RTL Group operates across multiple European markets whilst respecting and fostering local operations. The Group is built upon the recognition that success in Europe, with its multitude of different languages, cultures and media regulations can only come through having a strong local presence. All operations are therefore run by local management. As news and information programmes are central to RTL Group's programme philosophy, we are committed to achieving the highest quality in these genres. Most of the news programmes are produced in-house. The local CEOs act as publishers and do not interfere in the production of content. The respective editors-in-chief is responsible for the editorial content. RTL Group thus ensures diversity of opinion through cultivating journalistic freedom at all our operations. Click here to read RTL Group's newsroom guidelines.

All television channels of the German family of channels of RTL Group are members of the Voluntary Self-Control TV (FSF), which has been funded and is supported by various private channels in Germany. The aim of this organisation is to improve the protection of minors in TV and films, and to encourage better understanding of the impact of sex and violence in the media on young people’s development. http://www.fsf.de/

To meet the highest journalistic standards, RTL Lëtzebuerg has voluntarily created a code of conduct for its journalists. In this “Charte des Journalistes”, the editorial policy and the rights and commitments of both the company and its journalists are laid down. Every journalist has to also agree to this code of conduct when signing his employment contract.

Our channels are already using the latest technology to make programmes more accessible for disabled people. In France all TV channels are obliged to subtitle a certain number of programming hours. Since 1998 M6 actively participates in this and has in 2005 significantly surpassed the quota of the French Media Authority (CSA) by airing 1,116 hours of subtitled programming. Today, M6 continues to surpass the quota with over 4,500 hours of subtitled programming corresponding to about 60 per cent of its programmes.

Our channels offer a wide variety of programme genres. On the other hand each station retains its own particular profile. RTL Television is Germany’s leading private broadcaster for news programmes while M6 in France has a good reputation for its economic and investigative magazines. RTL Radio in France is famous for its political and cultural programmes whilst the Croatian television channel, RTL Televizija has already built a reputation for its news and entertainment formats.

RTL Group’s production arm FremantleMedia is a world leader in the production of high quality drama and entertainment. Through its extensive network of creative people worldwide, FremantleMedia keeps ahead of emerging trends and has built an impressive record for developing ground-breaking formats that deliver high ratings in all demographics. To protect television formats and promote the concept as unique, intellectual properties to producers, broadcasters and the law, FremantleMedia and Grundy Light Entertainment are members of the organisation FRAPA.
http://www.frapa.org/

Founded in 2004, Media Smart e.V. is an organisation to foster media and advertising competences of children. Media Smart’s aim is to make children think of the messages and intentions behind advertising, thus learning how to deal with it. Super RTL has been one of the founding members of Media Smart and Super RTL’s Managing Director Claude Schmit is the organisation’s Executive Chairman.
http://www.mediasmart.de/

This day and age, diversity is an acknowledged part of society that should also be reflected in Media. A statement entirely embraced at Groupe M6 in France. The Club Averroès which unites almost 400 media professionals in the promotion of diversity in the French media published in 2011 its study “Média et diversité” (Media and Diversity) analysing the situation in France. The club honoured Groupe M6 for its dynamic representation of the cultural plurality and diversity of the French population in its programmes as well as in its teams. Also, M6 was praised for conveying fundamental values like social cohesion, tolerance, sharing and solidarity.
http://www.clubaverroes.com/

RTL Radio France supports the non-profit organisation Hôpitaux de France through its initiative “Pièces Jaunes” (Yellow Coins), The aim of Hôpitaux de France is to improve the quality of life in hospitals and offer help to sick children. Since its creation in 1989 the initiative has funded over 5,000 projects in France and in France’s DOMs. For three days presenters and journalists dedicated their work to Pièces Jaunes through special programmes. The initiative is presided by former First Lady, Bernadette Chirac, the wife of Jacques Chirac. www.fondationhopitaux.fr

Belgium's family of channels and RTL Luxembourg collected no less than € 8.2 million for leukemia projects through their Télévie fundraising event in 2011.  Télévie was created in order to collect funds to finance and improve research against cancer and children's leukemia. Since 1989, Télévie is active in Belgium and since 2002 in Luxembourg. With the money raised by Télévie more than 1020 research projects have been financed in both countries. In total, more than € 100 million have been collected since 1989.
www.televie.be and www.televie.lu

In addition to the usual employee representations, RTL Group has a European Works Council (EWC) which co-operates with RTL Group management to resolve cross-border employment issues and intervene in situations where staff have limited protection. Meetings are held two to three times per year with the senior management of RTL Group and the members of the EWC, whose members come from across most of the operations and locations within the Group.

RTL Group participated in the global Bertelsmann employee survey in 2002. To follow up the results of this first survey, RTL Group organised, in 2004, the first RTL Group survey - Trend 2004. The results of Trend 2004 were communicated to employees during the beginning of 2005. In 2006, then in 2010 RTL Group has also taken part in Bertelsmann's employee survey. The 2010 survey results were communicated to staff at the end of 2010. Local management are strongly encouraged by Group management to take account of the results of the survey and continue, or start, active measures to improve working conditions.

In most of our subsidiaries, employees participate in their company’s benefits through profit participation or are taking part in a reward system and company pension system.

At M6 an ethics code is given to every new recruitee. This code sets the rules to be followed by every employee regarding their behaviour, their choice making process and the actions they take.

RTL Group is committed to effectively combine business success with responsible action towards environmental protection. We strive for the prudent use of natural resources in all our operations and the continuous minimisation of adverse environmental impacts, over and above a simple compliance with regulations. As a decentralised organisation, RTL Group expects also in this field each profit centre to take responsibility.

For instance, in 2008 the Group agreed on the reduction of carbon emissions and committed to a timeline to cut CO2 emissions group-wide by 5 per cent by 2010, by 10 per cent in 2012 and by 20 per cent in 2020; a commitment that enjoys the full support of the General Management.

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FTSE4Good Index: member

RTL Group has been independently assessed according to the FTSE4Good criteria, and has satisfied the requirements to become a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index Series. Created by the independent financial index company FTSE Group, FTSE4Good is a financial index series that is designed to identify and facilitate investment in companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. Companies in the FTSE4Good Index Series are doing more to manage their social, ethical and environmental impacts, and are better positioned to capitalise on the benefits of responsible business practice.
www.ftse.com/ftse4good/index.jsp