Baker McKenzie is committed to making the right choices and doing the right things, within the law and according to the highest standards of legal, ethical and professional behavior. We have articulated these commitments in our Code of Business Conduct, which we require everyone in the Firm to read and comply with. Our Code spells out our expectations in specific areas and provides principles to guide our behavior when the rules are not clear or there are no rules.
We recognize that fulfilling our commitments and protecting our most valuable asset -- our reputation -- requires the participation of everyone in every role across the Firm. If you see, or suspect, a violation, we expect you to report it. We all benefit from the Firm's good name, and we are all responsible for protecting it.
We encourage you to report violations to your supervisor, local HR or local management. However, we recognize there will be times when it may be appropriate, or you may be more comfortable, reporting your concerns to, or seeking guidance from, our General Counsel, our Director of Professional Responsibility or by using our Code of Business Conduct Hotline.
The Code of Business Conduct Hotline is a comprehensive and confidential report tool managed for Baker McKenzie by NAVEX, the world's leading provider of ethical and compliance hotlines and help lines. Your reports can be submitted over the Internet by this web portal or can be made by telephone using one of the dedicated phone numbers available on this web portal. Either way, your report will be captured using a secure tool known as EthicsPoint. And you can do this on a confidential basis, even if you submit a report from a personal computer at home.
Whether you enter information yourself or through an EthicsPoint Interview Specialist, your information will be shared with a very limited number of people in the Office of the General Counsel. They will not be told your identity unless you have agreed to be identified. This is subject to local law restrictions.
Should you request anonymity, you will be given a unique report key and asked to create a password allowing you to follow up with Firm investigators and get reports on the progress of your complaint. Anonymous reporting is restricted in some jurisdictions, so if you are unsure, consult EthicsPoint personnel before making your report or using the 'Ask a Question' option on this web portal. Even where anonymous reporting is permitted, we encourage you to identify yourself, because if you choose to remain anonymous, our ability to investigate the matter may be impaired and we may not be able to fully address all of your concerns. When making a report, provide sufficient information to enable the Firm to conduct an investigation. Only include sensitive personal information (e.g., an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union activities, physical or mental health, sexual life, or details of criminal offences) where absolutely necessary.
In some countries, there are restrictions on the categories of reports that can be submitted via a hotline, as well as the categories of persons against whom a report can be submitted. Whilst these restrictions apply to reports/concerns submitted via the Code of Business Conduct Hotline, you can report any suspected violation of the Code of Business Conduct by any person to the Firm's Office of the General Counsel, via the Global General Counsel or Director of Professional Responsibility, if you are not comfortable submitting a report or concern to your immediate supervisor, human resources or a member of local management. The restrictions in some countries on reporting under the Code of Business Conduct Hotline generally do not apply to reports to the Office of the General Counsel.
Please be aware that the information in your report, or question, submitted under the Code of Business Conduct Hotline will be processed by NAVEX, the third party provider of the Code of Business Conduct Hotline.
See the EthicsPoint FAQ document for more information.