Corporate Responsibility

Occupational safety and health protection are important components of our corporate culture and, alongside efficient production and the high quality of our products, are corporate goals of equal importance. At VDM Metals, we take joint responsibility, demonstrate zero tolerance for unsafe and hazardous conditions and behaviors through consistent action, and thus ensure the economic success of our company.

• VDM Metals has an occupational health and safety management system that complies with the requirements of ISO 45001. To ensure continuous improvement in occupational safety and health, the processes, measures, and goals defined in this system are reviewed at regular intervals and continuously adapted.
• Our employees have numerous opportunities during working hours to do something good for their health and to participate in various health campaigns and preventive medical checkups.
• Through consistent prevention, the VDM Metals Group reduces potential hazards and incidents inside and outside the company to a minimum.

Further Information

• Certificate DIN SPEC 91020
• Certificate ISO 45001

A culture of equal opportunities, mutual trust, and mutual respect is very important to us. We promote equal opportunities and prohibit discrimination in the hiring of employees and in the promotion or provision of training and further education measures. We treat all employees equally, respect the dignity and personal rights of our employees, and strictly reject abusive behavior of any kind. 

• VDM Metals is committed to the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, implements the principles of the International Labor Organization (ILO), and has signed the Diversity Charter.
• Equal treatment and non-discrimination are enshrined in our Code of Conduct
• VDM Metals attaches great importance to the training and further education of its employees. This is reflected in the average number of training and further education hours, which in 2024 was around 50 hours per female employee and ten hours per male employee.

Further Information

• Equality Policy (only avalable in German)

For VDM Metals, environmentally and energy-oriented corporate management is not only a contribution to environmental protection and resource conservation ( ), but also an instrument for sustainable and successful corporate development. We therefore strive to make a decisive contribution to decarbonization. Our goal is to achieve CO2 savings of over 90 percent per ton of finished material by 2030 compared to the base year 2015. 

In addition, VDM Metals strives to minimize the environmental impact of its operations through preventive measures.

• As part of energy and environmental management in accordance with ISO 50001 and ISO 14001, an action plan has been drawn up which is reviewed and supplemented on a quarterly basis at all production sites with the responsible energy teams.
• VDM Metals has a highly differentiated raw materials management system, ensuring a high recycling rate of 50 to 60%. Individual alloys and products are even available with a recycling rate of 100%.
• The share of green electricity was 60% in 2024 and is to be gradually increased to 100% by 2028. In addition, the company aims to generate green electricity for its own use through PPA investments.

Further Information

• Environmental and Energy Statement
• Certificate ISO 14001
• Certificate ISO 50001

Quality is a key contributor to the long-term successful development of VDM Metals. Our products are used in the most demanding environments. Uncompromising perfection and conformity from suppliers throughout the entire value chain at VDM to customers are essential to our success.
Continuous improvement is a core element of our activities. In doing so, we take into account product properties, business processes, and management systems as well as opportunities/risks, the use of resources, environmental impact, and employee skills. We actively involve suppliers and customers as development partners.

• At VDM Metals, we leave nothing to chance and regularly reinforce our international standards in the market and against our competitors in order to prove the quality of our products. That is why our quality management system is certified according to ISO 9001.
• Materials from VDM Metals undergo very strict quality control, which is why samples are taken during production. These are checked in one of our laboratories (metallography, corrosion laboratory, mechanical laboratory, physics laboratory, welding laboratory, ultrasonic testing/ultrasonic immersion testing) to ensure that they comply with the agreed specifications.
• In order to manage the multitude of increasingly complex and unpredictable risks, we have integrated a risk management system. This is based on a three-part COSO ERM model that covers all areas of activity.

Further Information

• Quality Statement
• Certificate ISO 9001

VDM Metals is committed to acting in a lawful, honest, and fair manner. That is why we are a corporate member of Transparency International through a voluntary commitment. Our Code of Conduct summarizes the diverse principles and rules of conduct that govern our daily actions. At the same time, our Code of Conduct is more than just a collection of rules - it is the foundation of our cooperation and a reflection of our shared corporate values.

We achieve this through:

• our Compliance Management System and Anti-Corruption Management System, which are certified by Austrian Standards
• a multi-level complaint and whistleblower system that complies with the requirements of the German Whistleblower Protection Act and the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act.
• a binding code of conduct that applies to all employees – both in Austria and abroad – and a code of conduct specifically for suppliers, which obliges all partners worldwide to comply with human, labor, and environmental standards

Further Information

• Compliance
• Information Security Policy
• VDM Metals Code of Conduct

The availability of raw materials and basic materials is of fundamental importance to the company's production process. Their timely and proper availability, as well as the quality and reliability of the products supplied, are essential to our work.

• Both the Acerinox Group and VDM Metals are certified by EcoVadis , a sustainability assessment platform for global supply chains. This platform evaluates the environmental, ethical, and social practices of suppliers and business partners and monitors their development.
• We are a member of the Metal Alliance for Responsible Sourcing (MARS). MARS supports companies in creating a practical management system for compliance with due diligence obligations in the supply chain based on the internationally recognized guidelines of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
• VDM Metals minimizes the risks of conflict minerals in the raw materials supply chain and is guided by the principles of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. In this context, VDM Metals has recognized the RMI industry standard and applies it to minimize risks as much as possible.

Further Information

• Supply Chain Due Diligence Statement
• Conflict Minerals Policy
• Supplier Code of Conduct
• EcoVadis CSR Performance Overview​​​​​​​