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Question: Mr. Kraemer, the term “human rights” often sounds abstract. What do human rights mean concretely for Fresenius Kabi in a business context, and how do we put this commitment into practice?

Marco Kraemer: Human rights are fundamental rights and freedoms to which every person is entitled. In our company, this includes, for example, the right to fair and safe working conditions, equal treatment, and the freedom to join a trade union. We respect these rights not only within our own operations but also expect our business partners to uphold the same standards. To this end, we have established a global Human Rights Program, brought to life by an interdisciplinary team from areas such as human resources, procurement, and occupational safety.

Question: What particular challenges do you face when implementing human rights commitments along the global value chain in the MedTech, BioPharma, Pharma, and Nutrition sectors?

Marco Kraemer: One major challenge is the variety of political and social frameworks in the countries where we operate. In some regions, for instance, freedom of speech or association is restricted, or discrimination is widespread. While we cannot change these societal conditions on our own, we consistently adhere to our high internal standards, always in compliance with local laws. Another challenge is the complexity of our value chain, especially when intermediate products are produced in tiers in the deeper value chain, which makes achieving full transparency more difficult.

Question: How does membership in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative (PSCI) support Fresenius Kabi in respecting human rights?

Marco Kraemer: By joining the PSCI, we clearly commit to shared responsibility, ethical sourcing, and collaborative partnerships with other pharmaceutical companies – key factors in respecting human rights throughout the entire value chain. Since 2025, we have been participating in the industry-wide audit-sharing program, which allows member companies to share audit results with one another. This reduces the number of audits per supplier, increases efficiency, and enhances transparency regarding working conditions. As a result, corrective and remedial actions within the pharmaceutical supply chain can be implemented more effectively.

In addition, being part of a global network of more than 80 companies enables us to benefit from the joint development of best practices and industry-wide cooperation to value human rights standards.

Contact

Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA
Else-Kröner-Str. 1
61352 Bad Homburg
Germany

humanrights@fresenius.com

Would you like to make a contribution?

Are you familiar with our core human rights principles? If not, we encourage you to review our Human Rights Statement and Group Policy on Labor and Social Standards to learn more about our commitments.

If you become aware of any potential violation of our ethical principles, please report it — either anonymously through our grievance mechanism or directly to the Integrity or Human Rights teams. 

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Next event

  • Sale in two independent steps simplifies and accelerates divestment of Vamed’s Austrian activities
  • Fresenius and Porr signed an agreement today on the sale of Austrian project business and the thermal spas operations of VAMED Vitality World
  • In-depth talks ongoing with Strabag on sale of Vienna General Hospital (AKH Wien) operations business 

 

The healthcare group Fresenius is accelerating and simplifying the divestment of Vamed's Austrian activities by a sale in two independent steps. The original agreement to sell to an Austrian consortium consisting of the construction companies Porr and Strabag has now been replaced by a direct contract with Porr for the sale of the Austrian project business and the thermal spas operations of VAMED Vitality World. The new agreement is subject to regulatory approval. 

 

In-depth talks are also ongoing with Strabag regarding remaining parts of Vamed's Austrian activities – primarily the operations business of the Vienna General Hospital (AKH Wien). 

 

The sale of the Austrian activities is another step in Fresenius' structured exit from its investment company Vamed, enabling Fresenius to further increase focus on the ongoing progress of Fresenius Kabi and Fresenius Helios in line with #FutureFresenius. 

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