Responsible sourcing

We expect our suppliers, sub-suppliers and distributors to implement sustainable business practices and to be transparent about their challenges. Choosing suppliers with good sustainability practices is a way for us to positively influence our supply chain.

Challenges

Telia Company relies on a vast number of suppliers and sub-suppliers, many of which are located in countries or industries with challenges in upholding ethical business practices, human and labor rights, health and safety and environmental protection. Despite solid responsible sourcing practices, the risk remains that suppliers and sub-suppliers do not comply with our sustainability, security and quality requirements.

Our approach

We rely on a global supply chain to deliver products and services to our customers. In our sourcing processes we consider various aspects, such as price, quality, the supplier’s sustainability standards and ability to innovate, to assess the full value of their deliveries before we decide which supplier to select. A dedicated due diligence process is in place to evaluate suppliers’ sustainability performance. The responsible sourcing function is responsible for the supplier sustainability risk assessment, including due diligence and audits. Local or group level subject matter experts also lend support in auditing and dialogue meetings.

Our suppliers shall align and comply with the requirements stated in our Supplier Code of Conduct. In addition, suppliers handling personal or sensitive data must comply with the security and privacy requirements stated in Telia's Supplier Security Directive. Suppliers are expected to apply these requirements throughout their own supply chains.

 Supplier Code of Conduct and Supplier Security Directive. 

Due diligence 

The objective of the due diligence process is to ensure that Telia only engages with suppliers who meet our standards and require the same from their own suppliers. The process has a risk-based approach that allows us to focus on those suppliers that could potentially expose individuals, the environment, and Telia to elevated risks. The due diligence process consists of the following steps:

1. An up-front risk assessment is carried out to identify high-risk triggers such as high-risk countries from an anti-bribery and corruption perspective, and access to Telia’s network or privacy data.

2. If risks are deemed high in the up-front risk assessment, the supplier undergoes an in-depth due diligence assessment consisting of a self-assessment against the Supplier Code of Conduct and other relevant requirements as well as screening covering, for example, ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) and sanctions. The in-depth due diligence assessment results in risks being graded as high, medium or low. Potential high risks and serious violations identified in the in-depth due diligence assessment could lead to disqualification of the supplier or trigger a supplier audit.

3. High-risk suppliers identified during the in-depth due diligence assessment and suppliers with critical non-conformities identified through audits are reported to the Group sourcing management team for decision-making regarding.

 

Due diligence coverage

• Anti-bribery and corruption

• Conflict minerals

• Environment

• Human rights

• Labor rights

• Management and ownership structure

• Occupational health and safety

• Privacy

• Security

• Trade sanctions

 

More information can be found on pages 103-104 in the 2022 Annual and Sustainability Report

Revisioner på plats

Revisioner på plats utgör en möjlighet till förbättring för både Telia Company och leverantören, och är del av vår inköpsprocess.

Revisionerna:

  • Klargör och ger information om Telia Companys krav och förväntningar rörande hållbarhet, säkerhet och kvalitet
  • Adresserar avvikelser mot våra krav, där leverantörerna behöver genomföra korrigerande åtgärder
  • Stärker relationen mellan Telia Company och leverantören

Revisionerna genomförs i samtliga delar av vår leverantörskedja, av våra egna granskare eller av tredjepart.

Vi genomför revisioner i fem kategorier: säkerhet, leverantörsuppförandekod, platsbesök med granskning av specifika ämnen samt Joint Audit Cooperation (JAC).

För mer information, kontakta suppliers-audit (at) teliacompany.com. Vänligen vänd dig till Speak-Up Line om du tror eller vet att en leverantör bryter mot Telia Companys krav och riktlinjer.

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Joint Audit Cooperation

Som medlem av Joint Audit Cooperation (JAC) delar vi resurser och utvecklar vårt arbete för en mer hållbar ICT-leverantörskedja.

Telia Company är medlem i Joint Audit Cooperation (JAC) , en sammanslutning av telekomoperatörer med syfte att gemensamt utvärdera och utveckla hållbarhetsarbetet hos viktiga multinationella leverantörer inom ICT-branschen.

JAC-processen består av en koordinerad revision på plats av leverantörens hållbarhetsarbete, samt utvecklingsprogram och plan för att korrigera avvikelser. Varje medlemsföretag är ansvarigt för att revidera ett antal leverantörer. Revisionsplanen görs årligen, och medlemmarna reviderar lika många leverantörer.

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Supplier Privacy policy

At Telia Company, we take the protection of your personal integrity seriously and we want you to feel comfortable with leaving out your personal data to us.

Starting from 2016, as soon as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) entered into force, we have been running one GDPR Compliance program across Telia Company in all relevant markets. Since numerous principles in GDPR already existed under the old Data Protection Directive, we can draw from our previous experience and best practices while also now ensuring that we implement and follow the new GDPR principles diligently.

We have published a privacy notice for our suppliers describing how we handle your personal data. In the privacy notice you can also learn your rights to your data and how you can exercise your rights.

In case you have any questions, suggestions or want to discuss how we take care of your privacy at Telia Company, kindly reach out to our Group Data Protection Officer (DPO).

Read the Supplier Privacy policy here

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Our approach to conflict minerals

How Telia Company works to prevent the use of Conflict Minerals

Telia Company recognizes the risks associated with Conflict Minerals. Mining of these minerals in e.g. the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and adjoining countries as well as other conflict-affected or high-risk countries has been linked to armed conflict and human rights abuses, support of corruption and money laundering as well as environmental degradation. As part of our human rights agenda, we therefore require our suppliers to take steps to assure that Conflict Minerals are not used in any of the equipment we buy from them.

Our commitments and responsibilities

Telia Company’s Code of Responsible Business Conduct defines requirements to ensure the highest degree of ethical business practices and behavior. As stated in our Human Rights Policy, we recognize our responsibility to respect and support human rights in all business operations and endeavor to find opportunities to engage and use our leverage in our business relationships to proactively respect and support human rights. We are committed to human rights due diligence, an ongoing risk management process, in order to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how we address adverse human rights impacts, and we are committed to continuously engage with stakeholders to understand potential and actual human rights impacts such as forced or child labor.

Besides our own commitments, we also have a responsibility to respect human rights and to make sure to avoid being complicit in human rights abuses, as set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other international guidance. These standards help companies to respect human rights and to avoid contributing or being linked to Conflict Minerals through their supply chain practices. Hereto, regulation has emerged. The EU Conflict Minerals Regulation aims to help stem trade in four minerals; tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. The regulation refers to OECD Due Diligence Guidance and sets out rules for different parts of the value chain. Operating beyond the metal stage, Telia Company does not have obligations under the regulation, but is expected to use reporting and other tools to make our due diligence more transparent.

Our approach

Telia Company views activities which cause or contribute to human rights violations as unacceptable. We are committed to source from suppliers which only use tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold from responsible sources (including those within the DRC region), and work with our suppliers to perform appropriate due diligence to identify, and remove, Conflict Minerals from our supply chain. Telia Company’s Supplier Code of Conduct includes specific, actionable and auditable requirements on suppliers providing products to Telia Company that contain tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold necessary for the functionality and/or production of the supplied product. Telia Company includes the issue of Conflict Minerals in relevant supplier audits.

Whistleblowing and Speak-Up Line

Telia Company is committed to conduct our business with the highest possible standards of transparency, integrity and accountability. We encourage all our employees and stakeholders to speak up if they suspect serious wrong doings and share their concerns. More information here.

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