Our Code of Conduct is a guideline for everyone at Wolfgang Ehrhardt & Co. GmbH. It applies equally to all of us, especially management, executives, and employees. It shows our commitment to uphold the values and principles outlined here and signals responsible behavior towards our business partners, customers, and employees.
Wolfgang Ehrhardt & Co. GmbH is committed to acting economically, socially, and environmentally responsibly. We conduct our business ethically and morally and promote fair competition in all markets we operate in. This includes complying with applicable laws and accepting antitrust prohibitions or competition restrictions. We aim to avoid gaining undue advantages over customers, suppliers, or competitors.
We constantly question existing solutions and develop new ideas for the benefit of our customers. We promote constructive collaboration among our employees, whose interests and requirements are crucial for our work and development. Consistent teamwork is key to our success in various business areas.
We expect all our employees to act according to the highest professional standards at all times. If employees violate existing guidelines, regulations, or rules through their actions or behavior, they can expect disciplinary measures.
We do not cover up misconduct. If employees report actual or suspected misconduct in good faith, we do not tolerate any attempts at intimidation or retaliation against them. By “in good faith,” we mean that the employee believes their account to be true, regardless of whether a later investigation confirms their version or not.
We treat all business information from our partners and their trade secrets sensitively and confidentially. Required documents are to be properly created, stored, or, if necessary, returned or destroyed after the end of the collaboration.
We always behave fairly and honestly towards our customers and business partners. We capture their wishes, needs, and expectations to ensure targeted implementation in products, services, or other processes. Our primary goal is to build long-term and stable relationships based on trust.
We tolerate no form of corruption or bribery, regardless of whether it damages our company's assets or those of third parties. We implement control mechanisms to prevent bribery, theft, embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion, or money laundering. Our employees are prohibited from accepting or granting favors of any kind (cash, travel, gifts, etc.) that are linked to an improper advantage (contract award, project bonus, etc.). Our business partners are also urged to avoid conflicts of interest that pose a corruption risk.
We handle all personal data of our customers, business partners, and employees with the utmost care. This includes names, addresses, phone numbers, as well as date of birth or information about current health status. Our employees are obligated to take all measures necessary to secure the data to protect our IT system from both internal and external data theft. This especially concerns improperly used passwords within the company and unauthorized downloading of files, particularly inappropriate material from the Internet.
The protection of the environment and climate is very important to us. Our employees are urged to treat all natural resources used in our company (e.g., energy, water, space) with care. Responsible handling in the production and distribution of our products and/or services is expected from our employees. We comply with all laws and regulations that affect health and safety in the workplace to protect our employees. This includes measures taken by our management to create a healthy and safe working environment for our employees.
We require our executives to familiarize themselves with and strictly adhere to the laws, regulations, and rules that are relevant to their area of responsibility. Our executives bear a high level of responsibility in fulfilling the Code of Conduct. The business practices of our business partners and their suppliers must also comply with applicable laws. This particularly concerns import, export, and domestic trade in goods, technologies, or services, as well as payment and capital transactions. Violations of economic embargoes and regulations on trade, import, and export control must also be excluded by our business partners, as must the financing of terrorism.
We are committed to fair competition and adhere to laws and regulations. We refrain from colluding on prices, conditions, and strategies with competitors, suppliers, other companies, and traders that hinder fair competition. We do not participate in any anti-competitive boycott.
Any form of discrimination is fundamentally prohibited. Regardless of whether it concerns nationality, ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, disability, or religion or worldview. Promotions and new hires are always free from discrimination.