whistleblowing@thyssenkrupp Materials Slovakia

At tk accelis Materials Slovakia (formerly: thyssenkrupp Materials Slovakia), integrity and compliance with laws and internal regulations are our top priorities. To ensure that these values are upheld and to prevent or minimize potential risks arising from their violation, it is essential that misconduct be identified, clarified, and corrected at an early stage. Any indication of potential misconduct is taken seriously and leads to an investigation based on an objective and transparent process free of any bias. Therefore, in accordance with and under the protection of Act No. 54/2019 Coll., on the Protection of Whistleblowers, tk accelis Materials Slovakia provides whistleblowers with access to an internal reporting system that allows them to submit reports.

Act No. 54/2019 Coll., on the Protection of Whistleblowers, implemented Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2019/1937 of October 23, 2019, on the protection of persons who report violations of Union law, as well as serious criminal offenses and administrative offenses under Slovak law.

As of July 1, 2023, entities with more than 50 employees must implement appropriate measures, in particular, to establish a reporting channel and implement investigation procedures that, among other things, guarantee the confidentiality of the report and protect the whistleblower from disclosure of their identity and from any retaliatory measures resulting from the report. 

Detailed description Investigation Principles of tk accelis Materials Slovakia and Rights and Duties of a Whistleblower can be found as an attachment to this page.

1.    Who Can Report a Violation?

A whistleblower is a natural person who makes a report or discloses information about violations discovered in connection with their work. Reports can be made through several channels

·         employees under an employment contract

·         self-employed individuals

·         members of the liberal professions and consultants, contractors, and clients

·         volunteers and interns

·         shareholders or owners of interests in the company, persons holding administrative, managerial, supervisory, or representative positions

·         all persons working for or under the supervision and direction of contractual partners, subcontractors, and suppliers.

2.    What Can Be Reported?

Violations of internal regulations and/or applicable laws specified in Act No. 54/2019 Coll., on the Protection of Whistleblowers, violations of human rights, and breaches of obligations or risks related to environmental protection, as well as violations of European law, can be reported through multiple channels. Even indications or suspicions of violations may be reported and will be treated with the utmost seriousness. Therefore, in this document, the term “violations” refers to both actual and potential violations.

3.     Who is responsible for handling reports?

thyssenkrupp AG has established a Compliance Investigations department (CO/L&C-INV) with independent and specially trained staff serving as "system managers" who support tk accelis Materials Slovakia in performing tasks related to receiving reports and conducting investigations. The relevant Compliance Investigations Officers are impartial, independent, not bound by any instructions regarding the investigation, and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Reports, which may be submitted anonymously, are treated confidentially, and whistleblowers are protected by all appropriate means from any adverse consequences resulting from their report.

Whistleblowers may submit reports through the various channels described below. The System Manager, together with the Group’s Internal Audit function at tk (“CO/AUD”) and the Compliance Manager, will agree on appropriate investigation procedures and, if necessary, propose appropriate measures to tk accelis Materials Slovakia.

4.    How can I file a report?

A culture of open communication is a fundamental element of effective compliance. Employees must be able to address potential violations openly, anonymously, and, above all, at an early stage.

For this purpose, tk accelis Materials Slovakia provides several internal whistleblowing channels, which are listed below:

5.       Privacy Policy

When conducting internal investigations, compliance with applicable privacy laws will be ensured. Detailed information on this topic can be found here: Privacy Policy.