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Compliance Management System

Messer Compliance Management System

Corporate Culture
At Messer, we are committed to conducting business with integrity, transparency and reliability while adhering to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Since our founding, responsible behavior toward people, society and the environment has been a guiding principle of the way we do business. 

This commitment is supported by strong leadership, open communication and regular global awareness initiatives that promote ethics and compliance as fundamental elements of our corporate culture.

Compliance Management System
Messer stands for responsible corporate governance, focused on sustainable value creation and trusted cooperation with shareholders, business partners, employees and other stakeholders.
Our principles and processes support ethical and lawful business conduct across all operations. They form an integral part of Messer’s Compliance Management System (CMS), which is aligned with internationally and nationally recognized standards for good and responsible corporate governance.

The CMS addresses key compliance risk areas, including anti-corruption, antitrust, anti-money laundering, export controls and sanctions, human rights and other aspects of responsible business conduct.
 

Messer Code of Conduct
The Messer Code of Conduct forms the foundation of our Compliance Management System. It provides a clear and binding framework for ethical decision making, managing conflicts of interest and conducting business in accordance with legal and ethical principles. The Code sets out the expectations and rules of conduct for all Messer employees worldwide.

Messer’s Executive Management Board has overall responsibility for overseeing the Compliance Management System and the implementation of the Code of Conduct.

The Messer Code of Conduct is based on the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact relating to human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption. It is supplemented by globally applicable Compliance Policies as well as other group-wide and local policies, guidelines, manuals and internal regulations. These documents are binding for all Messer companies and must be followed by all employees.

Messer Business Partner Code of Conduct
In addition to the Code of Conduct, Messer has established the Business Partner Code of Conduct that applies to all Messer Business Partners.

It establishes a globally applicable framework for Messer’s Business Partners and focuses on internationally recognized human rights, labor, environmental and anti-corruption standards.
The Code outlines the requirements and expectations that Messer places on its business partners.

Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and Working Conditions
The Declaration of Principles outlines Messer's approach to human rights and fair working conditions. It explains our commitments and the measures implemented to uphold these principles throughout our operations and value chain.

The document provides business partners with greater transparency regarding Messer's human rights practices, working conditions and related processes.

Corporate Sustainability Commitments
Sustainability is a core element of Messer’s business strategy. Meser takes concrete actions across its operations to drive sustainable progress and create long-term value for both Messer and its customers.

Each year, Messer publishes sustainability information covering environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics, including relevant compliance activities. The reporting is prepared in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and is subject to independent assurance.

Speak Up and Incident Reporting
Messer EthicsPoint provides a secure and confidential platform for reporting concerns and suspected violations of Messer's Code of Conduct, policies or applicable laws.
The platform is available to employees, business partners, workers in the value chain and customers. Reports may be submitted anonymously. The EthicsPoint is accessible in multiple languages and allows reports to be submitted online or by telephone.

Messer actively promotes awareness of its reporting channels through training, intranet communications and management engagement.

In addition to EthicsPoint, employees may raise concerns through the Compliance e-mail channel or directly with a Compliance Officer. Business partners and other external stakeholders may also report concerns through their regular company contact.

Investigations are conducted objectively, independently and in line with applicable legal requirements, including labor and data protection laws. Messer protects individuals who raise concerns in good faith and ensures they are treated fairly and impartially. Retaliation against anyone who reports a concern or assists in an investigation in good faith is strictly prohibited.

The Guideline for reporting and handling rule violations at Messer describes how information on rule violations or on misconduct can be reported and how these are need to be dealt with.

Compliance Training
Compliance training is a key element of Messer's compliance program. It is designed to strengthen awareness of ethical business conduct, reduce compliance risks and support adherence to the Code of Conduct and relevant compliance requirements.

In cooperation with business functions and regional compliance teams, training content is tailored to the specific risks and requirements of Messer companies worldwide.

All employees are required to complete Code of Conduct training on a regular basis. Additional region-specific training may be assigned where appropriate and in accordance with local risk assessments.

Employees in designated risk-related functions are required to complete specialized training on anti-bribery, anti-corruption and antitrust compliance. Training content is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect legal developments, emerging risks and business needs.

Regional and local Compliance Officers monitor completion rates, follow up on overdue assignments and report relevant metrics to Messer's Group Regulatory & Compliance department.

Compliance Contact
If you have any questions regarding Messer's Compliance Management System, the Code of Conduct or other compliance-related matters, please contact the Group Regulatory & Compliance department or the Chief Compliance Officer.

We are committed to fostering a culture of integrity, ethical business conduct and compliance throughout the Messer Group.

E-mail:  compliance@messergroup.com 

Nested Applications

Messer CMS

The Messer CMS is based on the Messer Codex. This set of rules is intended to support the day-to-day work of our employees. The Messer Codex comprises the following documents:

  • Code of Conduct (PDF document)
    This defines standardised, globally binding corporate guidelines for the Messer Group and is based on the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact relating to human rights, working standards, environmental protection and the fight against corruption.
  • Business Partner Code of Conduct (PDF document)
    In addition to our generally binding Code of Conduct, which is aimed towards all employees, the CoC for Business Partners shall apply to all Messer Business Partners. It defines a uniform, globally binding guideline for Messer’s Business Partners and focuses on internationally recognized human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption standards (ESG). Thus, it describes the requirements and principles of cooperation with integrity between Messer and our Business Partners.
  • Declaration of Principles (PDF document)
    This Declaration goes into detail on Human Rights and Working Conditions at Messer. In contrast to the Business Partner Code of Conduct, it does not focus on Business Partners but describes how exactly Messer deals with the individual topics of Human Rights and what efforts have been made so far.  This document can be sent to Business Partners to provide more understanding and awareness for the processes at Messer.
  • Guideline for reporting and handling rule violations at Messer (PDF document)
    describes how information on rule violations or on misconduct can be reported and how these are need to be dealt with.
  • Policies & Guidelines
    The Policies and internal Guidelines issued by Corporate Departments contain all the execution and action conduct guidelines for all business divisions of the Messer Group and its business processes, which are legally binding on all Messer companies and which therefore must be complied with by all employees.
  • Employees are regularly confronted with decisions, some of which fall into a grey area. The question of whether conduct is correct and complies with the Messer Code is therefore often emotional and personal, meaning that it is sometimes difficult to retain the necessary objectivity. In addition, laws and rules are often complex and open to different interpretations. This makes it all the more important that any problems are raised and addressed.
  • Our employees have the option of contacting in confidence a defined responsible contact person in connection with questions, comments, information and other concerns regarding the Messer CMS. Guideline for reporting and handling rule violations at Messer describes how information on rule violations or on misconduct can be reported and how these are need to be dealt with.
  • In this connection, every employee can obtain information about whether conduct is consistent with the Messer CMS (Integrity Test), as well as when, to whom and how suspicions of breaches are to be reported. (CO Guideline)
  • In case our customers, suppliers or business partners have any questions or comments regarding the Messer CMS, or if they have concrete indications of a compliance breach, they can report this to the Chief Compliance Officer:
  • by sending an e-mail to compliance@messergroup.com
     

Everyone should ask themselves whether the conduct

  • is legal and in accordance with the values and rules of the company.
  • is in the best interests of the company and can be undertaken free from their competing own interests.
  • is supported by the personal belief that the right decision has been made and aligned with their own ethical compass,
  • can be notified to supervisors, colleagues, family members or friends with a clear conscience. How would these people react if they knew about the conduct?
  • would also withstand scrutiny from third parties. How would it be represented on the television, radio, internet or in a newspaper?
  • protects the good reputation of the Messer Group.

If each of the questions listed above can be answered with “yes”, then the conduct is probably acceptable. If there is any doubt as to one of these questions, generally speaking the direct supervisor is best placed to assess the situation and to solve the problem.

Chief Compliance Officer


Dr. Björn Bork
Chief Compliance Officer
+49 6196 7760-134
Compliance@messergroup.com