Responsible Approach to Political Influence

1. Our Position

ekomia manufactures solid wood furniture and sells it exclusively online – directly to private customers in Germany and Europe. As a small company with three employees, we do not engage in lobbying activities. We do not employ lobbyists, do not hire external lobbying agencies, and are not members of associations or organizations that influence political decisions on our behalf.

This policy defines how we will conduct ourselves should we engage in collective actions or political processes in the future.

2. Engagement Only for Positive Societal Benefit

Should we ever participate in lobbying or collective actions, we will do so exclusively to make a positive contribution to society or the environment. We do not advocate for positions that contradict our corporate purpose.

When evaluating positions we wish to support, we guide ourselves by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as evidence-based and scientific data sources – meaning independently collected, replicable data and findings from studies published in recognized peer-reviewed journals.

3. No Political Contributions

ekomia does not make financial contributions to political parties, candidates, election campaigns, or comparable political bodies. Likewise, we do not provide in-kind contributions – goods, services, or other company resources – for political purposes.

These principles apply to all actions taken on behalf of the company.

4. Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery

We do not tolerate any form of corruption or bribery – neither in our own actions nor by third parties acting on our behalf. This applies without exception to all business relationships, including contact with authorities and political decision-makers.

No employee and no representative of ekomia may offer, promise, grant, demand, or accept undue advantages. We comply with the relevant German criminal laws (§§ 331–335 StGB) as well as the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

5. Dealing with Intermediaries

We are currently not a member of any associations or other organizations that lobby for us or on behalf of our industry. Should this change, we will proceed as follows:

• We review whether the lobbying positions of the respective organization are compatible with our own policy.
• If contradictions exist, we publicly state our deviating position, explain how we work towards alignment, and name our "red lines" – meaning the circumstances under which we would terminate the membership.
• We terminate the membership if an organization actively lobbies against our corporate purpose and positive influence is not possible within a reasonable period.

6. Responsibility and Review

Both Managing Directors – Rolf Piechura and Jekaterina Piechura – are jointly responsible for compliance with this policy. The policy is reviewed annually, or at the latest when there is a significant change in our activities or memberships.

7. Complaints and Verification

If you have concerns about our behavior or our business practices, you can contact us directly at any time – via email at service@ekomia.de.