Governance and compliance form the foundation of our business activities and shape our day-to-day conduct. Our ethical standards serve as the basis for both internal collaboration and our relationships with our business partners.
Management of impacts, risks and opportunities
Our actions and all business decisions are based on both applicable law and our own principles of conduct. This makes us a trustworthy, reliable partner for employees, customers, business partners and shareholders. We use our compliance management system in a targeted manner to counter risks such as bribery, corruption, undue advantage, breach of trust and anti-competitive practices. In order for this preventive approach to be effective throughout the company, we attach particular importance to raising awareness among our employees and providing regular and comprehensive information.
An overview of the material impacts, risks and opportunities can be found in the chapter General information under Material impacts, risks and opportunities and disclosure requirements included in the Sustainability Statement (IRO-2).
Policies related to business conduct (G1-1)
Our Code of Conduct and compliance policy are key components of our compliance management system. Like all internal company guidelines and policies, both documents apply to all companies of the BLG Group in which we directly or indirectly hold more than a 50 percent of the shares or for which we are in charge of corporate management. In companies governed by foreign law, the guidelines must be implemented accordingly.
Both our Code of Conduct and our Compliance Policy are aligned with the requirements applicable to companies under the United Nations Convention against Corruption as implemented in German law. Both documents also include information on the protection of whistle-blowers. They are available for our international sites in English, Polish, Slovenian and Chinese.
Code of Conduct
In addition to our requirements with regard to working conditions, the environment and climate protection, the Code of Conduct contains requirements for dealing with business partners, competitors and authorities in a way that is legally and ethically beyond reproach. It also defines our principles on anti-corruption, donations and sponsorship, as well as procedures for handling potential conflicts of interest. New employees receive the Code as part of their onboarding materials, while temporary agency workers are informed about it during initial instruction. The Code of Conduct is also available on our central document platform and in the employee app.
Compliance Policy
The Compliance Policy sets out key rules of conduct designed to prevent compliance risks that typically arise in internationally operating companies such as ours. It also explains related processes and actions, for example, for implementation of the “know your customer” principle.
The Compliance Policy is also available to all employees via the employee app. Additional information on the compliance system, the Code of Conduct, our Compliance Officer and the BLG Integrity Line whistle-blower system is also publicly available online.
At BLG LOGISTICS, in addition to the Board of Management and executive management, managers at levels 1 to 3 as well as employees in purchasing and sales are considered particularly exposed to corruption and bribery risks due to their roles.
Our principle:
When exercising their duties, no BLG employee may offer, promise or accept incentives, preferential treatment or other benefits that are intended to influence fair, objective and proper decisions, or even give the appearance of doing so.
Actions related to business conduct (G1-2)
Roles, responsibilities and reporting channels
The compliance officer supports the full Board of Management in fulfilling BLG LOGISTICS’ responsibility for legality by providing expert oversight of the compliance management system, including the implementation and further development of the Group-wide compliance strategy. A key element of this role is the regular review of the effectiveness of the existing systems. The results of these audits are reported to the Chief Compliance Officer on a regular basis. In addition, the Supervisory Board receives a comprehensive report once a year covering all compliance-related topics, processes and incidents.
The Compliance Officer regularly informs the Labor Relations Director in the Compliance Committee and the Head of Internal Auditing on current developments. Necessary actions are drawn up in the Compliance Committee and then implemented within the company.
Contact persons, reporting channels and whistle-blower system
In day-to-day business, our Compliance Officer is the point of contact for our employees. The officer receives information, answers questions and offers advice – including preventive guidance – on possible violations of the law. In addition to direct reports to the Compliance Officer, findings or complaints can also be submitted via the BLG Integrity Line digital whistle-blower system. This system allows reports to be submitted at any time, securely and anonymously, regarding suspected or actual misconduct, risks and violations in a professional context, as well as breaches of human rights and environmental obligations under the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG). All incoming reports are encrypted and handled confidentially to ensure the protection of whistle-blowers. The BLG Integrity Line promotes transparency and integrity within the company and supports compliance with legal requirements. The whistle-blower system is also available at our fully consolidated international sites in Poland and the United States. Our sites in South Africa use a separate system.
Awareness, training and monitoring of the compliance strategy
When implementing our compliance strategy, our Board of Management and our senior executives are role models. Within their areas of responsibility, they are responsible for communicating the relevant rules and ensuring compliance. Every individual at BLG LOGISTICS is also obligated, regardless of their position, to point out any wrongdoings or suspected violations of the law. For this reason, we raise targeted awareness among employees of risks related to corruption. In addition, the dual-control principle embedded in all relevant business processes provides an additional safeguard, both for employees and for the company.
An effective compliance system can only function if it is actively supported by the entire workforce. Accordingly, we boost awareness among our decision-makers and managers, provide them with relevant knowledge and keep them continuously informed about current developments. To this end, we offer three compliance training formats tailored to different internal target groups: a one-time basic compliance training course that is mandatory for all employees, a one-time advanced compliance training course, and annual compliance refresher courses, which must be completed by the Board of Management and senior executives (management levels 0-3) of our German companies as well as employees at our fully consolidated international sites. The refresher course builds on the comprehensive basic compliance training and again focuses specifically on anti-corruption, conflicts of interest, and competition and antitrust law. All modules can be completed flexibly and independent of time and location via our central learning platform Tutorize. Each completed course is automatically recorded within the system. In addition to e-learning via Tutorize, individual training sessions are conducted where required or when there are changes in personnel between the Compliance Officer and employees in key roles (e.g., executive management, purchasing, etc.). Through various communication channels, we also provide all employees with regular and event-driven information on relevant compliance topics.
Our compliance strategy is continuously reviewed for effectiveness. In our German companies, this is carried out through compliance audits, which we plan to conduct digitally in the future using a new tool. This will ensure consistent annual execution and enable systematic tracking of actions. The equivalent process for our international companies is the “Governance routine.” This consists of quarterly discussions with the respective local contacts and includes ensuring compliance with policies as well as obtaining official confirmation of relevant points.
Metrics and targets
Targets related to business conduct (G1-3)
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Status 2025 |
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Pending 
In progress 
On track As part of the revision of our sustainability targets, a binding target was defined for compliance in 2023: each year, 90 percent of managers at levels 0-3 in Germany and abroad must have current proof of training. After 100 percent of managers in Germany and abroad had valid compliance training certification in the previous year, the target was again exceeded in the reporting year, with 94.3 percent of managers in Germany and 100 percent abroad.
Metrics related to corruption or bribery (G1-4)
During the reporting year, there were no convictions or sanctions for violations of laws relating to corruption or bribery.