Corporate Governance at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited
Corporate Governance is a system to manage and supervise the company. It defines how rights and duties are distributed among company stakeholders, including shareholders, executive management, governing bodies, employees, and customers. The governance at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) is a set of legal and executive methods, and procedures committing us to maintain a balanced relationship between the company and its workforce.
The aim is to engage in responsible, qualified, and transparent business management focused on the company’s long-term success and the protection of stakeholder interests.
SAVWIPL attaches great story by the fact that it is perceived as a successful, transparent and open company by employees, business partners, all customers and the public at large.
At the same time, corporate policy rests on principles enshrined in the “Code of Conduct” at SAVWIPL. The Code of Conduct in place is based on the application of generally accepted social values.
Integrity
We believe that only with lasting, dependable integrity and compliant behavior our Company will gain and strengthen the trust of its staff, customers, shareholders, business partners, and the general public. Our aim is to become a role model when it comes to integrity and compliance. This way, we want to strengthen our trust and to maintain the integrity of our company in the future.
Acting with integrity is an essential part of the Volkswagen Group strategy TOGETHER 2025+ and is thus on par with the quality of our products, our financial KPIs, and the satisfaction of our customers. By implementing our ambitious Integrity program and the Group Essentials, which provide orientation for the daily value-oriented actions of all employees, we are ready to face future challenges.
The key initiative “integrity program” is also a part of the Together4Integrity Program. It has the goal of increasing understanding of integrity and its importance as a basis of doing business among all the Volkswagen Group’s employees and managers and of creating a culture in which acting with integrity is not only consistently possible but also seen as a matter of course. It is associated with encouraging the constructive handling of mistakes, increasing the transparency of reasons for decisions, and strengthening courage to also address potential risks and issues with managers.
Integrity is a core element of professional conduct for us and this is the only thing we aim for to do the right thing in a given situation.
Compliance
SAVWIPL as a company and the Volkswagen Group as a whole are rigorous in their duty of adherence to legislation, internal regulations, ethical principles, and other voluntary commitments. Compliance reaches beyond business relations to embrace activities both within and outside the group. This is the Volkswagen Group’s way of signaling loudly and clearly that its conduct will echo the requirements of legal and ethical rules on competition, finances and taxes, environmental protection, and employee relations, including the safeguarding of equal opportunities.
SAVWIPL has a Governance, Risk & Compliance Department to oversee the pursuit of these values. This department’s work includes the provision of consulting on all compliance-related issues and the implementation of appropriate measures to raise awareness of the intrinsic value of compliance among the workforce and third parties. For the purpose of the above-mentioned consultancy services at SAVWIPL an e-mail address is:
compliance@skoda-vw.co.inAt SAVWIPL, we staunchly believe that economic success is sustainable only if everyone sticks to the rules. Voluntary standards – consisting of statutory and internal requirements, obligations stemming from the commitments that have been made, and ethical principles – are a company mainstay and form the bedrock of its decision-making. Compliance activities provide a means to implement strategy formulated by the Volkswagen Group and are part of global compliance efforts.
Risk Management
The Volkswagen Group’s risk management structure is built on a common principle of risk management, within the Volkswagen Group, complying with applicable legislative requirements. Risk management, as an operational component of the corporate process, must pinpoint individual risks down to the last detail, assess how great they are, take action to eliminate them, and document how effective the response has been.
Volkswagen Group’s global operations on automotive markets throw up numerous risks that could dent its financial performance and business success. At the same time, economic and regulatory changes can offer opportunities that the group then strives to seize so that it is able to consolidate and build on its competitive position.
Our Whistleblower System
Complying with statutory regulations and internal rules, and the principles laid down in the Code of Conduct at Škoda Auto Group and the Code of Conduct for Business Partners, has top priority at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited. The success of our company is based on Integrity and Compliance. To meet these standards, it is important to learn of potential employee or supplier misconduct and to put a stop to it. Therefore, we entrusted the Central Investigation Office of the Volkswagen Group to operate an independent, impartial and confidential Whistleblower System on our behalf.
A key pillar of our Whistleblower System is the principle of procedural fairness. It also guarantees the greatest possible protection for whistleblowers, persons implicated and employees contributing to the investigation of reported misconduct.
This also includes offering opportunities for anonymous reporting and communication. We assure not to perform any steps in order to identify anonymous whistleblowers, who do not misuse our Whistleblower System. Retaliation of whistleblowers and all persons who contribute to investigations at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited will not be tolerated. Persons implicated are presumed innocent until the violation of applicable laws and/or internal regulations is proven. Investigations will be conducted with the utmost confidentiality. The information will be processed in a fair, fast and protected process.
The qualified and experienced colleagues at the Investigation Office examine every report for potential misconduct by a Volkswagen Group employee thoroughly and follow it up systematically. First, you will get a confirmation of receipt. The Investigation Office then assesses your report. This includes gathering facts particularly from the whistleblower. Only if this initial evaluation shows grounds for suspicion of a violation an investigation by a dedicated Investigating Unit will be started. Afterwards, the results of the investigation will be assessed by the Investigation Office and appropriate measures will be recommended. Information about the status* and the outcome of the procedure will be given to you without undue delay.
Potential violations of the Code of Conduct for Business Partners by suppliers, including serious risks and violations of human rights and environment by direct and indirect suppliers, can also be reported to the Investigation Office - as well as reports requiring otherwise immediate action. The Investigation Office will inform the responsible departments, who will process the issue accordingly. This particularly includes taking the necessary measures to minimize or end violations and/or risks.
* The processing time varies depending on the subject of the procedure
What kind of report do you want to submit?
A complaint about products or services to our customer service
For complaints or feedback about vehicles and services of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India or our business partners (e.g. car dealerships, workshops), please contact Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Customer Care:
These two email addresses are valid for all 5 brands Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini
- Thank you for your understanding that our Whistleblower System is not primarily meant for questions or complaints of the customers
Please understand that we will not be able to forward your request or take any action for reasons of responsibility.
A report of potential misconduct to our Whistleblower System
The Whistleblower System offers various channels for reporting potential misconduct by Škoda Auto Volkswagen India employees, violations of the Code of Conduct for Business Partners or serious risks and violations of human rights and environment in our Supply Chain.
E-Mail
The Investigation Office of the Volkswagen Group can be reached via E-mail (in any language):
OR
The Compliance department of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India can be reached via E- mail ( in any language) :
For customer complaints, please contact the channels listed under "A complaint about products or services to our customer service".
Making a report to our Whistleblower System - Postal address / in person
Central Investigation Office
Postal address:
Volkswagen AG, Central Investigation Office
Mailbox 1717
Berliner Ring 2
38436 Wolfsburg, Germany
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd
G/O - Governance, Risk & Compliance
E-1, MIDC Industrial Area ( Phase -III ),
Village Nigoje, Mhalunge Kharabwadi,
Tal : Khed, Chakan, Pune - 410501
In person:
Ombudspersons
Volkswagen Group has appointed external lawyers to act as Ombudspersons. They advise on the Whistleblower System or ensure that reports from whistleblowers are forwarded anonymously to the Investigation Office if desired.
Online Reporting Channel
You have the option of using a web-based communication platform SpeakUP to contact the Investigation Office in more than 65 languages. This system is confidential and technically secured and allows you to submit reports anonymously.
You can access the online reporting channel through the following link:
You can find detailed instructions on how to make reports online, by app or by phone here
-
SpeakUp - How to Report
762 KB PDF
You can leave us a voice message by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After entering the phone number (specific to the country you are in) for India 0008 0005 03159, you will be prompted to enter the organization code. Then, you can submit your report as a voice recording. Only a written transcript will be received by the Investigation Office. Dial back in to listen to the reply or further questions by our team.
Select a phone number (for India 0008 0005 03159) and have the corresponding organizational code122203 ready.
You can also download the Speak Up App “Speak Up - Listen for a change“ by People Intouch (personal devices only) to access the secure reporting system. Through this app, you can submit your report in writing or leave a voice message (also anonymously). You will need the organization code 122203. Log back in to see our team's reply or answer further questions.
To download the app, you can scan the QR code:
QR code for entering the organization code:
Do you have further questions or do you need a local contact?
Questions or suggestions for improvement concerning the Whistleblower System can also be addressed to the Investigation Office.
Furthermore, our local Integrity & Compliance Officer/responsible function can also be addressed in all matters of the Whistleblower System via
compliance@skoda-vw.co.in.