Creating Change – Side by Side with Partners Worldwide

We champion fair working conditions wherever we source materials, services, and products. During a scheduled BSCI audit at one of our partners, we discovered that a Thai supplier passed on the costs for necessary work documents to employees from Myanmar. While this follows local laws, the BSCI Code of Conduct does not allow it. 

These employees started their jobs with debts, classifying their situation as forced labour. ZWILLING acted at once and made our stance clear: this practice does not fit with our values or our commitment to human rights.  

Together with our purchasing team, DEMEYERE as the main customer, and external amfori BSCI experts, we launched a clear improvement process. Through online meetings and visits on site, we talked openly, encouraged new perspectives, and set specific changes in motion. 

The supplier paid back the withheld amounts to current employees, with DEMEYERE providing financial support. Moving forward, the supplier covers all recruitment fees. The HR team joined amfori training on responsible recruitment and added the new approach to company guidelines. A re-audit confirmed the success of these steps. 

This case shows how persistence, open conversations, and commitment lead to real improvements for workers—even when the law does not require it.  

Since 2024, ZWILLING has joined the international amfori BSCI System Project Group—a team of amfori experts and about 20 company representatives. In this network, we work with industry peers to develop the amfori BSCI standard and keep pace with global changes. 

Our regular meetings focus on sharing ideas, knowledge, and experiences. We aim to create new ways to protect vulnerable groups and support human rights and working conditions everywhere. Our active role in this group helps shape the standard and put it into daily practice.  

As part of the amfori BEPI programme, our production site in Solingen was chosen as a model to show suppliers worldwide how environmental management works every day. A film crew visited us, spoke with ZWILLING employees, and captured how we put environmental standards into action. 

The focus was on eight key areas of amfori BEPI: environmental management systems, energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste, handling hazardous substances and chemicals, air emissions, environmental nuisances, and biodiversity. In the videos, we show how we tackle these topics and offer suppliers practical tips to boost their own environmental performance. 

These videos are available on the amfori BEPI platform, where members and suppliers around the world can access them. In this way, we help strengthen environmental standards in global supply chains for the long term.