SWARCO Whistleblower Portal

We are there for you!

If you are aware of any known or suspected legal violations or violations of SWARCO regulations by organisation/individuals, or if you discover such violations in our supply chain, we kindly ask you to inform us.

We will give you feedback as soon as possible and ensure the confidentiality of all parties involved.

Through your support you help us to do the right thing!

Compliance Violations
Whistleblower Hotline


Contact us:
E. compliance@swarco.com
T. +43 5224 5877 62

Reporting can also be done anonymously.

Whistleblowing Principles

Scope of application:

The scope of application covers at least all legal and other compliance violations (and corresponding suspected cases) in the course of professional activity.

Accordingly, the following circumstances in particular may be reported:

  • Corruption / bribery;
  • Fraud, embezzlement;
  • Cases of theft, damage, misappropriation or misuse of company assets;
  • Violations of laws on the protection of intellectual property, in particular patent and trademark laws;
  • Violations of antitrust and competition laws, in particular procurement rules;
  • Violations of labour legislation, regulations on safety at work and on occupational health and safety;
  • Conflicts of interest;
  • Violations of proper bookkeeping, accounting and financial reporting;
  • Violations of fiscal and social insurance law regulations;
  • Violations of data protection regulations;
  • Breaches of trade and business secrets and other confidential information;
  • Cases of verbal and non-verbal, physical or sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination or violence at the workplace;

Human rights and environment-related risks as well as breaches of human rights or environmental obligations that have arisen as a result of the economic actions of a company of the SWARCO Group or of a direct or indirect supplier.

In addition, significant violations of the code of conduct or other internal SWARCO policies may also be reported. Even in these cases, beyond the scope of application of the applicable whistleblower protection laws, SWARCO AG assures whistleblowers of the safeguarding of their confidentiality and protection against reprisals.

By contrast, the whistleblower system is not intended for product defects nor as a “personal suggestion box”, i.e. as a reporting channel for legally irrelevant problems, for example for

  • events in the private sphere without relevance to the company,
  • mere dissatisfaction with colleagues or superiors,
  • mere dissatisfaction with work processes or work instructions, or
  • mere dissatisfaction with the quality or equipment of (social) company facilities.

For these kinds of matters with relevance to the company, in general the respective superior, the HR department or the works council are the correct points of contact, while for product defects it is the contractual contact partner.

For this reason, only share information that is true to the best of your knowledge. There will be significant consequences for the knowing submission of false or misleading information. The knowing dissemination of false information is a criminal offence in many countries. Reports made in good faith and to your best knowledge will not result in any negative action by the company.

Information:

All information must be checked for validity, unless a piece of information contains no evidence of validity. Information must be sufficiently detailed and specified as well as comprehensible and traceable in order to enable the initiation of investigative measures.

Information recipients:

All reports (both internal and external) are received by SWARCO AG’s Group Compliance department. This ensures that the information is processed promptly on the basis of its substantial content.
Group Compliance is sufficiently independent in terms of organisation and function. The department employees entrusted with the processing of information guarantee impartial actions, are not bound by instructions and are obliged to maintain confidentiality. Group Compliance has sufficient personnel and material resources to guarantee a qualified, swift and independent review and – if necessary – to initiate internal investigations.

Form of reporting:

Information may be provided in writing or verbally (or in both forms).

  • Verbally: either by phone or via another means of verbal communication. For the phone number, the extension of the Head of Group Compliance is available: +43 5224 5877 62.
  • In writing: electronically by email to compliance@swarco.com. Only Group Compliance employees have access to the post box, thus guaranteeing confidentiality.

In addition to the Group language of English, written reports may also be made in the language of the respective country. The report is translated via the use of digital translation tools and, if necessary, an interpreter is consulted.

At the request of the whistleblower, a personal meeting or conversation via video conference with Group Compliance is facilitated within an appropriate period.

Besides this, there is also the possibility to submit the report to the relevant competent authority acting as an external reporting office. An overview of the relevant competent authorities acting as external reporting offices can be found in the attachment to the published group policy.

Unlike the reporting channel via the SWARCO AG reporting point, external reporting channels may only be used if the information to be reported concerns a violation that falls within the scope of application of the applicable whistleblower protection law of the country concerned.

Confidentiality and anonymity:

The SWARCO AG whistleblower system ensures the confidentiality of information. The system enables the anonymous submission of information.

Protection of whistleblowers:

In addition to ensuring the confidentiality of their identity – whistleblowers are protected as follows:

  • Protection against reprisals
  • No responsibility for procurement, access and disclosure of the information

Protection against reprisals does not apply if whistleblowers submit incorrect reports with intention or gross negligence; in such a case, where appropriate, labour law and potentially also criminal sanctions may be taken and claims for damages asserted against whistleblowers.