Integrity and Compliance at ZEISS

As both a company and a brand, ZEISS stands for integrity: business activities must always be conducted in accordance with applicable laws and internal regulations, no matter where they are carried out. In addition, the activities must be legitimate and, as such, ethically responsible. Integrity cannot simply be decreed but instead must be lived and breathed by management, who act as role models, and be enshrined in the corporate culture. This is why at ZEISS, the Executive Board ensures that clear structures, an effective system, and a global team exist, and it makes the necessary resources available.

What does the Code of Conduct state? The ZEISS Code of Conduct was first published in 2007. It is a globally applicable Code of Conduct that governs the day-to-day actions of all employees. It covers aspects such as the fair treatment of colleagues and business partners, as well as product safety and environmental protection, and expressly agrees to the international labor standards (ILO standards).

The ZEISS Code of Conduct can be downloaded in one of the following languages:
 

ZEISS divides the compliance process into four phases: prevent, detect, respond and correct.

1. "Prevent“
– to prevent compliance issues through employee training
- Mix of classroom-based sessions and modern learning formats
– mandatory foundation course on Compliance/ZEISS Code of Conduct for ZEISS employees

2. "Detect“
– early identification of misconduct
– call to employees to report compliance issues

3. "Respond"
– appropriate reaction to individual misconduct
– systematic and consistent actions are top priority

4. "Correct"
– perform analysis to show possible organizational and process-related shortcomings
– achieve continuous improvement

In summary, these four phases can prevent systemic compliance infringements, correct wrongdoing and punish them as required. "ZEISS understands zero tolerance" as an obligation to stop all incorrect behavior directed and established or adjust processes to eliminate the possibility of recurrence, as required.