Whistleblowing

Steiermärkische Sparkasse's Management Board has implemented a program ("Erste Integrity" - Erste Group's Whistleblowing Program) that enables its employees or any other natural person with a work or business-relation to Steiermärkische Sparkasse - while maintaining the confidentiality of their identity -  to report certain internal company violations to an appropriate body (section 99g Austrian Banking Act, Austrian “Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz” (HSchG) and Whistleblower Protection Directive (EU) 2019/1937).

The core of the program includes the "Erste Integrity" Internal Reporting Office, to which the above mentioned persons can report suspicious cases or simply ask questions regarding possible misdemeanors.

Since damage can be significantly reduced if it is reported promptly, this office offers the opportunity to submit information confidentially or even anonymously - in the event of suspicion of the following offenses or misconduct:

• Financial Crime
• Consumer Protection and Safetyness
• Bribery and Corruption
• Security, Data Protection and Privacy
• Environmental Issues
• Regulatory Compliance

The main framework conditions for the internal reporting office or potential whistleblowers are:

• Anonymity / confidentiality
• Protection of the persons involved
• "Bona Fidae" rule and protection against false accusations

The following independent information channels for confidential and discreet reporting of relevant suspicious cases are available to our employees:

1. Erste Integrity Line, an externally hosted platform: https://erste.integrityplatform.org
2. Postal mail:
Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkassen AG
Ombudsman – Attn. Whistleblowing Office
Am Sparkassenplatz 4
8010 Graz

Details can also be found at https://erste.integrityplatform.org.

Further external reporting offices can be found here: External Whistleblowing channels

Regardless of this, we still ask customers to direct any complaints to the ombudsman's office.