Group-wide Governance & Responsibilities

The Group Human Rights Office is located within Group Sustainability and reports to the Head of Group Sustainability, who reports directly to the Fresenius Management Board. The Human Rights Office is responsible for the overall human rights due diligence approach, including the development and management of the human rights risk assessment methodology, support for Operating Companies in implementing relevant processes, and monitoring of their activities. 

Each Operating Company has appointed a Human Rights Function that is responsible for implementing the Human Rights Program in its respective business. The function reports to the Group Human Rights Office and to the Operating Company's Board or Management Team. 

In addition, each Operating Company designates subject matter experts in relevant departments, including Human Resources, Procurement, and Occupational Health and Safety. They contribute their expertise to risk analyses and support the implementation of preventive and mitigating activities. 

To facilitate exchange on human rights due diligence and related activities across the Group, we have established a Human Rights Council. It serves as a Group-wide platform and brings together representatives from the Group Human Rights Office, the Human Rights Functions, and relevant expert functions. External experts may be invited as needed to provide specialized insights and enrich discussions on specific human rights topics.