Integrity & Compliance at Cito
For us, compliance means adhering to legal requirements, internal company guidelines, ethical principles, and self-imposed values to protect the company.
Integrity and Compliance at Cito
For us, integrity means taking a stand. Integrity acts as an internal compass, guiding us to do the right thing out of personal conviction—regardless of economic or social pressure. To provide guidance and support, integrity is firmly anchored in our processes and decisions. This is how we take responsibility and show our commitment. It strengthens our trustworthiness and makes us even more attractive to our investors, customers, and employees.
We are convinced that we can only be sustainably successful as a company if we all act with integrity and in compliance with the rules.
We are aware that violations of laws, rules, and regulations have consequences. That is another reason why we want to lead by example in this area. We have documented the ethical basis of our actions in our Code of Conduct as well as in our Group Essentials, our corporate principles. We live by our corporate values, principles, and rules. We promote a trusting, honest, and fair environment to take responsibility through clear rules and a clear stance, and to protect the Group and its employees.
If you have any questions regarding integrity and compliance at Cito, please contact
compliance-vwn@volkswagen.de.
Our Principles
The Code of Conduct
A company can only be successful in the long term if it acts with integrity, complies with laws and regulations worldwide, and upholds its voluntary commitments and ethical principles.
The Code of Conduct serves as a guide for all employees. It is designed to simplify the application of existing company rules and provide employees with orientation, support, and advice in their daily tasks and decision-making. The focus is on the responsibility of each individual for compliance.
Download Code of Conduct (PDF)
Code of Conduct for Business Partners
Our Guidelines
The Code of Conduct for Business Partners outlines the expectations we have for our business partners.
Download Code of Conduct for Business Partners DE EN (PDF)
Anti-Corruption
Our Guidelines
Corruption has no place at Volkswagen. This is firmly anchored in Volkswagen's Code of Conduct. Furthermore, the Anti-Corruption Guide offers additional assistance to all employees.
Download Anti-Corruption Guide (PDF)
There is no place for corruption and bribery at Volkswagen. This is firmly anchored in the Code of Conduct. The anti-corruption guide offers further assistance to all employees.
Download Anti-Corruption Guideline (PDF)
1. Our whistleblower system
Compliance with legal requirements and internal rules, the principles of our Code of Conduct, and the Code of Conduct for Business Partners is a top priority at Cito. Our company's success is based on integrity and compliance. To live up to this standard, it is important to learn about and prevent potential misconduct by our own employees or those of our suppliers. For this reason, the Central Investigation Office operates an independent, impartial, and confidential whistleblower system.
An important pillar of our whistleblower system is the principle of fair proceedings. It guarantees the greatest possible protection for whistleblowers, those affected, and employees who contribute to the investigation of reported misconduct. This also includes offering options for anonymous reporting and communication. We assure you that we will not take any action to identify anonymous whistleblowers who do not misuse our whistleblower system. Discrimination against whistleblowers and anyone who contributes to investigations at Cito will not be tolerated. The presumption of innocence applies to the persons concerned until the violation is proven. Investigations are conducted with the utmost confidentiality. Information is processed in a fair, fast, and protected procedure.
How do we process your report?
Qualified and experienced staff at the Central Investigation Office thoroughly review all reports of potential serious regulatory violations by Volkswagen Group employees and follow up on them systematically. You will first receive an acknowledgment of receipt. The Investigation Office will then evaluate the report. This includes obtaining information, particularly from the whistleblower. Only if this results in an initial suspicion of a potential regulatory violation will an appropriate investigative unit be tasked with examining the case. The Investigation Office then evaluates the findings and, in the event of confirmed misconduct, issues a recommendation for appropriate sanctions. You will be informed promptly about the processing status* of your report and the outcome of any investigation.
Potential violations of the Code of Conduct for Business Partners, including serious risks and human rights and environmental violations by direct and indirect suppliers, can also be reported to the Central Investigation Office. This also applies to other reports that require immediate action by the company. The Investigation Office informs the responsible departments, which then handle the matter accordingly. This includes, in particular, necessary measures to minimize or end violations and/or risks.
Further information on the relevant procedural principles can be found here.
* Processing time may vary and depends, among other things, on the subject of the report.
2. Do you have a request or feedback regarding a Cito service?
What type of report would you like to submit?
a. A complaint about products or services to our customer service
For complaints or feedback regarding vehicles and services from Cito or our business partners (e.g., dealerships, workshops), please contact Cito Customer Support:
Email: kontakt@cito.ai
Phone: 0800 693 6933
Please understand that we cannot forward such requests and are unable to take action due to a lack of jurisdiction.
b. Reporting suspected misconduct to our whistleblower system
The whistleblower system offers various channels for reporting potential misconduct by Cito employees, violations of the Code of Conduct for Business Partners, or human rights and environmental risks and violations in our supply chain. This does not, however, affect the legally enshrined right to contact the competent authorities as described below.
The Cito Central Investigation Office can be reached by email at the following address: io@volkswagen.de
For customer complaints, please use the channels listed under "A complaint about products or services to our customer service."
Central Investigation Office
Postal address
Volkswagen AG
Central Investigation Office
P.O. Box 1717
Berliner Ring 2
38436 Wolfsburg
Germany
In person:
Please schedule appointments in advance via io@volkswagen.de.
Ombudspersons
Cito has appointed external lawyers (ombudspersons) to provide advice on the whistleblower system or to ensure that reports from whistleblowers—anonymously if desired—are forwarded to the Investigation Office.
If you would like to contact the ombudspersons, you can find all the necessary information at the following link.
Online reporting channel
It is possible to contact the Investigation Office in more than 65 languages via the internet-based communication platform SpeakUP. The system is confidential and secure, and offers the option to submit reports anonymously. You can access the online reporting channel via the following link: Detailed instructions on how to submit reports online, via the app, or by phone can be found here.
Phone
You can leave us a voice message 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After dialing the phone number (applicable to the country you are in), you will be prompted to enter the corresponding organization code. You can then record your report as a voice message. The Investigation Office will only receive a transcript of this. Log back in to hear the response or further questions from our team. Select a phone number from this list for your country or region and have the corresponding organization code 122203 ready.
SpeakUp App
You can also download the "SpeakUp" app by People Intouch (for private devices only) to access the secure reporting system. Through this app, you can submit your report in writing or leave a voice message (anonymously, if preferred). You will need the organization code 122203. Log back in to see our team's response or to answer further questions.
To download the app, you can also scan the QR code:
Do you have further questions or need a local contact person?
Questions or suggestions for improving the whistleblower system can also be directed to the Central Investigation Office.
Furthermore, our local Compliance Officer or the responsible function can be contacted regarding all matters concerning the whistleblower system at compliance-sla@volkswagen.de.
External reporting channel for Germany
The German government has designated authorities that also accept reports of misconduct as external reporting channels. The external reporting channel is: Federal Office of Justice - (BfJ - Whistleblower Office)