Standing Together Against Violence | 25N Orange Day
Every day, millions of women and girls face violence, a societal issue that impacts communities, economies, and progress. On November 25, the world turns orange for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, a global call to end gender-based violence and create a future where safety and dignity are non-negotiable.
At deugro, these values are embedded in our Human Rights Policy, our partnerships, and our culture. As Silke Sommer, our Chief Financial Officer (CFO), explains:
“We believe that everyone deserves a safe space where they are treated with dignity and respect. Asking for help takes courage, and we want to make that easier”.
Our Role and Responsibility
As a global logistics company, we recognize that our influence extends beyond our projects. We actively foster a culture of respect and inclusion, promote mental health and well-being, and uphold zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination.
Silke highlights the tools we’ve put in place:
“Through our collaboration with OpenUp, employees can access professional psychological help whenever they need it. Our mentoring program and women’s Network provide guidance and community, while our LEO network connects employees with trusted compliance representatives”.
What is a LEO?
LEO stands for Local Ethics Officer. These officers act as confidential points of contact in every branch, ensuring employees can report concerns safely and receive guidance on ethical and compliance matters.
Building a Culture of Respect
We actively foster a culture of respect and inclusion, promote mental health and well-being, and uphold zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination. Through initiatives like our DEI programs, employee training, and community engagement, we strive to create safe spaces, both within our organization and in the communities we serve.
Human Rights and Compliance
Our commitment goes beyond internal practices.
“We are proud members of the UN Global Compact and participated in the Business & Human Rights Accelerator” says Silke.
This global engagement helps us integrate best practices into our operations, ensuring that human rights are protected everywhere we work. Our compliance team plays a critical role here: conducting risk assessments, compliance health checks, and ethics training across all regions.
We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for corruption and unethical behavior, supported by ISO 37001 anti-bribery certification and a robust whistleblower mechanism through the Speak Up! platform.
Orange Day: A Call to Action
Orange Day is a reminder that change starts with awareness and action. This year, we are joining the UNiTE campaign’s 16 Days of Activism (November 25–December 10), which concludes on Human Rights Day.
To strengthen our commitment and create meaningful awareness, we will share daily facts and insights about gender-based violence and human rights on our internal communication portal throughout this period.
This initiative reinforces our broader commitment to human rights, as outlined in our Human Rights Policy and reinforced through our participation in the UN Global Compact and the Business & Human Rights Accelerator.
“Together, we can create a world where safety and dignity are universal.” Silke concludes.
By engaging our teams globally, we aim to foster dialogue, encourage learning, and ensure that respect and dignity remain at the core of everything we do.