„SpeakUp“ – trust and security

Köster & Co. GmbH has always stood for reliability and responsible conduct. If the company is associated with irregular behavior—whether intentional or unintentional—this can lead to long-term damage to its reputation and considerable economic loss. It is therefore important that we are informed of any potential compliance violations so that we can take early action to counteract them.

All employees, business partners and other third parties are welcome to report concerns. If you suspect that behaviour violates legal or internal regulations or our Code of Conduct – whether through active action or omission – we ask you to report it. Violations can be reported to your compliance officer or another appropriate authority (e.g. supervisor or HR manager).

Reports can also be made (anonymously) via the SpeakUp reporting system. It is possible to report a violation online in writing or by telephone. When reporting a violation, both the privacy policy for the use of SpeakUp and the SpeakUp guidelines (rules of procedure) for handling complaints and suspected compliance violations apply.

You can access our system for reporting possible violations – either by name or anonymously – as follows:

We handle reports independently, impartially, and confidentially.        

Important:

The reporting system is not intended for reporting incidents that pose an immediate threat to life or property. In such cases, please contact the known emergency numbers or the nearest police station.

Nor may it be used for false accusations – knowingly reporting false information is prohibited. We would also like to point out the possibility of reporting to external reporting offices. German law attaches particular importance to the internal reporting of compliance violations and expressly prioritizes this over external channels.

Whistleblowers make an important contribution to the integrity and protection of our corporate values, our employees, and those affected.