Supplementary information

The Bank uses Adobe Sign for implementing simple electronic signatures. Adobe Sign is a cloud-based e-signature service that lets you replace wet ink signatures with fully automated electronic signature workflows. For more details on the use, please refer to https://www.adobe.com/de/sign.html

For qualified electronic signatures, the Bank uses the ‘sign-me’ trust service of D-Trust GmbH, a subsidiary of the Bundesdruckerei GmbH. You and your employees may use the service as so-called ‘user’ via the sign-me API interface. For more details on the use, please refer to https://cloud.sign-me.de/signature/start?ct=c56c15e

The Bank hereby notifies you of the following:

The use of sign-me requires you to enter into a contract with D-Trust GmbH. The certificates can be cancelled by D-Trust GmbH if the Bank does not settle payments due to D-Trust GmbH. The Bank and D-Trust GmbH send each other personal data relating to the individual user, to the extent that this is necessary to

a. produce the certificate,
b. execute the signature process or
c. provide support.

Please see the Cookie Policy for HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany and subsidiary websites here.

The web pages of HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany are designated only for the use of persons permanently domiciled in the Federal Republic of Germany. They are explicitly not addressed to persons in countries/ jurisdictions, in which the publication of those information or the distribution and marketing of securities as described herein is forbidden. Persons, who are subject to any such restriction as to their residence, nationality or other reasons, are not allowed to use this web pages.

HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany or a third party has examined all information contained in this site with due care. Neither HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany nor any other party makes any guarantee, representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or actuality of this site as well as of any other website, which can be accessed via hyperlink. HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany is not responsible for any content on other websites, which can be accessed via such hyperlink.

HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany has, at any time, the right to alter or change the information on this site.

This website is for information purposes only. It does not constitute any kind of investment advice, even if any companies or securities are explicitly mentioned therein. This also applies, if single issuer or securities are mentioned. Our internet information cannot replace the individual investment advice given to our customers which is focused on his personal circumstances. It is not possible for HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany to consider every particularity, which can arise in connection with the investment in special securities.

Contents and structure of the HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany website are protected by copyright. The reproduction or duplication of information or data especially the use of terms, wording or figures, is subject to prior approval of HSBC Continental Europe S.A., Germany.

Protecting our customers from fraud and financial crime

In today’s increasingly connected world, it’s more important than ever to ensure your security – especially when it comes to banking. That’s why we’re introducing HSBC Safeguard: a series of initiatives designed to provide better protection for all of our customers from fraud and financial crime across our global processes and systems.

Information is key to protection

Our systems and processes rely on us having the most up-to-date information about all of our customers. Soon you will be asked to do one or all of the following:

• confirm or update your existing personal or business details
• provide some new information which may include original documents

What is financial crime?

Fraud and financial crimes are forms of theft. They tend to involve money or property that are gained illegally, and used in a deceptive or illegal manner to gain a benefit from the proceeds. In today's complex economy, financial crimes can take many forms including money laundering, sanctions breaches, fraud, tax evasion, terrorist financing, bribery and corruption.

What is HSBC Safeguard?

HSBC Safeguard is a series of initiatives to increase the protection we provide our customers against fraud and financial crime across our global systems and processes. It involves strengthening our ability to combat money laundering and the evasion of sanctions, as these are often the driver behind many financial crimes. In addition, we will no longer be offering products such as travellers’ cheques, as we believe they are no longer a safe enough way for our customers to convert their money and we may review other products like this over time.

What are Sanctions?

Sanctions are a policy tool which national governments and organisations such as the United Nations and European Union use to constrain and deter perceived threats to their security, or to conform international conduct to recognised international standards. Sanctions help to stop crimes like terrorism, drug trafficking and arms dealing by imposing restrictions on the business that banks can do with specific people, corporations or countries and the names of these are clearly listed on things like the Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) sanctions list.

Why is Financial Crime suddenly of concern to the Bank?

At HSBC, addressing financial crime globally has long been one of our main priorities.

However criminal activity has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, and fraudsters, money launderers and others have attempted to target global networks like banks.

Improving the way we share and manage customer information will help us fight against the risk of financial crime. After all, it’s our duty to ensure that you can bank with us safely, securely, and confidently.

What has financial crime got to do with you or your business?

As the world becomes more and more connected and information moves around at a greater pace, there are unfortunately greater opportunities for criminals to misuse the financial system. A key defence against money laundering is to prevent accounts being opened in false identities. We also sometimes need to verify where funds are from as part of our ongoing efforts to track our customers’ legitimate funds and to protect them from financial crime. Criminals will try to appear to be law abiding citizens or businesses and therefore we need to request documentary evidence from all of our customers in order to fully protect them and their accounts.

What information we're likely to request

If you’re a personal banking customer, we're likely to need two types of documents from you: one to confirm your identity and one to confirm your current address. These need to be two separate documents and need to be originals and not copies.

If you’re a business customer, the documents we will need will depend on the size and nature of your business. However we are likely to need you to confirm your legal entity structure and beneficial owners as well as countries you do business with.

How will this information protect you or your business?

As more and more of our customers live, travel and trade internationally, we’re always looking for better ways to help you do the things you want to do safely. Part of this is to protect our customers around the globe. Our global systems and processes work by sharing data and customer information across borders in order to deter and detect financial crime. Even if as a customer you only bank in one country, locally, we have a duty to protect your account as financial crime is a global operation.

By confirming your details and making sure that all the information we hold about you is up-to-date, you can be certain that no one else is able to misuse your account and that in turn we only act on genuine requests from you.

What we will do with your data

The sole purpose of gathering this information is so that our systems and processes can protect both our customers and the bank against financial crime. We take our obligation to protect your data very seriously, so all the information you provide will be subject the HSBC Group's high data and security standards as well as applicable local law and regulation. The intent is only to use this information for your protection and will NOT be used by any third parties for marketing purposes.

What you need to do next

You don't need to do anything at the moment. In order to manage the process, we'll be contacting customers individually on a phased basis to let them know when they need to update their information. Depending on your contact preferences, look out for an email or a letter in the near future.

For more information, please feel free to call your Relationship Manager or visit your local branch.

Pursuant to article 41 (4) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/565 dated 25 April 2016, investment firms are obliged to provide special information to their clients when offering them financial instruments issued by themselves, or by other group entities. We comply with this duty to provide special information by disclosing the following details:

Certain financial instruments issued by credit institutions and investment firms serve the purpose of complying with regulatory capital requirements pursuant to Regulation (EU) no 575/2013 ("CRR"), Directive 2013/36/EU ("CRD IV"), and Directive 2014/59/EU ("BRRD"). In particular, this includes common equity tier 1 instruments issued in classes (1)-(3), additional tier 1 or tier 2 instruments, as well as non-structured financial instruments or receivables issued in class (5)(a). When compared to bank deposits, these instruments typically offer a higher yield but are exposed to a higher level of default risk in the event of insolvency (or when resolution measures are being applied), on account of their lower ranking and the usual absence of a deposit guarantee scheme. In contrast to bank deposits, however, such instruments are generally tradeable on the secondary market, although it may prove impossible to find a buyer or seller on the secondary market (liquidity risk), and the market price may change to the investor's detriment (market price risk).

Please refer to the product documentation of the specific financial instrument for details concerning opportunities and risks.

In accordance with section 134b AktG, institutional investors (section 134a (1) no. 1 AktG) and asset managers (section 134a (1) no. 2 AktG) must publish a policy on their website in which they describe their engagement in the portfolio companies (engagement policy). The same applies with regard to implementation of their engagement policy and with regard to their voting record. The idea behind the law is that institutional investors and asset managers are often major shareholders of listed companies and therefore have an important role to play in terms of corporate governance. There are also additional disclosure requirements for institutional investors; according to section 134c (4) AktG, certain reporting and publication obligations also apply to asset managers where they have a relevant portfolio management agreement with institutional investors.

The Bank acts as an asset manager for some of its clients. Asset management is carried out on the basis of the necessary authorisation; asset management does not require the Bank to become the owner (trustee) of the managed securities. Clients usually continue to be shareholders and can exercise their voting rights themselves. In this scenario, the transparency rules for asset managers do not apply. Moreover, there are no portfolio management agreements with institutional investors in general. Publication of the information set forth in section 134b AktG (engagement policy; implementation of the engagement policy; voting record) is therefore not required, nor is fulfilment of the reporting and publication obligations pursuant to section 134c (4) AktG.