The BMW AG on behalf of the BMW Group has mandated attorney Dr. von Coelln to perform the duties of an external ombudsperson and to receive complaints in accordance with sections 8, 9 of the Act on Corporate Due Diligence Obligations in Supply Chains.

The BMW Group employees as well as third parties may contact this neutral body (which is particularly protected by the legally imposed duty of confidentiality) either openly or anonymously, if they observe a potential violation of laws or of contractually agreed compliance regulations, including in particular human rights or environmental risks or violations. The reporter will receive a confirmation of receipt of his/her notification within one week.

The reporter does not incur any costs by contacting the ombudsperson – the correspondence is free of charge, from the initial contact to the completion of the review of the notification. The ombudsperson checks the information for plausibility and, if there is sufficient suspicion of a violation, forwards it to the responsible Compliance Officer of the BMW Group. If requested, the anonymity of the reporter will be preserved towards the BMW Group; the reporter’s identity will not be investigated by the BMW Group. At the request of the reporter, all communication will take place exclusively via the ombudsperson.

Furthermore, the BMW Group is not entitled to the disclosure/surrender of documents that the ombudsperson has been provided with by the reporter or that have been produced by the ombudsperson in connection with the processing of the notification. The Compliance Officer shall investigate the matter – if necessary with the support of the ombudsperson – and inform the ombudsperson about the progress and outcome of the investigation. The reporter will also be informed of the status of the investigation within 3 months of confirmation of receipt of the notification, insofar as this is legally permissible.

The ombudsperson shall be available to the reporter for the receipt of further information and, if necessary, shall address additional questions to him/her arising from the internal investigations. In doing so, the ombudsperson shall also take into account the interests of the employees concerned and the provisions of data protection law.

By contacting the ombudsperson, the reporter agrees to the data protection conditions shown here.

In agreement with the Compliance Officer, the ombudsperson may involve investigating authorities to investigate a suspicion or to ensure that it is dealt with appropriately. Only in the few cases that are mandatory by law (cf. in particular Section 138 of the Criminal Code) is this done without the knowledge or consent of the reporter.

If the reporter has acted lawfully, the BMW Group will not take any action against him/her or disadvantage him/her because of his/her notification. Retaliation against the reporter acting in good faith will not be tolerated by the BMW Group.

You can reach Dr. von Coelln in her role as ombudsperson of the BMW Group as follows:

fon: +49 211 44 03 57 72
fax: +49 211 44 03 57 77
email: BMW-Ombudsperson@hvc-strafrecht.de

For further information please visit the website of the BMW-Group: https://www.bmwgroup.com/de/unternehmen/compliance.html#ace-862950327