The Supply Chain Due Diligence Obligations Act, an important step towards sustainable and responsible corporate management, will set new standards for the HORSCH Maschinen GmbH (HORSCH Holding SE). Being a renowned manufacturer of agricultural machinery, HORSCH faces the challenge of organising its supply chains not only efficiently but also correctly from an ethical point of view and environmentally friendly. This act obliges companies like HORSCH to respect and encourage human rights and environmental standards along their entire supply chain. 

For HORSCH, this means a careful review and possibly an adjustment of existing processes. The maintenance of the due diligence obligations includes the identification and assessment of risks for human rights violations and environmental issues, the implementation of risk minimisation strategies as well as the establishment of transparent report and complaint mechanisms.

By complying with these new requirements, HORSCH does not only strengthen its image as a responsible player in the agricultural machinery sector but also contributes to a more sustainable and fairer global economy.

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I. Rules of procedure for the complaints procedure according to § 8 Supply Chain Due Diligence Obligations Act

The HORSCH Holding SE and its companies admit to the maintenance of the human rights and to the protection of the environment. It is the declared objective of the corporate management to respect, protect and encourage the human rights and the environment along the entire value chain. Violations of internationally anchored human rights and of national and international environment protection regulations will not be tolerated. The HORSCH Holding SE takes appropriate and effective measures to identify and verify human rights and environmental risks in its own business sector and in the entire supply chain and to prevent the realisation of risks. Human rights and environmental due diligence obligations include the establishment of an effective complaints procedure by means of which whistleblowers can report violations, risks and other issues.

These rules of procedure explain the process of submitting and processing incoming reports. It points out how the complaints procedure can be accessed, who is responsible for the complaints procedure, what the specific process looks like once a complaint has been received and which measures are taken to protect whistleblowers. The objective of the complaints procedure is to allow whistleblowers to make contact easily and safely so that human rights and environmental risks and violations can be identified at an early stage and any violations that might have occurred can be minimized and remedied.

II. Addressees and scope of application of the complaints procedure

The complaints procedure is publicly available and also is available to all people whether at home or abroad. The complaints procedure allows individuals to draw attention to human rights or environmental risks as well as to violations of human rights or environmental obligations which have developed as a result of the business activities of the HORSCH Holding SE and/or its companies or in the supply chain.

III. Procedure

Irrespective of the reporting channel that is used to submit a report, the procedure is standardized from receipt of the report.

1.  Responsibilities for the complaints procedure

Only employees who act impartially, are obliged to maintain confidentiality and are not subject to any instructions within the framework of the complaints procedure are responsible for receiving and processing reports.

2.  Submission of a report

There are different reporting channels available to whistleblowers: an internet-based reporting portal that can be accessed in several languages via the following link: www.horsch.com

Postal reports can be sent to the following address:

Horsch Maschinen GmbH
Sitzenhof 1
92421 Schwandorf

3.  Receipt of a report

Upon receipt of a report, the whistleblower will receive a confirmation of receipt. The confirmation of receipt is usually sent immediately, as the case may be there may be a delay of up to two weeks in sending the confirmation of receipt.

If an anonymous report is received, no confirmation of receipt will be sent.

4. Processing of the report

After the report has been received, the report will be verified centrally and assigned to a person in charge. Reports concerning the companies of the HORSCH Holding SE will, if required, be forwarded to the responsible person at the company concerned. The person in charge will keep contact with the whistleblower. The person in charge examines the facts and, if necessary, discusses it with the whistleblower. If a violation of human rights or environmental obligations is identified, the person in charge will immediately initiate remedial measures. If a human rights or environmental risk arises from a report without a violation having occurred, the person in charge will initiate preventive measures. Reports are taken into account within the scope of the risk analysis. The results of the fact check are communicated to the whistleblower and, if necessary, further steps are discussed with the whistleblower.

Reports are usually finalised within three months of their receipt.

5.  Anonymous submission of a report

Reports can always be submitted anonymously. If a report is submitted anonymously, no data will be collected that might allow to draw conclusions about the identity of the whistleblower. If the whistleblower who submits the report anonymously provides information that might allow to draw conclusions about his/her identity, the information will be treated as confidential.  

6.  Confidential submission of a report

Furthermore, the confidentiality of personal data and other information that might allow to draw conclusions about the identity of the whistleblower is guaranteed when submitting a report. Only the person in charge and the person responsible for assigning the report can review the report.  

7.  Documentation of reports

Reports are stored for seven years according to § 10 sect. 1 p. 2 LkSG.