ESA asks suppliers for self-assessment of their levels of CSR
In brief
Companies registering or renewing their full registration in esa-star now must answer questions about their corporate social responsibility.
In-depth
Companies wishing to register or to renew their annual registration in esa-star, the European Space Agency’s tendering portal, will now have to answer a corporate social responsibility self-assessment questionnaire to validate their full registration. ESA developed the document as part of its commitment to operating in an environmentally, socially and ethically responsible manner while encouraging its suppliers to do the same.
The agency, which is dedicated to driving sustainable progress, adopted a Corporate Social Responsibility Code of Conduct last year. The code was created as part of the ESA Green Agenda and establishes the ethical, social and environmental responsibility expectations that ESA has for itself and its suppliers.
Companies registering or renewing their registration in esa-star will first see a link to the CSR Code of Conduct, which they can voluntarily commit to. They then will be asked to reply to the self-assessment questionnaire. The questions, which are mandatory before proceeding with full registration, are aimed at establishing an understanding of the corporate social responsibility level of ESA’s suppliers and measuring the uptake of the ESA CSR Code of Conduct. This will help inform future actions designed to help suppliers improve their CSR levels.
Companies may update their answers yearly, along with their other business information in esa-star.
The ESA CSR Code of Conduct, developed in cooperation with industry and national space agencies’ representatives, is an effort to harmonise the corporate responsibility and sustainability due diligence requirements at the space sector level.
About the ESA Green Agenda
Part of Agenda 2025, the ESA Green Agenda is an agency-wide programme that addresses environmental challenges by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the benefits of ESA's space projects for the sustainable development of society.
For more information, contact the Climate and Sustainability team at: ESA.Sustainability@esa.int.