A question of transparency and fairness

As a family business, we place particular emphasis on transparency and fairness – both internally and externally. We bear the responsibility for ensuring that the actions of our employees in their day-to-day business are lawful.

Our goal is to create a compliance culture in which every employee is aware of their personal responsibility in their daily actions and contributes sustainably to the company's success through their behavior. If you have any questions about our compliance management system or information about violations of our Code of Conduct, please contact us.

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Code of conduct

Our business partners and employees make a significant contribution to our success. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to establish a shared understanding of ethical and sustainable conduct as a foundation. For us, this code of conduct is an essential component of the collaboration between Heidenbluth, our employees, and our business partners. A violation of this code of conduct constitutes a breach of the business relationship between Heidenbluth and the respective business partner or employee.

Legality 

We consider strict legality in all measures, actions, contracts, and other agreements to be an absolute principle. This includes the payment of taxes and duties owed, compliance with competition and antitrust law, the strict prohibition of corruption and money laundering, adherence to the state of the art, obtaining necessary official permits, compliance with export control law, and respect for the legal rights of third parties. 

Environmental protection

Hazards to people and the environment must be avoided, environmental impacts minimized, and resources used sparingly. The processes, facilities, and equipment of our business partners comply with applicable legal requirements and standards for fire and environmental protection. 

Business relationships 

We are committed to fair competition as a prerequisite for a social market economy and adhere to all laws protecting competition. Our employees are obligated to comply with the rules of fair competition. We expressly reject any unfair or illegal practices. The quality of our products and our service are key to our success. We do not tolerate corruption. Every relationship with business partners must be structured in such a way as to avoid even the appearance of corruption. We therefore refrain from offering or granting any form of advantage that could be interpreted as an attempt at undue influence. 

Our business partners ensure that Heidenbluth's confidential information is kept secret and that intellectual property is protected. This also applies after the termination of the business relationship. Furthermore, our business partners comply with all applicable data protection laws and use third-party software (including open-source software and firmware) only within the scope of the granted rights and in compliance with the corresponding license terms.

Our employees are bound by the principle of treating company property with care. We treat equipment and facilities sparingly, carefully, and according to their intended purpose. Company property must not be used for private purposes in an unauthorized manner. 

To protect privacy, special legal regulations govern the handling of personal data. Therefore, we only collect, store, or process personal data when this is necessary for specified, explicit, and legally permissible purposes. 

Questions and Answers "Compliance"

What does compliance mean?

Compliance means adhering to legal and company-internal rules; that is, all business activities of Heidenbluth GmbH and its employees must comply with legal regulations, the Code of Business Conduct, and all relevant guidelines and central directives (the "compliance requirement"). Compliance concerns all employees, as everyone is directly or indirectly affected by violations: Firstly, violations of the law – depending on the nature and severity of the violation – can lead to personal criminal liability. Secondly, violations of the compliance requirement also cause material damage to the company and harm the reputation of Heidenbluth GmbH. This diminishes the company's economic performance and success. Compliance also extends to Heidenbluth's cooperation with third parties: Heidenbluth does not want to be implicated in violations of the compliance requirement by third parties.

What should be done if compliance violations occur?

All employees are urged to report any potential violations of compliance regulations, thereby helping to limit the consequences of such violations and prevent similar misconduct in the future. The same applies to business partners and everyone else.

Who can report violations of the compliance requirement?
  • Every employee, including interns and students
  • External employees, employees of external service providers
  • Every business partner, e.g. suppliers, customers or cooperation partners
  • One in three
Which violations should be reported?

It is important to report incidents that indicate a criminal act – such as theft, fraud or bribery – or a systematic violation of laws or internal company rules, such as the deliberate and persistent non-compliance with quality/safety standards or the Code of Business Conduct.

Suspicion, but no evidence – is that enough to file a report?

Yes. Conducting investigations, gathering legally admissible evidence, and initiating any necessary measures are then the responsibility of the compliance officers. They receive support from specialists in the relevant departments who have the necessary training and authority.

Are there any repercussions for the whistleblower?

Whistleblowers who report potential compliance issues to the best of their knowledge and in good faith have nothing to fear from the company in terms of adverse measures as a result of the report.