Rules of Procedure for the Whistleblower and Complaints System

The company has established an appropriate complaint procedure for itself and its subsidiaries to enable employees and third parties (e.g., suppliers‘ employees) to report compliance violations (violations of the law according to § 2 Whistleblower Protection Act, such as criminal offenses, as well as administrative offenses, such as data protection violations, working hours or minimum wage violations), as well as information regarding human rights and environmental risks and violations (both within its own business area and in the supply chain). For clarification, reference is made to the code of conduct.

Whistleblowers have various communication channels available for submitting reports, as outlined in the following overview. Incoming reports are confirmed to the whistleblowers. Information is then forwarded to the relevant departments within the company for handling and clarification. Identified violations will be remedied immediately.

Confidentiality is assured for whistleblowers, and anonymity is provided upon request. Whistleblowers do not incur any costs. There is an option to discuss reports with the ombudsman, who is independent and bound to secrecy.

The effectiveness of the complaint procedure is reviewed at least once a year and as needed. An overview is provided in the following summary.