VW offers limited amnesty to workers for emission cheating information
Volkswagen has come up with a whistleblower amnesty program as it tries to emerge from the emissions scandal that has engulfed the car company.
In a move to resolve the scandal, the German automaker has told its employees to come forward and reveal what they know about the diesel emissions test cheating saga. 聽
According to the Associated Press,聽Volkswagen that the company won't seek damages or fire employees for what they might reveal.
鈥淚n this process, every single day counts,鈥� Mr. Diess, said. 鈥淲e are counting on your cooperation and knowledge as our company鈥檚 employees to get to the bottom of the diesel and CO2 颈蝉蝉耻别.鈥�
Volkswagen has hired the American law firm of Jones Day to carry out an internal investigation into the emissions scandal.
The amnesty offer is valid through Nov. 30, and applies only to employees who are covered by collective bargaining agreements. The offer does not cover managers and board members.
The company has been rocked by the revelation of an emissions test cheating聽scandal that came to light this year.
In September, Volkswagen admitted that as many as聽11 million diesel vehicles聽worldwide, including almost 500,000 in the United States encompassing model years 2009 to 2015, had the cheating software installed. 聽
Last week, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued a second notice to Volkswagen accusing the company of installing 'defeat devices' aimed at manipulating emissions tests. Volkswagen聽disputed the claims.
The world鈥檚 largest automaker last week also admitted to cheating on carbon dioxide emissions certifications for 800,000 of its diesel and gasoline vehicles in Europe.
The International Business Times reports that the carbon issue came to light after employees admitted to tampering with the data in order . 聽鈥淭here was apparent pressure to do so within the company, based on statements during a 2012 auto show in which former CEO聽Martin Winterkorn聽said he wanted VW to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2015.鈥�
While corporate amnesty programs are not common, the approach has been used effectively in Germany before.
In 2008, Siemens, an electronics and engineering company, said it would extend a limited amnesty for employees who came out about . Dozens of staff members came forward.
鈥淚t is not a common practice,鈥� Alexandra Wrage, president of Trace International, a company in Annapolis, Md., that provides advice to companies on compliance issues, .听
鈥淲hen there has been a protracted climate of secrecy or fear, this can be a very effective tool,鈥� Ms. Wrage said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a tacit admission, however, that the usual reporting channels have been ineffective.鈥�
Volkswagen聽has set aside about $7.8 billion聽to meet the cost of recalling and fixing the diesel vehicles worldwide that were fitted with the 鈥渄efeat devices鈥� that allowed cheating on emissions tests.
