Audi Compliance & Risk Management: Whistleblower System

Whistleblower System

Complying with statutory regulations and internal rules has top priority at our company. We can only avoid damage to our company, our employees and business partners if rules and standards are respected. Consequently, misconduct must be recognized swiftly, processed and immediately remedied.

That calls for vigilance on the part of everyone along with a willingness to draw attention to possible Serious Regulatory Violations on the basis of a Reasonable Suspicion. We also value information of this nature from business partners, customers and other third parties. Reports to the Whistleblower System can be made at any time and in any language.

The Whistleblower System guarantees the greatest possible protection for whistleblowers and persons implicated. An investigation is only initiated after very careful examination of the facts and reasonable suspicion of a regulatory violation. There will be strict confidentiality and secrecy throughout the investigative process. Information will be reviewed fairly, promptly and in a sensitive manner.

How do individuals get in touch?

To ensure that anything you disclose can be handled, it is important to provide information that is as factual as possible. When you report, consider the answers to these five basic questions: Who? What? When? Why? Where?

Employees can have a conversation with a senior manager or the Compliance Officer. Alternatively, contact the Audi Whistleblower System if individuals are uncomfortable or not able to go through internal channels, would like to report anonymously, or make a report under the Group Whistleblower Policy.

Reporting channels

It is possible to use an internet-based communication platform to contact the Investigation Office, exchange documents and remain in contact via a separate mailbox. This system is confidential and protected. Whistleblowers can decide for themselves whether they want to provide their name. A confidential report via the protected AUDI AG reporting channel can be submitted to the Investigation Office via the following link:

Online Reporting Channel

The Audi Australia and Central Investigation Office can be contacted via the following:

compliance@audi.com.au

You can make a report at any time using the international toll-free number:
24/7 Hotline:
0011 800 444 46300
0011 49 5361 946300

Please make an appointment in advance by writing an e-mail to compliance@audi.com.au.

In Person:
Audi Australia
Risk & Compliance Manager

Postal address:
AUDI AG Whistleblower System
85045 Ingolstadt

Ombudspersons in the Volkswagen Group

“Ombudsman” is a term taken from the Swedish word for mediator or legal representative. Dr. Rainer Buchert and Thomas Rohrbach, the external ombudspersons appointed by the Volkswagen Group, act as special counsel to accept reports of potential statutory or internal violation of regulations or any other kind of harmful conduct in the Group, and to review these with respect to plausibility and substantiality.

They consult with the whistleblower if necessary and if the identity of the whistleblower is known. Finally, they forward all the information that has been agreed with the whistleblower to the Investigation Office for further processing. All information is treated as confidential and it is the whistleblower who decides whether he or she wishes to protect his or her identity vis-à-vis the Group. The ombudspersons appointed by the Group ensure that reports from whistleblowers who do not wish to be identified by the company are forwarded to the Investigation Office anonymously.

Ombudspersons (external lawyers):

www.ombudsmen-of-volkswagen.com

How do I make a report?

It is important to make sure the information contained in the report you submit to the Investigation Office is as concrete as possible so that it can be processed and investigated in an appropriate manner.

It is helpful if your report covers the following five questions:
• Who? – Who is it about? Who is affected?
• What? – What happened? Explanation of the circumstances.
• When? – When did the incident take place?
• How? – How many times did it happen?
• Where? – Where did the incident take place?

Whistleblowers should make sure that that their descriptions contained in their report can be easily understood by persons who are not specialists with the subject area. It would be helpful if the whistleblower is available to answer further questions. If the whistleblower is willing to do so, but wish to remain anonymous toward Audi, the anonymous reporting channels can be used.

In case of violations of regulations on data protection we kindly ask you to contact The Privacy Officer of Audi Australia Pty Ltd.

The Privacy Officer of Audi Australia Pty Ltd