Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 171

E | Corporate Governance | Report of the Audit Committee | Integrity and Compliance
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The Integrity Code also forms the basis for the range of
training courses we offer on integrity and compliance. In 2013,
we revised our training approach in order to intermesh the
two areas more closely with each other. Depending on the risk
and target group, we use classroom trainings and web-based
training. In this way, we intend to anchor ethical and compliant
behavior at the Group over the long term.
In 2013, we developed a new course of web-based training that
clearly communicates our principles of behavior and our shared
understanding of values. The training course includes chapters on
the prevention of corruption, on our BPO whistleblower system
and – in addition for managers – a module on antitrust law. The
course is obligatory and is addressed at approximately 112,000
employees with e-mail access worldwide.
From 2011 until 2013, we increased the awareness of our
employees worldwide to integrity and compliance with our
“fairplay” campaign – with posters and leaflets in 19 languages
and in more than 40 countries.
Managers as a role model. Our Integrity Code defines the
expectations that Daimler has of its managers. Due to their
role of setting an example, they have a special responsibility
for the culture of integrity at Daimler. For this reason, we
placed a focus on offers for this target group in 2013. That
includes modules for integrity and compliance in all seminars
for promoted managers. Our Top Management Meeting in 2013
also focused on the topic of leadership responsibility. In
addition, integrity and compliance are important criteria in
the annual target agreements and in assessing the target
achievement of our managers.
External perspective through the Advisory Board. The
“Advisory Board for Integrity and Corporate Responsibility” that
we established in September 2012 with external experts
from various fields accompanies the integrity process at Daimler
with a constructively critical approach. The Board met three
times in 2013 to exchange information and opinions on current
topics with representatives of the Company.
Integrity and Compliance.
A culture of integrity
Integrity is one of our four corporate values, which form the
foundations for our business activities. We are convinced that
doing business ethically brings us sustained success, and is
also good for society as a whole. As a group of companies with
global operations, we accept responsibility and want to be a
pioneer in terms of ethical business conduct. For these reasons,
Daimler has a Board of Management position for Integrity and
Legal Affairs, which comprises the Legal and Compliance orga-
nization, Corporate Data Protection and the units for Integrity
Management and Corporate Responsibility Management. Our goal
is to make integrity a permanent part of our corporate culture.
The further development and permanent establishment of integ-
rity is therefore also a component of the target agreements
for Board of Management remuneration. Among other things, we
orient our business conduct towards the principles of the Global
Compact of the United Nations. Daimler is a founding member of
this initiative by Kofi Annan and is a member of the LEAD Group.
Dialog, training and communication. Daimler promotes
integrity through a variety of measures. They include the
Group-wide Integrity Dialog, which has been in progress since
2011 and was continued in 2013. The Integrity Dialog is
aimed at the entire workforce and is managed by a workgroup
made up of members from various Board of Management
areas. The regular exchange of opinions on questions of integ-
rity is to become an integral component of our everyday
working life. This objective is supported by offers specific to
various units and target groups as well as by extensive
accompanying communication – for example through a dedi-
cated Intranet section on the subject.
Our “Integrity Code,” which took effect in November 2012,
reflects the results of this dialog. The principles of behavior
and guidelines for everyday conduct set out in the Integrity Code
are therefore based on a shared understanding of values.
The Code is valid throughout the Group and is available in 22
languages. In addition, an intranet guide has been prepared
for the application of the Code in everyday situations, providing
answers to the most frequently asked questions. Furthermore,
a team of experts is available to answer questions on all aspects
of the Code.