Compliance and corruption prevention

Mission statement of DW General Management:

"As a tax-funded, public broadcaster, DW is particularly reliant on the trust of its users and the public. Strong compliance protects DW's reputation and is a key factor for sustainable success. Compliance is part of DW's corporate and leadership culture and is actively embraced by all employees."

The primary contact for compliance matters at DW is our Compliance Officer. She reports directly to the Director General and works independently, conducting assessments and evaluations autonomously without any directives. Employees, managers, and external parties can reach out to her confidentially.

Key areas of responsibility:

Code of Conduct: Binding behavioral guidelines of DW

The binding principles and behavioral guidelines that guide our daily actions and interactions are outlined in our Code of Conduct (CoC). It is available in 32 broadcast languages and is given to all employees before they begin their roles.

Corruption Prevention

The Compliance Officer is designated as the contact person for corruption prevention according to point 5 of the Federal Directive on Corruption Prevention in Administration. By supporting and advising employees, corruption risks are prevented. Reports on corruption-related issues and possible violations can be reported to the Compliance Officer. Alternatively, reports can be made through our external Corruption Officer.

Note: The term "corruption" encompasses various behaviors and can be simply described as any form of abuse of entrusted power.

Internal Reporting Office under the Whistleblower Protection Act

To avoid violations of laws or rules and to protect DW and our employees from harm, we accept and impartially review reports of possible misconduct. The Compliance department is responsible for handling these reports. You can report violations of law or regulation through any of the following channels:

 • Email to [email protected]
 • Report via DW's digital whistleblower system (also anonymously)
 • Report to DW's external Corruption Officer

Detailed information on the German Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG) can be found on these pages of the Federal Office of Justice,  which can also receive reports related to DW as an external reporting office (external reporting office of the federal government).

DW in the ARD Network

ARD Compliance Standards

DW is part of ARD and is in continuous exchange with the ARD broadcasting institutions. Compliance is a core element of the shared corporate culture. A joint guideline has been formulated with minimum standards and common objectives to which ARD commits and towards which the organizations work.