Compliance

As a family business, the Otto Group attaches the utmost importance to honesty. So, it goes without saying that we strictly maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of corruption—at all levels of the Group. Our rigorous anti-corruption commitments are consistent with the Code of Conduct released by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

The virtues upheld by traditional Hanseatic merchants have always been of vital importance to the Otto Group. So, it is hardly surprising that we are strict proponents of open and honest competition. In other words: We want nothing to do with restrictive arrangements. We trust that performance, quality, and innovation will prevail—and the market confirms our convictions.

The Otto Group is synonymous with value-driven business: For us, ethical actions and a through perception of sustainability do not contradict our growth strategy, but rather are necessary foundations. This sense of responsibility is reflected in everything we do: From the requirements we place in the supply chain and our strict commitment to business practices that adhere to the principles of universal human rights throughout the world, to the efforts we make to protect our environment and climate. Numerous commitments and alliance memberships demonstrate how specific and resilient this self-perception actually is.

At the Otto Group, data privacy is far more than a legal obligation as set out in the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We perceive the legal requirements as minimum standards that we adhere to as a matter of course and exceed voluntarily in many areas—as described in our many compulsory guidelines. Data privacy is an ethical obligation for us. Secure and conscientious data management is an element of what we define as digital responsibility. Our growth is built on trust.

The security of IT systems is of unprecedented importance in an age of rising cybercrime. Trust and commercial success depend on the security of digital data and on assurances that they will not fall into the wrong hands. This is why the Otto Group has installed an end-to-end security infrastructure for all employees and external partners. The system is upgraded continuously to accommodate fresh challenges—there is no place for compromise in matters of security.

The SpeakUp incident reporting system is a central instrument for reporting suspicious cases in the Otto Group and ensures prevention and clarification both within and outside the group. As a responsible, reliable company we want to comply with the regulations at all times, both externally and internally. Disregarding legal requirements and internal company rules would not only jeopardize our good reputation, but also give rise to financial damage. For that reason every person associated with the Otto Group, whether employees, business partners, suppliers or customers, have a duty and responsibility to report possible compliance violations. Only with everyone’s help can we identify breaches of compliance at an early stage and counteract them. This is what the digital incident reporting portal SpeakUp is there for. The portal is a secure, protected reporting channel for all employees and stakeholders. It can be used anonymously and thus guarantees maximum protection for whistleblowers and sensitive data. Any information entered into it is checked by established experts through a multi-step process.

Furthermore, in the event of a suspicion, anyone may contact Attorney Dr. Rainer Buchert, Ombudsman of the Otto Group. He is subject to a legally recognized duty of confidentiality and is not permitted to disclose any information to third parties without consent. Contact: Attorney Dr. Rainer Buchert, tel: +49 69 71033330 or 06105-921355, email: dr-buchert@dr-buchert.de