Compliance:
Legal integrity and
Responsibility
Pillars of our corporate culture
Compliance as a cornerstone of trust
We define compliance as compliance with applicable laws, standards, internal company guidelines and codes of conduct. Compliance is therefore the legal, social and ethical framework for entrepreneurial,
value-oriented action.
This is an integral part of our corporate culture and forms the basis for trust,
that we show to business partners and the public.
Sustainability and responsibility
“Sustainable, responsible and value-oriented action is the cornerstone of our family business.”
Oliver Hofmann
“The management asks itself, to each and every employee every business partner has high expectations.”
Global action and compliance
Our measures for responsibility and legal compliance
As a widely operating company, our business activities have a global impact on people and the environment. The internationalization of economic activity and the multitude and complexity of legal regulations increase the risk of legal violations. To avoid this, we have created an effective compliance management, complaint management and whistleblower system as well as internal company guidelines.
Transparency and reporting of misconduct
Our channels for violations and complaints
The following channels are available to all employees, business partners and other stakeholders from around the world to report possible violations of human rights and environmental regulations, laws and other serious misconduct, anonymously if requested. The complaints are handled confidentially, impartially and carefully by the specially created organization in accordance with the established rules of procedure.
How our complaints procedure works
How we handle your report, who deals with it, which deadlines apply and how we protect you from disadvantages is set out in our binding rules of procedure, freely available here:
→ Rules of Procedure – Complaints (PDF, English)
→ Verfahrensordnung Beschwerdeverfahren (PDF, German)
How to reach us
You may contact us – anonymously if you prefer:
- E-mail: beschwerde@r-hofmann.de
- Telephone: +499571/949143
- Post: Robert Hofmann GmbH, An der Zeil 6, 96215 Lichtenfels, Germany – marked “Complaint”
We confirm receipt of your report within seven days and inform you of the measures taken or planned no later than three months after that confirmation.
Reporting legal violations (whistleblower protection)
If you wish to report a legal violation – for example a criminal offence or a breach of rules protecting life, health or workers’ rights – you may use our whistleblowing system. It is open to our own staff as well as to employees of our suppliers and business partners, applicants, former staff and anyone supporting a report.
Your report is handled confidentially by an independent unit within our Legal/Compliance department that is not bound by instructions. We confirm receipt within seven days and inform you of the measures taken or planned no later than three months after that confirmation.
No one who reports in good faith, or who supports a person making a report, may be disadvantaged as a result. This covers not only dismissal or formal warnings but any unjustified detriment, such as transfer, withdrawal of duties or refusal of promotion.
You are free to choose between reporting to us and reporting to an external authority. The general external reporting office in Germany is the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz); further specialised offices exist, including at the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and the Federal Cartel Office.
How to reach our internal reporting office:
- E-mail: hinweis@r-hofmann.de
- Telephone: +499571/9490
- Post: Robert Hofmann GmbH, An der Zeil 6, 96215 Lichtenfels, Germany – marked “Report”
- In person: on request, within a reasonable period
If you wish to remain anonymous, please send your report by post without a sender address, or from an e-mail address that does not allow any conclusion about your identity. Please note that we can only reply to an anonymous report if you provide us with a way to contact you.
If your concern relates to human rights or environmental risks in our company or our supply chain, you may equally use our complaints procedure. You do not have to decide – we will forward your concern to the responsible unit internally without disclosing your identity.