Whistleblower System Business Practices Office

The Whistleblower System BPO receives reports of rule violations. It is an important element of good corporate governance.

Only when rules and standards are complied with we can avoid causing damage to our company, our staff and our business partners. Compliance with the law and internal regulations is a top priority for Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Misconduct must therefore be identified early. In order to investigate severe breaches in a fair and appropriate manner, we set up a whistleblower system in 2006. The Whistleblower System BPO (Business Practices Office) enables employees and external whistleblowers to report violations anywhere in the world. Different country-specific local legal requirements must be considered when using the Whistleblower System BPO. Where permitted by the local laws, anonymous reports are also possible.

Violations posing a high risk include, for example, offenses relating to corruption, breaches of antitrust law and violations of Anti-Money Laundering regulations, as well as violations of binding technical provisions or violations in connection with environmental regulations. After receipt of the report, the Business Practices Office conducts an initial risk-based assessment of the potential violation. For tip-offs with high risk for the company, an initial legal review of the incident is carried out. If the review finds that the suspicions are substantiated, the case is assigned to the appropriate investigative unit (e.g. Corporate Security, Corporate Data Protection, Corporate Audit, or Legal Division) with specific orders to conduct an investigation.

The affected employee is given an opportunity – as soon as possible – to respond to the allegations. Until the violation is proven, the employee will be considered innocent. Incriminating and exonerating evidence is considered equally during the investigation. The BPO accompanies the processing of tip-offs until the case has been closed. While doing so, the BPO ensures complete confidentiality. Moreover, our whistleblower system places great importance on fairness – in dealing with both whistleblowers and employees affected by an allegation. The BPO always applies the principle of proportionality. We examine each case individually to determine what consequences are suitable, necessary and appropriate.