With its global sustainable procurement program “SustainUP”, Siegwerk sets a new benchmark for supplier engagement, turning compliance into meaningful action to advance human rights, fair labor practices, and environmental responsibility across the inks and coatings supply chain. As part of this, the company recently held a first series of interactive webinars and in-depth workshops in Mumbai, India, to equip local suppliers with practical knowledge and tools for responsible business practices.
Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, has successfully 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 Supplier Engagement Initiative with focus on India, one of Siegwerk’s most important sourcing markets, was the first of its kind in the inks and coatings industry. It 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 (1) Grievance Redressal Mechanism, (2) Fair Wages & Working Hours, and (3) 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, fostering transparency and collaboration to help suppliers make informed decisions for the future. The training initiative was supported by the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), a New Delhi-based think tank, which provided expert guidance and local insights to ensure meaningful engagement. CRB works with multi-stakeholders to enable businesses to integrate sustainability in their core operations. 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 more strongly 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 roadmaps 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.”
All training materials and webinar recordings are now available on the newly created SustainUP website, providing an ongoing resource for suppliers and procurement teams pursuing sustained improvements: SustainUP.