Whistleblowing
Have you observed any misconduct / irregularity at the KIT?
You can provide relevant information using the following options:
1. Direct Contact to the Compliance Staff Unit
Everyone may contact the compliance staff unit (COMP) by telephone, in writing or in person, in order to provide information/submit a tip about possible compliance violations at the KIT.
Address:
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Stabsstelle Compliance (COMP)
Campus North, Building 141
Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1
76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Phone.: 0721 608-24636
Email: info ∂does-not-exist.comp kit edu
COMP advises on issues of compliant behavior and initiates the clarification and investigation of any compliance violation.
COMP is obligated to maintain anonymity to the extent that this is requested by the whistleblower or the person seeking advice and as far as this is legally permissible.
2. Electronic Anonymous Whistleblower Portal via an Encrypted Web Server
The electronic whistleblower portal of the KIT offers all staff an members of KIT as well as people outside the possibility to submit anonymous tips.
The portal can be reached at the following website: https://hinweis.comp.kit.edu
The system does not log IP addresses, so that it is not possible to deduce the identity of the whistleblower with a reasonable effort. Furthermore, the database ist encrypted, i.e. it is secured per user with a 1024bit key and the key is protected with the user password. This ensures that the administrators do not have access to the contents of the database. Only COMP has access to the information provided.
3. Reporting office for information in accordance with the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
Any person or organization that has become aware of a possible violation of human rights or environmental due diligence obligations according to the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz - LkSG) by KIT, its members and affiliates, or by direct or indirect suppliers of KIT, or of corresponding risks, can report these to KIT via the following reporting channels:
1. by telephone to +49(0)72160824636, by email to info∂comp.kit.edu or in person by prior appointment via the above telephone number or e-mail address.
2. anonymously via the Electronic Whistleblower Portal of the KIT at https://hinweis.comp.kit.edu/?language=eng
For the procedure in case of such information, the „Rules of Procedure_LkSG“ apply.
4. Attorney of Confidence for Corruption Prevention
The Ministry of the Interior has appointed an attorney of confidence as an external contact person for the submission of tips on corruption offenses an related offenses for all staff and menbers of KIT as well as people outside KIT.
Address:
Rechtsanwalt Michael Rohlfing
BENDER HARRER KREVET
Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB
Zerrennerstraße 11
75172 Pforzheim
Email: vertrauensanwalt∂bender-harrer.de
Information that could entail criminal misconduct with relevance to corruption may be reported to the attorney of confidence. If desired, the whistleblower remains anonymous to the KIT. The attorney of confidence decides at his dutiful discretion whether and to what extent he will submit the reported information to the Compliance and Corruption Prevention Commissioner at the KIT for further investigation. This ensures that only cases with substantial grounds of suspicion are reportes to the KIT. If necessary, the attorney of confidence will be further involved in the clarification process of the case, while preserving the anonymity of the whistleblower.
Further informaton on the attorney of confidence can also be found at: https://bender-harrer.de/Vertrauensanwalt/
5. Other internal contact points for KIT members and Staff
Staff and members of the KIT, may also contact the respective central commissioner of KIT, who is responsible for the specific matter, or the respective supervisor, provided that the supervisor is not herself/himself related to the accusation, according to the Service Agreement Compliance.
An overview of the commissioners of the KIT with contact options can be found on the intranet site Beauftragte des KIT.
6. External Reporting Channels
An external reporting office at the Federal Office of Justice is available for external reports under the German Whistleblower Protection Act. In addition, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) have further external reporting offices with special responsibilities.
Furthermore, reports can be sent to the reporting office of the Ministry of Science, Research an the Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK). The MWK´s whistleblower reporting office can be reached as follows:
- By email to: Hinweisgebermeldestelle∂mwk.bwl.de
- By mail: Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg, "Hinweisgebermeldestelle", Königstraße 46,
70173 Stuttgart.
- If desired, a personal appointment can be made with a person from the whistleblower reporting office.
- Anonymous reports can be submitted.
Please note: In principle, whistleblowers are free to contact a responsible external reporting office. However, we ask that internal reporting, channels be given priority.
As of July 2, 2023, the German Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) will apply, which must be observed when giving and receiving respective indication.
Information on the processing of your personal data can be found in the Information on Data Protection for the KIT Whistleblowing System.
Please bear in mind that anonymous tips may result in accusations being made against colleagues or fellow human beings and investigations can be consequently initiated against them. We would therefore ask you to use these whistleblowing options in a responsible way with due regard to truthfulness.
The information for whistleblowers "Hinweise für Hinweisgebende" from Transparency International Deutschland e.V. might also be helpful, before you take the next steps.