SONOVA HLDG AG.
PHBN.XETRA | Manufacture of medical and dental instruments and supplies
Sonova Holding AG is a global provider of hearing care solutions. The company develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and wireless communication devices. It also offers audiological services through its network of retail stores and partners. Sonova's ...Show More
Better Health for All
20
Sonova's core business, encompassing hearing aids, cochlear implants, and audiological services, delivers substantial health benefits by improving auditory clarity, social activity, brain health, and overall quality of life, thereby preventing negative consequences of untreated hearing loss.
1
The company generates no revenue from products with significant negative health impacts. Sonova supports healthcare workforce capacity through initiatives like the Global Hearing Institute in Suzhou, China, and training programs for hearing care professionals on tinnitus care and advanced counseling; its Hear the World Foundation trained 3,064 people in 2023/2024.
2
The company also engages in extensive healthcare education, promoting hearing health awareness through World Hearing Day and employee-led initiatives, with its Hear the World Foundation reaching 204,915 people in 2023/2024 through prevention, screening, intervention, and aftercare programs.
3
Additionally, Sonova's products and services, including tinnitus care, address mental health needs by improving well-being and potentially preventing depression.
4
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
0
Sonova Holding AG is a global provider of hearing care solutions, not a financial institution. The company does not offer lending or deposit services, consumer credit products, or financial products that would generate revenue from high-cost fees. While Sonova does serve underserved populations and regions with its hearing care products and services, and makes philanthropic contributions, these activities do not fall under the scope of financial services or community finance as defined by the 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' value. Consequently, all KPIs related to financial services, such as APRs, loan books, customer financial data, debt burden ratios, and financial literacy programs, are not applicable to its core business.
1
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
10
Sonova has a low share of insecure contracts, with approximately 5.13% of its workforce on temporary or non-guaranteed hours contracts in 2024/25.
1
Voluntary employee turnover was also low at 9.7% in 2024/25.
2
The company reported zero work-related fatalities for the past three years (2022/23 to 2024/25)
3
and complies with key modern slavery and forced labor legislation.
4
Employee engagement was measured at 68% in 2024/25.
5
However, 24% of the global workforce is covered by collective bargaining agreements,
6
and the Lost-Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) was 3.5 in 2024/25.
7
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
0
Sonova ensures that 100% of its supplier agreements include enforceable ethical sourcing clauses.
1
New suppliers are required to sign the Sonova Group Supplier Principles (SGSP) or the Supplier Code of Conduct (SCoC), and existing suppliers re-confirm adherence in each new supply agreement.
2
Suppliers must certify their compliance in writing, and this certification is included in all supply agreements.
3
Social audits are conducted yearly at the Sonova Group level.
4
Annual third-party audits are conducted at all ISO 13485 certified operations centers and major Group companies.
5
In the 2024/25 financial year, the Consumer Hearing business conducted four onsite audits, and the Hearing Instruments business performed more than 75 supplier visits that included sustainability assessments.
6
Additionally, one social audit was conducted in Mexicali, Mexico, by independent auditors in 2024/25.
7
During the 2024/25 financial year, no cases of forced or child labor were reported within the Sonova group, and social audits in China and Mexico found no such incidents.
8
Honest & Fair Business
20
Sonova reported no fines or non-monetary sanctions for non-compliance, including anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, for the 2024/25 financial year.
1
The company operates a 24/7 anonymous SpeakUp platform and compliance hotline, available in multiple languages such as Arabic, Chinese, and German.
2
This platform is managed by an independent third-party provider, ensures reporter anonymity, and is compliant with the EU Whistleblower directive, having been externally audited and verified.
3
Reports are kept confidential, and non-retaliation is prohibited for good-faith reports.
4
The Audit Committee receives quarterly updates on concerns, cases, and measures taken.
5
In the 2024/25 financial year, 245 SpeakUp complaints were reported, with 34% substantiated, and all reported violations are promptly investigated.
6
Sonova has a Global Anti-Bribery Policy, effective October 24, 2022, which prohibits all forms of corruption, including facilitation payments and political donations.
7
This policy is communicated to all employees and governance body members, with mandatory yearly training for high-risk functions.
8
The company conducts annual bribery/corruption risk assessments and has a formal due diligence process for high-risk business partners, performed before and after business relationships.
9
Business ethics and adherence to regulations and policies are part of the internal audit process for Group functions and at a Group company level.
10
Kind to Animals
-40
Sonova uses non-animal testing methods, such as cell cultures, where accepted by regulators and monitors the development of in vitro methods
1
. The company adheres to the 'Three Rs' (replacement, reduction, refinement) principle to limit animal testing
2
, which is conducted by third-party labs for regulatory compliance and research collaborations
3
.
No War, No Weapons
0
No evidence available to assess SONOVA HLDG AG on No War, No Weapons.
Planet-Friendly Business
-30
Sonova's near-term Science Based Targets (SBTi) were approved in 2023
1
, aiming to reduce combined absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 78.3%
2
and Scope 3 emissions by 32.5% by 2032/33
3
, aligned with a 1.5°C pathway
4
. In 2024/25, 59% of total energy consumption was from renewable sources
5
, and 100% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions were offset using Gold Standard or VCS certified carbon credits
6
. The company reported a 50% recycling rate in 2024/25
7
and that 41% of its CAPEX is classifiable as eligible under the EU Taxonomy Regulation
8
. Water withdrawal was 11.7 m³ per CHF 1M revenue in 2024/25
9
. Packaging material for the Hearing Instruments business was reduced by 2.6% in 2024/25 compared to the previous year
10
. Sonova applied the TCFD framework for climate-related risk reporting since 2021/22
11
and conducted comprehensive climate scenario analysis using 1.5°C, 2°C, and 4°C warming scenarios
12
. In 2023/24, no fines or non-monetary sanctions were levied for environmental non-compliance
13
. However, 13% of water withdrawal in 2024/25 occurred in regions with high to very-high water stress
14
, and only two environmental impact assessments were conducted in 2023/24
15
.
Respect for Cultures & Communities
30
In 2019/20, 92% of the company's corporate citizenship and philanthropic contributions were directed towards community investments
1
. During the same period, 3% of revenue was donated to cultural heritage organizations
2
.
Safe & Smart Tech
0
Sonova explicitly commits to complying with a broad range of major global privacy regulations, including GDPR, FADP, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, and China Data Privacy Laws
1
. Its privacy policy outlines comprehensive data subject rights, such as access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, data portability, and withdrawal of consent
2
. The company states that personal data will not be kept longer than necessary, with deletion timelines in place
3
. Multi-factor authentication is mentioned as a security measure
4
.
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
-50
Sonova's waste diversion rate was 50% in 2024/25.
1
For packaging, 17% of Consumer Hearing products and spare parts sold in 2024/25 featured plastic-free packaging.
2
The company integrates service and repair procedures into its Hearing Instruments product development process, exploring lower-impact materials and designing for repair, dismantling, refurbishing, and service, and offers spare parts on its website for customer repairs. Waste reduction initiatives include selling used furniture and IT equipment for upcycling, selling food waste for animal feed, conducting Kaizen workshops, transitioning to e-invoicing, and repurposing supplier shipping packaging. Hazardous waste management complies with legal requirements for transport and disposal through authorized agents, though hazardous waste increased to 113 metric tons in 2024/25 from 75 metric tons in 2022/23.
3
No waste disposal violations or environmental non-compliance fines were reported in 2022/23 or 2023.
4
Sonova has targets to reduce operational waste per employee by 5% by 2027 (vs. 2022/23)
5
and packaging material weight for the Hearing Instruments business by 20% by 2026/27 (vs. 2023/24).
6
The Supplier Code of Conduct encourages waste reduction, circularity, and sustainable packaging, with sustainability performance as a scored criterion in selected vendor assessments.
7
Customer waste education includes battery collection programs in the Audiological Care business, which collected over 3 metric tons of batteries in 2024/25.
8