Acting ethically and in accordance with the law is at the heart of everything we do at the Rhenus Group. Our compliance management system ensures the highest standards and active measures to combat corruption, human rights violations, conflicts of interest, antitrust violations and fraud.
Our Code of Conduct – The Foundation of Responsible Business Practices
The fully revised 2024 Code of Conduct is a cornerstone of our Compliance Management System (CMS) and is firmly embedded in the corporate culture of the Rhenus Group. It defines the values and principles that guide our daily actions and serves as the basis for all further internal compliance policies.
The principles set out in the Code of Conduct are binding for all employees across every subsidiary and must be consistently applied in day-to-day business.
The Code of Conduct prohibits all forms of anti-competitive behavior and corruption. It also addresses key topics such as handling conflicts of interest and personal data. To further specify these standards of conduct, the Code of Conduct is supplemented by group-wide compliance policies, which are regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.
You can access our Code of Conduct in the following languages:
Whistleblowing System & Whistleblower Policy
Integrity, transparency, and accountability are core values of our company. To protect and promote these values, we have established a whistleblowing system that allows employees, business partners, and third parties to confidentially and securely report potential violations of legal requirements or internal policies.
Our digital whistleblowing system is available around the clock and enables both anonymous and non-anonymous reporting. It complies with the requirements of the EU Whistleblower Directive and the German Whistleblower Protection Act, ensuring the protection of the whistleblower’s identity as well as the rights of the persons concerned by a report.
Global Risk Analyses to Strengthen the Compliance Culture
The Rhenus Compliance Organization regularly conducts global risk analyses in line with Group Compliance requirements to identify potential compliance risks at an early stage, assess them systematically, and effectively mitigate them. The goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of company-wide net risks and to ensure the long-term integrity of business processes.
The risk assessments are based on structured questionnaires as well as in-depth interviews with employees in the so-called “First Line of Defense.” This approach not only identifies potential risks but also evaluates the effectiveness of existing risk-mitigation measures. In doing so, it provides a realistic picture of the current risk landscape and highlights opportunities for improvement.
This structured methodology enables the Rhenus Group to not only create transparency around risks but also to manage them in a targeted way—supporting responsible corporate governance and ensuring compliance with both legal and ethical standards.
Compliance Training – Strengthening Knowledge, Minimizing Risks
At Rhenus, we consider ongoing and regular awareness-raising essential to upholding our high standards of compliance.
All employees across the Rhenus Group are introduced to the principles of our Code of Conduct through mandatory e-learning modules. Complementary in-person training sessions—including those covering our compliance policies—provide space for dialogue and help to strengthen understanding across all levels of the organization.
Rhenus Compliance Organizational Structure – Clear Responsibilities, Centralized Oversight
An effective Compliance Management System (CMS) requires clearly defined responsibilities and binding processes. At Rhenus, the overall responsibility for an effective CMS rests with the company’s executive management. This responsibility has been delegated by the Management Board to the Compliance Board. The operational implementation of the Compliance Board’s directives lies with the Group Head of Compliance, who receives mandates from the Compliance Board to ensure the continuous improvement and further development of the CMS.
The compliance organization is structured on multiple levels: Locally appointed Compliance Officers at the company level report functionally to designated Business Unit Compliance Officers. In countries where shared service entities are established, Country Compliance Officers assume compliance responsibilities for all entities within the respective country. They also report on a case-by-case basis to the relevant Business Unit Compliance Officers.
The Business Unit Compliance Officers, in turn, are required to report to the responsible Compliance Officers of our six divisions. The functional leadership of the Division Compliance Officers lies with the Group Head of Compliance, who reports regularly in this capacity to the Rhenus Group Compliance Board.
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