Whistleblower portal

Reporting of suspected cases

Compliance with laws, rules and internal guidelines is our top priority. We can only protect our company, our employees and our business partners if we act in accordance with the law and with integrity. But wherever people work, mistakes can also be made. In order to meet the requirements of various laws and to be able to investigate reports of violations or misconduct fairly and appropriately, we have introduced a whistleblower system.

Suspected cases can be reported confidentially to the whistleblower system and, so long as national legal requirements permit, anonymously if desired. This includes, for example, violations of our Code of Conduct, competition law, environmental regulations, violations of human rights as well as suspicion of corruption, theft, discrimination or bullying, violations of applicable laws or other regulations.

In addition to employees, also business partners, customers and other third parties can provide specific information about rights violations. A report can be submitted in all languages. If necessary, a translation will be arranged. Particularly in the case of anonymous reports, please ensure that the information is formulated as specifically as possible and, if necessary, that documents are enclosed that support your suspicions. It is also helpful if you can be available to the reporting centre for further questions. Otherwise, the facts of the case cannot be discussed and you will not be informed of the progress of the proceedings.

Contact

In order to guarantee the greatest possible protection for whistleblowers and those affected, we have set up an independent trust centre – the atarax group of companies, with which we have been working together in a spirit of trust for many years. The following communication channels are available to ensure complete confidentiality:

Procedure

If the contact details have been provided or the whistleblower portal has been used, the whistleblower will receive a confirmation of receipt from the reporting centre immediately upon receipt of the report. The report or complaint is then carefully checked for plausibility. If there are concrete indications of a breach of rules, an internal investigation and, if necessary, further appropriate follow-up measures will be initiated (e.g. improvement of internal processes). The information is processed as part of a fair and confidential process and in compliance with data protection regulations. The principle of proportionality is also observed. The information or complaints are documented.

If the contact details of the whistleblower are known or the whistleblower portal has been used, contact is maintained with the whistleblower – in accordance with the relevant legal requirements - and, if necessary and desired, the facts of the case are discussed and information is provided on the progress of the procedure in a timely manner. Information provided will only be forwarded to those persons who must be involved in processing the report, insofar as this is absolutely necessary to determine the facts of the case. All information received will be documented, stored and eventually deleted in accordance with the statutory provisions.

Would you like to contact WIKA directly with your concern? Please send an e-mail to [email protected]. Your report will also be treated confidentially here, but please note that it cannot be made anonymously. For anonymous enquiries, please contact the atarax group of companies using the contact details above.