Collective commitment
The Charter was signed by Europacable members during the Europacable General Assembly in April 2015. Some 85% of Europe’s wire and cable industry are gathered in Europacable, including the largest cable makers in the world. Members’ production scope covers the full range of insulated wires and cables, including energy, industrial, building, automotive, special application, metallic and optical fibre data and telecommunications wires and cables, as well as winding wires and medium voltage accessories.
“Wire and cable products are essential to reliable, sustainable, affordable and publicly acceptable electricity and data transmission and Europacable member companies are global technology leaders in these sectors,” stated Valerio Battista. “We, as Europacable members, are committed to raise awareness and to elevate and defend quality and standards against the increasingly growing threat of substandard products. The Europacable Industry Charter is the expression of our collective commitment to shared principles and objectives of ethical, sustainable and high-quality cable development and manufacturing. By signing the Europacable Industry Charter we all accept to behave as responsible and quality-driven wire and cable manufacturers, as a sign of guarantee also for our customers.”
“This is the first step in a campaign against sub-standard products. Other steps are to be defined and executed in the near future. Prysmian, like all other members of Europacable, support this initiative as it favours the European cable industry, acting as a kind of ‘defense’ against poor quality products, which are a threat to our industry. Companies that join Europacable, which gives them the right to use the official logo, can differentiate themselves from non-member companies, or - even worse – firms with products that are below acceptable standards.”
The Europacable Charter
Signatories are committed to continuous achievement in the following areas:
1. Product compliance and innovation
Supply safe and reliable cables and systems, in line with the relevant European Union (EU) or equivalent international regulations and standards for safety and reliability.Develop and apply advanced technological solutions for cables and systems on an effective, efficient and sustainable basis worldwide. Supply cables and systems that meet customer specifications.
2. Business ethics and social responsibility
Implement Corporate Social Responsibility commitments as the vehicle for a sustainable development strategy within their company. Voluntarily commit to supporting and implementing the 10 universally-accepted principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. Establish Codes of Ethics and Business Conduct.
3. Health and Safety
Ensure working conditions for employees in accordance with EU Health and Safety standards for the workplace.
4. Environment and climate change
Fulfil a key role as a knowledge partner in implementing sustainable electricity and future-proof telecommunication infrastructures in the EU. Develop and maintain policies and strategies which create a sustainable basis for business, in accordance with relevant EU Directives. Demonstrate a proactive environmental approach to materials across the wider supply chain and throughout the product life cycle.
www.europacable.com
About Europacable
Europacable represents the wire and cable industry in EU policy debates as trusted source of technical information on wire and cable products, actively engaged in standardization processes and committed to increase the visibility of the European wire and cable industry.
Its members include the largest cable makers in the world, providing global technology leadership, as well as highly specialized small- and medium sized businesses from across Europe. Globally, its members employ over 70,000 people, of which more than 50% in Europe, generating a turnover over € 20 billion in 2014. Members’ product scope covers the full range of energy and communication cables. Europacable is listed in the European Commission’s transparency register under 453103789-92 and the organization is a CENELEC partner.
