As a globally active technology company, it is crucial that we adhere to the same principles of conduct at all our locations, as the basic values of our actions apply equally everywhere. The regulations and procedures described below form the guidelines for the global conduct of the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP both internally and externally. This self-commitment to ethically impeccable conduct is stipulated by the Executive Board of DVS Technology AG.
To whom does the Code of Conduct apply?
This Code of Conduct represents the framework for the daily work of our globally active employees and serves to help them understand our principles so that they can act accordingly. In addition to our internal stakeholders, we are experiencing that our customers and banks are increasingly setting out their requirements for our conduct and also demanding this. Similarly, we require our suppliers and business partners to comply with the principles described in this document.
How will the Code of Conduct be further developed?
Every DVS employee is invited to further develop this Code of Conduct, because only by involving everyone can we ensure that any existing gaps can be closed. Due to our federal corporate structure, the individual DVS companies are each responsible for the implementation of and compliance with this Code of Conduct.
A central contact point has been set up for the Group for inquiries, reports and information, which can be contacted by e-mail. The contact details can be found on the last page.
The actions of the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP are characterized by
- integrity
- sustainability and
- responsibility
These fundamental values form the framework for our corporate and social actions.
Integrity
Integrity determines how we deal with our employees, business partners and the social environment. It is a matter of course for us to comply with legal regulations and to enter into voluntary commitments.
Sustainability
Sustainability combines our business activities with responsible action towards the environment, people and society. Our aim is to avoid negative impacts on the environment, people and society as far as we can and to make a positive contribution to promoting them. To this end, we set out in 2024 to prepare the Sustainability Report (CSRD) and develop a sustainability strategy to support the global plan to promote sustainable peace and prosperity and protect our planet along the value chain to the best of our ability.
Responsibility
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP is an internationally active technology group. We source our components worldwide and deliver to international markets. We therefore have a special responsibility.
We therefore adhere to international principles of responsible corporate governance. We support and respect the protection of internationally recognized human rights. This includes, in particular, the rejection of human rights violations in conflict regions. We also base our actions on relevant labor and social standards. We reject all forms of forced and child labor and modern slavery.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP guarantees fair working conditions and relies on cooperation with works councils. We observe the relevant regulations to protect the health and safety of our employees. We ensure a safe and healthy working environment in all our national and international operations. Any form of discrimination is not tolerated in our companies. We draw a large part of our innovative strength from our cultural and social diversity, as well as from international cooperation. We promote the compatibility of family and career and are happy to find individual solutions. We support flexible working hours and the use of parental leave by employees.
The enormous competitiveness of the DVS Technology Group results in increased customer benefit, which is an important purchasing criterion for our customers. To guarantee this customer benefit in the long term, we have aligned our processes with common quality standards such as DIN-ISO 9001.
With the help of input from our customers and employees, we are constantly adapting our processes, products and services to changing market conditions. Our customer centricity is at the heart of our developments.
Our aim is to ensure that our products meet the highest safety and quality standards. We are therefore committed to continuous development and the responsible use of new technologies.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP strictly rejects any form of corruption and bribery. Employees may not directly or indirectly accept or offer payments or gifts that could influence the business decision-making process.
When dealing with our business partners, we rely on transparent and lawful processing of all company business. This principle applies regardless of country or culture. We support national and international efforts not to influence or distort competition through corruption.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP is very sensitive when the personal interests of employees diverge from the interests of the company. Our decisions on behalf of the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP are always unbiased and objective. The mere appearance of conflicts of interest can damage our reputation just as much as conflicts of interest themselves. If such conflicts of interest exist or are merely suspected, we seek a solution, such as the application of the dual control principle.
We know from our own experience how much passion and commitment it takes to become a world market leader. We note with great respect that our competitors also do a perfect job. Looking back, this has always spurred us on to continuously develop ourselves further.
Fair competition promotes innovation and strengthens our market position rather than damaging it. We therefore have no intention of hindering or damaging our competitors in any way. In our activities, we strictly adhere to the legal regulations for the promotion and protection of competition. Compliance with applicable antitrust law is a matter of course for us. Agreements with competitors that distort the market or restrict competition are expressly prohibited.
Die DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP legt großen Wert auf ethische Geschäftspraktiken und erwartet dies auch von unseren Lieferanten. Wir verpflichten uns, soziale und ökologische Standards entlang der gesamten Lieferkette sicherzustellen.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP attaches great importance to ethical business practices and expects the same from our suppliers. We are committed to ensuring social and environmental standards along the entire supply chain.
Our suppliers must ensure safe working conditions, fair labor practices and compliance with all applicable laws. They should share our values with regard to human rights and labor standards.
Child labor and forced labor are strictly prohibited. Suppliers must comply with international standards and pay fair wages, adhere to regulated working hours and avoid discrimination.
Suppliers are obliged to apply environmentally friendly processes, use resources sparingly and reduce waste. They must comply with all relevant environmental laws.
We reserve the right to carry out audits and expect suppliers to inform us of any breaches of these principles. In the event of serious violations, business relationships may be terminated.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP is a globally active company. Before we enter into a transaction, we check whether there are any relevant trade control regulations or sanction regulations. It goes without saying that these are binding for us and take precedence over our business interests.
The focus here is on export control regulations as well as customs and tax law. Sales projects are processed in several instances within the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP. In addition to our international subsidiaries and external representatives, the German sales engineers and management are also involved. As all instances are sensitized to this topic, the multi-stage procedure ensures that only desired orders are accepted and processed.
We are committed to complying with the existing anti-money laundering regulations. Our national and international agencies also follow this procedure and ensure that only legitimate transactions with legitimate financial resources are processed. It goes without saying that we expressly support all national and international efforts to promote peace and stability.
Our company data, trade secrets and the data provided by our customers are the gold of the future. Protecting them secures our future presence in the market. To create the conditions for this, we are restructuring our process landscape so that the DVS companies comply with the globally recognized TISAX standard. Compliance with current data protection guidelines is a matter of course for us, which means that the personal data of customers, suppliers, employees and applicants is under special protection.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP is constantly working to keep the IT systems used up to date with the latest technology in order to prevent cyber attacks from outside and data loss.
We document all key information and data, such as financial accounts, quality reports and expense reports, in a timely and comprehensible manner. In doing so, we ensure that only facts are presented in a factual manner. We also ensure that all relevant information is accessible to our stakeholders and communicated appropriately.
Plagiarism
For reasons of quality assurance, the use of plagiarized or counterfeit materials is prohibited. We purchase our raw materials from certified sources/suppliers. In this way, we minimize the risk of counterfeit materials or plagiarism entering our production. Our regular quality assurance measures enable us to detect counterfeit materials or plagiarism and isolate them quickly. It goes without saying that we notify the original parts manufacturer and, if necessary, any law enforcement authorities.
Our employees are asked to establish and maintain communication that is simple, understandable and therefore clear and free of misunderstandings, to comply with applicable laws and regulations and to act in accordance with standard industry practices. We comply with the retention periods under commercial and tax law for documents, which are structured and filed in a logical and comprehensible manner.
Intellectual property
We recognize intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, models, samples and business information, as well as specialist knowledge. We also handle information entrusted to us by our customers or suppliers with care and confidentiality. Literary and artistic works as well as symbols, names and images used in trade are also respected by DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP as intellectual property. These are not used or published without authorization. All employees of the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP must ensure that the company‘s intellectual property is protected from access by unauthorized employees and third parties.
The DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP looks at environmental and climate protection from different angles of our actions.
“Machinetools & Automation” division
Technical progress and prosperity are not possible without production. Our machine tools and automation units are used for 10-20 years in 3-shift operation. They play a decisive role in the consumption of energy and resources during production. We therefore offer our customers resource-saving products. During the production of our products, we pay attention to the use of high-quality and sustainable components. For example, we increasingly use synchronous motors and power electronics with energy recovery and avoid hydraulic systems in our machines and systems wherever possible.
Since Präwema Antriebstechnik GmbH introduced environmental management in accordance with ISO 14001 in 2020, five other DVS companies have followed suit in this area in recent years and have been certified accordingly.
Tools & Components” division
The production of grinding wheels is very energy-intensive. We are constantly investing in ways to reduce the energy used during production and regularly verify this as part of ISO 50001. Any waste products are disposed of properly by certified specialist companies. Packaging materials are collected in cooperation with our customers, taken back and, if necessary, processed and recycled.
Company vehicles
Our company car policy specifically promotes the procurement of energy-saving vehicles with modern drive concepts. In this way, we aim to improve the carbon footprint of our vehicle fleet in a targeted manner. Charging points for BEV and hybrid vehicles have been installed and available at all main locations since 2021.
The principles of conduct described here form the basic values of our actions. Failure to comply with them damages the positive image of the DVS TECHNOLOGY GROUP and reduces its attractiveness as an employer, which ultimately jeopardizes our business success.
For this reason, non-compliance can result in consequences under labor law as well as civil and criminal prosecution of individual employees.
All employees are obliged to report violations of this Code of Conduct immediately. Confidential channels are available for this purpose. Whistleblowers who act in good faith are protected from reprisals. Any reported incidents are carefully investigated and appropriate measures are taken in the event of violations. To this end, the AdvoWhistle whistleblower protection system was introduced in fall 2024 to enable employees to report potential conflicts.
We are grateful for information on optimization potential so that we can introduce suitable countermeasures if necessary. However, we are also happy to receive information that concerns our business partners so that we can also develop solutions at this level.
Please feel free to involve our local management teams or get in touch with our contact point. If in doubt, contact can also be made anonymously.
