Daimler Truck

SpeakUp @ Daimler Truck
– our Whistleblowing System

Only with fairness and honesty, can we achieve long-term goals together and ensure a culture of trust and integrity in our company. Our Whistleblowing System SpeakUp (formerly known as Whistleblower System Business Practices Office, BPO) helps us to address misconduct and rule violations directly. SpeakUp is an important element of good corporate governance and an integral part of our Compliance Management System within the entire Daimler Truck group.

At Daimler Truck, our day-to-day work is as diverse and varied as our products and services. What unites us is a culture in which everyone can freely express their opinion and criticism. These principles are laid out in our Daimler Truck Code of Conduct, binding for all employees. At the same time, it defines the foundation for our expectations towards all our business partners: the Daimler Truck Business Partner Standards. In cases where the possibility of dialog reaches its limits or potential misconduct is observed, our Whistleblowing System “SpeakUp” is available for employees and third parties. As an important tool, it ensures ethical conduct, creates trust and thus strengthens our behavior principles.
Jörg Stuber
Jörg Stuber Director Compliance & Governance Systems

Complying with rules and standards is the only way we can avoid causing damage to our company, our employees and other people, protecting persons harmed by the misconduct. Compliance with the law and internal regulations has highest priority for us. When we identify misconduct or potential rule violations, we do not hesitate to address them directly. Our Whistleblowing System SpeakUp enables individuals to report misconduct and potential rule violations in a protected manner – also in anonymous form. SpeakUp is available worldwide both to our employees and to external third parties.

Please note: Complaints procedure for Daimler Truck supply chain
Potential violations of our Business Partner Standards, including in particular violations of human rights and environmental obligations by our direct and indirect suppliers, can also be reported to SpeakUp. Reports received by the Whistleblowing System SpeakUp will be forwarded to the internal unit responsible for the complaints procedure.
The complaints procedure for Daimler Truck supply chain is used to process tip-offs or complaints about potential human rights and environmental law violations in the supply chain of Daimler Truck. More information can be found here.

In principle, tip-offs received by SpeakUp are classified according to the risk posed to the company, our employees and other people, and will be investigated either at the corporate level or the local level, depending on the risks and specifics of the tip-off.

  • Examples for types of violations investigated at the corporate level
    • Corruption, antitrust and money laundering offenses
    • Theft, fraud and undue enrichment offenses of significant scope or amount (over €100,000)
    • Severe injury to physical or mental well-being
    • Severe cases of sexual harassment, discrimination and racism
    • Accounting and bookkeeping violations with a significant impact that can be detected externally
    • Severe violations in connection with engineering specifications and/or technical safety
    • Violations of human rights
    • Violations in connection with environmental regulations and/or environmental noncompliance of a product
    • Export control or sanctions violations
    • Severe violations of the integrity of the whistleblowing system – for example, severe violation of whistleblower anonymity or reporting obligations
    • Other major risks, e.g. violations causing the company to suffer significant losses (over €100,000)
    • Violations that are likely to do severe harm to the company's reputation
    • Severe violations of the Group's internal agreements to the disadvantage of employees.

After receipt of the tip-off, an initial risk-based assessment of the potential violation is conducted. For corporate level tip-offs, an initial legal review of the incident is carried out. If the review comes to the result that the allegations are validated, the case is assigned to the appropriate investigation unit (Corporate Audit or Legal Division) with specific orders to conduct the investigation. The Whistleblowing System SpeakUp ensures that all received tip-offs alleging violations are effectively investigated in a fair and independent process.
Whistleblowers are given special protection by the company and their information is treated confidentially. Discrimination and/or intimidation of a whistleblower because of his or her report will not be tolerated.

The affected employee is given the opportunity – as soon as possible – to respond to the allegations. Until the violation is proven, the employee will be considered innocent. Incriminating and exonerating evidence is considered equally during the investigation. The SpeakUp team oversees the processing of tip-offs until the case has been closed. While doing so, the highest confidentiality and independence is ensured at any time. Moreover, our Whistleblowing System SpeakUp places great importance on fairness – in dealing with both people who report potential rule violations and employees affected by an allegation. The principle of proportionality is always observed, and in each individual case, it is examined which consequences are suitable, necessary and appropriate.

The criteria for responsibility of our Whistleblowing System SpeakUp can vary based on local legal requirements. This review will be conducted after a report is received by the case managers of the whistleblowing system.

Please note: If your tip-off is not resolved on a corporate level, your report will be forwarded, after a comprehensive review, to the responsible unit (e.g. Human Resources Department or Corporate Security) at Daimler Truck to address further. We strive to ensure that all complaints and feedback received are handled by the appropriate team, whether at the corporate or local level. Your information will be treated confidentially as well.

Please also note that our whistleblowing system may not process reports which do not contain sufficiently concrete allegations, due to legal reasons.

Daimler Truck strives to deal with incoming reports as efficiently as possible and without undue delay. At the same time, care is taken to ensure that the person giving the tip-off is given sufficient time to respond to queries and present relevant facts as part of the initial review and, if necessary, investigation. Depending on the scope and complexity of the case, the proper examination of a tip-off might take between a few weeks and several months.

Your tip-offs help us to prevent serious disadvantages for our company, our employees and our business partners. If you observe a (potential) rule violation or have reason to suspect that a violation of a rule or regulation may have occurred, please do not hesitate to contact our Whistleblowing System SpeakUp.

Thank you for your confidence and support.

If you become aware of concrete indications of legal violations or rule violations in connection with the Daimler Truck Group, you can contact the Whistleblowing System SpeakUp using the following contact details.

Contact whistleblowing system SpeakUp

The Daimler Truck whistleblowing system is accessible worldwide via the SpeakUp platform. It is possible to report a (potential) rule violation at any time and in a variety of languages - if desired anonymously. Communication with the Whistleblowing System SpeakUp is possible via the platform even for anonymous reports.

Whistleblowing System SpeakUp

Information obligations as per GDPR

 

Our SpeakUp platform - Information, Questions and answers

Our SpeakUp platform enables you to report potential misconduct to our SpeakUp team either in writing via a protected website or by voice message via a toll-free phone number. In both cases, you are free to choose the language in which you would like to contact our team.
After you have left a message (in writing or by voice message), you will receive a randomly generated case number and assign your personal password. You will then need your case number and password to receive feedback and/or queries from our team via the platform and to communicate with us.
This way you can communicate anonymously with our SpeakUp team at any time in a protected environment. You are free to leave your contact details additionally.

  • Is the SpeakUp platform accessible at any time?

    Yes, our SpeakUp platform is available 24 hours per day and 365 days a year.

  • Can my identity be discovered if I leave a voice message?

    Our SpeakUp team will receive a typed word-for-word transcript of what you have said. You are in total control of the content of the message you leave: If you leave your contact details in your message, they will also be forwarded to the SpeakUp team. If you do not leave your contact details, your anonymity is guaranteed and our SpeakUp team will not know who you are.

  • I want to remain anonymous, but would like to receive a response from the SpeakUp team - how can I manage?

    Within our SpeakUp platform you will receive a unique case number. Please make sure to write this down carefully in order to communicate with our SpeakUp team. The case number allows you to read or listen the feedback and/or questions from our SpeakUp team via the SpeakUp platform and to further exchange regarding your report.

  • Can I leave a message in my native language?

    Yes, you can leave a message in your native language. On our SpeakUp platform, you can choose between a variety of languages. You will also receive the answers from our SpeakUp team in the language you have selected.

  • Can I leave documents via the SpeakUp platform?

    Yes, when you leave a written message through our SpeakUp platform you have the possibility to attach (electronic) documents.

  • What can I do if I don’t remember my case number and/or my password?

    If you have forgotten your case number and/or your password, we ask you to leave your message again with a new case number. You will receive a new case number and will be asked to create a new password. For all further communication with our SpeakUp team, you will then use your new case number and password.

In addition, you can also reach the Whistleblowing System SpeakUp at the following address:

Daimler Truck AG
TL/GCB
001/DTF04
PO Box 10 01 54
70745 Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany
E-Mail: speakup@daimlertruck.com

 

Neutral intermediary

In Germany, an external neutral intermediary is available as a further point of contact. The neutral intermediary is an independent attorney who is appointed by the company and sworn to secrecy vis-à-vis the company.

Whistleblowers who wish to remain unidentified can therefore be guaranteed absolute anonymity in relation to the company. With the whistleblower's consent, the neutral intermediary passes on the information – in anonymized form if requested – to the Whistleblowing System SpeakUp.

You can contact the neutral intermediary using the following contact details.

Neutral Intermediary contact details
Attorney Dr. Regina Michalke
Kanzlei Hamm Kempf & Partner Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB
Dantestr. 11
60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 69 959 1900
E-mail: daimlertruck@ra-neutralermittler.de