Instruction on the Whistleblower Protection Act

At this point, we would like to inform you about the Whistleblower Protection Act to ensure that you, as a potential whistleblower, have all the important information about this law, understand it and are protected if you wish to report possible violations or illegal behaviour. You can make your report in the form of a survey.

The Whistleblower Protection Act is a legal regulation that guarantees the protection of whistleblowers who report violations or illegal activities in companies or public institutions. So-called whistleblowers are to be protected from possible reprisals if they uncover ethically questionable or even illegal practices and thus fulfil their moral duty.

Whistleblowers are persons who gain knowledge of misconduct, abuses or violations in their professional or personal environment and pass this information on to the relevant authorities, institutions and/or internal bodies.

The Whistleblower Protection Act covers a wide range of offences, including but not limited to

• Corruption and fraud
• Violation of environmental regulations
• Discrimination in the workplace
• Financial offences
• Health and safety offences

The law grants whistleblowers various protective measures to protect them from possible negative consequences that could result from their report. These include:

• Anonymity: Whistleblowers can remain anonymous if they do not wish to disclose their identity.
• Prohibition of retaliation: Employers or third parties may not retaliate against the whistleblower, such as dismissal, discrimination or harassment.
• Legal support: Whistleblowers are entitled to legal support and compensation if they are victims of retaliation.

As part of a survey, you can report and anonymise any violations of which you are aware. Please follow the instructions carefully so that all relevant information is provided. Your report can help to uncover irregularities and protect the integrity of our company.

The protection of your personal data and information is very important to us. All information provided by you will be treated confidentially and will only be used by authorised persons for the investigation of the reported incident.

Honesty is a top priority at UMCO. Therefore, we encourage you to be honest when reporting incidents. As you know, false accusations can have serious consequences for all parties involved and are therefore unacceptable.

We hope that this briefing has given you a better understanding of the Whistleblower Protection Act and clarified some questions. If you have any further questions or would like to report a tip-off, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for doing your part to promote an ethical and responsible environment.

Please follow the instructions carefully to ensure that all relevant information is provided.