Whistleblower Protection Act

 

We are committed to conducting an impartial and effective investigation into all reported incidents. We examine every report with the same level of care and in compliance with legal requirements. All reports are reviewed by selected members of our Compliance Team, ensuring impartiality and objectivity at all times. All data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.

 

1. Receipt of the report

We will confirm receipt of your report within ten days after it has been received through one of the reporting channels mentioned above.
 

2. Assessment of the reported matter

Independent members of our Compliance Team will review your report and, if necessary, contact you to request additional information.
 

3. Investigation

The Compliance Team will conduct a thorough investigation of the reported incident. Where necessary, we will contact you to discuss the matter further. In some cases, it may be required to involve other experts from the Bauer Group (e.g. from HR, Purchasing, Sustainability, or Data Protection) – always while strictly maintaining confidentiality, protecting the identity of the reporting person, and complying with data protection rules.
 

4. Follow-up measures

The Bauer Unternehmensgruppe GmbH & Co. KG and its affiliated companies are committed to taking appropriate and effective follow-up measures to stop any confirmed misconduct. Where possible and necessary, the Compliance Team will contact you and/or the affected parties to discuss the follow-up actions and proposed solutions. The specific measures depend on the nature and severity of the misconduct.
 

5. Communication with the reporting person during the investigation

Wherever possible and necessary, the Bauer Group will remain in contact with you directly or via a secure email mailbox. If the report falls under the Whistleblower Protection Act, you will receive feedback on the status of the investigation no later than three months after receipt of your report.
 

6. Conclusion of the process

An investigation may be closed for various reasons, for example:

• the reported misconduct could not be substantiated,
• the misconduct has already been resolved,
• the misconduct has been remedied through the measures taken.

If a report is objectively substantiated, appropriate measures will be initiated consistently – including labor law, civil law, or even criminal law measures against the perpetrator. We will also examine whether internal controls or processes need to be improved to prevent similar violations in the future.

We strive to provide final feedback to the reporting person in all cases. For reports falling under the Whistleblower Protection Act, feedback will be provided within three months of receipt in accordance with legal requirements.

Please note that in cases involving personal misconduct, the information we can provide is limited by the personality rights of the individuals concerned and data protection regulations.

We strongly encourage you to report any concerns through one of our communication channels and reaffirm our commitment to fostering a strong compliance culture within the Bauer Group and its affiliated companies.