Compliance at Techem

Compliance and ethics at Techem

Techem is aware of its responsibility as a locally and globally active company. We attach great importance to acting with integrity and, of course, in accordance with applicable law and ethical principles. Compliance is an important multiplier and contributes significantly to the development of our corporate culture.

Such integrity-based principles are fundamental to who we are and how we work. They underpin our vision and mission and determine our business processes. They serve as a guide when decisions are made and ensure that we do the right thing every day.

By promoting and exemplifying such ethical conduct and principles throughout the organization, we build trust among our employees and strong relationships with our customers and partners. In this way, we create a climate in which everyone can grow.

Organization and reporting

The Compliance department is primarily responsible for the prevention of bribery and corruption, compliance with antitrust and competition law,
fraud prevention and the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. The Group Compliance Officer reports directly to the CEO and twice a year to the Risk and Audit Committee of the Advisory Board. The Compliance department is also audited annually by an external auditor.

Topics such as data protection, IT security, tax law, product compliance, etc. are handled by other departments and staff units as part of the corporate governance organization and are in regular contact with each other. 

Compliance and Management Systems (CMS)

Our company has established a Compliance Management System (CMS) to ensure compliance with laws, corporate values and ethical principles at all times. It was developed taking into account group dynamics on the basis of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and complies with ISO 37301, which applies to compliance management systems. Within this framework, rules of conduct and regulations are drawn up as legal documents, training courses are organized, continuous audits and checks are carried out to monitor compliance processes and violations are investigated that are identified through tips or audits. Risk analyses are carried out in line with a risk-based approach in order to systematically identify, assess and appropriately manage the relevant risks. Our system is continuously improved and updated to ensure high compliance standards. As part of the principles of transparency and accountability, we promote ethical business practices through the involvement of all employees and create a sustainable compliance culture.

Code of conduct

As one of the leading service partners for green and smart buildings, we are aware of our responsibility towards our customers, business partners and society and attach great importance to conducting our business with integrity. In addition to our day-to-day work, our Techem Code of Conduct also serves as a clear commitment and as an ambassador to convey our understanding of values from the inside to the outside. This is supplemented by more detailed guidelines, information sheets and training courses.

This Code of Conduct is binding for how we work at Techem. It helps us to make the right decisions - guided by our fundamental value attributes and ethical principles such as honesty, openness, clarity and commitment. The management of the Techem Group is clearly committed to the corporate ethics and social responsibility of our company, which is also reflected in our Business Ethics Program. This contains various measures, to firmly anchor ethical behavior in the corporate culture and to make it an integral part of the business processes.

Code of conduct for suppliers 

As part of our obligations under the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), we take environmental and social criteria into account when selecting our suppliers and require compliance with the Code of Conduct for Suppliers. The Supplier Code of Conduct we use comes from the German Association of Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics (BME) and is based, among other things, on the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the principles of the United Nations Global Compact. If a new supplier or service provider does not comply with the Code of Conduct for Suppliers or similar requirements, Techem will avoid cooperation. Detailed explanations can be found on the Procurement website.

Declaration of principle

Respect for human rights and the environment is an essential part of our corporate culture, both within our company and along our supply and value chain. Techem is committed to respecting internationally recognized human rights and preventing human rights violations. In line with this idea, Techem introduced a  Policy Statement on respect for human rights and the environment in the 2023 financial year, which, together with the Techem Code of Conduct, the General Terms and Conditions of Purchase and the Code of Conduct for Suppliers, forms our basis for respecting human rights and environmental due diligence obligations. The management is responsible for the implementation of and compliance with the declaration on respect for human rights.

Communication and training

There is continuous communication of the corporate values and the Code of Conduct to the employees. All new employees receive the Techem Code of Conduct as an annex to their employment contract and are taught the most important points regarding compliance within the Techem Group as part of an onboarding event.

We have set ourselves the goal of training all relevant employees worldwide on the applicable compliance requirements every year. Group-wide and standardized basic compliance training is conducted regularly, in which employees are trained on topics such as corruption and fraud prevention, compliance with antitrust and competition law, fraud prevention and the avoidance of money laundering and terrorist financing.

You can find detailed information on our training quota and other exciting insights in our sustainability report.

Reporting channels

At Techem, we attach great importance to acting and behaving with integrity, naturally in compliance with the applicable laws. Employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders can use a variety of channels to report compliance violations securely, in multiple languages and, if necessary, anonymously.

If you have any indications of illegal or inappropriate behavior at Techem, please contact us using the following contact options:

Customers, suppliers and other stakeholders can use our TellTechem reporting channel to submit information on compliance-relevant issues securely and, if required, anonymously.

You can also contact the Techem Group's Compliance department directly if you have any compliance-relevant concerns, information or violations.

• By letter to:
  Techem GmbH
  z. Attn: Group Compliance Officer
  Main Street 89
  65760 Eschborn
  Germany
  
  
• Contact the Group Compliance Officer by telephone (+49 6196 5220) via the reception desk
  
  
• In person by prior appointment at our head office in Eschborn

We take every report seriously, investigate it with due diligence and take appropriate measures or consequences if necessary. We assure you that acting with integrity will at no time lead to discrimination by the Techem Group. Further details on the complaints procedure and how we deal with your report can be found in our rules of procedure for the complaints procedure .

Please note that these channels serve to clarify illegal or inappropriate behavior at Techem and do not process customer inquiries or general customer complaints. For general concerns without compliance reference (illegal or inappropriate behavior), please contact our Techem Service Center to get in touch with our customer advisors and clarify your concerns.