Operation and management of the internal reporting office / reporting procedure in accordance with sections 16 and 17 HinSchG
As part of its compliance organisation and the increasing legal requirements for compliance, the STI Group has implemented a whistleblowing procedure that enables individuals, companies and other organisations to report violations of applicable law, internal STI Group policies (e.g. Code of Conduct or Supplier Code of Conduct) or concerns about potential or actual violations of these rules / laws. Reports may be made by STI Group employees, other persons or third parties in accordance with the laws and regulations of the country in which they live or work. The STI Group's reporting procedure under the Whistleblower Protection Act ("HinSchG") may be invoked if there is a suspicion of a breach of the Code of Ethics / Code of Conduct and/or the STI Group's rules and guidelines. In particular, the following reporting categories are possible (however, this is not an exhaustive list, only examples):
- Accounting, Banking & Cash
- Anti-competitive practices
- Conflicts of interest
- Discrimination & sexual harassment
- Employee relations
- Human Rights
- Environment, health & safety
- (IT) fraud, cybercrime, corruption & bribery, theft, embezzlement, misuse of company assets or other (economic) offences
- Insider trading
- Supplier and customer relationships
- Safety at the workplace
If you have information about possible violations of the law that affect a company or a company of the STI Group, you have various options for informing us. You can find more detailed information on this in the right-hand column of our Code of Conduct for Employees / Supplier Code of Conduct (for suppliers/business partners), whose regulations also apply.
The reporting procedure explained simply and clearly: STI Group's resulting obligation for whistleblowers when using the reporting procedure or disclosing information ("whistleblowing") in good faith:
- Maintain confidentiality
- no harassment
- no discrimination
- No reprisals, e.g. change of status
Procedure of the investigation process:
Confirmation of the report (if you leave us contact details) will be made within seven (7) days of receipt and the company will provide feedback to the reporter within a reasonable period of time - no later than three (3) months after receipt of the report (this also requires your contact details).

STI Group's reporting/complaints procedure guarantees confidentiality and measures are taken to respect and ensure the confidentiality of the reporting person or whistleblower. STI Group undertakes to ensure that no whistleblower or third party is subject to reprisals such as a change of status, threats, harassment or other forms of discrimination or retaliation as a result of using the reporting/complaints procedure or passing on information in good faith.