What is Whistleblowing?
The term “whistleblowing” describes the reporting of potential misconduct in companies, organizations, and authorities by employees or external parties (whistleblowers or informants).
Whistleblowing is not an easy task. It requires courage from the whistleblower to report misconduct. It also requires the company to accept that attention has been drawn to an internal weakness.
What exactly can/should be reported?
Violations of national and/or EU law can be reported through our reporting channel in German, English, Spanish, Italian, and Slovak. These include: violations of competition law, financial irregularities, providing false or misleading information to authorities, data protection breaches, environmental damage, non-compliance with workplace safety regulations, sexual harassment.
Matters such as bullying, concerns about compensation or remuneration, or social conflicts should not be reported here. Please contact your supervisor, the Human Resources team, or the works council in such cases.
Important recommendations for maintaining your anonymity
Do not report information from the company network or from your work computer/smartphone. If you attach files to your report, please note the following: Files may contain hidden information that could compromise your anonymity.
Before sending, ensure that attached files do not contain such information (document creators, EXIF data in images, etc.). If you are unsure whether your files contain such information, copy the text of your attached document into the report text instead. Alternatively, create a screenshot of the attachments and attach that instead. Please note that attaching voice messages may potentially limit your anonymity.
Why should I submit a report?
The goal is to prevent damage to our company. Honesty, integrity, and lawful compliance behavior form the foundation for Knill Energy’s reputation. They also build trust with our employees, customers, and business partners. All our employees are experts in their profession and good observers. Therefore, your reports are very welcome.
Tips for submitting a good report
For a report to be processed quickly and appropriately, it is important that it be as specific as possible. It is helpful if it contains the following information:
- Which persons are affected?
- What happened?
- How often did the incident repeat?
- Where did the incident occur?
What happens after submitting a report?
The person who submitted a complaint through the whistleblowing portal will receive confirmation of receipt within 7 days. All reported information is immediately investigated. Appropriate follow-up measures are taken to remedy the misconduct if justified by the investigation. Depending on the case, an investigation team will be assembled.
The whistleblower receives information about further steps in processing the case within 3 months. This includes follow-up measures taken.
What principles does the Knill Energy Group follow regarding “Whistleblowing”?
Confidentiality
Alleged violations can be reported confidentially by the whistleblower. The whistleblower can report the incident by revealing their identity or anonymously. The whistleblower’s reports about alleged violations are transmitted directly to the Whistleblowing Team. They are only made accessible to other persons to the extent necessary to conduct an appropriate investigation.
Acting in Good Faith
Anyone reporting an alleged violation through our whistleblowing portal must act in good faith. They must have reasonable grounds to believe that the information indicates a violation. Early warnings are also welcome to prevent violations.
However, all allegations that prove to be malicious or knowingly false are considered serious misconduct. This has employment law consequences.
No Retaliation or Other Sanctions Against Whistleblowers
It contradicts the values of the Knill Energy Group if someone is punished for reporting an alleged legal violation in good faith. There must be no retaliation or other sanctions within the company against whistleblowers who have acted in good faith. If an employee violates this principle, it has employment law consequences up to and including termination of employment.
