Continental Modern Slavery Statement for the Financial Year 2025
Introduction
The statement is made pursuant to Section 54 of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 and covers the 2025 fiscal year with respect to actions taken by the reporting entities during the year ending December 31, 2025. The statement covers all subsidiaries and minority holdings where Continental exercises management control (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Continental” and “we”).
This statement has been prepared in consultation with members of the reporting entities subject to mandatory reporting obligations in the United Kingdom (pls. refer to annex), of our respective group sectors and of the Continental Group. As part of a global company, we have a role to play in efforts to promote respect for human rights in business activities, and we are pleased to provide insight into the actions we have taken to understand, prevent and reduce the risk of forced labor and child labor in our operations and supply chain.
Corporate profile
The Continental Group is divided into two group sectors: Tires and ContiTech. Since January 1, 2026, these have comprised a total of eight business areas.
The spin-off of Aumovio – the former Automotive and Contract Manufacturing group sectors – was completed on September 17, 2025. On August 27, 2025, Continental also announced the signing of the agreement to sell the ContiTech business area Original Equipment Solutions (OESL). The sale was completed on February 2, 2026. The final steps of the Continental Group´s realignment include the sale of the ContiTech group sector in 2026 and a sharpened focus on the tire business.
A group sector or business area with overall responsibility for a business, including its results, is classified according to product requirements, market trends, customer groups and distribution channels.
Overall responsibility for managing the company lies with the Executive Board of Continental AG. The Tires and ContiTech group sectors are each represented on the Executive Board.
Spanning the group sectors are the group functions of Continental AG, which are represented by the chairman of the Executive Board, the chief financial officer and the chief HR officer. These functions include Finance and Controlling, Integrity, Law, Compliance, Internal Audit, Human Relations, Sustainability and IT.
In the Tires group sector, sales to dealers and end users represent the largest share of the replacement-tire business. The ContiTech group sector´s customer base includes the energy, mining, agriculture, construction, exterior and interior design, automotive and replacement industries. In total, 29% of consolidated sales in 2025 related to the automotive industry, excluding the replacement business, while 71% came from other industries as well as the replacement business.
Sustainability management
For Continental, Sustainability means doing the right thing for people and our planet while driving innovation and business success.
In our group-wide sustainability ambition, which was updated in fiscal 2025, we outline how Continental intends to shape change in the key sustainability areas of people, climate and nature to reduce negative impacts, strengthen positive impacts, seize transformation opportunities and reduce transformation risks. The ambition provides overarching framework for existing management approaches, strategies, programs, processes and targets, as well as their ongoing development.
The entire ambition can be found at
www.continental-sustainability.com
The Sustainability Steering Committee of the Continental Group is responsible for assessing cross-functional issues, weighing up opportunities and risks and discussing relevant Executive Board decisions in advance. In fiscal year 2025, it consisted of the entire Executive Board, the Group Sustainability group function and other functions at group and group sector level. The committee is managed by Group Sustainability. Our group sectors, Tires and ContiTech, also have their own interdepartmental sustainability committees, which are coordinated by the relevant sustainability functions.
Policies in relation to fighting child labor, forced labor & modern slavery in own operations and in supply chains
Continental operates in complex global value chains that are exposed to a variety of risks associated with the violation of protected rights. Risks within this context are always related to the potential negative impact on people and the environment.
Continental has therefore defined and published its commitments toward a responsible value chain (hereinafter Responsible Value Chain Commitments, “RVC Commitments” for short) in the areas of labor standards, occupational safety and health, security practices, environment and land rights: RVC Commitments. We have adopted the RVC Commitments as part of the Continental Group. Three of our RVC Commitments focus on rejecting child labor and forced labor and fostering respect for human rights throughout the value chain. These commitments apply to our own operations with Continental in the United Kingdom and in particular to our direct suppliers.
Amongst others, the system focuses on forced labour and human trafficking. This covers both Continental’s own operations and in particular those of direct suppliers. For this purpose, responsibilities, rules and processes are clearly defined, including control mechanisms. The management system is guided by specific commitments in the areas of labor standards, occupational health and safety, the environment, safety practices and land rights. With respect to forced labor and modern slavery Continental’s commitment is as follows:
No forced labor & modern slavery: Continental firmly rejects any form of forced labor, modern slavery, debt bondage, trafficking, or any other form of labor not conducted voluntarily or non-compliant with the International Labor Organization’s standards. This includes any form of oppression in the vicinity of the workplace, be it economically or of any other kind. Workers must be provided with documented employment terms or an offer of employment in a language the person should be able to understand. Migrant workers need to be treated with special diligence and shall receive the relevant work-related information prior to their departure from their country of origin and must always have access and full control over their identity or immigration documents.
No child labor. Continental firmly rejects any form of child labor and specifically respects the standards of the International Labor Organization. Continental does not employ people under the age of 15 or under the age at which compulsory schooling ends or under the applicable country's minimum age for employment, whichever is greatest. Furthermore, young workers under the age of 18 need to be treated with special diligence and should not perform work that is likely to jeopardize their health, safety, and/or development.
Supply Chain. Continental collaborates with its business partners to foster respecting adequate standards throughout the value chain. Continental expects its suppliers to respect human and environmental rights as referenced in the RVC Commitments and applicable laws. Furthermore, Continental’s suppliers are required to implement adequate due diligence processes. These are dedicated to identify, prevent, and mitigate risks of negative impacts on human and environmental rights in their operations and supply chains, including appropriate grievance mechanisms and reporting. Continental is committed to support its business partners and especially its suppliers, e.g., through but not limited to adequate monitoring systems, corrective action plans, and training.
These commitments address the defined risk categories and formulate what is expected of Continental’s business units and employees globally, as well as of its direct suppliers. On top of this, Continental has anchored further prevention measures in its own business units and with respect to direct suppliers. Within Continental’s responsible value chain due diligence system (RVCDDS), our Code of Conduct defines the fundamental requirements for our employees, while the Business Partner Code of Conduct defines the fundamental requirements for our suppliers and their suppliers with regard to human rights, working conditions, environmental protection, conflict minerals and anti-corruption. The Business Partner Code of Conduct is updated regularly, most recently in fiscal 2024, to reflect changes or adjustments to relevant legislation. For suppliers of natural rubber, our sourcing policy for sustainable natural rubber additionally applies.
Management system
Continental has established a comprehensive management system to ensure our RVC Commitments with regard to human and environmental rights, including our rejection of child labor, forced labor and modern slavery. This system enables us to identify, address and mitigate associated risks within our own business operations and our supply chain.
Within the management system, responsibilities (including the appointment of a human rights officer for Continental), rules and processes are clearly defined, including risk mitigation measures and control mechanisms. The management system will continue to evolve as the dynamic economic, social and environmental conditions develop further.
The management system follows the so-called three lines of defense model along defined core processes:
- Strategy development and implementation
- Management of regulatory requirements
- Risk management
- Incident management (including whistleblower system)
- Training
- System monitoring
- Reporting
The internal responsibilities are defined within the framework of a corporate policy (Group Policy Responsible Value Chain). This policy defines the areas of responsibility of the Executive Board, the business areas, Continental’s human rights officer and relevant functions, and represents the binding framework for the management system to ensure due diligence in a responsible value chain. It includes due diligence within our own business operations, for direct suppliers and in relation to indirect suppliers. The persons relevant for implementation receive general, position-related and risk-specific training. The Executive Board of Continental AG is informed at least once a year by the human rights officer on the current status, effectiveness, appropriateness as well as on measures for improvement and potential advancement of the management system. Suitable improvements to the management system as a whole and to selected elements thereof are defined on this basis. The management system is part of Continental’s overarching risk, compliance, and control system.
Risk management and risk analysis
Continental operates in complex global value chains in which a variety of risks relating to infringements of protection rights may arise. In this context, a risk is always related to a potential negative impact on humans and the environment.
The main goal of risk management is the mitigation of these risks. Continental has therefore set up a specific risk management within its management system, which includes appropriate, regular risk analyses in order to frequently determine the human rights and environmental risks in our own business operations and with regard to direct suppliers. As part of the risk analysis, Continental uses dedicated risk categories identified in a multi-stage process, evaluated, weighted and prioritized - especially based on the requirements of the German Supply Chain Act and other relevant legal requirements. In gross terms, without taking existing preventive measures into account, all risk categories are considered as relevant for our own business operations and for the supply chain in relation to direct suppliers.
The defined risk categories refer to the risks of potential violations of protected rights in relation child labor and forced labor among others.
The risk analysis of our own business operations in the United Kingdom and of the supply chain in relation to direct suppliers follows a systematic and standardized method in order to ensure comparability and take special organizational features into account on an equal basis. In particular, factors such as business models, ability to intervene, contribution and probability of occurrence as well as severity are taken into account. Along defined steps, the relevant risks are identified, assessed, weighted and prioritized. Not only are the gross risks taken into consideration, but also the existing preventive measures and the net risks derived from them. After taking existing preventive measures into account, net risks are assessed as lower than gross risks, based on Continental´s internal risk assessment methodology. The gross risk arises from the global footprint of the business activities and supply chains, the broad range of the product portfolio and the various business models and value chain levels. Prioritized risks are then analyzed and evaluated in greater detail in order to derive targeted priority prevention measures.
Based on the risk analysis carried out in fiscal 2025 the risk categories equal treatment / anti-discrimination and working conditions (including working hours) were formally prioritized for our own business operations, as well as the two risk categories equal treatment / anti-discrimination, no forced labor & modern slavery for the supply chain in relation to direct supplier. An analysis of risks in relation to indirect suppliers is carried out on an ad hoc basis in cases of substantiated knowledge. Regardless of the prioritization, all risk categories are part of the risk management.
Preventive measures
As a central prevention measure at the group level, Continental has adopted its RVC Commitments and communicated them publicly. These address the defined risk categories, which were confirmed as part of the risk analysis, and the associated expectations regarding our own business operations and employees, direct suppliers, and along the supply chain. In addition, further group-wide prevention measures were anchored in our own business operations and towards direct suppliers.
The group-wide prevention measures apply to all Continental companies, including its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, are the subject of the annual system monitoring and include in particular:
- The integration of the management system into the essential corporate control processes and frameworks;
- The Policy Statement of Continental AG on compliance with human rights and environmental due diligence obligations in supply chains 2025;
- The RVC Commitments, which explicitly include our rejection of child labor and forced labor within our human rights and environmental commitments;
- The Continental Code of Conduct, which includes, among other things, explicit rejection of any form of child labor or forced labor and the human rights and environmental-related expectations that we set for our employees;
- The Continental Business Partner Code of Conduct, which includes, among other things, the prohibition of child labor and forced labor and any forms of modern slavery as part of the human rights and environmental expectations that we place on our suppliers and require them to pass down to their own suppliers and subcontractors; and
- General and topic-specific training on the management system.
In addition, specific prevention measures have been implemented in our own business operations and in relation to the supply chain. These measures are subject to continuous improvement, particularly based on the risk analysis. They include, among other things, environmental and occupational health and safety systems for our own business operations, appropriate procurement strategies and practices, contractual agreements and control mechanisms, as well as training measures in relation to the supply chain. Furthermore, membership in corresponding associations and platforms, participation in multi-stakeholder dialogue formats as well as initiatives and industry dialogues also belong to the area of actively pursued prevention measures.
In the case of substantiated and verified knowledge of risks from direct or indirect suppliers, appropriate preventive measures are agreed and tracked.
The implementation of the management system also includes riskbased controls with regard to the preventive measures taken.
Corrective Measures
The management system also defines the framework for taking corrective measures within our own business operations, in relation to direct suppliers as well as, if necessary, in relation to
indirect suppliers. Corrective measures are implemented promptly and appropriately in the event of violations within our own global operations, including UK. The corrective measures relating to direct suppliers follow the principle of endeavour and are aimed at rectifying the violation. If a violation cannot be rectified immediately, appropriate action plans are drawn up to end the violation or at least reduce it appropriately with respect to direct suppliers. Corrective measures relating to indirect suppliers also follow the best endeavour principle. As a last resort, Continental reserves the right to terminate the relevant business relationships in an appropriate manner.
Responsible Sourcing
Sustainability aspects are taken into consideration at various points in supplier management.
Continental continued its assessment of selected suppliers in the reporting year based on self-assessment questionnaires submitted via the EcoVadis sustainability platform, which include questions regarding the management of human rights and working conditions, including child labor and forced labor, and the submission of supporting documentation. The number of available valid supplier self-assessment questionnaires amounted to 946 at the end of the year (PY: 1543). The change compared with the previous year is primarily attributable to the spin-off of the former Automotive and Contract Manufacturing group sectors. At the level of group sectors, both Tires and ContiTech recorded increases in the number of self-assessment questionnaires compared with the previous year.
In addition to receiving assessment reports generated through this process, selective local audits or other audit activities—such as in relation to the existence of suppliers’ own management systems—are also carried out.
With regard to tangible incidents of severe human rights violations related to workers in the value chain, Continental did not receive any substantiated information during the reporting year.
Metrics related to workings in the value chain
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Number of available valid supplier self-assessment questionnaires (as of December 31) | 946 | 1,534 |
| Total number of known incidents of severe human rights violations related to workers in the value chain of Continental | 0 | 0 |
Communication and Training
Continental communicates its management approaches on labour standards and workers in the value chain through diverse channels. This includes Continental´s website, the published annual report and internal communication platforms which host trainings as well as the internal frameworks. In addition, posters and on-site training courses make relevant information available to employees who do not have access to the IT infrastructure. Furthermore, through integration into the onboarding process, new employees are also familiarized with Continental´s standards right from the start.
Furthermore, stakeholders involved in implementing the management approaches have clearly defined roles within Continental´s RVCDDS and are trained on the associated responsibilities to enable effective collaboration and execution of the management approaches.
Training initiatives for suppliers are also carried out to further promote shared responsibility along the entire value chain. In addition, direct suppliers are requested to accept and commit to the Business Partner Code of Conduct. The communication is thus aimed at affected stakeholders as well as stakeholders involved in the implementation.
In fiscal year 2023, Continental substantially completed development of RVC training modules targeted to Continental employees in purchasing and related functions and to Continental’s direct suppliers. The purchasing training covers the regulatory background, explains Continental’s Responsible Value Chain Due Diligence System (RVCDDS) and our RVC Commitments (including our rejection of child labor and forced labor), and communicates Purchasing’s core processes in the RVCDDS. The supplier training explains Continental's management approach to ensure the fundamental respect for human and environmental rights in our supply chain, educates the suppliers about their role in our system, and explains how Continental's requirements for a responsible value chain, including the prohibition of child labor and forced labor, can be met when working with us. In fiscal 2025624 employees from purchasing and other related areas completed this training
Complaints procedure
Continental’s existing group-wide complaints procedure, the Continental Integrity Hotline, has been supplemented within the framework of the legal requirements of the German Supply Chain Act and is available globally to Continental employees and external parties. The Continental Integrity Hotline is open, among other things, for complaints regarding potential violations of human rights and environmental rights and lists these topics. The Continental Integrity Hotline and Integrity Platform are both publicly available and can be accessed, for example, via the website. The legally required rules of procedure are also stored there. Reports can be made both in writing and by telephone. Availability by telephone is ensured through national and internation telephone numbers. Both options are available 24/7. THe instructions for using the Integrity Platform can be found under the keyword "Step-by-step reporting" and are available in multiple languages. Instructions for using the telephone hotline are also available in multiple languages.
Continental uses the services of EQS Group AG, one of the leading providers in the area of IT-supported reporting channels, for both complaint channels. This secure and anonymous whistleblowing system protects the whistleblower through an encrypted reporting channel. All informants can remain anonymous if they wish.
Confidentiality is ensured within the framework of the legal provisions in the case of non-anonymous reporting. The persons entrusted with carrying out the complaint procedure are obliged to maintain confidentiality within the framework of the legal requirements and act independently. The effectiveness of the Continental Integrity Hotline and Integrity Platform with regard to relevant reports is assessed at least once a year as part of the review of the management system. Business partners, the respective employees, other stakeholders and rights holders in general are encouraged by the Business Partner Code of Conduct to report complaints via the Continental Integrity Hotline and Integrity Platform. The Business Partner Code of Conduct contains a link to the Continental Integrity Hotline and Integrity Platform and is publicly accessible online. Continental protects persons who provide information and does not tolerate any retaliatory measures that could be directed against these persons. The procedural steps are explained in Continental Policies, Rules and Process Manuals. Receipt of a complaint will be confirmed and a discussion of the matter with the whistleblower on matters relating to the RVC Commitments is a substantive component of the process. Feedback should be sent no later than three months after reception of the notification has been confirmed.
In addition to the complaints-procedure, further sources are used to investigate suspected cases of potential violations of protection rights and, if necessary, to implement preventative and corrective measures.
Reviews of effectiveness
As part of the annual system monitoring, the Responsible Value Chain Officer of Continental reviews the appropriateness and effectiveness of the management system. This review is based, among other things, on the relevant assessments within the business areas as well as on the assessment of the individual elements of the system by the group sector responsible value chain officer. The management system is designed as a learning system that is developed on an ongoing basis. This also includes membership in relevant associations and platforms, participation in multi-stakeholder dialogue formats as well as initiatives and industry dialogues.
Documentation, reporting and dialogue
The implementation of the management system is coordinated with relevant decision-makers, communicated, internally documented, and archived. External reporting on a responsible value chain and the implementation of our due diligence obligations is part of sustainability reporting and other reporting formats including this one.
This statement was approved by the governing body of each of the Reporting Entities listed in the Annex in May 2026.
This modern slavery statement is signed by a responsible member of each of the Reporting Entities listed in the Annex.
Annex
Continental AG subsidiaries subject to this reporting in the United Kingdom:
Continental AG subsidiaries subject to this reporting in the United Kingdom:
United Kingdom:
› Bandvulc Tyres Ltd.
› BV Environmental Ltd.
› Continental UK Group Holdings Ltd.
› Continental Tyre Group Ltd.
› ContiTech United Kingdom Ltd.
› Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd.
› Kim Holdings Scotland Ltd.
› Merlett Plastics UK Ltd.
› Phoenix Oil & Marine Ltd.
› R & J Strang Tyre Services Ltd.
› Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd.
› TecAlliance Limited