Renault presents Supplier Awards and creates two new categories

• Carlos Tavares, Chief Operating Officer, and Christian Vandenhende, SVP Purchasing and Chairman of RNPO (Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organization), yesterday presented 16 Supplier Awards.
   
• The prizes were awarded to suppliers having posted the strongest performance in 2011 in three priority Renault categories: quality, innovation and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The Supplier Awards are presented to suppliers of parts or services regardless of their size, country or activity sector.


NINE QUALITY AWARDS

The current reliability level of Renault cars was achieved by working hand in hand with suppliers. This is why Renault has presented the Renault Quality awards for seven years now. For Carlos Tavares, Chief Operating Officer, “without quality a carmaker would have no future. Quality has become a Renault strength. It is vital that we maintain the highest quality standards in collaboration with our suppliers”. The Quality Awards recognize the ability of suppliers to find solutions, respect delivery times and produce top-quality parts.

Nine suppliers won a Quality Award this year: Emhart Teknologies, Satuerca, Usui, Defta, Metaplast, Sila Teknik, Valeo Sistemas Automotivos, DK Austech and Faurecia


TWO NEW AWARDS FOR INNOVATION AND CSR, PLUS A SPECIAL PRIZE

Two new awards were presented this year, underlining two priority areas for Renault: innovation and CSR.
 

• Innovation: Renault continues to place innovation at the heart of its strategy, by developing ingenious and broadly affordable solutions. Besides research and advanced studies conducted internally and with Nissan, Renault works with suppliers on co-innovations. For Christian Vandenhende , “Renault strives to develop useful innovations that are affordable for all. In a context of economic crisis and budget constraints, we have to invent new performance levers, unite our strengths and involve suppliers in projects from the design phase to foster innovation”. The Innovation Awards go to best-performing suppliers having signed a co-innovation contract with Renault or having developed a considerable technological advance.
  
  Three suppliers received an Innovation Award: Michelin (Michelin Energy E-V tires), Pierburg Pump Technology (development of a new variable-flow oil pump) and LG Chem (development and industrialization of lithium-ion electric batteries).
   
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR): Renault also wanted to present CSR awards in recognition of the commitment of our suppliers to the environment, diversity, human rights, labor law, hygiene, health and safety, and the fight against child labor and forced labor. Since 2004 Renault has worked to raise the awareness of its suppliers on these issues and integrated CSR criteria in its supplier referencing and selection process. The Alliance’s 8,000 suppliers received a CSR charter in 2010. Renault has introduced a team tasked with checking the application of CSR criteria in the field, the objective being to audit suppliers accounting for 95% revenues by 2013.
  
  Three suppliers won a CSR Award: Johnson Matthey and Turbo Energy LTD for their environmental performance; and the AMIPI Bernard Vendre Foundation for developing training for disabled workers to increase their cognitive abilities and working to help them find employment in “conventional” companies.
   
• A special prize was awarded to Vinci Construction for its involvement in the construction of the Tangier plant. Vinci helped to respect lead times despite difficult weather conditions.

For Carlos Tavares, “there exists a close interdependence between carmakers and equipment suppliers. Carmakers and equipment suppliers have the common objective of building their performance together”.