Shared Responsibility. Collective Action for Sustainable Automotive Supply Chains | Sustainable Supply Chains Conference

Berlin
Companies across global markets are navigating a rapidly changing landscape of sustainability due diligence requirements. For complex automotive supply chains, translating these requirements into effective processes can be particularly challenging. Our Sustainable Supply Chains Conference will explore, how dialogue and collective action can be a contributing factor here.
Date & time
Wednesday, 2026/11/11 , 08:30h – 16:15h
Location

DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum, Berlin

Organizer

Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry & RSCI

Event type
In-person event
Topic
Social

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The Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry of the UN Global Compact Network Germany and the Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) jointly invite you to explore how dialogue, sector-specific expertise and collective action can support effective implementation of due diligence requirements.

The conference will draw on the complementary strengths of both initiatives, as well as their shared experience in implementing collective action approaches: The Sector Dialogue contributes expertise in multi-stakeholder dialogue, peer learning and HREDD implementation, while RSCI adds sector-specific tools and audit data to support practical implementation.

Together, these perspectives, enriched by the insights of expert speakers and panellists, will provide practical guidance for companies seeking to translate regulatory expectations into effective due diligence processes. The conference will connect legal developments with practical implementation topics such as audit quality and standardisation, HREDD in high-risk regions, tier-n due diligence, forced labour regulation, children’s rights and stakeholder engagement.

How can companies navigate regulatory requirements in complex environments? Where can collective approaches create leverage? And how can MSIs and tools support practical implementation across audits, risk regions, tier-n supply chains and emerging regulatory topics?

Join us on 11 November 2026 to explore these questions together — and to shape the future of responsible supply chain governance in the automotive sector.

Programme Overview

08:30-9:00 Registration & Networking Coffee

09:00-9:15 Welcome & Joint Opening

  • Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI)
  • German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
  • Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry / UN Global Compact Network Germany

09:15-09:30 Opening Keynote

  • Prof. Dr. Julia Schwarzkopf, Professor for Sustainability Management, HTW Berlin

09:30-10:30 Panel I: From regulation to practice: Lessons learned and future expectations for HREDD

  • Philipp Heidenreich, Vice President Supplier Sustainability, Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
  • Peter Korbach, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Stellantis
  • Dr. Carsten Stender, Head of Department, European and International Employment and Social Policy, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
  • Sriram Viji, President Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA)
  • Lissa Bettzieche, Senior Policy Advisor, German Institute for Human Rights (DIMR)

11:00-12:00 Breakout Sessions Ia: Audit quality and standardisation: findings from RSCI 2026 and implementation

  • Alberto Sartori, Certified Auditor, TÜV Süd
  • Andrea Reynoso, Sustainability Management Supply Chain, ZF Friedrichshafen AG
  • Facilitation: Jérémie Barreteau, Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI)

11:00-12:00 Breakout Sessions Ib: HREDD in Challenging Contexts: Deep Dive on China

  • Nina Freund, Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI)
  • Kate A. Larsen, Independent consultant, SupplyESChange
  • Meng Liu, Head of China Office, UN Global Compact
  • Facilitation: Dr. Maren Leifker, Senior Manager Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry, UN Global Compact Network Germany

12:00-13:00 Networking Lunch

13:00-13:15 Recap Break-out Session I

13:15-14:15 Panel II: Collective Action in Practice: The Role of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives in Implementing Due Diligence Obligations

  • Roxanna Noll, Adviser on Business & Human Rights, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
  • Ferdinand Geckeler, Senior Expert Sustainable Supply Chain Management, BMW Group
  • Georg Leutert, Director, Automotive and aerospace industries, IndustriAll Global Union
  • Karen Vermeer, Policy officer, IRBC Agreement for the Renewable Energy Sector, Social Economic Council Netherlands

14:30-15:45 Breakout Session IIa: Beyond Tier 1: Navigating Deep Supply Chains under the EU Forced Labour Regulation

  • Daniel Schönfelder, Business Human Rights Lawyer, Blue Marble Legal
  • Facilitation: Dr. Evin Zozan, Expert Circular Economy and Sustainability, German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)

14:30-15:45 Breakout Session IIb: The role of children's rights in corporate due diligence: new expectations under the CSDDD - Co-organized with UNICEF Germany

  • Laura Much, UNICEF Germany
  • Maria Pia Biachetti, independent child rights legal expert
  • Cecilia Tiblad Berntsson, The CENTRE for Child Rights and Business
  • Max Mangold, Project coordinator Social Compliance / Human Rights, Mercedes-Benz Group
  • Theresa Quiachon, Co-Founder CORE - The Human Side of Business
  • Facilitation: Ann-Kathrin Schewe, Senior Manager Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry, UN Global Compact Network Germany

15:45-16:00 Recap Break-out Session II

16:00-16:15 Wrap-up & Joint Outlook

  • Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI)
  • Sector Dialogue Automotive Industry / UN Global Compact Network Germany

Facilitation: Gwendolyn Remmert

The conference is aimed at experts and practitioners from companies across the automotive and other sectors, as well as from academia, civil society, trade unions, government and policymaking.

 

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