PRINCIPLE 9

Businesses should engage with and provide value to their consumers in a responsible manner

Essential Indicators

1. Describe the mechanisms in place to receive and respond to consumer complaints and feedback.

We, at Schaeffler India, have a robust mechanism in place for tracking and responding to customer complaints.

  • Our Schaeffler Global Handbook procedure outlines a detailed process for receiving and addressing customer complaints and feedback.
  • The entire complaint management system is managed through SAP IQOS identifying the entire process including the countermeasures required to address the complaints or feedback received.
  • Customer concerns or complaints are addressed by Key Account contact manager for the respective key account.
  • For other regional accounts, concerns or complaints are first handled by Sales Head of the respective business unit and it is escalated to the necessary function (Quality, Delivery etc.).

Note:1 Schaeffler India Limited supplies its products to OEM companies, which use these intermediary products in their final product which will be sold to consumer. So, for Schaeffler India Limited consumers are these OEM companies i.e. customers and has limited scope to directly reach to consumer.

2. Turnover of products and/services as a percentage of turnover from all products/service that carry information about:

As a percentage to total turnover
Environmental and social parameters relevant to the product 100% We follow the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities Rules) 2011 guidelines for product labelling. REACH, IMDS guidelines are followed 100% to ensure that products meet regulation for restricted & hazardous elements.
Safe and responsible usage 100% All products are designed and manufactured in accordance with Schaeffler internal product safety guidelines. “Recyclable” symbol is printed on the outer packaging of the product.
Recycling and/or safe disposal 100% All our products are in accordance with the Global Material Governance Standards and we adhere to the particular threshold of restricted elements to ensure we do not exceed it. We are in accordance with IMDS (International Material Data System) which is a globally accepted system for declaring the safe usage and disposal of parts.

3. Number of consumer complaints in respect of the following:

FY 2024 Remarks FY 2023 Remarks
Received during the year Pending resolution at end of year Received during the year Pending resolution at end of year
Data privacy Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Advertising Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Cyber-security Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Delivery of essential services Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Restrictive trade practices Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Unfair trade practices Nil Nil - Nil Nil -
Other 461 Nil2 1 - Considered all justified zero km(AF) complaints for the year
2 - Number of complaints not closed more than 6 months (AF justified) 		78 Nil -

4. Details of instances of product recalls on account of safety issues:

Number Reasons for recall
Voluntary recalls 0 NA
Forced recalls 0 NA

5. Does the entity have a framework/policy on cyber security and risks related to data privacy? (Yes/No) If available, provide a web-link of the policy.

Yes

Cyber security is not just anchored in one area at Schaeffler but extends across several functions. We have robust and effective cyber security procedures laid out by group. We follow the group policies on cyber security and data privacy. We are governed by Code of conduct which ensure, “Protection of personal data”. We are committed to protecting the data of our customers and employees. We have a privacy policy at group level to which we adhere to. It is available on company website at https://www.schaeffler.co.in/en/meta/ privacy-policy/. In addition we have internal information and cyber security policy. Additionally, we have an internal framework in place to address cybersecurity and risks related to data privacy. This policy helps to meet legal and normative requirements on information security and data protection, as well as the requirements of our customers. To ensure compliance with these requirements, regular risk assessments and effectiveness controls are carried out in the form of internal and external information security assessments.

6. Provide details of any corrective actions taken or underway on issues relating to advertising, and delivery of essential services; cyber security and data privacy of customers; re-occurrence of instances of product recalls; penalty/action taken by regulatory authorities on safety of products/services.

There were no such instances occurred during the reporting year

7. Provide the following information relating to data breaches:

  • Number of instances of data breaches along-with impact
    Nil, there were no instances of reportable data breaches.
  • Percentage of data breaches involving personally identifiable information of customer.
    Nil, there were no instances of reportable data breaches.
  • Impact, if any, of the data breaches.
    NA, as answers to above question is nil.
Leadership Indicators

1. Channels/platforms where information on products and services of the entity can be accessed (provide web-link, if available).

Information regarding products is available in the Products & solutions section of our website: https://www.schaeffler.co.in/en/products-and-solutions/

2. Steps taken to inform and educate consumers about safe and responsible usage of products and/or services.

  • Based on customer request our Application and Technical Service Team regularly visits and makes customer team aware on safe and responsible usage. From our side also we regularly seek customer permission to present Technical Seminars which cover various aspects including the product Safety and user safety.
  • Also we are regularly conducting customer meets where all the customers of a region are invited and such knowledge on safety as well as queries are handled.
  • We educate our consumers on fitment guidelines to ensure safe usage of our product parts. All the specifications and information on safe and responsible usage of our products is made available in the product catalogue
  • SPOCs (Special point of contacts) have been defined for each customer. More details about our products and services can be found on the following link: https://www.schaeffler.co.in/en/products-and-solutions/

Note: Schaeffler India Limited supplies its products to OEM companies, which use these intermediary products in their final product which will be sold to consumer. So, for Schaeffler India Limited consumers are these OEM companies i.e. customers and has limited scope to directly reach to consumer.

3. Mechanisms in place to inform consumers of any risk of disruption/discontinuation of essential services.

We follow procedure “Contingency Management with Focus on the Ability to Supply” available in the Management Handbook (Internal document). Procedure specifies what production and distribution at the site as well as relevant support/service functions must do to be able to continue customer supply in the event of resource outages or other defined situations with emergency potential. This Group procedure (P) regulates the technical, organisational, environmental and safety-oriented measures and the responsible areas/departments for preventing hazards to persons and equipment and ensuring that contact with the customer is maintained and the customer is supplied with goods and services even in contingency situations. In case of any risk with respect to product delivery to customer (Force majeure) customers are notified in advance as per the agreed terms, through mails, calls, distribution network & sales representatives for any disruption in services.

Manufacturing plant would usually inform the Product Management Team of any such disruption. Accordingly, the customers who are likely to be impacted are identified and a formal communication informing them of the risk/disruption is done along with recovery measures (if any are identified at that point). We also maintain sufficient safety stock in our warehouses to cater to contingencies and are able to inform customers in advance in case of any unforeseen risks like supply chain disruptions etc. So we have robust process to deal with contingent situation so as to avoid risk of disruption/discontinuation of essential services to customer.

Note: Schaeffler India Limited supplies its products to OEM companies, which use these intermediary products in their final product which will be sold to consumer. So, for Schaeffler India Limited consumers are these OEM companies i.e. customers and has limited scope to directly reach to consumer.

4. Does the entity display product information on the product over and above what is mandated as per local laws? (Yes/No/Not Applicable) If yes, provide details in brief. Did your entity carry out any survey with regard to consumer satisfaction relating to the major products/services of the entity, significant locations of operation of the entity or the entity as a whole? (Yes/No)

Yes.

We do display information on the product over and above what is mandated as per law. As an example, based on customer request, we do provide a Unique Identification number on selected product type, which allows us to trace back the manufacturing & assembly details of products. More details about our products and services can be found on the following link: https://www.schaeffler.co.in/en/products-and-solutions/.

We Conduct customer surveys to gauge consumer satisfaction with respect to major products, significant locations of operation, or the entity as a whole once in two years. (We have conducted this survey recently in year 2023). Feedback output is analysed, discussed, based on that we define our strategy to resolve issues if any. E.g. In survey if we find customer dissatisfaction about delivery terms, we find who all the customer who raised concern about delivery. We work upon how we can improve & measures are implemented accordingly.

Note: Schaeffler India Limited supplies its products to OEM companies, which use these intermediary products in their final product which will be sold to consumer. So, for Schaeffler India Limited consumers are these OEM companies i.e. customers and has limited scope to directly reach to consumer.