Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA

Overall approach

2/14
- Overarching commitment on deforestation
  
  0/6
- Signatory to an initiative tackling deforestation
  
  1/1
  
  Signatory
  
  Yes
  
  1/1
  
  UN Global Compact
  
  Bertelsmann is signatory to the UN Global Compact
  
  Open source document
- Awareness of the value of forests
  
  1/1
  
  Awareness
  
  Yes
  
  1/1
  
  "To safeguard forests, which are valuable for climate protection and biodiversity, Bertelsmann advocates responsible paper procurement."
  
  Open source document
- Target to reduce emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
- Reporting on emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
Commodity score

33/86
- Pulp & Paper
  
  33/86
  - Commitment Strength
    
    19/36
    - Commitment to protect priority forests
      
      11/15
      - Commitment details
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Certification schemes mentioned: FSC; PEFC; Other (specify)
        Type of commitment: Protects priority forests; Sustainability commitment
        If Other, specify here: SFI
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        The goal is to less than 100% so cannot apply to all suppliers "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        The goal is to less than 100% so cannot apply to all suppliers "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        2020
        
        1.2/1.3
        
        Target date
        
        2020
        
        1.2/1.3
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020. Sustainable sources include recycled paper as well as paper of certified origin that meets the requirements of FSC®, PEFC™, SFI® or comparable standards [...] no wood from primeval or protected forests may be used in paper production [...] In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
    - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
      
      9/11
      - Commitment details
        Yes
        
        4/4
        
        Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        
        Yes
        
        4/4
        
        Type of commitment: Recycled content
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        The goal is to less than 100% so cannot apply to all suppliers "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        The goal is to less than 100% so cannot apply to all suppliers "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        2020
        
        1.2/1.3
        
        Target date
        
        2020
        
        1.2/1.3
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
    - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
      
      0/11
      - Commitment details
        No traceability commitment
        
        0/4
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/1.3
  - Reporting and Implementation
    
    9/34
    - Reporting against commitments
      
      4/6
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        "In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        "Bertelsmann aims to achieve a share of more than 90 percent recycled paper and paper from certified sustainable forestry for paper it procures by 2020 [...] In 2017, the proportion of recycled paper was 21 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/2
    - Reporting is independently verified
      
      1/4
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        certification
        
        "In 2017, the share of FSC- or PEFC-certified paper in self-procured volumes was 70 percent."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        No
        
        0/1.3
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/1.3
    - Deforestation cut off date
      No
      
      0/2
    - Monitoring and verification of supplier compliance
      No monitoring
      
      0/4
    - Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      No engagement or exclusion
      
      0/4
    - Publishing supplier lists
      No disclosure
      
      0/4
    - Accessible grievance mechanism
      No
      
      0/4
    - Collaborative actions
      No
      
      0/2
    - Report volumes of commodity
      Full
      
      4/4
      
      Report volumes of commodity
      
      Full
      
      4/4
      
      1.83 million tonnes
      
      "Paper consumption accounts for the largest share of Bertelsmann’s total raw material consumption. Compared to 2016, it fell slightly by about 22,000 tons (-1 percent) to 1.83 million tons in 2017 (previous year: 1.85 million tons). Bertelsmann purchased a total of 1.14 million tons of paper for its own use (previous year: 1.13 million tons)."
      
      Open source document
  - Social Considerations
    
    5/16
    - Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
      No
      
      0/4
    - Labour rights in the supply chain
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Labour rights in the supply chain
      
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      ILO; UN Declaration for HR; Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
      
      Bertelsmann state that they abide by the minimum standards for human rights as set by the ILO and the UN Declaration on Human Rights. They require their suppliers to ensure their workers' have freedom of association, and to be free from forced labour, child labour and discrimination.
      
      Open source document
    - Gender equality in the supply chain
      Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
      
      1/4
      
      Gender equality in the supply chain
      
      Discrimination/Gender Rights/Harassment
      
      1/4
      
      Bertelsmann ensure their business partners prevent discrimination based on gender in their supply chains.
      
      Open source document
    - Inclusion of small-scale farmers
      No
      
      0/4
Commitment strength

19/36

Avg. score
Reporting and Implementation

9/34

Avg. score
Social considerations

5/16

Avg. score

Profile

Bertelsmann is a media and services company operating in 50 countries around the world. Its major operations are in television and radio with the RTL group, publishing with Penguin Random House, and magazines with Gruner + Jahr. The most important markets are the US and Western Europe, but China, Brazil and India are growing markets. The company is one of the largest book publishers in the world and uses a significant amount of paper.

Sector

Industry sector

Printing & publishing

Segments

Manufacturer

Germany

Company Type

Company type

Private

Collective Commitments

Consumer Goods Forum member

New York Declaration on Forests signatory

Top Brands

Penguin Random House, Gruenr + Jahr, Stern, Geo, Brigitte, Essen & Trinken, Bertelsmann Printing

How we assess the Forest 500

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Disclaimer

This assessment has been carried out following the methodology developed for the Forest 500 project, available here. Please see our disclaimer applicable to all information contained within this site and our terms and conditions for use of data presented on this site.

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