Our commitment to business ethics
We are committed to high ethical business standards – out of responsibility toward patients, employees, the environment, and society.
Compliance according to plan
The compliance management system (CMS) at Fresenius is based on three pillars: Prevent, Detect, and Respond.
Every year, we conduct a Group-wide assessment of the maturity level of our CMS. The basis for this is the compliance management system reporting (CMSR) mechanism, which involves all participating units answering questions about how compliance is structured and put into practice in their respective areas of responsibility. We use the individual responses to calculate an overall Group-wide score, known as the compliance maturity score. The Group Compliance Management Team (GCMT) sets an annual reference score for this.
From 2026 onward, we have set ourselves the target of continuously achieving and maintaining a maturity level of 3 or better – on a scale of 1 to 5. We want to provide an update on our progress in relation to achieving the target for the first time in our reporting activities for the 2026 fiscal year.
Embracing integrity
Our understanding of integrity goes beyond mere legal requirements. For us, “doing the right thing” means acting not only lawfully, but also in line with our principles, internal guidelines, and applicable industry codes. We have summarized these rules in our Group-wide Fresenius Code of Conduct, which sets out how every employee should conduct themselves, including all managers and board members. Internal and external controls are designed to ensure that we comply with regulations and are able to live up to the trust placed in us by our patients, employees, customers, suppliers, and investors. We also strive to promote fair and ethical business conduct outside our own operations, which is why we clearly communicate our expectations to everyone who works with Fresenius in our Code of Conduct for Business Partners.
Katharina Kneisel
Group Chief Compliance Officer at Fresenius
“The principles laid down in our Code of Conduct should serve as a benchmark for the actions of each and every one of us at Fresenius. We want to clearly state risks and make responsible decisions.”
Whether in production plants, in hospitals, or in administration areas, the Fresenius Code of Conduct lays the foundations that guide the actions of all our employees.
AI@Fresenius – a clear framework for its use
Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up new possibilities. We want to unlock these for ourselves together with partners, among others. This requires solid ethical foundations so that potential risks can be prevented at an early stage. We want to lay these foundations with the Group-wide initiative AI@Fresenius. The Fresenius AI Guidelines give employees practical guidance on how to safely approach AI, from the development stage to actual use. A global AI governance framework is designed to ensure that every AI system is examined in advance in line with criteria that cover ethics, data protection, cybersecurity, and legal aspects. In addition, a special training module informs employees about the opportunities, risks, and obligations in the AI setting.
Report anything that is incompatible with our values
Our employees can report suspected cases of misconduct in the Fresenius environment via various channels such as our whistleblower system. These channels are also available to external stakeholders, including our patients, customers, suppliers, and partners.
Katharina Bock
Director of Risk Communication and Culture at Fresenius
“Mistakes can happen and are only human. But rather than sweep them under the carpet, we believe that it is important to talk openly about them and learn from them. The new guidelines on the risk culture at Fresenius are designed to raise awareness among our employees. Our overarching communication campaign shows in a memorable and humorous manner how we wish to take a responsible approach to dealing with uncertainty.”
