Corporate Governance
We shape value-driven business
We embed value-based behaviour throughout the whole company and set standards to take responsibility as digital marketplace for our customers and users.
Corporate Governance covers the overall management and supervisory system in a company, including its organisation, its business principles and guidelines, as well as the internal and external management and supervisory structures. It is fundamental that the management and supervisory board work together closely and efficiently in order to reach maximum transparency for shareholders and all other stakeholders.
Corporate Governance Documents
German Corporate Governance Codex in its latest version is available for download here
The rules of procedure of the Supervisory Board stipulate that: As a rule, only persons who have not reached the age of 70 at the time of their appointment or election may become members of the Supervisory Boards.
Download here the Declaration of Conformity of the Management Board and Supervisory Board of Scout24 SE.
Declaration of Conformity December 2022
Declaration of Conformity December 2021
Declaration of Conformity February 2021
Updated Declaration of Conformity February 2020
Declaration of Conformity February 2020
Declaration of Conformity March 2019
Declaration of Conformity March 2018
Download here Rules of Procedure for the Supervisory Board of Scout24 SE:
In accordance with number 3.10 of the German Corporate Governance Code the Management and Supervisory Boards report annually on the Company’s Corporate Governance. The latest Corporate Governance Report, including the Corporate Governance Declaration, is available for download here:
Corporate Governance Report 2021
Corporate Governance Report 2020
Corporate Governance Report 2019
Corporate Governance Report 2018
Our success is largely determined by our services and our values. We have set out these values in our own corporate Code of Conduct. The rules of conduct and guidelines laid down in this Code of Conduct form the framework for responsible action and follow the principles of corporate governance. In addition to legal requirements, ethical and social standards are also taken into account. You can view this Code of Conduct here:
The protection of privacy and the security of data processing is very important to us - as is the trust of our users, customers and employees. In our Data Protection Code of Conduct, we set out the guiding principles of our business activities with regard to data protection, transparency, the necessity of processed data and data minimization.
Responsibility for Sustainability
Since June 2022, all activities related to the company's sustainability have been under the management of Dr. Claudia Viehweger. Viehweger (who holds a doctorate in law) has already been responsible for human resources at Scout24 SE as Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) since June 2021. With the addition of all sustainability topics, Scout24 appoints Claudia Viehweger as Chief People & Sustainability Officer (CPSO).
An independent sustainability team is responsible for all operational and strategic measures and initiatives. The task of this team is to integrate the complex topic of sustainability even more strongly into the organisation. The team reports regularly to the CPSO.
An important body is our internal sustainability committee – a practice-oriented association consisting of representatives from various business units and functions. These include, for example, Legal & Compliance, HR, Procurement, Investor Relations, Facility, Marketing, Product and IT. Together they aim to make sustainability an integral part of our business targets, our corporate strategy and our everyday work. In regular meetings, the members of the Committee identify and evaluate the objectives and measures of the Scout24 Group, which are defined in the ESG framework and developed each year as progress is made.
Materiality
We carry out materiality analyses – most recently in 2021 – so that we can focus on the right topics. In order to take into account developments and trends in our business environment that have occurred since then, as well as changes in the corporate structure, the Sustainabilty Team reviewed the 2022 materiality analysis to validate its topicality and relevance. The result: 11 topics that shape our sustainability management. The topics "Attractive employer" and "Energy" were newly classified as material.
Our ESG Framework
When it comes to sustainability, it is important to us to create a high degree of transparency and, in doing so, to strive for a uniform understanding. As a data-driven company, for Scout24 these two factors are particularly crucial – both internally and externally. For this reason, our sustainability strategy will in future be structured in accordance with the ESG logic and structured on the basis of the identified material topics with a very specific ambition, objectives and KPIs. In doing so, we are not only taking up the structure of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which will be binding for us from 2024, but also proactively addressing developments in the capital market. Our previous sustainability programme is fully integrated. In the course of developing the new ESG framework, we also evaluated our previous targets and KPIs. These contribute to SDGs 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13 and 17.
UN Global Compact
Since 2021, Scout24 has been committed to the UN Global Compact corporate responsibility initiative and its principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
In order to anchor sustainability throughout the company, we encourage all employees to use the UNGC Academy knowledge platform for their individual learning.
Responsibility in the supply chain
Even as a non-manufacturing company, we take responsibility in our supply chain. We have been a signatory to the UN Global Compact since 2021 and have integrated the ten principles for responsible corporate governance into our Code of Conduct for business partners, suppliers and service providers. As part of our ESG framework, we have set ourselves the target of having 80% of our existing business partners, suppliers and service providers accept our Code of Conduct by the end of 2024. Alternatively, they must confirm that their own requirements conform to it. Acceptance of 19% was achieved for 2022, surpassing our milestone target of 17%.
For information on our grievance mechanism, please refer to our Code of Conduct.
Data protection and data security
The trust of employees, customers, investors, suppliers, business partners, service providers and the general public in us and our brands is a valuable asset. As a leading digital company and operator of the ImmoScout24 online platform in Germany and Austria, data protection and security are a high priority for us and a fundamental part of the Scout24 Group's identity. Our claim is to handle the data we gather, collect, store or use responsibly and to comply with all laws relevant to Scout24 under data protection law.
You can find more information in our Data Protection Code of Conduct.