Code of Conduct of mbo Osswald GmbH & Co KG

Version 2.1 · As of: 10/2026

Our commitment

mbo Osswald is a family-owned company. We have manufactured connecting components in Külsheim-Steinbach, Germany, for customers worldwide since 1967 and today employ around 70 people. We want to be economically successful while treating people, the environment and our business partners fairly. This code describes how we do so in everyday work. Our actions are based on compliance with applicable law, in particular German and European law. It applies to the management and to all employees. It describes our principles and expectations for cooperation with customers and suppliers and creates no additional contractual obligations or rights. It is guided by the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, the core labour standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The ten principles of the UN Global Compact in this code

• Human rights (principles 1–2) → chapter 1
• Labour (principles 3–6) → chapter 1
• Environment (principles 7–9) → chapter 3
• Anti-corruption (principle 10) → chapter 4

1. Human rights and fair working conditions

“Work with us is voluntary, fairly regulated and free from discrimination.”

• Human rights: We respect internationally recognised human rights. Participation in human rights abuses is prohibited. We also expect our business partners to respect human rights.
• No forced labour: All employment with us is voluntary. Employees may terminate their employment in accordance with applicable law and contractual provisions.
• No child labour: We do not employ children. Young people in vocational training, internships or holiday jobs are supervised under the German Youth Employment Protection Act and given special protection.
• Equal treatment and respect: Discrimination, for example on grounds of origin, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual identity (German General Equal Treatment Act, AGG), is prohibited, as are harassment and physical or psychological violence. Hiring, pay and development are based on suitability and performance.
• Freedom of association: Our employees are free to form associations and to bargain collectively. They suffer no disadvantage as a result.
• Pay and working time: We comply with the applicable statutory requirements on minimum pay, vocational training allowances, working hours, rest periods and working time recording.

2. Occupational health and safety

“Everyone who works with us should go home healthy.”

• We assess the hazards at our workplaces, including psychological stress, and derive measures from them.
• Our employees receive safety instruction when they start and regularly thereafter, in line with occupational safety requirements.
• Anyone who notices a hazard speaks up. Safety comes before deadlines.

3. Environment and resources

“We use material and energy sparingly.”

• We comply with applicable environmental law. Our photovoltaic systems feed electricity directly into production through an energy management system.
• We separate waste and operating materials and have them disposed of properly.
• We comply with the legal requirements applicable to our products and packaging, such as REACH, RoHS and packaging law. On request, we provide available declarations and information on conflict minerals and other raw materials or on emissions.
• We make our employees aware of the need to act responsibly towards the environment.

4. Integrity in business

“We win orders through performance, not gifts.”

• Corruption and gifts: We reject corruption, bribery and extortion in every form. We do not offer or grant any advantages intended to influence decisions. Our employees do not accept gifts from business partners.
• Fair competition: We comply with antitrust and competition law. Anticompetitive agreements, particularly on prices, customers or territories, are prohibited.
• Conflicts of interest: Private interests must not influence business decisions. Anyone who sees a conflict discloses it.
• Money laundering: We do not take part in money laundering or terrorist financing and comply with the applicable rules for preventing them.
• Customs, export control and sanctions: We comply with customs and foreign trade law and with EU sanctions. We have been an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) since 2009.

5. Quality and product safety

“Quality is built in during production, not just checked at inspection.”

• Our quality management system has been certified to DIN EN ISO 9001 since 1998. We provide the current certificate on request.
• We handle complaints openly and objectively: we identify the cause and learn from it.
• We only issue declarations on materials and conformity that we can substantiate. Depending on the item and the agreement, we supply inspection documents to EN 10204 and batch traceability information.

6. Confidentiality, know-how and data

“We protect what customers entrust to us.”

• Our customers' know-how: We use our customers' drawings, samples and manufacturing know-how only for our business with that customer. We pass them on to third parties only where order processing requires it, for example for subcontracted processing.
• Data protection and information security: We protect personal data in accordance with the GDPR. An information security officer has been appointed.
• Trade secrets and company property: We protect confidential information, both our own and our partners', with appropriate technical and organisational measures and pass it on only to the extent necessary and permitted. We handle machines, tools, material and IT with care.

7. What we expect from our suppliers

“We expect what we practise ourselves.”

We expect our suppliers to follow comparable principles within their own operations and take this into account when selecting and evaluating suppliers. Where there are specific indications of violations, we assess appropriate action. Our requirements for suppliers are proportionate and fit their business. We do not pass our customers' statutory due diligence obligations on to them.

8. When in doubt, ask: reporting and implementation

“Concerns are welcome. Raising one causes no disadvantage.”

Three questions when something is unclear

1. Is it lawful?
2. Could I explain it openly to our customer and to my colleagues?
3. Would I feel comfortable if it were in tomorrow's newspaper?

If you cannot answer every question with yes, ask first.

• Reporting channels: Employees can raise concerns about violations of this code or of applicable law with their supervisor, with the management, or confidentially with our internal reporting office under the German Whistleblower Protection Act. The external reporting office of the Federal Office of Justice is equally available. How to reach both is described in the whistleblower protection guideline on the intranet. Anyone who, at the time of reporting, had sufficient reason to believe that the information reported was true must not suffer any disadvantage as a result. Business partners can raise concerns with their contact persons at mbo or directly with the management.
• Responsibility: The management is responsible for this code, and managers lead by example. Depending on their severity, violations may have consequences under employment law.
• Implementation: The code is available to all employees on the intranet and is part of onboarding. We review it regularly and adapt it where necessary.