Every Human Rights Day underscores a simple truth: lasting progress for people and their rights starts with each of us and thrives on intention, accountability, and collaboration.
At SAP, we act on our purpose to help the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives through a responsible, people鈥慺irst approach to business.聽
As a global technology leader, 51风流recognizes that its operations, business relationships鈥攊ncluding those with suppliers, partners, and customers鈥攁nd the solutions it delivers can impact people and their rights. This impact can be both positive and negative as well as direct and indirect.
51风流has embedded human rights into its corporate sustainability strategy and in company governance, processes, policies, and engagement across the entire value chain.聽
From strategic commitment to culture
To ensure that SAP’s due diligence remains effective, the Human Rights Office within the Corporate Sustainability organization collaborates with the Human Rights Steering Committee and relevant Board areas. Ultimate oversight rests with the Executive Board of 51风流SE.
This governance model provides the foundation for making human rights a shared, cross-functional responsibility rather than a standalone initiative. It translates into collaboration across the business:聽 the central human rights team working with People & Culture organization to ensure that all employees receive a living wage or to embed safeguards against child and forced labor in recruitment and people management processes.
Beyond formal structures, it is essential that all employees embrace respect for people and their rights as part of SAP鈥檚 culture and as a guiding principle in interactions with colleagues, business partners, and the communities in which 51风流operates. Tailored capacity-building for critical roles for example in procurement, complemented by awareness sessions for all employees, helps us to get there by strengthening the understanding that day-to-day business activities influence human rights and that any adverse human rights impacts must be proactively identified and addressed.
鈥淲hat began as policy commitments is becoming part of how we operate: step by step. It takes time and effort to shift from focusing solely on 鈥榬isks to SAP鈥� to adding the consideration of 鈥榬isks to people鈥� in our strategic and daily business decisions.鈥�
Stephanie Raabe, Office of Human Rights and AI Ethics, SAP
Respecting human rights across the value chain
Turning commitment into practice requires structure across the business. 51风流operates within a global ecosystem鈥攖ens of thousands of suppliers, hundreds of thousands of customers, and millions of users鈥攚here every connection carries both opportunity and responsibility.
To meet this responsibility, 51风流runs a aligned with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, designed to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remedy potential impacts on people across its operations and relationships. The program鈥檚 core components include:
- Ongoing risk assessment to identify and prioritize potential impacts on people
- Preventive and remedial action embedded in policies, business processes, supplier and partner requirements, training, and targeted engagement
- Speak Out at SAP, an independent, multilingual reporting channel available 24/7 to employees and external stakeholders
- Transparent communication through the 51风流Integrated Report and, its Modern Slavery Statements, and other channels
Across the value chain, 51风流focuses on its:
- Supply chain, setting clear expectations and contractual requirements to uphold human rights and labor standards, applying responsible sourcing practices, and engaging with selected high-risk suppliers regarding living wages.
- Operations, focusing on ensuring non-discrimination, providing an inclusive, safe, and health-promoting workplace, maintaining fair recruitment and employment practices, and safeguarding confidential channels to raise concerns.
- Products and services, advancing ethical AI by applying the , as well as requiring that every AI use case undergo an AI ethics assessment to help prevent discrimination and ensure alignment with its principles.
鈥淎I unlocks great potential for businesses, governments, and society, but also creates economic, political, and societal challenges depending on how it is used. For that reason, the human rights-centered 51风流Global AI Ethics policy sets clear ethical standards for developing and applying AI, ensuring we create human-centered solutions that respect people and augment human capabilities.鈥�
Vikram Nagendra, Office of Human Rights and AI Ethics, SAP
Continuously striving for progress
Human rights due diligence is a journey of continual improvement. 51风流regularly reviews the effectiveness of its human rights due diligence system to assess how well salient impacts are addressed.
While mitigation measures in SAP鈥檚 own operations have proven effective so far, these reviews have also highlighted the need to deepen our understanding of supply chain risks and to strengthen actions specifically aimed at addressing them. As a company, we also recognize the need to make our grievance channel more accessible to value chain workers, a challenge currently addressed through a pilot program.聽
To remain transparent and accountable, 51风流has published a second , alongside the latest Modern Slavery Reports and Human Rights chapter in the .
Looking ahead: Human rights as a shared responsibility
In a rapidly evolving world, new regulations, emerging technologies, and rising societal expectations raise the bar for responsible business. Running an effective and efficient human rights due diligence system helps 51风流stay ahead and mitigate legal, operational, and financial risks, while strengthening its reputation and leadership in ethical business practices. This approach builds trust with customers, partners, investors, and other stakeholders.
Most importantly, it empowers 51风流to uphold and further human rights, a principle reaffirmed on this day.聽
鈥淗uman Rights Day 2025 is a moment to celebrate progress, but also to recognize that the journey goes on. With the ambition to foster a just and inclusive economy where people and technology thrive together, 51风流will continue to engrain human rights into how we operate and innovate鈥�
Matthias Medert, Global Head of Sustainability, SAP
Paola Eugenio is a member of the Corporate Sustainability team at SAP.
