The Hellma Whistleblower System

Compliance with legal requirements, internal rules and the principles of conduct is a top priority at Hellma.

The fundamental principles and and standards of ethical business conduct are defined in our Code of Conduct. They form an integral part of our corporate philosophy and provide important guidance and protection for Hellma, our employees, and our business partners.

As a trusted business partner, we are committed to acting in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and compliance requirements. This also includes fulfilling our legal obligations under the German Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG).

"For us, effective compliance management means adhering to all legal and self-defined obligations. It guides our daily decisions. Trust, honesty, fairness and transparency form the key principles of our Code of Conduct and are the cornerstones of our sustainable success."

Lutz Mayer
CEO / Managing Partner
Hellma GmbH & Co.KG

The Hellma whistleblower system enables the reporting of potential violations of laws and internal regulations. Only by complying with applicable laws, regulations, and standards can we protect our company, our stakeholders, and the environment from harm. To fulfil this responsibility, it is essential that Hellma is informed promptly of any compliance-related misconduct. For this purpose, we operate an internal reporting office jointly with the Wirtschaftsverband Industrieller Unternehmen Baden e. V. (wvib) in accordance with Section 14 (2) of the German Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG). Reports can be submitted independently and confidentially through the established reporting channels. The whistleblower system is available to both our employees and our business partners.

What is a report?

Reports are communications concerning actual, potential, or attempted violations of laws or applicable internal policies. Such violations may result in reputational damage, fines, or criminal sanctions. By enabling reports to be submitted at an early stage, potential misconduct can be identified, investigated, and addressed through appropriate corrective measures.

This includes, in particular:

→ Actual violations – violations of laws or internal policies that have already occurred

→ Potential violations – situations where there are concrete indications that a violation is likely to have occurred

→ Attempted or concealed violations – actions intended to prepare, commit, or deliberately conceal a violation

What information should be reported?

Information about violations of laws, applicable regulations and the company's internal guidelines should be reported if it is associated with a high risk potential for the company, company employees, suppliers, customers and the environment.

What is the correct way of reporting?

If a presumed violation is to be reported, it must be ensured that the content of the report can also be understood by a non-specialist (e.g. ombudsperson).

Where?
Where did the incident happen?

What?
What happened?
What are the exact facts?
What is the main focus of the report?

Who?
Who is involved in the incident (e.g. persons, departments and/or business partners) and who has already been informed about it?

When?
At what time and how often did the misconduct already occur?

How do we process your report?

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within seven days of submitting your report. Your report to the Hellma whistleblower system will now be thoroughly checked. If we require further information, we will contact you. Therefore, please provide us with a contact option, even if you have submitted an anonymous report. Only if the initial fact-finding reveals a suspicion of a violation will an investigation into a legal violation be initiated. Subsequently, the results of the investigation will be evaluated, and appropriate measures will be initiated.

How is your anonymity protected?

You can also make a report without providing personal data. You can do this by suppressing your telephone number when using our internal reporting channel or by using an e-mail address that cannot be assigned to your person.

If you disclose your name to our internal reporting office as part of the report, you also have the option of informing them that you wish to remain anonymous. Your name will not be disclosed to our organization. In return, however, our internal reporting office can use your data for further direct contact, e.g. for queries or status reports.

How is false reporting handled?

If you knowingly submit false reports with the intention of harming or defaming employees or business partners, you may be held liable for damages by the affected individual or company (see Section 38 of the German Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG). In addition, such conduct may result in employment-related and criminal consequences.

Please report only potential violations that you believe to be true to the best of your knowledge and in good faith.

The following reporting channels are available

The contact data published below is considered an "internal reporting channel" and is processed by an independent body. This way, the confidentiality of your request can be maintained.

E-Mail
You can contact Hellma's whistleblower system via the following e-mail address: hinweis@wvib.de

By phone
You can, of course, contact us by phone as well under: +49 761 45 67 444

By mail
Wirtschaftsverband Industrieller Unternehmen Baden e. V.
Subject: HINWEIS
Merzhauser Straße 118
79100 Freiburg im Breisgau
Germany

For more information, please visit the wvib website here.

Please note the detailed data protection information provided by wvib before submitting a report via the joint internal reporting office. You can access and download it here.

External reporting channels
In addition to Hellma's internal reporting channels and points of contact, employees and external reporting persons may also use external reporting channels operated by public authorities. These include, among others, the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz), the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), and the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt). Further information can be found here.

For further information on the processing of personal data, please click here.

Code of Conduct | Hellma GmbH & Co. KG (EN)

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