HERMÈS - 2019 Universal Registration Document

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BUSINESS MODEL

LUXURY ITEMS DESIGNED TO LAST

Hermès relies on an expert European partner to select farmers who operate under the most rigorous standards, controlled by local authorities and regular audits. Other materials. Hermès uses mainly natural raw materials, often in small quantities, favouring the best sources with very high-quality materials, from producers concerned about their environmental and social impacts. The House dedicates time and resources to the knowledge, qualitative management and durability of the supply chains of its partners. Programs for improvement of the quality of their manufacturing are also carried out. Purchasing freedom Present worldwide, Hermès is strongly committed to the principle of giving purchasing freedom to its retail subsidiaries and stores. In this Group’s distinctive mode of operation, each store directly chooses an assortment of products tailored to their local customers, based on “Podiums”, the internal high points of the year at which the items and collections are presented. This has many effects – the quality of service of the logistics of the 311 exclusive points of sale is optimised, the offering is varied and appropriate, and the environmental footprint and waste are reduced. Craftsmanship manufacturing The uniqueness of Hermès is based on a mode of production in France that confers responsibility and is highly integrated: the Hermès Group produces more than 61% of its objects in its exclusive and internal workshops. The manufacturing sites are mainly established in France (78%), in eight of the 13 mainland regions of the country. Organised in regional hubs and by métiers , the leather goods sites in particular, are of human size (between 250 and 300 employees). In terms of employment, these sites promote local access to jobs, in particular through the process of recruiting “by simulation”, without Curriculum Vitae, based on aptitude, in partnership with the “Pôle Emploi” employment centres. The focus is then on internal training, which guarantees the transmission of exceptional savoir-faire (200 trainers and 82 tutors for 17 leather goods workshops). A similar mindset prevails in the relations with service providers and suppliers: assistance, support, cooperation, long-term partnerships, in a spirit of collaboration and excellence. The average seniority of relations with the top 50 direct suppliers is 19 years. Accordingly, the vast majority of the Hermès Group’s main industrial purchases (direct) continue to be conducted in France (52%) and more broadly in Europe outside of France (42%). Exclusive distribution Mainly manufactured in France, the products are distributed from the Hermès Group’s integrated logistics platforms, the largest of which is in Bobigny (Île-de-France) on a 30,000 m 2 site. Some 87% of distribution is to international locations. The choice of a centralised logistical model allows optimisation of flows and reduces the environmental footprint linked to the transport of goods.

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From the original idea to manufacture, from purchasing to the customer’s use, the Hermès object follows a life cycle that reflects the uniqueness of the House and its model of sobriety in its craftsmanship. This is characterised by a reasoned development at each stage. Creative freedom Supervised by Pierre-Alexis Dumas, a sixth generation member of the Hermès family and member of the Group’s Executive Committee, the Artistic department remains true to the inventiveness that has always characterised the House’s success. Based on an annual theme, it unpretentiously proposes and renews the collection and objects. The creative designers imagine new items or revisit the classics and propose collections with unique style, while the craftspeople innovate, improving their procedures, pushing the limits of materials and ensuring they use only the necessary resources. Creative freedom, balanced by the stores’ freedom to purchase as they choose, is asserted while respecting harmony and consistency. Exceptional materials Hermès manufactures high quality products, mainly from renewable natural resources. The House’s most emblematic raw materials are leather, silk and cashmere. The Hermès Group has a tangible influence over its entire value chain, a major portion of which is managed internally, and promotes the adoption of best practices. The use of materials is optimised from creation to production, with careful use of only the essential resources, avoiding unnecessary waste and surplus materials. Leather and exotic hides. Most leathers used by Hermès (cattle, sheep, goat) are by-products from livestock for food, to which the House is giving a second life. The most beautiful hides come from ethically raised animals. Exquisite hides only come from animals that have been treated well. Hermès uses more than 35 different types of leather to make its objects. All leathers needed are purchased directly from tanneries, without intermediaries, and come mainly from European livestock with controlled production. The vast majority of its requirements are covered by the six tanneries owned by the House, as well as by other French and European tanneries, all subject to rigorous standards. For exotic hides, such as crocodile, alligator, lizard and ostrich, Hermès is supplied by livestock farms in the United States, Africa and Australia. These farms all comply with the rules established under the supervision of the United Nations by the Washington Convention for the protection of species, and rigorous internal standards and are routinely audited. Silk and cashmere. For these two precious materials, the Hermès Group has long-established partnerships with a small number of suppliers. For the past 20 years, this method has promoted the development of a sustainable silk worm industry in Brazil (state of Paraná) and contributed to the environmental preservation of habitats while generating activities providing regular income to thousands of families. Concerning cashmere, the wool comes mostly from China (inner Mongolia). In this specific case,

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2019 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT HERMÈS INTERNATIONAL

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