External reporting offices
The German Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) grants persons who intend to blow the whistle the option to make their report either to an internal corporate reporting body or an external one maintained by the German federal or state governments.
However, this law also stipulates that reports should be made to an internal body wherever possible, provided that this body can take effective action to remedy the violation and whistleblowers need not fear retaliation (Sec. 7 (1) HinSchG).
We follow up on all relevant reports received via our internal reporting body and expressly pledge to protect all whistleblowers against retaliation.
The German federal government currently maintains external reporting bodies at the
· Federal Office of Justice (BfJ),
· Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), and
· Bundeskartellamt.
For full information on the jurisdiction and responsibilities of these external reporting bodies and how to reach them, please visit the website of the Federal Office of Justice (page in German):