Whistleblowing System
Who can submit a report?
According to the provisions of the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) the following persons may use the system if they have obtained information about violations in connection with their professional activities:
- Employees (including former employees and applicants);
- Temporary workers assigned to the BBVA;
- Self-employed individuals providing services, as well as freelancers and consultants;
- Interns and volunteers;
- Employees of suppliers and business partners;
- Individuals in management or supervisory bodies (e.g. supervisory board).
The procedure guarantees the confidential handling of your identity and protects you from any reprisals, disadvantages or discrimination as a result of a report. Every report is documented and subjected to careful review. If the suspicion is validated, appropriate follow-up measures and, if necessary, disciplinary or corrective measures will be initiated.
Important note: This system is not intended for handling general customer complaints, private disputes between colleagues, or purely personal interests. For this please use the appropriate customer service channels or the human resources department.
Here is how you can submit a report
Reports can be submitted – completely anonymously if desired – via the following channel:
The BBVA Group's Whistleblowing Channel
For an effective investigation, the report should include a detailed description of the incident (who, what, when, where). If available, please attach supporting documents. The whistleblower should also indicate whether they have a personal interest in the reported matter.
External reporting offices in Germany
According to the Whistleblower Protection Act, whistleblowers have the choice of contacting either the BBVA's internal reporting office or an external reporting office run by the federal government. However, we encourage you to use the internal channel first, as this way violations can often be stopped more quickly and directly.
The following external reporting offices are available in Germany:
- The Federal Government's external reporting office at the Federal Office of Justice (BfJ).
- Special reporting offices at the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) for violations in the financial sector.
- The external reporting office of the Federal Cartel Office for violations of competition law.
Information on the external reporting offices' procedures can be found on each authority's respective website (e.g. www.bundesjustizamt.de).
Data protection information for the BBVA Group's Whistleblowing System