Information on data protection
We take data protection and confidentiality very seriously and adhere to the current national data protection regulations. Please read this data protection information carefully before submitting a report.
Purpose of the whistleblowing system
The whistleblowing system (BKMS® Incident Reporting) serves the purpose of receiving and processing reports on certain criminal acts and legal violations via a secure and confidential channel.
Responsible authority and data security
The party responsible for data protection in the whistleblowing system is secunet Security Networks AG, Compliance Department, Kurfürstenstraße 58, 45138 Essen, Germany. The whistleblowing system is operated by a specialised company, Business Keeper AG, Bayreuther Str. 35, 10789 Berlin in Germany, on behalf of secunet Security Networks AG (hereafter also referred to as: “secunet”).
Personal data and information entered into the whistleblowing system are stored in a database operated by Business Keeper AG in a high-security data centre. Only secunet has access to the data. Business Keeper AG and other third parties do not have access to the data. This is ensured in the certified procedure through extensive technical and organisational measures.
All data are stored encrypted with multiple levels of password protection so that access is restricted to a very small selection of expressly authorised persons at secunet.
Type of personal data collected
Use of the whistleblowing system takes place on a voluntary basis. If you submit a report via the whistleblowing system, we collect the following personal data and information:
- your name, if you choose to reveal your identity,
- whether you are employed at secunet, and
- the names and other personal data of persons whom you name in your report.
Confidential handling of reports
Incoming reports are received by a small selection of expressly authorised and specially trained employees of the Compliance Department at secunet and are always handled confidentially. The Compliance staff will evaluate the matter and carry out any further investigation that may be required by the specific case.
While processing a report or conducting a special investigation, it may be necessary to share reports with additional employees of secunet or employees of other secunet group companies, e.g. if the reports refer to incidents in secunet subsidiaries. We always ensure that the applicable data protection regulations are complied with when sharing reports.
All persons who receive access to the data are obligated to maintain confidentiality.
Retention period of personal data
Personal data is retained for as long as necessary to clarify the situation and perform a concluding evaluation. After the report processing is concluded, the data are deleted in accordance with the statutory requirements.
Use of the whistleblowing portal
Communication between your computer and the whistleblowing system takes place over an encrypted connection (SSL). Your IP address will not be stored during your use of the whistleblowing system. In order to maintain the connection between your computer and the BKMS® Incident Reporting, a cookie is stored on your computer that contains only the session ID (a so-called session cookie). This cookie is only valid until the end of your session and expires when you close your browser.
You can set up a postbox within the whistleblowing system that is secured with an individually chosen pseudonym/user name and password. This allows you to send reports to the respectively responsible employee of secunet either by name or in an anonymous, safe way. This system only stores data inside the whistleblowing system, which makes it particularly secure. It is not a form of regular e-mail communication.
Note on sending attachments
When submitting a report or an addition, you can simultaneously send attachments to the responsible secunet employee. If you wish to submit an anonymous report, please take note of the following security advice: files can contain hidden personal data that could endanger your anonymity. Remove this data before sending. If you are unable to remove this data or are uncertain about how to do so, copy the text of your attachment into your report text or send the printed document anonymously to the address listed in the footer, citing the reference number received at the end of the reporting process.