The whistleblower system

The whistleblower protection act has been in force since July 2023 and is the German implementation of the EU whistleblowing directive of December 2021.

The aim of this law is to strengthen the protection of whistleblowers and other persons affected by a report and to ensure that they do not face any disadvantages under the provisions of this law.

Companies with 50 or more employees are obliged to set up their own reporting centre (e.g. a whistleblower system) that can act neutrally and independently.

The whistleblower portal serves to identify and avoid significant risks for the company. Any suspicion of an actual or potential violation of laws or internal regulations - including human rights and environmental risks or obligations - can be reported. Possible categories in which misconduct can be reported range, for example, from data protection violations and anti-competitive agreements to corruption, theft or money laundering. The portal is primarily intended for reporting serious misconduct against applicable law, standards or company guidelines.

Whistleblowers should therefore only pass on information that they are convinced to the best of their knowledge and belief is correct.

A report can be made electronically, by telephone or in person - anonymous submission is also possible. The reports are received by our compliance service provider. The lawyers responsible inform the whistleblower that the report has been received, assess the report from a legal perspective, initiate appropriate measures and inform the whistleblower of the measures taken no later than three months after the report was submitted.

However, we also encourage such matters to be reported via the established reporting channels. These are

• Direct Supervisors
• Management
• Human Resources
• Internal suggestion and reporting system (Direkter Draht)
• Employee representation (Vertrauensgremium)

Baumann Automation expects managers and supervisors at all hierarchical levels to take such reports seriously, to treat them confidentially and to clarify them promptly with the appropriate guidelines and necessary measures in order to eliminate the grievance.

Yes, all complaints and reports will of course be treated confidentially and can also be submitted without giving your name. Confidential data may only be passed on if this is necessary and legally permissible. Our managers are also obliged to forward reports received to our reporting office confidentially.

Ratisbona Compliance GmbH

Trothengasse 5

93047 Regensburg

Phone number: +49 941 20603841

E-mail: info@ratisbona-compliance.de

Homepage: www.ratisbona-compliance.de