Privacy policy
We take data protection and confidentiality very seriously and adhere to the provisions of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as well as current national data protection regulations. Please read this information on data protection law carefully before submitting a report.
Purpose and legal basis of the whistleblowing system
The whistleblowing system (BKMS® System) serves for securely and confidentially receiving, processing and managing reports concerning violations of the compliance rules of the MERKUR GROUP. The processing of personal data within the framework of the BKMS® System is based on the legitimate interest of our company in discovering and preventing abuses and thereby averting damage to the MERKUR GROUP, its employees and customers. The legal basis for the processing of personal data is Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR.
Responsible parties
The party responsible for data protection in the whistleblowing system is
- MERKUR.com AG and
- its subsidiaries
as parties with mutually autonomous responsibility (hereafter also: “MERKUR.com AG”). The whistleblowing system is operated by a specialised company, EQS Group GmbH, Karlstraße 47, 80333 Munich in Germany, on behalf of MERKUR.com AG.
Personal data and information entered into the whistleblowing system are stored in a database operated by EQS Group GmbH in a high-security data centre. Only the central reporting office at the MERKUR GROUP has access to the data. EQS Group GmbH 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 in an encrypted manner with multiple levels of password protection according to a system of permissions so that access is restricted to a very small selection of expressly authorised persons at the central reporting office at the MERKUR GROUP.
MERKUR.com AG has appointed a data protection officer. Enquiries regarding data protection at MERKUR.com AG can be sent to the data protection officer (datenschutzbeauftragter@merkur.com).
Type of personal data collected
Use of the whistleblowing system is voluntary. We collect the following personal data and information when you submit a report using the whistleblowing system:
- your name, if you choose to reveal your identity,
- whether you are employed at the MERKUR GROUP and
- the names and other personal data of persons whom you list in your report, if applicable.
Confidential handling of reports
Incoming reports are received by a small selection of expressly authorised and specially trained employees of MERKUR.com AG and always handled confidentially. The employees at MERKUR.com AG 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 the MERKUR GROUP, e.g. if the reports refer to incidents in subsidiaries. These subsidiaries may be based in countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area with different regulations concerning the protection of personal data. 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.
Information about the accused party
We are legally obliged to inform accused parties of any reports received against them as soon as the disclosure of this information no longer jeopardises the investigation. Your identity as a whistleblower will not be disclosed unless we are legally bound to do so.
Rights of the data subjects
Pursuant to European data protection legislation, you and the persons named in the report have a right of access, rectification, erasure and restriction of processing and a right to object to the processing of your personal data. If the right to object to the processing of the personal data is exercised, the necessity of the stored data for the examination of a report will be evaluated immediately. Data that are no longer needed will be erased without undue delay. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority.
Retention period for personal data
Personal data is retained for as long as necessary to clarify the situation and perform a final assessment or for as long as a legitimate interest exists on the part of the company or retention is required by law. After the report processing is concluded, the data will be erased in accordance with statutory requirements.
Use of the whistleblowing system
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® System, a cookie is stored on your computer that merely contains the session ID (a session cookie). This cookie is only valid until the end of your session and expires when you close your browser.
It is possible to set up a secured postbox within the whistleblowing system with an individually chosen pseudonym/ user name and password. This allows you to send reports to the responsible employee at the MERKUR.com AG either by name or anonymously in a secure manner. This system only stores data inside the whistleblowing system, which makes it particularly secure. It is not a form of regular email communication.
Note on sending attachments
When submitting a report or sending an addition, you can send attachments to the responsible MERKUR.com AG employee. If you wish to submit an anonymous report, please note the following security advice: Files may contain hidden personal data that could jeopardise your anonymity. Please remove all such information before sending a file. If you are unable to remove such 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.
Version: 01 January 2024