After sales service

We always follow the laws, rules and regulations of the countries in which we operate. We also expect you to uphold all applicable laws, rules and regulations when performing your duties.

As a multinational company, BMA is subject to the anti-corruption laws of many jurisdictions, including the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the German Criminal Code.

We at BMA take a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of corruption anywhere in the world, either involving public officials or business partners, or when we buy or sell goods or services. We expect you to make business decisions and do your work based on price, quality, and service.

DO NOT offer, promise, authorise or give anything of value, directly or indirectly through a third party, to any public official or person associated with one of our business partners with the intention of influencing any decision-making process or action. Likewise, you must not request, agree to receive or accept anything of value for yourself or any other person or entity if it is offered to influence your business decisions.

Please note that we may be held liable if one of our business partners, such as a joint venture partner or intermediary, bribes a public official or a customer’s employee, particularly if someone at BMA was aware of their misconduct.

If you have reason to suspect such misconduct, please raise your concerns.

DO NOT make any payments to public officials to speed up official actions – even actions that BMA is entitled to (such as obtaining a permit) – or to influence public officials.

Corruption often occurs in secret. An effective measure to prevent corruption and to avoid the appearance of corruption is to conduct business openly and transparently.

If a consultant approached us, suggesting he could acquire new business leads thanks to his good contacts, in return for a high commission, would that be okay?

No. There is a high risk that this third party could use the commission for improper payments. Please report the matter to the Compliance Officer immediately.

When submitting an application for tender, I was told by a public official that I would have to use a specific consultant not listed in the public tender specifications, in order to “facilitate commercial aspects” of the transaction. Should I use this consultant?

No. This is a common scheme used to facilitate bribe payments. Please report the matter to the Compliance Officer immediately.

Accepting or offering modest gifts and hospitality occasionally may be legitimate to build or maintain good business relationships. However, you should not accept or offer a gift or hospitality if it could make you or the recipient feel that something is „owed“ in return. A common indicator is whether or not the recipient would spend the respective sum on the gift or hospitality himself or herself. A second indicator is whether offering or accepting the gift or hospitality could lead to an article in a (local) newspaper. Do not give or accept gifts or hospitality in secret, and always take into account the local customs, culture and standard of living.

DO NOT offer a gift or hospitality to any public official without prior written approval by BMA’s Compliance Officer, even if you consider its value to be low. Remember that, in many countries, companies are owned by the state, which makes their employees and managers public officials.

BMA encourages donations to charitable and non-profit organisations. We must, however, avoid such donations being viewed as an attempt to influence decisions favouring BMA’s business. BMA does not make donations to political or religious organisations. Donations and contributions always require prior approval. All donations and contributions must be made openly. Every country has a process for reviewing all proposed donations.

A company may (unintentionally) engage in money laundering if it accepts payments that originate from criminal activities like fraud, bribery or other offences. If you are worried that one of BMA’s business partners may be involved in questionable business activities, please raise your concerns.

One of our customers has paid more for the delivery of goods than invoiced by us. The customer has asked us to transfer the excess funds to his account in the Cayman Islands. What should I do?

Please ask the customer if you can transfer the excess funds back to the account where they originated. In addition, please report the matter to the Compliance Department immediately.

I would like to give a courtesy gift worth approximately EUR 80 to a potential customer representing a private company. Are there any restrictions concerning the gift value?

Yes, there are. You need to check whether the gift is in line with our anti-corruption policy.

I am a member of the Church of Scientology. Can I give our old printers to the church as a donation on behalf of BMA?

No, you can’t. BMA does not make donations to religious organisations. Please read the relevant BMA policy on donations and political contributions.

When we export our goods to countries outside the European Union, we have to comply with the applicable customs and export control regulations. At present, there are frequent changes in the embargo and trade sanctions landscape. As a result, we may not be able to do business with companies or individuals in specific countries. If you know or suspect that companies or individuals we are dealing with may be subject to an embargo or trade sanctions, please raise the matter with BMA’s Compliance Officer immediately.