Unlawful behavior in our company has an impact on all of us!

Why should I submit a report?

A positive and open corporate culture requires that legal, societal and corporate standards are upheld.

Perhaps you are aware of harmful acts or risks that are endangering the company. Your report can help expose damage to the finances and image of the company at an early stage. Doing so helps ensure the sustainable success of the company and the continued existence of the jobs it creates.

What types of reports help your organisation?

All reports regarding breaches of statutory and internal organizational rules will be gathered and processed.

This includes reports regarding:

• Corruption
• Anti-competitive practices
• Fraud
• Discrimination / Harassment / Bullying
• Other serious misconducts

More detailed descriptions are available during the reporting process.

How will my report be processed? What is a postbox and how do I open one?

To submit a report start by clicking the “Submit Report“ button located on the top left side of our information page:

1. First, read the informational section about protecting your identity. This section also includes a security questionnaire.
2. On the next page you are asked for the category of your report.
3. On the report page you will be asked to use your own words to describe the incident you are reporting – using no more than 5,000 letters, or a fully completed DIN A4 sheet of paper – and to answer specific questions. You may identify yourself if you choose. If you do, your name will be protected by the investigators to the extent possible. You may also attach smaller files of up to 5 MB to support your report. Please remember that documents might contain information about the author. After you have submitted your report you will be given a reference number as proof that you submitted this specific report.
4. Finally, you will be asked to set up your own secured postbox. This postbox will be used to communicate with you, answer your questions and keep you posted on the status of your report. Setting up a postbox will not reveal your identity.

Once you have established a secured postbox you will be able to access it via the Login button. Prior to opening your postbox you will have to complete a security procedure to ensure that only the authorized person – you – has access.

The electronic BKMS^® Whistleblower System's technology will maintain your anonymity as long as you do not submit any information that contains your personal identity.

How can I receive a reply, yet at the same time remain anonymous?

The uppermost principle of the BKMS^® System is to protect the whistleblower's identity. The system's anonymity protection function is certified and can be verified at any time.

You select your own personal pseudonym / user name and password that you use to establish your postbox. Encryption and other special security methods ensure that your report remains anonymous at all times. At no time during the reporting process will you be asked for personal information. Do not submit any information that can be traced back to your personal identity. Please do not submit your report on a PC provided by your employer.

The person in charge of your report will contact you via your secured postbox to provide information about the status of your report or to ask further questions if certain details need to be clarified - your anonymity will be always protected during this process. We are interested in these reports in order to prevent damage, not to get information about the person who submitted them.