Dhe media group Axel Springer has adjusted its internal code of conduct on personal relationships in the workplace. “We have to and want to formulate more clearly what behavior we expect from managers in the event of possible conflicts of interest in the workplace, and consistently measure our actions against it,” says a letter from HR Director Julian Deutz and Tilmann Knoll (Head of Global People & Culture) to the employees, which the German Press Agency received on Monday.
Managers with technical or disciplinary personnel responsibility must therefore disclose conflicts of interest such as a love affair with an employee in their area of responsibility. The code of conduct has existed at Springer, headquartered in Berlin, for years; it defines the company’s ethical standards. It applies to employees around the world.
The group has around 16,500 employees in several countries. One of the reasons for the adjustment is the case of the former “Bild” editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt, against whom the company initiated internal investigations in the spring and who was released from his duties around two months ago after recent press research. According to Springer, the core of the investigation in the spring were allegations of abuse of power in connection with consensual relationships with female employees and drug use in the workplace.
There should be further rules of conduct in other areas
The code says: “Close personal relationships with colleagues, managers or employees can lead to our professional dealings with these people or their work being influenced by private interests.” This means, for example, love relationships and sexual relationships family relationships.
According to the code, employees can disclose the relationship to their line manager or the responsible HR or compliance department. An internal or external trust center can be called in for this purpose. The letter to employees also emphasized: “Relationships in the workplace do not have to be disclosed across the board and are of course not prohibited. That would bypass any reality of life. “
Accordingly, only relationships between a manager and an employee who reports to them in a technical or disciplinary manner must be made transparent. In a declaration of intent by the group and the group works council, it is said that they sat down to set clear signals for both the German and the international market. “The aim is to prevent abuse of power at Axel Springer from occurring in the first place.”
The new edition of the code of conduct is a start. There should also be a policy on conflicts of interest and abuse of power for the Holding & Services and News Media National divisions. The latter also includes the journalistic brands Bild and Welt. In addition, more women should get into management positions. Coaching and qualification of managers and executives for the further modernization of leadership are also planned.
The group works council chairwoman Linda Paczkowski-Diering was quoted as saying about the declaration of intent published on the intranet: The adjustments to the code of conduct are a good step. “But we think it takes more to drive cultural change forward. We place particular emphasis on diversity, inclusion and targeted advancement of women. “
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