Compliance at ZEISS

is an integral part of our corporate culture

A consistently compliant behavior

– why is this important?

Our aim is to ensure that business activities always comply with laws and internal regulations. At ZEISS, we are committed not only to knowing these laws and rules, but also to aligning our actions with them – as a matter of course and every day!

With our consistently compliant behavior, we gain the trust of our employees and business partners on the one hand. On the other hand, it serves to protect our company: because Compliance violations can have serious consequences for the individuals involved, business units and ZEISS as a whole. We therefore actively promote a corporate culture in which Compliance is practiced throughout the Group – from the Executive Board and managers to all employees.

Compliance culture

A lived Compliance culture

– the key to Compliance success

To address Compliance issues with employees in a way that is appropriate to the target group, we define specific measures based on our Compliance Management System. These are implemented by the Group-wide Compliance organization.

Internal company policies regulate conduct concerning Compliance topics relevant to ZEISS. In addition to our Code of Conduct, further policies are issued which are binding throughout the Group. These regulate, for example, the correct handling of gifts and invitations or fair conduct in competition.

Targeted training and communication measures create a sustainable awareness of Compliance risks. This way, we ensure that Compliance becomes a natural part of our everyday lives, and that misconduct can be openly addressed and corrected.

The ZEISS Code of Conduct

Our Code of Conduct describes the principles of compliant behavior at ZEISS. It serves as a general guideline for actions and decisions in everyday activities, including how we work with employees and business partners as well as legally correct market behavior. It applies to all ZEISS employees throughout the Group, including the Management Board and executives.

  • Code de conduite | FR

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • Code of Conduct | EN

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Codice etico | IT

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Código de Conducta | ES

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • Código de Conduta | BR

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Código de Conduta | PT

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Davranış Kuralları | TR

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Kodeks postępowania | PL

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • Kodex chování | CZ

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Kódex správania | SK

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • Magatartási Kódex | HU

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • Verhaltenskodex DE

    Pages: 40
    File size: 7 MB
  • Verhaltenskodex | DE

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • ZEISS 행동 강령 | KR

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB
  • Кодекс деловых взаимоотношений | RU

    Pages: 40
    File size: 4 MB
  • 蔡司集团 | CN

    Pages: 40
    File size: 5 MB

You want to report a Compliance violation?

Report a Compliance violation

Talk to us!

To protect our company, our employees, and our business partners, it is crucial that Compliance violations are identified and reported at an early stage. Then we can initiate appropriate measures to protect those involved and the Company.

ZEISS employees and business partners are encouraged to contact your ZEISS contact person, manager, the responsible specialist departments, employee representation or local Compliance Officers if you have any questions about Compliance issues or have any indications of Compliance violations.

Alternatively, you have the option of contacting Corporate Compliance via the reporting channels listed below.

How to report Compliance notices?

If you have specific information about Compliance violations, you can contact us using the following communication channels:

  • For legal and other Compliance violations:
    compliance@zeiss.com

    For concerns about human and environmental rights in the supply chain:
    humanrights@zeiss.com

    For concerns about data privacy:
    dataprivacy@zeiss.com

  • Carl Zeiss AG
    Corporate Compliance
    Carl-Zeiss-Straße 22
    73447 Oberkochen
    Germany

  • Go to the "ZEISS Integrity Line" whistleblower system

    This protected system can be used at any time to report specific indications of illegal conduct and other Compliance violations in connection with the business activities of ZEISS. Possible misconduct by a business partner in connection with its activities for ZEISS can also be reported, e.g., a violation of human or environmental rights in the supply chain.

    It is up to you to decide whether you wish to remain anonymous or whether we can contact you directly in person if you have any questions.

    The "ZEISS Integrity Line"  whistleblower system is available in the following languages.
    Reports can also be submitted in the system in any other language.

    • Hinweisgebersystem  (German)
    • 链接到举报系统  (Chinese)
    • Integrity Line (Englisch)
    • Lien d’alertes professionnelles  (French)
    • व्हिस्ल-ब्लोअर सम्पर्क प्रणाली’ (Hindi)
    • Link al sistema per whistleblower  (Italian)
    • 内部告発制度  (Japanese)
    • 내부고발 시스템 링크  (Korean)
    • Link naar het klokkenluidersysteem  (Dutch)
    • link do informowania o nieprawidłowościach  (Polish)
    • Enlace al Sistema de Denuncias  (Portuguese)
    • Legătura către whistleblowingsystem  (Romanian)
    • ссылка на систему информирования  (Russian)
    • Länk till Whistleblowingsystem (Swedish)
    • Odkaz na systém oznamovateľov  (Slovak)
    • Enlace al Sistema de Denuncias  (Spanish)
    • เชื่อมโยงระบบการรับข้อร้องเรียน (Thai)
    • Odkaz na systém informátorů  (Czech)
    • Whistleblowing sistemine bağlantı  (Turkish)
    • Visszaélések bejelentése  (Hungarian)


FAQ

Further information for whistleblowers can be found here:

  • Violations of applicable law and internal rules can cause lasting damage to our company and result in high fines and reputational damage, among other things. This in turn can jeopardize the economic condition of our company and ultimately the security of our jobs.

  • Please report specific indications of possible violations of applicable laws, the ZEISS Code of Conduct or other internal regulations in connection with business activities or employees of ZEISS. Of particular relevance are events that indicate a criminal act (e.g., theft, fraud, embezzlement, bribery, environmental crimes, violation of trade secrets) or a deliberate, systematic violation of applicable rules (e.g., permanent non-Compliance with safety standards).

    Possible misconduct by business partners in connection with their activities for ZEISS can also be reported (e.g., a violation of human and environmental rights in the supply chain).

  • The reports received are made available to our team at Corporate Compliance (i.e., Chief Compliance Officer, Head of Corporate Compliance and Corporate Compliance Officer).

    The procedure after receipt of a report is as follows:

    1. Receipt of the report will be confirmed to you after 7 days at the latest, provided you have given your contact details or contacted us via the ZEISS Integrity Line.
    2. Corporate Compliance will make an initial assessment of your report.
    3. If additional information is required or questions arise, we will contact you. This will be done directly if you provide your contact details, or via the secure mailbox of the ZEISS Integrity Line for which you can make a note of the access data and log in regularly in the case of anonymous reports.
    4. The report is forwarded confidentially to the relevant department (e.g. Human Resources, Data Protection, Security, Legal, Purchasing, Human Rights Officer, etc.), taking into account the legal requirements. There, the facts will be further investigated and, if necessary, measures will be initiated.
    5. Depending on the complexity and clarity of the matter, the investigation of the information may take some time. We will inform you of the results of the investigation or at least the current status no later than three months after receipt of the report.
  • Yes, you can send us information via the ZEISS Integrity Line – either by stating your identity or anonymously. For the initial assessment of the report and possible follow-up questions, it is usually easier if we know your identity and can contact you directly.

    If you decide to submit a report anonymously, it is important for the processing of the report that we can contact you in case of further questions via the ZEISS Integrity Line mailbox. Therefore, please check your mailbox regularly. You will receive the access data after submitting a report.

  • We assure you that the report will be handled confidentially, regardless of whether you wish to disclose your identity or remain anonymous.
    To ensure confidentiality, it is important that you also handle the information provided confidential.

    If an individual is identified as having committed a potential violation, that person will be given the opportunity to make a statement and, if he or she wishes, can consult a trusted person (e.g., company representative body, independent lawyer).

    As long as a violation has not been proven, the presumption of innocence applies. Both incriminating and exculpatory facts are included in the investigation in equal measure. We always attach importance to fairness – both in our dealings with whistleblowers and with employees and business partners affected by an allegation. For each individual case, we examine which consequences are suitable, necessary, and appropriate.

  • There is no retaliation, discrimination or sanctions against whistleblowers who report in good faith a possible violation of applicable law or internal regulations. It is important that you believe at the time of the report that its contents are true and that you are not making the report with improper intent. You are not expected to investigate the facts yourself – we will do that. Even if no violation can be determined during the investigation, you do not have to fear any negative consequences.
    However, this does not apply to bad faith allegations, i.e., reports that are recognizably false, submitted with malicious intent.

  • Information on the processing of your personal data in Compliance notifications can be found here.

    Please address any further data protection concerns directly to ZEISS Group Privacy: dataprivacy@zeiss.com.