GRI 102-17 Ethical advice and concerns

Geberit has established an effective compliance system to ensure that its conduct is both ethical and legally compliant (GRI 102‑16). It is of utmost importance to Geberit that the Geberit Code of Conduct is adhered to by the employees. It forms the basis for daily work in a constantly changing international environment. It is expected that all employees are familiar with and understand this Code of Conduct and act accordingly without exception. A comprehensive review on compliance with the Code of Conduct takes place as part of the annual reporting. All companies receive over 60 questions on the above-mentioned key topics. In addition, on-site audits are performed by the Internal Audit Department. These also comprise special interviews with the managing directors of the individual companies on the topics mentioned in the Code of Conduct. The findings from the survey and audits form the basis for the annual Compliance Report submitted to the Board of Directors and Group Executive Board and are published in accordance with the guidelines of the GRI in this report. Non-compliance with the Code of Conduct will be systematically sanctioned.

Employees who openly address actions and circumstances which represent breaches of applicable law, ethical standards or the Code of Conduct are acting correctly and in accordance with the Geberit Code of Conduct. As a general rule, employees should first seek a personal meeting with their supervisor. Alternatively or additionally, all employees can also report incidents via the Geberit Integrity Line. This whistleblower hotline makes it possible for employees to report compliance-relevant misconduct and/or legal violations anonymously, and is available around the clock seven days a week, in all relevant languages. The Integrity Line is operated by an external company with experience in this area. Two cases related to management behaviour were recorded by the Integrity Line for employees in the reporting year. Both cases are being investigated.

Geberit expects the business activity of its partners along the value chain to be correct in every respect. Geberit has defined the mandatory central requirements for its suppliers and business partners in a Code of Conduct for Suppliers and a Code of Conduct for Business Partners. Among other aspects, these documents focus on the areas of human rights (including child and forced labour), occupational health and safety, pay, environmental protection as well as integrity (including bribery and corruption). Since 2017, an Integrity Line has also been available to suppliers for anonymously reporting irregularities in the procurement process or non-compliance with the Code of Conduct for Suppliers. There were no reports from suppliers in the reporting year.