Code of Conduct 

About this Code of Conduct

As an internationally operating company, we want to ensure that everyone who contributes to our success through their work can fully exercise their human and labour rights.

No one who works with or for us should suffer mental or physical harm. Therefore, this Code of Conduct serves as base for all our internal behaviours and our business relationships.

The requirements and minimum standards described in our Code of Conduct are based on the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and all relevant United Nations standards.

Although we are aware that our business partners may come from cultural and political contexts that differ from our value system, there are universally applicable and universal human rights that must be respected and protected under all circumstances.

We strive to contribute to the behavioural standards outlined in this document through our decisions and actions. We will address any disregard for this standard that comes to our attention within the scope of the influence available to us.

Our company guarantees the implementation of this Code of Conduct for all individuals working in our company, regardless of the contractual basis of their employment. We expect the same from our business partners. National legal regulations that are stricter than this Code of Conduct shall, of course, apply in all cases.

Fair and healthy work environment

Code of Conduct for employees

All employees must be treated with respect and dignity. Any form of physical punishment, psychological, sexual, or verbal harassment and abuse, as well as any other form of intimidation, is prohibited. Disciplinary measures must comply with national legislation and internationally recognized human rights.

Our employees

• act to the best of their knowledge and belief in compliance with the laws of the countries where we maintain business relationships,
• consider trustworthy collaboration as the guiding principle of their work,
• base business decisions on objective and measurable criteria,
• do not accept gifts, regardless of their type,
• document the outcomes of contract negotiations,
• explain the contents of contracts and necessary formalities openly and without reservations to our business partners. 

Equal Treatment and Equal Opportunity

All employees must be treated with respect and dignity. Discrimination based on gender, religion, age, gender identity, social background, caste, nationality, ethnic and national origin, ancestry, birth, skin colour, social background, membership in a labour organisation, disability, sexual or political orientation, family responsibilities, marital status, pregnancy, illnesses, or any other personal legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated.

The regulations of the AGG (General Act on Equal Treatment) apply. No form of threats of violence and abuse, including physical punishment, verbal, physical, sexual, economic, or psychological abuse or harassment, mental or physical coercion or harassment in any other form, bullying, or intimidation of any kind, as well as degrading comments targeting ethnicity, other personal characteristics, spreading false information, or insinuations, will be tolerated.

Employees must not be harassed, disciplined, or disadvantaged for reporting issues arising from any of the above-mentioned reasons. Vulnerable individuals and members of at-risk groups and communities are subject to special protection.

Working Conditions and Occupational Safety

Employment must be based on formal documentation and nationally relevant laws, customs, or practices as well as international labour standards—with the higher level of protection always applying, such as through an employment contract or a company agreement. These documents must provide clear information about the terms and conditions of work and employment, including remuneration, payment periods, workplace benefits, vacation entitlement, and notice periods.

Neither hiring nor the employment relationship may cause insecurity or social or economic vulnerability for employees.

All employees must take up their work voluntarily and continue their employment at their own choosing. Any form of forced labour, bonded labour, human trafficking, involuntary labour, or prison labour is prohibited, including state-mandated forced labour.

We are committed to adhering to international principles of responsible recruitment and expect the same from our partners. Employees must not pay recruitment fees and are entitled to clear, transparent contracts as well as protection from deception, coercion, and the retention of identification documents. They have access to free information, legal remedies, and the freedom to choose or change their employer. We ensure equal opportunities and dignified, flexible working conditions—including for parents, caregivers, and seasonal workers. Abusive employment practices, such as sham contracts or not purposeful training programs, are strictly rejected, and we
provide remediation in cases of identified violations, if applicable.

1. Working Hours

Working hours must be set in accordance with local laws. In any case, employees must not work more than 48 hours in a regular workweek. Legally mandated rest breaks during working hours must be observed. Overtime, performed within the limits of legal regulations, must be compensated in accordance with national regulations. As a general rule, all employees must have at least 24 consecutive hours off after six consecutive working days.

2. Payment

All employees receive payment for work performed during regular working hours that at least meets the statutory minimum wage level. Payment must be made regularly, on time, in the contractually agreed amount, and fully in the legal currency. Partial payment in kind is accepted only in accordance with ILO regulations.

The wage level corresponds to the skills, responsibilities, and training of the employees.

Equal pay for equal work, performance, and qualifications is required.

3. Health and Safety

The workplace must not endanger or harm the employee or their health and safety. A safe and clean working environment must be ensured. This includes hand washing facilities with soap and hand drying options in all work areas, clean and safe drinking water, dining and rest areas, as well as an adequate number of secure toilets that provide sufficient privacy.

Health and safety practices in the workplace should be promoted to prevent accidents, injuries, or illnesses at work or as a result of using company facilities. In this regard, national standards for workplace safety and hygiene must be adhered to.

Employees are provided with effective personal protective clothing, with due consideration given to individual needs. Furthermore, equal access to appropriate occupational medical care, such as a company doctor, must be ensured.

Regular assessments of working conditions for potential and actual health and safety hazards are conducted by appropriate individuals or committees, such as a safety officer or an occupational safety committee. Employees are to be regularly made aware of these issues.

All actual incidents in the workplace are documented and recorded accordingly. In dangerous situations, employees are allowed to independently stop their work and leave the area or building. Preparations must be made, and protection ensured, for foreseeable emergencies in the facilities and buildings. These safety practices and procedures must be communicated to the employees.

Workers‘ Rights and Participation

1. Social Dialogue

We promote a respectful and open dialogue based on mutual understanding and appreciation. All employees are encouraged to freely express their opinions and ideas, while always respecting the dignity and perspectives of others. We aim to find solutions through dialogue and to strengthen collaboration.

2. Freedom of Association

It is the right of employees to establish a workers’ organization of their own choosing or join one for the purpose of collective bargaining. If the right to freedom of association is restricted by national laws, employees should be allowed to form representations to promote their interests and engage in direct dialogue with their employers.

Employee representatives must not be prevented from contacting employees.

3. Handling Conflicts of Interest

Emerging conflicts of interest should be addressed transparently and openly. Allemployees are encouraged to promptly report potential conflicts to ensure fair and objective decision-making. When resolving conflicts of interest, integrity and fairness must be prioritized to maintain trust within the company. By handling such situations respectfully and responsibly, we promote a harmonious and productive work environment.

Business Partners and Other Third Parties

1. Fair Collaboration and Partnership Development

In principle, we strive to establish and maintain long-term business relationships with all our business partners. We expect our business partners to respect this Code of Conduct, adhere to social standards, and act honestly in compliance with laws and regulations. Our suppliers are required to ensure that this Code of Conduct, or one with equivalent content, is implemented throughout the entire value chain. Specifically, we expect our business partners to meet the following requirements:

Information

Suppliers should manage their company in accordance with this Code of Conduct and make it accessible to their employees.

Compliance with Legal Regulations

Our business partners are required to comply with all national legal regulations, particularly labour and social laws, as well as environmental protection regulations.

Verification

We expect all business partners to implement effective measures to ensure compliance with the described standards. For verification purposes, we will rely on neutral audit reports from the supplier.

We, or at least third parties designated by us, shall be entitled to visit all production facilities of our business partners and their subcontractors for inspection purposes at any time and without prior notice.

We reserve the right to terminate business relationships in the event of serious violations of fundamental human rights, deliberate breaches of the Code of Conduct, systematic falsification, and/or a persistent lack of willingness to cooperate.

2. Protection Against Corruption and Bribery

Our business relationships and decisions are based on performance. Consequently, we never, either directly or indirectly, offer third parties, such as authorities or customers, an object or service of value to influence their business decisions or gain an advantage. Our employees also do not accept objects or services that could be used to influence business decisions. Therefore, awareness is regularly raised internally regarding policies, controls, programs, and measures against unethical behaviour and compliance. Legal foundations such as anti-corruption laws, international anti-bribery laws, and UN conventions (UNCAC) must be observed.

3. Competition and Antitrust Law

Unfair competitive practices that are likely to significantly impair competition to the detriment of competitors, consumers, or other market participants are prohibited and will not be tolerated by us.

All forms of agreements or concerted practices with competitors that affect or aim to affect competition are prohibited. It is forbidden to impose restrictions on customers or suppliers regarding the structuring of their prices or their supply relationships with their business partner.

4. Responsibility in the Supply Chain

In addition to these employment standards, we expect business partners to be cooperative and demonstrate their willingness to support our activities aimed at the concrete development of the Code of Conduct described here. The rights to water, food, and education must be ensured.

Even if a supplier’s violation has necessitated the termination of the business relationship, we offer our support in finding solutions for difficult situations and in the supplier’s development to enable the resumption of the business relationship. We consider it a matter of prudence to grant reasonable timeframes for the development of a partner’s performance concerning compliance with individual aspects of the Code of Conduct.

Continuous development as well as consideration of process- and risk based due diligence are important aspects in this regard.

Responsibility torward Society and Environment

Product Safety

The safety of our products is our top priority. All employees are obligated to comply with the company’s applicable guidelines and legal regulations to ensure the quality and safety of our food products. We foster a culture of vigilance in which potential risks are identified and reported early. Regular training sessions and audits are part of our commitment to ensuring that all processes meet the highest safety standards. Through responsible actions, we collectively contribute to protecting the health and well-being of our consumers.

Sustainability

Sustainable management is base of forward-thinking corporate leadership. We work comprehensively on  relevant topics in economics, ecology, and social matters.

We consistently keep relevant topics such as climate and energy, resources, quality and consumer protection, demographics, and societal responsibility in focus. In doing so, we understand our sustainability efforts as a continuous process of shared responsibility.

Environmental Protection

We are committed to acting in an environmentally conscious manner as a company and to minimizing the environmental impact of our business activities through the use of socially responsible and economically viable methods. We integrate our environmental due diligence through our process- and risk-based management system to address the environmental impacts of our activities and to take appropriate measures to prevent, mitigate, and remedy negative impacts.

We promote environmental protection, recycling, and energy savings for clean air, pure water, reducing waste, and regenerating the Earth’s natural resources. We comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations in the countries where we manufacture our products.

Respect for Human Rights

Child labour as defined by the ILO and UN conventions, as well as national regulations, is prohibited. The minimum age for permissible employment is not below the age of compulsory schooling and in no case under 15 years (or 14 years if permitted by national law in accordance with ILO Convention 138). Reliable mechanisms for age verification are used, which are neither degrading nor disrespectful.

Each supplier is held directly responsible for violations of the prohibition of child labour if such violations are discovered at their own production facilities or those of their subcontractors. Regulations for the protection of young workers must be adhered to.

The guiding principles of the UNGP (United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights) as well as the guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) must be respected and promoted.

Compliance and Transparency

Any person who becomes aware of violations of this Code of Conduct is encouraged to contact the employee representative body or the personnel management directly and provide as much detail as possible about the perceived violations. Direct access to senior management is available at all times. Internal reports can also be made anonymously via the installed software. External reports can be submitted through our homepage, anonymously if necessary.

Data Protection

The protection of personal data is essential for the trust of our customers and partners. All employees are obligated to comply with applicable data protection laws and internal policies to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information. Sensitive data may only be collected, processed, and stored with the explicit consent of the individuals concerned. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect data from unauthorized access and misuse.