its SustainUP program in mid-2025 to integrate sustainability into the company’s procurement processes. With SustainUP, Siegwerk grounds its efforts on the perspectives of workers, helping suppliers build practical capabilities, and committing to road-maps that improve outcomes for people and the environment. “Regulations set the floor, but our ambition is impact,” added Hansohm. “By embedding human rights due diligence, decarbonization efforts and environmental responsibility into supplier engagement, SustainUP helps us to turn regulatory expectations into measurable improvements and thus fueling change across our supply chain.”