If you have concrete evidence of unlawful or irregular behavior by ZDF employees or irregularities in business dealings or corruption, you can contact the ZDF ombudsman at any time.
ZDF's ombudsman is available to all employees, but also to outsiders, as an external and independent point of contact.
The ombudsman performs two important functions. He is
- External ombudsperson in accordance with the State Media Treaty (Medienstaatsvertrag) and
- Internal reporting office in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz - HinSchG)
The duties of the external ombudsperson are set out in Section 31b (2) of the Interstate Media Treaty:
According to this, ZDF must appoint an ombudsperson as an external point of contact for confidential and anonymous information on violations of the law and regulations. The ombudsperson should be qualified to hold judicial office and may not have any economic or other interests that could jeopardize the neutral and independent position of trust.
In his function as an internal reporting office in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz), the ombudsperson ensures compliance with the statutory provisions for the protection of whistleblowers.
Whistleblower Protection Act
The Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) protects persons who have obtained information about legal or regulatory violations in connection with their professional activities or in the run-up to them and report these to the designated reporting offices.
The following violations are covered by the scope of application:
- Criminal offenses
- violations subject to fines, provided the violated regulation serves to protect life, limb or health or to protect the rights of employees and their representative bodies
- Violations of certain federal and state legislation and direct legal acts of the European Union (see Section 2 HinSchG)
- Violations of EU public procurement law
- Violations of certain tax standards
Further information on the HinSchG: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hinschg/
Discussions with the external lawyer of confidence are subject to strict confidentiality. Upon request, the identity of the whistleblower will remain secret from ZDF.
The lawyer of confidence can be reached as follows during the opening hours of his office Mon.-Fri. from 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m:
Attorney Thomas C. Knierim
(Knierim Lorenz Breit Rechtsanwälte PartG mbB)
Gutenbergplatz 12
55116 Mainz
Telephone: +49 (0) 6131/9065-500
Fax: +49 (0) 6131/9065-599
You can reach the lawyer of confidence around the clock by e-mail or Internet:
hinweise@klb-recht.de
https://www.klb-recht.de
A note on our own behalf: The Ombudsman acts as an external ombudsperson and internal reporting office in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act and is therefore only responsible for receiving information in this regard.
The following offices are responsible for other questions, suggestions, praise and criticism regarding ZDF and our program:
Viewer Service
Program complaints
Press enquiries
