Pro Honore
| Pro Honore | |
|---|---|
| legal form | Volunteer Association |
| founding | 1925 in Hamburg |
| founder | Max Warburg , Wilhelm Cuno , Carl Wilhelm Petersen |
| main emphasis | Good faith in business life, economic crime |
| Action space | Germany |
| Chair | Nicholas from the ceiling, Jan Bonke, Jörn Dasse |
| Managing directors | Malte Passarge |
| Website | www.pro-honore.de |
Pro Honore is a Hamburg institution recognized as a non-profit. The association has been fighting unfair competition and all forms of white-collar crime that are likely to harm the general public since 1925.
history
Pro Honore was established in 1925 to act as a trustworthy agency for the Hamburg population, namely the traders and traders, to combat bribery and kickbacks as well as other bad habits and abuses that contradict commercial honor.
Mayor Petersen's invitation to a “meeting on measures to combat corruption” was followed on April 7, 1925 by important personalities from Hamburg, the Hamburg economy and the Hamburg authorities. They met in the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party of the Hamburg City Hall in the knowledge that individuals can hardly successfully defend themselves against annoying manifestations such as corruption and other white-collar crime - unpleasant consequences of the Great War from 1914 to 1918, which are increasing Extensively damaging and trust-destroying had an impact on large circles of businesspeople and consumers. Under the name “pro honore” one wanted to tackle this and ensure the full restoration of the old Hamburg respectability. The participants in the founding meeting included: Mayor Carl Friedrich Petersen, Wilhelm Cuno , Knauer, Max M. Warburg, Guido Möring, Reymann, Hermann Rudolf Münchmeyer, Georg Steinike, Hannes Kaufmann and Wilhelm Nolte.
It was not until April 4, 1927 that it was decided to enter “Pro honore” in the register of associations. According to chairman Max M. Warburg, the previous position as a society under civil law was not sufficient.
On August 20, 1927, the executive board member, Guido Möring, submitted the application for registration signed by the following founders: Carl Petersen, Cuno, Knauer, Hermann Münchmeyer, Max M. Warburg, Kaufmann and Steinike. The application with the statutes drawn up by Möring was given official approval on August 24, 1927. The first entry of “Pro honore” in the register of associations is made on August 30, 1927 under the number 2187.
In the year of registration, the board announced a membership of 118 and 50 sponsors.
Surname
“Already in the name 'Pro honore', ie 'For our honesty', the intention is clear that one does not want to work out new paragraphs or create a bureaucratic organization to deal with a certain amount of individual cases, but that one wants to promote the ethos of the economic and people active in social life touts. Whether the great majority of the people know that good faith has been upheld and want to protect it themselves, whether they want to do decent business or 'rob', that is important and that is what matters. "
When it was founded, it was decided to put Pro Honore under the motto Fight against bribery and kickbacks and for honesty in trade and change . The entry in the register of associations then followed under the name Pro honore .
On July 2, 1930, the board of directors decided to change the name of the association to Pro Honore Association for Good Faith in Business
Almost 70 years later, in January 1999, the Pro Honore name was voted again. On January 28, 1999, the board of directors - headed by chairman Rolf Klauer (since 1997) - submitted the proposal to the general assembly to change the name to Pro Honore e .V. to change. The explanatory addition “For good faith in business life” should be able to appear variable in the future, so u. a. in the form of "good faith in business life" or "against white-collar crime". Pro Honore - according to chairman Rolf Klauer - is so well known due to its almost 75 years of existence that explanatory additions can be omitted. Pro Honore is a brand and a program at the same time. The general assembly found it to be the right step into the new millennium and unanimously accepted the proposal.
tasks
According to § 2 of the Articles of Association, Pro Honore ensures that honesty and good faith are maintained in all areas of economic life. In particular, it combats unfair competition and forms of economic crime that are likely to harm the general public. In particular, Pro Honore performs the following tasks:
- Promotion and enforcement of honesty and fair behavior in economic life, in particular through the assertion of injunctive relief.
- Action against unfair behavior in competition and against economic crime.
- Maintenance of the Hamburg trust agency to protect against crime in the economy, which grants the whistleblower anonymity.
- Unbureaucratic communication between business and authorities.
- Cooperation with chambers as well as with professional and central business associations.
The unfair competition
Pro Honore examines unfair actions according to the law against unfair competition (UWG) and the law against restraints of competition (GWB), advises its members in this area and prosecutes such unfair actions.
Pro Honore can assert claims for removal and injunctive relief under the UWG in its own name in accordance with Section 8 (3) No. 2 UWG. Pro Honore can forward information on antitrust violations in its own name to the responsible authorities without discovering the real whistleblower.
The Hamburg trust office for protection against crime in the economy
In 2003, Pro Honore founded a trust center against corruption together with the Hanseatic institutions Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg Chamber of Crafts and the Assembly of an Honorable Merchant in Hamburg eV. As an extension of this facility, the office has been working since September 2011 under the name “Hamburg Trust Center for Protection against Crime in Business”.
The trust center is a point of contact for witnesses and whistleblowers who, for fear of reprisals, fear for their economic existence or their job, cannot or do not want to openly express knowledge and information about criminal behavior. Because of such fears, much criminal activity remains hidden or there is a lack of reliable evidence to support the persecution. At the same time, the witness or whistleblower is under enormous psychological pressure not to be able to reveal himself safely. The trust agency should offer witnesses and whistleblowers a way out of their dilemma.
The trust agency guarantees the witness and whistleblower confidentiality and anonymity. It is led by a lawyer who is professionally obliged to maintain confidentiality.
The Hamburg compliance model
In cooperation with the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and the HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration , Pro Honore developed the Hamburg Compliance Model. It is intended to make it easier for small and medium-sized companies to implement compliance management systems.
The Hamburg compliance model is supported by the Assembly of an Honorable Merchant eV and the Hamburg Consulting Club.
The Hamburg Chamber of Commerce awards the Hamburg Compliance Certificate if the company meets all the requirements of the Hamburg Compliance Model.
The whistleblower office
Pro Honore also advises and trains its members on the subject of compliance.
Pro Honore can be used by the company as an external whistleblower hotline. If there is suspicion of dishonest behavior by colleagues or other company employees, the whistleblower can contact this office and report the matter. The whistleblower can remain anonymous and does not have to fear labor law, other economic or personal sanctions. On the other hand, the company management becomes aware of the disapproved behavior of its employees and can accordingly identify and close weak points in the prevention of such behavior.
Members
Pro Honore is supported in particular by the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and the Hamburg Chamber of Crafts. It also has a large number of commercial members, including several associations, which in turn have over one hundred thousand members. Therefore, Pro Honore is also recognized as an association with legal capacity to promote commercial or independent professional interests within the meaning of Section 8 (3) No. 2 UWG.
Web links
- Pro Honore eV
- Hamburg trust office
- Early documents and newspaper articles on Pro Honore in the 20th Century press kit of the ZBW - Leibniz Information Center for Economics .
Individual evidence
- ^ Website of Pro Honore eV
- ^ Festschrift by Pro Honore on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the foundation, 1925–2000
- ^ Festschrift by Pro Honore on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the foundation, 1925–2000
- ^ Statutes of Pro Honore eV; Website of Pro Honore eV
- ↑ Hamburg Chamber of Commerce Archived copy ( memento of the original dated November 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Website of Pro Honore eV
