Responsibility Report 2024

Prof. Schumann GmbH (Limited liability company)
Jutta-Limbach Straße 1 
37073 Göttingen - Lower Saxony - Germany

Managing Directors: Dr. Martina Städtler-Schumann (CEO), Evgeny Kulyushin, Jan-Torben Schwager
Shareholders: Dr. Martina Städtler-Schumann und Prof. Dr. Matthias Schumann

Countries of operation:
Germany - Lower Saxony - Göttingen
 

Organisation and Staff

Up-to-date organisational charts and responsibilities will be provided on request. Currently, the following organisational units are maintained in our company:

• Managing Directors: Dr. Martina Städtler-Schumann (CEO), Evgeny Kulyushin, Jan-Torben Schwager
• Please refer to the respective, current organizational chart

The sustainablility report was published in December 2024 and covers the previous calender year, therefore it is aligned with financial reporting and updated every year by our CSR team. Should you have questions regarding this report please find the contact information of our CSR team at the end of the page.
 

Information in this report will be continously restated as we will not report single reports but continously update this one. Any major changes from past years will be supplemented here in future reports.
 

There are no audits or external assurances with regard to CSR activities yet. We do, however, do the following audits:

• ISO 9001
• Data privacy protection audits
• Data security audits
• Health and security audits
• external PenTests
• Collaboration with several external partners: EcoVadis, IntegrityNext, UN Global Compact, PRIMAKLIMA

Additional information and assurance reports will be supplemented in the future once the sustainability report was audited by an external partner.

SCHUMANN does operate in the IT and Services sector - Consulting and IT solutions in the areas of credit management, receivables management, risk management and all related processes - that's what SCHUMANN specializes in. With flexibly scalable products, we offer specific industry solutions that enable our customers to digitalize processes, improve their decision-making quality, reduce costs and minimize risks. Of course, our solutions are 100% compliance-ready and support our customers in complying with all regulations. For a large number of industrial and trading companies, companies from the energy sector, affiliated groups, financial service providers and credit and reinsurance companies, our software solutions are an indispensable part of ensuring their own business growth. SCHUMANN is based in Göttingen and is a German family-owned company. For more than two decades, we have been offering our customers the highest quality and a partnership based on long-term cooperation.

SCHUMANN does not provide a full list of it's customers and other downstream entities for legal reasons but a selection can be found here. Our partnerships and cooperation agreements can be found on our partners page.
 

Any major changes from past years will be supplemented here in future reports.

The following employee data is provided by our HR department with the help of a administration software that manages all SCHUMANN employees. The employee data is compiled at the end of the reporting period.

There where no significant fluctuations during the reporting period.

 

SCHUMANN employs external employees in the form of three external management consultants that advise the management on strategic issues. Furthermore we source facility management including care taking and general house keeping provided by an specialized facility management company based on a contract without deadlines.

Responsible senior executive for the management of impacts and the creation of this report is Jan-Torben Schwager which is assisted by the CSR team. In a continous process the CSR team ensures the operational implementation of the defined measures and submits proposals for new measures or adjustments to existing measures throughout the year.

The board has delegated this responsibility to the CSR team that is tasked with the reviewing and approving of the reported information. To ensure a high quality sustainability report the reviewing and approving of the reported information, formulating a CSR strategy and CSR controlling is realized by a trained CSR team.

SCHUMANN has implemented a anonymous whistleblowing and communication process for employees to securely voice concerns, opinions and suggestions.

All employees of SCHUMANN have to comply with the provisions of this guideline and to approach the General Management and/or the employee in charge in case of questions or uncertainties (e.g. the data protection officer or his or her internal deputy in case of data protection issues). Compliance with this guideline is checked by the relevant responsible persons; in the event of abnormalities, the behaviour of the employee concerned will be discussed in a confidential meeting. In this meeting, the importance of compliance is pointed out to the employee and possible sanctions are discussed. Sanctioning is the exclusive responsibility of the General Management. In serious cases, sanctioning may lead to labour-law-related consequences (e.g. warning letters).

There where no critical comments about whistleblowing to management in the reporting period.

As mentioned above, SCHUMANN has a dedicated CSR team that is deligated by the highest governance body. To ensure the skills and knowledge of our CSR team there are trainings to stay up-to-date.

Ladies and Gentlemen

In 2018, SCHUMANN joined the UN Global Compact as a signatory and is thus committed to supporting the ten principles of the Global Compact in the areas of human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption. With our annual Communication on Progress Reports, we reaffirm our continued intention to promote these principles in our sphere of influence and to advocate for an equitable and sustainable economy.

In 2022, SCHUMANN celebrated its 25th anniversary. In the past two and a half decades, we as a company have stood and still stand for one thing above all: economic success – of our customers, but of course, also our own. Sucess, however, only really matters to us if it is long-term and the only way to achieve long-term success is by acting responsibly in every while always looking ahead and surging forward. We are therefore taking our succsesful first quarter of a century of company history as an opportunity to take even more responsibility for future generations: As of 2022, SCHUMANN is climate neutral by means of compensation.

In the past, our emissions have already been avoided and reduced whenever possible using various measures. Almost all IT devices are equipped with an Energy Star, for example, and we have switched to green electricity and gas tariffs. SCHUMANN compensates for all emissions that cannot be further reduced or avoided with an external, certified partner. We are proud to say: Our software is now being produced at climate-neutral locations in Göttingen from 2022.

The trust of customers and partners in the products as well as in the staff of SCHUMANN is essential to us and our business. Daily compliance with all relevant guidelines and continuous training of employees in these areas are the basis and prerequisite for success. As SCHUMANN-software contributes considerably to the entrepreneurial compliance of customers and partners alike, economic responsibility plays a central role in our daily work. This means that respectful intercourse in competition and with business partners is a priority for SCHUMANN. Not only adherence to the framework conditions specified by standards and laws is a matter of course for us, but also the active, transparent and careful documentation of these conditions as well as the prevention of corruption.

Currently, SCHUMANN uses several external platforms such as EcoVadis, IntegrityNext or the Global Compact to communicate Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. In order to streamline this communication, SCHUMANN will also publish an own Corporate Social Responsibility Report based on the Global Reporting Inititative (GRI) annually from now to guarantee the highest amount of transparency.

Dr. Martina Städtler-Schumann

For SCHUMANN, the protection of human rights is a natural part of the corporate culture. A working environment free of any form of discrimination is guaranteed. We are committed to respecting the principles of internationally recognized standards of the UN Global Compact and the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As a medium-sized software company, we have no points of contact with many risky areas of work when it comes to human rights. Our corporate culture and the framework conditions of the employment contract go far beyond the requirements specified by the Global Compact. SCHUMANN is characterized by a very high level of employee and customer satisfaction. Not only to maintain this satisfaction, but to constantly expand it, is our top corporate goal.

When procuring technical infrastructure for our employees, we only work with well-known manufacturers who are also proactive in the area of ​​corporate social responsibility. SCHUMANN employs people of different backgrounds, religions, genders and nationalities. This internationality is perceived as linguistically and culturally enriching thanks to the personal openness of the employees and the corporate climate. In international projects, employees with their different backgrounds are deliberately used in order to better understand the customers and their requirements. Non-discrimination applies in every respect to dealing with all customers and partners alike.

In the event of harassment, personnel law measures will be taken if necessary. If employees experience harassment, they have the opportunity to report it anonymously. You can also complain directly to the respective department heads or the management in such cases. The department heads have the obligation to inform the management. This is responsible for stopping the harassment and, if necessary, taking legal action.

Occupational health management is particularly important to us, which is why the workplaces at SCHUMANN are equipped with office furniture and computer accessories based on the latest ergonomic findings. Most employees have sit/stand desks, ergonomic chairs, individual lighting concepts, special computer mice and keyboards as well as screens and headsets. In addition to a free choice of fruit and drinks, we also offer our employees a varied range of free company sports: running club, spinning, yoga, badminton or beach volleyball.

In order to support the compatibility of career and family and to enable an individual design of the work situation, reduced and flexible working hours and home office days are possible at SCHUMANN. In order to strengthen the cooperation and team spirit of the employees, a company party is held twice a year in addition to the individual department parties.

We are not aware of any violations of human rights by our employees, suppliers or customers. We will continue to promote and uphold the protection of human rights within our company and our business relationships.

We reject all forms of child labor, forced labor and discrimination out of conviction and see them as damaging to business.

We are aware of the great importance of our employees. Therefore, since the company was founded, great importance has been attached to a high level of occupational safety and good working conditions. The leadership style is characterized by openness and factual orientation. Flat hierarchies are practiced as well as respectful cooperation at eye level. All employees are familiar with the SCHUMANN mission statement and work according to this line. Our mission statement:

The satisfaction of our customers is our top priority. Our customers are the focus of our actions. We accept their goals and achieve them together with them.

We were, are and will remain independent and objective. We are solely committed to our customers. We are independent consultants and intend to remain so. That brings our customers and us further.

We work reliably and openly. We think long-term. Honesty pays off. We work reliably and communicate openly. We are the long-term, reliable partner of our customers. We identify with our services and products - high quality is our incentive. We master what we do. That drives us. We stay ahead! We are constantly developing our products. We challenge and encourage our employees. That is exhausting. But works!

We check that our suppliers do not tolerate child labor. For trainees who are not yet of legal age, special regulations and supervisory duties apply, which are regulated in the respective training programs and contracts with the trainees.

SCHUMANN follows the principle that every employee should do the job in which their personal strengths can best develop and which correspond to the personal inclination of the employee. The project teams are formed according to their professional suitability and performance is regularly reflected in “lessons learned” and project reviews. In international projects, employees with their different backgrounds are used consciously in order to better understand the customers and their requirements.

Internal training and knowledge transfer are very important at SCHUMANN. To ensure this, there is a company-wide exchange of experience on specialist topics as well as a targeted know-how transfer of specialist knowledge to individuals. Monthly internal notifications provide information about employees, projects and events, and the annual review provides all employees with detailed information from management.

We attach particular importance to compliance with the high German occupational safety standards. SCHUMANN has therefore appointed an internal safety officer and deputy and also commissioned an external safety officer and a company doctor, with whom the occupational safety committee meeting takes place twice a year. In addition, all employees are instructed in occupational safety as part of basic training and the knowledge they acquire there is regularly refreshed every two years.

The internal suggestion system is implemented in the form of a mailbox. Everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas and suggestions on the following topics, among others: Processes, communication, specialist topics, software development, technologies, employee events, advertising material or further training.

The promotion of a healthy lifestyle among our employees is reflected not only in our free range of sports courses but also in our active participation in public regional sports events. For several years we have been represented at the old town run and the volleyball tournament in the city of Göttingen.

Since the software from SCHUMANN makes a significant contribution to corporate compliance for customers and partners alike, economic responsibility plays a central role in day-to-day work.

Respectful dealings with the competition and with business partners is therefore the top priority for SCHUMANN. Equally self-evident is not only compliance with the framework conditions specified by standards and laws, but also their active, transparent and careful documentation and the prevention of corruption.

At SCHUMANN, the mere toleration or acceptance of corrupt practices is seen as damaging to business. All employees are therefore strictly prohibited from attempting to positively influence the decisions of potential or existing customers or partners through benefits such as gifts, invitations or favors. This also applies in the reverse case, in which the request or acceptance of such benefits is prohibited.

The acceptance or granting of benefits is only permitted within the framework of the legal, ethical and customary forms. In case of doubt, management should always be consulted. In the event of misconduct, employees can report this - even anonymously. In all procurement procedures, a principle of four to six eyes is used. In principle, two people countersign invoices. For larger purchases (e.g. laptops, servers), the inventory number is also stored on each invoice to ensure traceability.

All employees at SCHUMANN are obliged to strictly comply with all legal requirements for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. This also includes the requirements for business relationships with people and business partners who are on blacklists. SCHU-MANN has a strict requirement that it is not misused for the purpose of concealing cash flows or other illegal and punishable transactions.

Respectful interaction in competition and with business partners is our top priority. Equally self-evident is not only compliance with the framework conditions specified by standards and laws, but also their active, transparent and careful documentation as well as the prevention of corruption. We also attach great importance to the protection of personal and company-internal data. SCHUMANN's data protection manual, which is mandatory for all employees, provides the framework for handling such data. The same applies to the use of company-related social media by employees.

All employees are security checked every 12 months by checking sanctions and terror lists. The same applies to the recruitment process. To date, we have not been able to identify any violations of criminal law relating to corruption in our company.

SCHUMANN is a listed participant of the United Nations Global Compact.

SCHUMANN actively communicates its policy commitments to our employees, partners and all other stakeholder mainly through this report, but also through our external platforms EcoVadis, IntegrityNext and through our Communication on Progress Reports for the UN Global Compact.

Since 2018, SCHUMANN have been pursuing the goal of compensating emissions which are not avoidable and cannot be reduced any further in cooperation with an independent partner organisation and to have this compensation certified. This scheme applies not only to the power consumption of corporate hardware but in the same manner also for all those emissions which are caused by SCHUMANN’s business mobility. To this end, SCHUMANN have made appropriate staffing provisions in order to be able to handle this organisational effort.

In an effort to reduce and remediate our negative impacts SCHUMANN does compensate its carbon emmissions in cooperation with our partner PrimaKlima.

The CSR team is instructed and enabled by the highest governance body to implement policies and practices for a responsible business conduct. Each employee is invited to seek advice, give feedback and voice opinions directly to the CSR team and have the possibility to do this anonymously. To ensure that every employee has the possibility to voice concerns regarding SCHUMANN's business conduct, it is possible to reach out openly or anonymously to the CSR team. Every concern is taken seriously and considered in future business decisions as well as relayed to the highest governance body in case of major concerns.

The necessity for companies to adhere to legal rules and regulations stems from the principle that laws have to be complied with – also by legal entities. Companies and responsible persons of companies need to ensure that no violations of laws have their origin within the company. Apart from that, numerous legal rules and regulations govern immediate duties and responsibilities of the company which have to be complied with. To this end, processes to ensure and check observance of compliance have to be established. Apart from legal rules and regulations, compliance also involves voluntary internal and external rules.

SCHUMANN does not participate in a significant role at associations or national/international advocacy organizations. We are however part of different organizations which are listed for below for transparency reasons:

• Bundesverband Credit Management
• ServiCon
• Bundesverband Deutscher Leasingunternehmen
• United Nations Global Compact

As a matter of principle, we rely on regional suppliers when we select suppliers for office supplies, office equipment and other services (e.g. craftsmen). Our supplier of office furniture and accessories for example, relies on the cooperation with regional service providers himself and one of our suppliers for stationery has been active in Göttingen for more than two centuries. By this, we intend to shorten transport routes and strengthen the regional location. Short transport route lead to a considerable reduction of CO2-emissions.

When electronic components (e.g. laptops, desktop-PCs, monitors or servers) are sourced, energy consumption has to be one essential consideration in the selection of suppliers and the individual products. Products marked by independent organisations for their low energy consumption (e.g. Energy Star, epeat) are preferred.

The success achieved in this area is to be further extended step by step. Currently, more than 90% of the devices used in SCHUMANN have energy-saving characteristics. All printers and scanners as well as the laptops used are Energy Star-certified already.

In the event that an external computing centre is relied on for hosting data and applications, we have a selected partner with a computing centre that is certified under ISO 14001.

Only degradable and/or recyclable cleaning agents and paper towels are used. Empty printer cartridges are returned to the supplier for proper disposal/refilling. When printing paper is procured, it must have been awarded at least a FSC-Mix label or the EU-Ecolabel. Furthermore, we endeavour to reduce the consumption of paper and toner within SCHUMANN. To achieve this, various applications are used (e.g. setting the printers to duplex printing, toner saving function).

When new suppliers are selected, the following points have to be taken into account as a matter of principle:

• Compliance with legal provisions
• Compliance with social and ecological guidelines and/or specifications
• Fulfilment of the requirements of this policy
• Checking the company against sanction and terror lists

Corruption and Bribery

Corruption distorts free trade and is punishable in the most countries world-wide. Within SCHUMANN, even tolerating or accepting corrupt conduct is interpreted as disruptive for business. For this reason, it is categorically forbidden for SCHUMANN staff to try and achieve a positive influence on decisions of potential or existing customers or partners by means of handouts like e.g. gifts, invitations or favours. This also applies vice-versa; i.e. demanding or accepting such hand-outs is strictly forbidden. Accepting or granting hand-outs is only allowed within legal and ethical limits and forms which are customary on the market. In case of doubt, the General Management has to be consulted as a matter of principle. In case of misconduct, employees may report this – also anonymously. All procurement procedures are generally handled by applying a “four to six-eyes-principle”. For example, invoices are always endorsed by two persons. For major purchases (e.g. laptops, servers), the inventory number is additionally noted on every invoice, in order to warrant traceability. An awareness raising training on the topic of “corruption and bribery” is regularly offered within the framework of SCHUMANN’s continued training concept, which every employee has to has to take every two years.

Money Laundering

All employees of SCHUMANN have the duty to strictly observe legal provisions regarding anti-money laundering and fighting the financing of terrorism. This also covers provisions relating to business relations with persons and business partners who appear on blacklists. SCHUMANN have laid down as strict principle that they are not to be misused for the purposes of concealing money flows or other illegal, punishable transactions. All employees undergo a security clearance in a 12-monthly rhythm, which consists in a check of sanction and terror lists. The same applies to the recruitment process.

Whistleblower Protection

As part of the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG), the obligation to set up a whistleblower reporting centre was introduced.

Since 2023, our internal reporting centre has been available in cooperation with external lawyers. This internal reporting office offers us the opportunity to report possible violations confidentially and securely. The reporting centre is subject to a statutory duty of confidentiality and thus guarantees the protection of our data and information.

There are several options for submitting a report:

Use of the form on the website https://schumann.hinweis.digital
Personal conversation: Please make an appointment via the reporting centre (website) to ensure confidentiality

Energy Consumption

Energy, especially electricity, represents an essential aspect for SCHUMANN. A sufficient energy supply is a basic prerequisite for producing as well as using all their products. All energy consumption causes emissions. One essential sustainability goal is thus the continuous increase of our own operational energy efficiency, from procurement up to waste management. All new electronic devices have been awarded the Energy Star and waste is strictly separated.

SCHUMANN grows continuously. All new as well as long-standing employees are instructed to practise an energy-saving conduct. Computer monitors automatically switch into an energy saving mode when the respective employee is absent, unused conference rooms are not heated, internal documents are normally not printed out and sensible activating and deactivating of lighting is actively pursued.

The office rooms at SCHUMANN are to a large part illuminated by energy-saving LED-lamps or, where the use of LED-technology is less practicable, by fluorescent lamps, which also save energy. 45% of our electricity comes from renewable energy sources (which is 13% above the average in the Federal Republic) and the gas we need for heating is procured locally from Göttinger Stadtwerke.

The entire energy consumption for developing, selling and distributing our software is covered by the disclosure above.

All energy is consumed within the organization itself. Electrical energy is used to power buildings and equipment. Gas is used to heat water and buildings.

It is not possible to estimate the energy requirements of our software at our customers because they have unique environments that might differ in consumption by a factor of mulitple thousand.

All water used at SCHUMANN is 80% surface and 20% ground water, as provided by Stadtwerke Göttingen.

Ecological Responsibility

The German federal government has set the goal of making Germany climate-neutral by 2045, and in December 2020 the EU heads of state agreed to reduce internal EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. These goals can only be achieved if we work together as part of the economy.

At SCHUMANN we aim to continuously reduce environmental impact of our business activities – along the value creation chain as well as internally. Minimisation of our environmental footprint is to be advanced by various measures. To this end, four essential topics have been identified which will be addressed in more detail below

• Mobility
• Energy consumption
• Waste management
• Procurement

Mobility

Whether national or international business trips or the daily travel of staff to the office, business mobility is unavoidable in a globalised world - even in the era of digitisation. At the same time, mobility is a primary factor for emissions on a global scale. Regarding business trips and mobility of SCHUMANN and our entire staff, environmental goals in this area are divided into three priorities.

• Avoiding emissions
• Reducing emissions
• Compensating emissions

Measures to Avoid Emissions During Business Trips

Avoiding emissions is not always possible. Being a company based on partnership, business trips to customers, workshops and personal contacts are important and indispensable for SCHUMANN – and will remain so in future. Nevertheless, we at SCHUMANN try to live up to our responsibility, e.g. by endeavouring to avoid emissions caused by business trips with the aid of certain measures like promoting train travel and carbon compensation. In our role as a leading software company, SCHUMANN is part of the general, progressing digitisation of the business world. Consequently, it´s company policy that for every meeting – whether between employees or with customers and partners - the first choice should be video or telephone conferences. Every work station in our business premises and in home-office environments is, without exception, equipped with suitable software and hardware. SCHUMANN is thus already using all technical options to avoid unnecessary emissions between staff at different sites as well as in daily contacts with our customers and partners. SCHUMANN’s products are complex. For this reason, extensive training courses are part of SCHUMANN’s services. Accordingly, all employees are able and instructed to carry out training courses with customers and partners in an online format. One measure to avoid emissions during commute to our headquarters in the bicycle city Göttingen are financial incentives for our employees to buy or rent a bike. SCHUMANN thus attaches great importance to supporting our staff in travelling their daily way to work by bicycle. Doing so, protection of employees is not neglected. For example, all employees are advised to wear a helmet. Above that, SCHUMANN take part every year in the joint campaign of AOK and ADFC “Bike to Work”.

Measures to Reduce Emissions During Business Trips

The means of transportation which is preferred by SCHUMANN as a matter of principle is the railway. Employees who have to travel for business reasons are issued with a BahnCard. Employees reach a large part of their external appointments by emission-saving railway travel already.

Measures to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the Way to Work

Many employees live outside the city centre in the surroundings of Göttingen. SCHUMANN promote the creation and utilisation of ride sharing models by various measures as e.g. specifically adapted flexitime schemes for individual working hours in order to at least reduce unavoidable emission as much as 
possible.

On the basis of the specifications of waste legislation and administrative regulations (circular economy legislation and waste legislation, the waste law of Lower Saxony, technical instructions, regulations and decrees) as well as the state of the art, a waste management concept which ensures an ecologically compatible medium to long term waste disposal has been developed in the City of Göttingen.

To enable that unavoidable waste generated by SCHUMANN is collected, to the largest extent possible, correctly sorted and conveyed to recovery, great importance is attached within SCHUMANN to waste separation and waste disposal: Electric waste/electronic scrap, bulky waste and used metals are conveyed to the recycling plant of the waste disposal operation Göttinger Entsorgungsbetriebe.

Our partner for data protection-compliant destruction of data carriers is certified for the reuse of employed raw materials under the German Waste Disposal Specialist Regulation (EfbV ) and thus promotes the circular economy.

Following the waste management concept of the City of Göttingen, SCHUMANN practise a strict separation of wastes. Staff in the three kitchens and the bistro area separate their wastes for the biological waste bin, the paper bin, the residual waste container and the yellow bag for recycables. All offices are equipped with two wastepaper baskets: One is used to collect regular waste paper, the contents of the other basket are disposed of in the container for file destruction. Furthermore every floor is equipped with a shredding and document destruction container from an external provider. 
In keeping with the waste avoidance principle, staff are provided with beverages in returnable bottles as well as water dispensers on every floor. Mineral water and juices by the leading regional beverage producer Beckers Bester are supplied on a weekly basis by a local drinks wholesaler.

An EDEKA-market, which is also local, supplies food and household requisites once per week. We order apples from Germany there. We do without airfreighted fruit - as far as possible - and the same applies to one-way soap dispensers (soap dispensers are refilled).

This is covered under GRI 204: Procurement Practices.

Occupational Health and Safety at Work

SCHUMANN has appointed an external safety officer and a deputy. An external safety expert and a medical officer have been commissioned. ASA-meetings (meetings of the Occupational Health Committee) take place on a regular basis with the external safety officer and once per year with the medical officer. Within the framework of ASA-meetings all rooms are inspected regularly. Upon request of employees, additional individual meetings may be held. Records of the meetings will be prepared and measures which may have been found will be carried out within a reasonable timeframe. Nine fire marshals have been appointed. They receive regular training. Thirty four first-aiders have been appointed. They receive regular training. An escape and rescue plan is in place. Emergency signs have been installed. All employees are instructed in safety at work within the framework of basic training units and their knowledge is refreshed every two years. First aid kits are installed in the buildings with good visibility; the Safety Officer checks their validity on an annual basis and provides them with a new seal afterwards. Should industrial accidents occur, they will be recorded and reported to the Berufsgenossenschaft. Social responsibility (employers‘ liability insurance association). Mobile electrical work equipment is regularly checked by a company specialized in electrical equipment.

Work Conditions

SCHUMANN is aware of the great importance of our staff. Thus, high value has been set on good work conditions ever since our foundation.

Management Style

Our management style is characterised by openness and a focus on facts and tasks. We live flat hierarchies and cooperation on equal footing. This means respecting the other person. And it means clearness in one’s statements. Management sets the frame for the development of each individual person, always pursing the goal of creating the best solution for the customer. The staff at SCHUMANN is able to assume a large degree of freedom and responsibility. Project teams are established according to the principle of professional qualification, interest and voluntariness. In this manner, we succeed in forming highly motivated teams working on the projects at hand. The person assuming responsibility fully owns it. However, he or she can obtain support and competence: from anybody and at all times. Suggestions for improving the company can be submitted via a dedicated online tool, anonymously if desired. Everybody is encouraged to contribute ideas and suggestions, including regarding the following topics: Workflows, communication, technical issues, continued software development, technologies, staff events, advertising materials or professional development.

Open Interactions

Within SCHUMANN, an open intercourse focused on facts and tasks is demanded and fostered. Considering our demanding topics, this plays an important role for excellent performance. Performance is the object of regular reflections in “lessons learned” and project reviews. Here, the attitude towards reflection is important: not by finger pointing but by sharing experience and knowledge. The open-plan working environment in a modern, energy-efficient office building facilitates networking among employees and direct communication.

Onboarding

For a good, successful start at SCHUMANN, new colleagues are first familiarised with fundamental procedures. To this end, they are integrated in project teams as quickly as possible. Over and above this, they receive targeted internal trainings, particularly on the standard software CAM, IT-security and the management of credit risks. Employees with a technical orientation are familiarised with basic professional topics whereas staff with a professional orientation are familiarised with technical foundations. Throughout the job familiarisation phase, new employees are supported by coaches or mentors.

Professional Development and Knowledge Transfer

Internal professional development is of great importance at SCHUMANN. Within the framework of our projects, knowledge is spread over as wide a basis as possible. We establish project teams with mixed competencies, as this promotes the expansion of knowledge and warrants a professionally and technically excellent service provision for our customers. A company-wide exchange of experience regarding technical topics exists, and so does a targeted transfer of know-how and specialised knowledge to individuals. Specific topics in IT, but also new professional and technical topics are explored in a targeted manner. Monthly internal newsletters provide information on employees, projects and events. In its end-of-the-year-review, which is released every year, the General Management provides all employees with detailed information. With his professorship at the University of Göttingen, Prof. Dr. Matthias Schumann ensures that cuttingedge scientific knowledge in the areas of business administration and business informatics is transferred into SCHUMANN. SCHUMANN-staff regularly assists with project work and master theses at universities.

Flexible Working Hours

Working hours at SCHUMANN are flexible. Employees working in a project team coordinate with each other. Group meetings require presence. Otherwise, coordination with colleagues and availability for the customers is relevant. Should overtime accrue due to high workloads in projects, this shall, on request of the employee, be compensated either by time-off or by additional remuneration. A transparent utilisation of home office working hours is possible as well. In this context, we seek flexible solutions, specifically fitting the individual employee.

Varied Activities

Tasks at SCHUMANN are varied and diversified. This means that every employee can again and again select and assume new, exciting, challenging activities. In each individual project, depth and degree of responsibility can be newly determined by theemployee.

Company Parties

SCHUMANN attach great importance to appropriately honour the achievements of their staff. And thus, the successful conclusion of projects, special achievements and round anniversaries are highlighted. Celebrations are held or achievements are honoured in another appropriate manner within the framework of applicable tax regulations.

Personnel Development

Customer satisfaction is our first priority. All our actions focus on our customers. We adopt their goals and reach them jointly. We always have been, we are now, and we will always be independent and objective. Our sole commitment is that to our customers. We are and intend to remain independent consultants. This will take our customers and us a step further on our road. Our way of working is reliable and open. Our thinking is long-term. Honesty pays. We work reliable and communicate openly. We are long-term, reliable partners for our customers. We identify with our services and products - high quality is our incentive. We are masters in what we are doing. This is what drives us. We stay ahead! We permanently enhance our products. We demand and support our staff. This is taxing. But it works!

Organisational Chart and Responsibility

In the organisational chart, leading positions and the allocation of tasks are clearly denominated. Personal development Every employee is deployed in the professional field where they can best put their personal strengths to use. Development opportunities and areas of responsibility will arise out of their technical or professional expertise and project experience: This may include in-depth specialisation in a technical topic, a technology or project management. Standardised career profiles exist, serving as suggestions and motivation. Different development plans, which are mapped out jointly with the employee concerned, apply to the individual employees, because every person is different, after all. SCHUMANN respects this.

Psychological Stress

Project work can be associated with high psychological stress. For this reasons, SCHUMANN offer a large range of possibilities to reduce this stress. They will also be explained in other sections of this manual. This concerns in detail: flexible working hours, home office, reduced working hours, a corporate sports programme, corporate health management, free choice of fruit and beverages, clear job profiles, personal development of tasks, staff interviews, indivdual coaching, corporate suggestions scheme etc.

Equipment of Rooms and Work Stations

The rooms are equipped with noise-absorbing walls, we use noise cancelling headsets. There are 15 think boxes as retreats for undisturbed working. The work stations are equipped with office furniture and computer accessories according to the latest state of ergonomic insights. The majority of employees disposes of combined standing/sitting desks, ergonomic chairs, individual lighting concepts, special computer mouses and keyboards as well as monitors and headsets. Fresh fruit and beverages are always on offer. SCHUMANN have, with the aid of their staff, developed and distributed a cookbook with recipes for a healthy, fresh diet.

Work-Life-Balance

The project business may, in peak times, require very high concentration and overtime work in order to lead the project to success and satisfy the customers. For the individual person however, a permanently high strain holds the danger of overload. To prevent this from happening, the issue is openly addressed by the manager in the regular staff interviews. Upon request, employment contracts with reduced weekly working hours or other suitable individual agreements can be arranged.

Family Friendliness

Compatibility of family and profession represents a great challenge for young families in particular. SCHUMANN offer every conceivable possibility which is compatible with the customer projects to happily master this challenge. They range from reduced working hours up to home office days. Parenting times are working well too: Important for the project work is a good coordination and handing over of open tasks to the colleagues.

Corporate Sports Courses

Due to the fact that daily work at the work station offers little opportunity for moving, the majority of employees dispose of standing/sitting desks. As an opportunity for physical compensation, various corporate sports courses are offered: Running group, spinning, yoga, calisthenics, meditation, badminton or beach volleyball.

All SCHUMANN employees are covered by an occupational health and safety management system.

Onboarding

For a good, successful start at SCHUMANN, new colleagues are first familiarised with fundamental procedures. To this end, they are integrated in project teams as quickly as possible. Over and above this, they receive targeted internal trainings, particularly on the standard software CAM, IT-security and the management of credit risks. Employees with a technical orientation are familiarised with basic professional topics whereas staff with a professional orientation are familiarised with technical foundations. Throughout the job familiarisation phase, new employees are supported by coaches or mentors.

Professional Development and Knowledge Transfer

Internal professional development is of great importance at SCHUMANN. Within the framework of our projects, knowledge is spread over as wide a basis as possible. We establish project teams with mixed competencies, as this promotes the expansion of knowledge and warrants a professionally and technically excellent service provision for our customers. A company-wide exchange of experience regarding technical topics exists, and so does a targeted transfer of know-how and specialised knowledge to individuals. Specific topics in IT, but also new professional and technical topics are explored in a targeted manner. Monthly internal newsletters provide information on employees, projects and events. In its end-of-the-year-review, which is released every year, the General Management provides all employees with detailed information. With his professorship at the University of Göttingen, Prof. Dr. Matthias Schumann ensures that cuttingedge scientific knowledge in the areas of business administration and business informatics is transferred into SCHUMANN. SCHUMANN-staff regularly assists with project work and master theses at universities.

Governance bodies taken into account: Managing Directors, Executive Board

Individuals within the organization’s governance bodies

Individuals within the organization’s governance bodies

Discrimination

SCHUMANN-employees interact with each other with respect and trust. SCHUMANN ensure a work environment which is free of discrimination. SCHUMANN employ staff of different origin, religion, gender and nationality. Thanks to the personal open-mindedness of our employees and the business climate in our company, this internationality is perceived as an enrichment under the aspects of language and culture. Employees with their different backgrounds are intentionally deployed in international projects in order to better understand customers and their requirements.

Harassment

The value of each individual person is acknowledged and all employees interact with each other politely, honestly and with dignity. Harassment, bullying and intimidation are strictly prohibited. Harassment with sexual or ethnic motives, glorification of violence or other harassments are not tolerated. Should the necessity arise, labour-law-related measures will be initiated. Should employees experience harassment, they may report this anonymously. In such cases, they may also complain directly to the respective area management or the senior management. The area management is obligated to inform the senior management. Senior management is responsible for putting an end to the harassment und to initiate labour-law-related consequences, if required.

SCHUMANN reject all forms of child labour. We check with our suppliers that they too, do not tolerate child labour. For underage apprentices, special rules and supervisory obligations apply which are regulated in the respective training schemes and contracts with the apprentices.

Based on the SCHUMANN-principles, all forms of forced labour are rejected and outlawed. SCHUMANN apply the principle that every employee should, if possible, exercise that activity in which his or her personal strengths can best unfold and which match the personal inclinations of the employee.

As a matter of principle, we rely on regional suppliers when we select suppliers for office supplies, office equipment and other services (e.g. craftsmen). Our supplier of office furniture and accessories for example, relies on the cooperation with regional service providers himself and one of our suppliers for stationery has been active in Göttingen for more than two centuries. By this, we intend to shorten transport routes and strengthen the regional location. Short transport route lead to a considerable reduction of CO2-emissions. When electronic components (e.g. laptops, desktop-PCs, monitors or servers) are sourced, energy consumption has to be one essential consideration in the selection of suppliers and the individual products. Products marked by independent organisations for their low energy consumption (e.g. Energy Star, epeat) are preferred. The success achieved in this area is to be further extended step by step. Currently, more than 90% of the devices used in SCHUMANN have energy-saving characteristics. All printers and scanners as well as the laptops used are Energy Star-certified already. In the event that an external computing centre is relied on for hosting data and applications, we have a selected partner with a computing centre that is certified under ISO 14001. Only degradable and/or recyclable cleaning agents and paper towels are used. Empty printer cartridges are returned to the supplier for proper disposal/refilling. When printing paper is procured, it must have been awarded at least a FSC-Mix label or the EUEcolabel. Furthermore, we endeavour to reduce the consumption of paper and toner within SCHUMANN. To achieve this, various applications are used (e.g. setting the printers to duplex printing, toner saving function). When new suppliers are selected, the following points have to be taken into account as a matter of principle:

• Compliance with legal provisions
• Compliance with social and ecological guidelines and/or specifications
• Fulfilment of the requirements of this policy
• Checking the company against sanction and terror lists

Percentage of new suppliers that were screened using social criteria.

We as SCHUMANN do not financially support any political parties and associations.

Company Data Protection Officer

The role of the Company Data Protection Officer is enshrined in the Federal Data Protection Law (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz, BDSG). The Company Data Protection Officer has to endeavour that data protection laws are complied with in the company. His or her tasks stem directly from the BDSG. The Company Data Protection Officer is a corporate body not bound by instructions and monitors compliance with data protection provisions. The Data Protection Officer shall not be subject to instructions when exercising this activity. He or she will not be able to issue instructions on his or her own account, but has to check implementation of his or her recommendations within the company. Overall responsibility for data protection lies with General Management. The respective levels of General Management and departmental management have the duty to support the Company Data Protection Officer in his or her activity. In order to counter violations before they happen, the Company Data Protection Officer has to be informed of and involved in planned processing projects at an early stage. In order to exercise this activity, the Data Protection Officer shall be authorised to access all areas and processes where personally identifiable information is processed. The Data Protection Officer shall be subject to a legal secrecy obligation regarding the identity of persons (staff, customers etc.), approaching him or her for seeking advice or making a complaint. In the event of violations resulting from breaches of legal provisions of the Data Protection Regulation or in case of complaints, the responsible managers are obliged to inform the Data Protection Officer and, as the case may be, other persons in the responsible department without delay. The Data Protection Officer shall then examine whether the required data protection laws are complied with. He or she shall point out breaches of these laws. Subsequently, the senior management has to take measures to ensure that everybody is acting in regulatory compliance. The Data Protection Officer shall also proactively point out weak points which might lead to violations of the data protection laws. Here too, the senior management shall decide how to eliminate these weak points.

IT-Security Officer

The main task of the IT-Security Officer consists in advising the senior management on the performance of their tasks regarding IT-security and to support them with their performance. These tasks include the set-up and continued development of the company-wide IT-security guidelines and monitoring compliance with these guidelines. The scope of duties of the IT-Security Officer also includes creating and/or updating related concepts for conduct in case of emergencies. The IT-Security Officer also supports or 
initiates regular penetration tests to check network and system security as well as reviews of security configurations.

Security

Policies and instructions regarding the implementation of general company security and IT-security are in place.

Protection of Personal and Corporate Data

SCHUMANN attach the highest possible value on the protection of personal data and corporate data. The data protection manual of SCHUMANN sets the framework for handling such data; this manual is binding for all employees. The same applies to the utilization of social media by employees, when this relates to the company.

At SCHUMANN we had no complaints about breaches of customer privacy from outside parties.

At SCHUMANN we had no complaints about breaches of customer privacy from regulatory bodies.

At SCHUMANN we had no identified leaks, thefts or losses of customer data

The trust of customers and partners in the products as well as in the staff of SCHUMANN is essential. Daily compliance with all relevant guidelines and continuous training of employees in these areas are the basis and prerequisite for success. As SCHUMANN-software contributes considerably to the entrepreneurial compliance of customers and partners alike, economic responsibility plays a central role in our daily work. This means that respectful intercourse in competition and with business partners is a priority for SCHUMANN. Not only adherence to the framework conditions specified by standards and laws is a matter of course for us, but also the active, transparent and careful documentation of these conditions as well as the prevention of corruption.