Code of Conduct for Business Practices and Ethics

Mission Statement

The following principles are the cornerstones of our company philosophy and the basis of our success. They determine our actions:

• We all use our skills and creativity to continuously improve our value creation processes with the aim of producing high-quality products and services.
• Our employees are a central factor for the quality of our services.
• Quality is the result of our willingness to take responsibility for each step in our development, production and service provisioning processes. We reward performance and sanction inappropriate behavior without fail.
• For us, customer orientation means knowing exactly what our customers’ current and future requirements are and meeting them flexibly and competently.
• The primary task of our business is to build long-term, sustainable relationships with our customers, partners and suppliers on a partnership basis. We communicate openly and honestly and uphold our commitments.
• Independent of the needs of our customers, we affirm that relevant legal and official requirements are observed and fulfilled
• The safety and health of our employees make an important contribution to the success of the company. We therefore work together to create working conditions in which employees can work safely, healthily and successfully.
• The management is responsible for the quality of our products and services; occupational safety and health protection of employees is also part of their management duties.
• Information and its processing play a key role in the fulfilment of our tasks. Therefore, the protection of this information, especially personal data, against unauthorized access, unauthorized modification or distribution as well as intolerable unavailability is of particular importance.
• The protection of the environment is important to us. As a company specializing in software solutions for resource management and environmental and health protection, we pay attention to sustainability and energy efficiency in all our business processes.

We want to contribute to generating sustainably high earnings, increase the attractiveness of our offering for our customers, increase the satisfaction of all employees and the value of our shareholders’ invested capital, and increase the appreciation in society.

Our quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001 affirms that the quality of our products and services is maintained and continuously developed in all areas of the company.

Acting according to law and ethics

We respect the law and expect the same from our business partners. The national and/or international legal framework conditions apply to all entrepreneurial activities of the KISTERS Group. We respect the cultures and ethical values of the countries in which the KISTERS Group operates.

Corporate Governance²

The KISTERS Group is committed to good and responsible corporate governance (e.g. German Corporate Governance Code², Sarbanes-Oxley Act³). We expect all employees of the KISTERS Group as well as our partner companies, suppliers and subcontractors to support this and to comply with its principles within the scope of their own responsibility.

Social Standards

KISTERS provides equal opportunity to all employees and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, or marital status, or any other basis protected by law.

The minimum social standards are based on the values of the Global Compact⁴ and internationally recognized norms, guidelines and standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)⁵ and the OECD. The KISTERS Group also observes the internationally recognized minimum social standards in all its business dealings with suppliers, business partners and third parties.

The KISTERS Group is committed to observing the 10 principles of the Global Compact in its corporate policy:

Human rights

Principle 1:  Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Principle 2:  make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuse.

Labor standards

Principle 3:  Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining, as well as
Principle 4:  the elimination of all forms of forced labor;
Principle 5:  the effective abolition of child labor; and
Principle 6:  the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

Environment Protection

Principle 7:  Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental problems,
Principle 8:  take initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility,
Principle 9:  encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

Anti-corruption

Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

In addition, KISTERS has committed itself to the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015. The declaration sets out our commitment to prevent modern slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labor and trafficking in human beings in our companies and supply chains (see also https://www.kisters.de/en/about-us/modern-slavery-statement/).

Management is responsible for ensuring appropriate salaries and at least the statutory national minimum wage in all companies in the KISTERS Group.

Within the KISTERS Group, direct dialogue, fairness, a cooperative management style and mutual respect are at the heart of our corporate culture. KISTERS is a signatory of the Charter of Diversity, an employer initiative to promote diversity in companies, and a member of the Fair Company Initiative for fair working conditions and a new ethic in the world of work.

Health and safety at work

Occupational safety and health protection are upheld by a certified occupational safety management system that meets the requirements of DIN ISO 45001. Processes on the topics of risk assessment of working conditions, emergency organization (fire protection, first aid), health care, instruction and participation of employees as well as equipment testing and defect rectification are established and are continuously monitored and improved.

Beyond the legal requirements, the health protection of employees and the promotion of preventive measures are given high priority.

KISTERS has implemented corporate health management procedures. To promote and maintain the health of staff members, the company offers a variety of activities and measures that can be used by staff on a voluntary basis. These include regular medical check-ups, work safety training courses, measures for avoiding psychosocial stress, health awareness days with medical information and advice, organizing and financing company runs, etc.

A risk assessment of mental workloads is carried out at regular intervals. Based on a survey of all employees on their individual workload, results are evaluated and improvement measures are planned.

Data protection and information security

As a manufacturer of software solutions that are used to process personal data or in the area of critical infrastructures, we not only assume responsibility for data protection and information security in our own company, but also for our customers and partners. With the help of our information security management system, which is certified according to DIN EN 27001, we affirm that the constant monitoring and further development of the necessary technical and organizational measures as well as the continuous training of our employees.

Environmental protection and sustainability

By specializing in software solutions for sustainable resource management of energy, water and air as well as for environmental protection and safety, it goes without saying that we live sustainability in our own processes, both internally and in the processes that affect our customers, partners and suppliers.

The KISTERS Group is not subject to any special statutory requirements for environmental protection; nevertheless, we are committed to the principle of sustainability and are actively involved in many measures, including energy saving, economic use of water, waste avoidance and waste separation (paper, packaging, bio-waste, electronic scrap, glass, plastics, residual waste).

Since 2016, KISTERS has implemented an energy management system that is certified according to DIN EN ISO 50001. The certification affirms that the control and reduction of energy costs and CO₂ emissions, a high awareness of energy consumption, the use of renewable energies and a continuous improvement process in terms of energy efficiency.

Application and validity

This Code of Conduct applies to all employees of the KISTERS Group: to members of the Management Board and Supervisory Board, to the managing directors of the Group companies, to employees and to persons who are functionally equivalent to employees (e.g. freelancers or consultants). When implementing the Code of Conduct, the foreign Group companies observe the respective national law. Violations of the Code of Conduct may result in sanctions under labour law and disciplinary law.

^{1 Corporate governance refers to the legal and factual framework for the management and supervision of a company. This includes the distribution of responsibilities among the company’s bodies – the general meeting, the supervisory board and the management board – with regard to the management and control of the company.}

^{2  The German Corporate Governance Code adopted by the Government Commission on Corporate Governance contains not only essential statutory regulations for the management and supervision of German listed companies (corporate governance) but also internationally and nationally recognised standards of good and responsible corporate governance in the form of suggestions and recommendations.}

^{3  As an internationally operating company, the KISTERS Group is generally subject to the regulations of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) enacted in the USA in July 2002. SOX is a law for companies and their auditors which aims to improve the accounting of companies.}

^{4  The Global Compact is a worldwide initiative of the UN to support and strengthen cooperation between the United Nations, the economy and other social groups.}

^{5   The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations. 177 member states are represented by representatives of governments, workers and employers in the bodies of the ILO. Its activities focus on the creation of international labour and social standards. The aim is to improve the living conditions of the working population.}