Corporate Governance

Responsible Corporate Governance

Trust and integrity are key concepts in modern corporate governance today. The corporate culture of Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern and its group companies is based on the values of reliability, responsibility and trust. We base our own actions on high social and ethical standards and regard these as the essential foundation for the success of the entire group.

Corporate governance – the principles of corporate management – means, for us, compliance with all legal requirements and all internal company regulations. To this end, we have established a compliance management system, through which we aim to regularly review and improve our own standards.

Policy Statement

Our values

Our employees share our values – with a Code of Conduct serving as our overarching compliance guideline, they have committed themselves to acting lawfully, ethically and responsibly in their day-to-day work. By treating one another, as well as our customers, business partners, investors and the public, with integrity and a sense of responsibility, our employees actively help to uphold our values and set an example both internally and externally.

Suppliers

Information for suppliers and business partners

As the SWK Group, we are fully committed to acting lawfully in all contractual relationships and negotiations with our business partners.

We are committed to sustainable and responsible procurement and expect the same from our suppliers and service providers.

Complaints procedure under the LkSG

Since 1 January 2024, the SWK Group has been subject to the legal requirements of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG). Our complaints procedure under the LkSG is available without restriction to whistleblowers both within and outside the SWK Group for reporting breaches or emerging risks relating to human rights violations or environmental due diligence obligations.

Reports may be submitted by employees and third parties to one of the designated bodies either confidentially or, if desired, completely anonymously. We have set out the procedure for this in our Rules of Procedure for the Complaints Procedure.

Whistleblowing scheme

Internal reporting channel in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act

We have set up a whistleblowing system which is available to our employees and third parties alike for reporting breaches of the law or regulations.

These breaches include, amongst others, the following offences:

• Fraud (Section 263 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Breach of trust (Section 266 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Bribery and accepting bribes in business dealings (Section 299 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Acceptance of an advantage (Section 331 of the German Criminal Code) and granting of an advantage (Section 333 of the German Criminal Code)
• Bribery (Section 334 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Theft (Section 242 of the German Criminal Code)
• Embezzlement (Section 264 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Money laundering (Section 261 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Anti-competitive agreements in connection with tenders (Section 298 of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Breaches of antitrust law or other competition law (GWG, UWG)
• Environmental offences (Sections 324 et seq. of the German Criminal Code (StGB))
• Breach of trade secrets (Section 23 of the Trade Secrets Act (GeschGehG))
• Tax offences (e.g. Section 370 of the German Fiscal Code (AO))
• Insult, (sexual) harassment or discrimination

Reports may be submitted confidentially or, if desired, completely anonymously to one of the designated bodies.