Using an external provider ensures confidentiality to anyone filing a report and anonymity to those who choose to remain anonymous. However, given the measures that are in place to provide for the confidentiality of reports and the details of individuals making good faith reports, we encourage you to give your name and contact details when making your report. Your identity will be kept confidential at all stages of the process and will not be disclosed to third parties or individuals who are the subject of your report.

The exceptions to this include where it is necessary to disclose information to relevant persons involved in any further investigation of the matter, where disclosure is required under a legal obligation, for example, for any subsequent judicial or administrative proceedings or where material access is requested by any regulatory or government authority which is not compulsory, but where the failure to comply would, in the reasonable opinion of KPMGI, worsen the working relationship with the authority. Further exceptions may apply based on applicable laws.

Notwithstanding the above, you should be aware that in order to conduct an appropriate investigation into matters raised by you, it may be necessary for us to advise others of the substance of your report. As such, your identity may become apparent and you should consider this before submitting your report.

If you wish to make your report anonymously using either the web site facility or a live telephone operator, then you will receive a password which will enable you to access the ClearView Connects case management system. This will allow us to communicate directly with you while preserving anonymity. If you forget or mislay your password then you will have to submit a new report in order to regain access to the system; in this event it would be helpful if you could refer to the previously submitted report to enable us to make the appropriate connections.

IMPORTANT: If an individual is a member of a German law, patent law, accounting, auditing or tax consulting firm, such an individual report should avoid client names or other client-identifying features to the confidential reporting system. If an individual would like to report a matter involving or otherwise affecting a particular German client, the individual should do so without identifying the client or use the whistleblowing hotline of KPMG Germany (phone: +49 (0) 30 / 31 01 82 15; email: galen@galen.de). When the report is assessed it will also be decided whether it is necessary to know the client’s name. If so, a way will be found to disclose such client’s name without infringing applicable laws and regulations.

ClearView Connects™ is a registered trademark of ClearView Strategic Partners Inc.