Enhancing Tools and Partnerships at Drive Sustainability
Since January 2025, Drive Sustainability — a partnership of 18 leading automotive manufacturers dedicated to improving the social, ethical, and environmental performance of automotive supply chains — has focused on developing its tools to align with the evolving regulatory landscape of the EU and has seen growth in membership.
As sustainability expectations and regulatory frameworks continue to advance, the initiative – facilitated by CSR Europe – is strengthening its alignment with EU priorities and deepening its collaboration across the automotive value chain accordingly. This marks a significant step in enhancing Drive Sustainability's impact, enabling it to support suppliers and manufacturers in building more resilient, responsible, and future-ready supply chains.
SAQ Introduces Modularity for a more tailored risk-assessment
In light of upcoming legislative changes, Drive Sustainability is updating its tools to align with, for instance, the due diligence requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) has now been updated, introducing modularity to better tailor assessments to different suppliers.
The new feature reflects ongoing efforts to make the SAQ more adaptable and relevant by tailoring the assessment, taking into account supplier site size and sector. This makes the evaluation process not only fairer but also more practical and meaningful.
Launched in 2014 by Drive Sustainability and its Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the SAQ was created as a global benchmark to promote sustainability throughout the automotive supply chain. Major manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Toyota, and Volkswagen contributed to its development. The automotive industry has advanced its sustainability agenda by introducing modularity to the SAQ, allowing it to better address diverse supplier needs.
Stefan Crets, Executive Director at CSR Europe, and Drive Sustainability, comments: “We’re keen for the automotive industry to promote sustainable practices across a wider range of tier 1 suppliers. By introducing modularity to the SAQ, buyers have the tools to achieve this at scale and strengthen the SAQ as the global sustainability standard.”
The Battery Regulation SAQ (EUBR)
Considering the European Union’s Batteries Regulation (EU-Batt-R), Drive Sustainability initiated the development of a Battery SAQ in February 2024 to reflect and to integrate the risk categories outlined in Annex X and the due diligence requirements of the legislation set for launch in August 2025. Building on the existing SAQ framework, the Battery SAQ expands assessments beyond direct suppliers to include midstream and upstream suppliers, serving as an initial screening tool to identify ESG risks and support further due diligence activities, like audits and training. The Battery SAQ can be used across all supply chain tiers, promoting collaborative improvements in human rights and environmental performance. It features around 12 main questions, 7 unique evidence uploads, and a combined scoring system to minimize redundancy and supplier burden.
The Deforestation SAQ (DSAQ)
Along the same lines as the Battery SAQ, the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which takes effect on December 30th, 2025, prompted the development of the Deforestation Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire in collaboration with OEMs and platform provider NQC. The company-level risk screening tool was designed to support companies in complying with the EUDR and designed to help organizations assess suppliers’ due diligence systems, gather necessary evidence, and identify potential deforestation risks in the supply chain. This proactive approach is vital for the automotive industry to meet increasingly strict sustainability regulations and ensure responsible sourcing throughout all supply chain tiers.
New Automotive Leaders Join the Drive Sustainability Partnership
Drive Sustainability continues to expand its impact with the addition of Chery Automobile, Hyundai Motor Company, and Ford Otosan to its partnership. These new members reinforce a shared commitment to responsible practices and sustainable supply chains across the automotive industry.
DS China
On the ground, Drive Sustainability China, launched in 2017 with GoldenBee Consulting, brings the global strategy to life in one of the world’s most critical markets. Through supplier training, stakeholder engagement and other activities it supports companies in their local journey to improve sustainability performance.
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Read more on Drive Sustainability - https://www.drivesustainability.org/
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