Supply chains for DEBATIN customers are a top priority: our multiple supplier strategy helps to minimise risk
Supply chains are more relevant and under more scrutiny than ever before, the whole world over. Innumerable factors present challenges to supply chains – from the COVID-19 pandemic to geopolitical tensions, cyber crime, blockades on important trade routes, shipping container shortages, labour shortages and regulatory requirements. In such situations, many people instinctively respond by stockpiling as much as they possibly can. “Here at DEBATIN, we consider stockpiling to be unethical, because no single link in the supply chain and no manufacturer can manage the entire process. Any stockpiling behaviour in the supply chain triggers a negative knock-on effect for all the other links in the chain,” Thomas Rose explains.
DEBATIN provides solutions and acts responsibly
Anton Debatin GmbH’s focus on responsible procurement, purchasing and stock management began long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Hans-Walter Trepper, head of DEBATIN’s procurement department, explains why. “We supply our customers with packaging solutions. While these don’t necessarily form part of their core business, our solutions still play a central role in our customers’ business activities. Consequently, in addition to providing solutions, we also have a duty of care to act responsibly, because we play a key role in downstream logistics processes. For this reason, our focus on maintaining reliable supply chains for our customers began long before the global crises of recent years.”
Hans-Walter Trepper, head of DEBATIN’s procurement department, helped develop DEBATIN’s Supplier Code of Conduct.
Multiple supplier strategy helps to minimise risk
In order to maintain a reliable supply chain, DEBATIN procures virtually all raw materials in Europe – from long-term suppliers. “We communicate with our suppliers openly and transparently. As a result, we’ve built up long-term business relationships in which we mutually support each other to the best of our abilities,” Hans-Walter Trepper reports. To minimise risk, DEBATIN deploys a multiple supplier strategy. “At the same time, we interact closely with each and every business partner. That means conducting regular talks with our suppliers, generally in the form of an annual meeting, and also regular social audits,” Trepper elaborates.
Procuring the majority of our raw materials from European partners further helps us to minimise risk. That’s because the shorter a supply chain, the more reliable it tends to be. Secondly, short supply chains allow our own suppliers to take ESG sustainability considerations into account more effectively. Last but not least, short transport routes have a positive effect on DEBATIN’s carbon footprint, as can be seen in the company’s sustainability report.
Investing in Europe – an important factor
“The global crises of recent years have been immensely challenging for everyone, DEBATIN included,” says Thomas Rose. “Nonetheless, even during the first year of the pandemic, we decided to continue with our efforts in the field of sustainability for as long as viably possible from an economic viewpoint. As a value-oriented family-owned business, we believe business activities shouldn’t focus solely on shareholder value. We also need to invest in Europe to make sure it stays economically competitive – even though it can sometimes be very tempting to procure materials more cheaply from other continents.”
Doneck Euroflex S.A. is DEBATIN’s new Sustainability Champion
DEBATIN’s commitment to sustainability in the procurement chain is not just pie in the sky – it’s something we take very seriously, as reflected in the fact that virtually all of our suppliers have signed our Supplier Code of Conduct. In April 2024, DEBATIN crowned its newest DEBATIN Sustainability Champion: Doneck Euroflex S.A. This award pays tribute to the company’s continued efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, choose raw materials with a high regenerative rate, use as many Cradle2Cradle materials as possible and reduce waste.
In fact, our supplier’s efforts in the field of sustainability align with our own right across the board. Like us, they continually seek to reduce their carbon footprint, choose raw materials with a high regenerative rate, reduce waste, use as many Cradle2Cradle materials as possible, create a better gender parity in the workforce and achieve carbon-neutrality. What’s more, they even have their own sustainability report!
The team at Doneck Euroflex S.A. are doing their job so well that we’ve just crowned them our new “Sustainability Champion”. Why shouldn’t companies be proud of their suppliers sometimes? We certainly are! And, as the picture shows, everyone is happy — from Denise Raupp (far left) and Hans-Walter Trepper (far right, both from DEBATIN) to Edgar Becker and Meikel Meier (Doneck). 👍 CONGRATULATIONS!
#sustainabilitychampion #debatinsustainability #supplychainduediligence #supersupplychain #sustainablesupplychain
From left to right: Denise Raupp (Debatin), Edgar Becker and Meikel Maier (Doneck), Hans-Walter Trepper (Debatin)
