How we work
Our contribution
We bring in-depth expertise and experience to our work and stay true to our values.
Expertise & experience
Our expertise is based on more than 15 years of experience in advising companies. Since 2021, Sustainable Links has supported more than 20 companies from industries such as automotive, biotechnology, chemicals, energy, food, media, public transport, pharmaceuticals, tourism and textiles in implementing human rights due diligence - from small and medium-sized companies to large corporations with more than 100,000 employees. In addition to advising companies, we also support governmental and non-governmental organisations as well as multi-stakeholder initiatives in promoting human rights due diligence worldwide.
Together with our partner network, we implement tailor-made advisory projects on topics such as responsible sourcing, labour exploitation and modern slavery, raw materials due diligence, deforestation and effective stakeholder engagement. Our team has experience in various country contexts, including South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Rwanda, USA, Australia, Kenya, Ukraine, China and Brazil.
Values
Human rights are the compass guiding our work. We stand for authenticity, humanity and integrity and remain true to our values. As a ‘friendly challenger’, we have the courage to speak out and ask critical questions where necessary. For us, trust and partnership form the basis of a successful cooperation.
Our clients
What selected clients say about us:
Mina Aryobsei-Bergmann
Head of Human Rights Office
Merck KGaA
"Sustainable Links know how to embed human rights due diligence in a global company and involve internal and external stakeholders in the process. As sparring partners, they support us with their extensive expertise and process knowledge in areas such as strategic alignment, risk analysis, risk prevention with a view to particularly vulnerable groups, stakeholder engagement and improving grievance systems. This gives our team the targeted support we need."
Our approach
We implement human rights due diligence with tailor-made, practical methodologies. Our approach is based on four pillars:
Enable
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Tailored support for decision-makers who develop and implement human rights due diligence processes in the company - in management, sustainability, purchasing, compliance, specialized departments or at company sites
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We support you in developing the right approach for your company and overcoming implementation obstacles
Embed
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Building on existing processes across the enterprise to firmly embed the human rights strategy into business operations
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We consider human rights in the context of the corporate, product, sustainability, or environmental strategy and bring those involved internally into exchange and joint action
Cooperate
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We strengthen collaboration within companies, between companies in the same sector, across sectors, and with external stakeholders
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Broad, international network of thematic and regional experts who support us as needed
Learn
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Learning by doing is central to our approach – we raise awareness and build capabilities to address human rights and environmental impacts through bespoke trainings and hands-on workshops.
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Tailored approaches allow for experimentation, transfer to one's own role, and continuous improvement
Our impact
Through our work, we aim to make a contribution in line with the following impact logic:
Positive impact
Value chains are organised in such a way that everyone involved benefits from fair and decent working and living conditions. At the same time, value creation is organised in a circular, climate-neutral and regenerative way for the benefit and preservation of the environment.
Responsibility
Businesses actively take responsibility for their impacts on people and the environment, avoid adverse impacts and strengthen positive ones.
Strategy
Decision makers within the organisation are empowered to develop and test solutions, learn from the implementation, and gradually transform the company’s way of doing business.
Competence
The organisation builds capability and knowledge on the impacts of business decisions. Connections between individual actions and their global impact on people and the environment become visible.