Together for Sustainability

Prove your CSR with a TfS audit

Do you want to supply chemical companies that are members of the Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative? Then you may have to undergo a TfS audit. The requirements of the audit catalog are based on uniform assessment criteria relating to management and environmental aspects, occupational health and safety, employee and human rights, and responsible corporate governance.

Secure market access as a supplier to the chemical industry

Mutual recognition of the audit results of all members

Neutral recording and evaluation of your sustainability activities

Systematic further development of your sustainability performance

Together for Sustainability - What is it?

The Together for Sustainability (TfS) initiative was launched in 2011 by the six chemical companies BASF, Bayer, Evonik Industries, Henkel, LANXESS and Solvay. The goal of the founders was to demonstrate to suppliers a goal of continuous improvement and transparency within the entire supply chain.

Any company in the chemical industry can become a member of the TfS initiative. Suppliers of a company that is a TfS member, you can be asked to participate in an online self-disclosure via the EcoVadis platform and/or in a TfS audit according to a catalog of requirements developed specifically for suppliers to the chemical industry.

The procedure is based on a checklist or audit format with a total of 120 requirements. The focus is on process safety and occupational health and safety. The audits are carried out exclusively by TfS-accredited certifiers such as DQS Inc.

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Does Together for Sustainability (TfS) make sense for your company?

The TfS assessment enables its' member companies to evaluate their suppliers' performance throughout the supply chain in the areas of environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. This drives and implements tangible, measurable improvements in supplier performance, as well as their own sustainability performance.

To be eligible to bid, the potential supplier must be listed with TfS and have a Supplier ID.

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What are the steps in a TfS audit?

As a supplier of a TfS member company, you may be invited by the company to participate in an online self-disclosure via the EcoVadis platform and/or in a TfS audit by an accredited certifier such as DQS Inc.

In the next step, you will exchange information with us as your certifier about the requirements of a TfS certification. Based on these discussions, you will receive an individual quote customized to the needs of your company.

Prior to the audit, the potential supplier have a supplier ID from their customer and TfS member and agree in writing to the audit results being passed on to the TFS members. In the TFS audit, your on-site DQS Inc. auditor evaluates the implementation of the requirements based on the TFS checklist. The audit process may also result in a Corrective Action Plan. Major nonconformities must be tracked. The requirements catalog covers the topics of management processes, environment, occupational health and safety, employee and human rights, and governance.

The audit results are then uploaded to the TfS OASIS platform and are valid for a maximum of three years. With your approval, the audit result is made available to be recognized by all TfS members. This process prevents another TfS audit within the valid period by another TfS member.

What does a TfS audit cost?

The cost is set by TfS and is based on the number of employees in the organization. Sites must always be audited individually. We are happy to provide you with an custom quote.

What you can expect from DQS Inc.

Only four certification bodies worldwide are approved for TfS assessment - DQS is one of them.
Decades of experience and competence in all industries
Meaningful audit reports include recommendations for action
International presence, local service in the US

Personal, smooth support by our specialists - regionally, nationally, and internationally
Individual offers with flexible contract terms without hidden costs

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