Verdict in Diesel Emissions Case: If Technical Experts Face Accountability, It's Only Fair for Superiors Too - Arrests in Diesel Emissions Case: If Engineers Are in Custody, Supervisors Should Face Charges as Well
Volkswagen Emissions Scandal: Justice Sought for Corporate Managers
- By Lutz Meier
- Approx. Reading Time: 4 Minutes
The "Diesel issue" at Volkswagen Corporation, once a symbol of German industrial prowess, has been redefined in court as "criminal gang activity and fraud." Six years of legal proceedings and intricate investigations have revealed the depth of this corporate deception.
Punishment is a deterrent, intended to prevent future transgressions. The verdict from Braunschweig Regional Court on Monday, which sentenced two former VW engineers to significant prison terms, serves as a crucial step in ensuring that corporations like Volkswagen, the automotive industry, and the broader economy avoid repeating such actions.
However, the verdict has left a bitter taste, as only the engineers were sentenced to prison, while corporate managers received suspended sentences or await their own rulings. For instance, the then-CEO of Volkswagen, Martin Winterkorn, has yet to face trial due to health concerns.
It is essential for the justice system to demonstrate that responsibility extends beyond the engineering ranks. If high-ranking managers are not held accountable for their actions, there is little incentive to adhere to laws that safeguard human and environmental health. Severe punishment, including imprisonment, is necessary to instill this understanding.
Mechanical engineer Jens Hadler, who played a key role in the scandal, claimed in a detailed interrogation that he had clashed with Winterkorn as early as 2007 over a prohibited software designed to manipulate emissions during testing but be disabled during normal operation. Hadler alleged that Winterkorn insisted on using such technology despite acknowledging its rule-violating nature.
While a verdict against Winterkorn remains uncertain due to his health issues, Rupert Stadler, the former Audi CEO and Winterkorn confidant, has already been sentenced to a suspended sentence as part of a plea deal. However, Stadler subsequently appealed the verdict, leading to a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice.
The outcome of these upcoming verdicts will indicate whether the legal process surrounding the multi-billion-dollar scandal will gain the necessary closure. It is crucial that the responsibility of corporate managers is adequately addressed in the verdicts to discourage similar corporate misdeeds. The justice system should not only punish those in the engine room but also those in the command center who orchestrate and tolerate such breaches.
In a rule-of-law society, the goal is not revenge or appeasement but justice. Only when both the engineers and the corporate managers are held accountable will the public have confidence that those responsible for large-scale financial crimes will be brought to justice.
The Commission, in the context of the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal, has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, as it is crucial that high-ranking managers are held accountable for their actions that compromised environmental safety, aligning with the goal of a rule-of-law society to ensure justice. In the case of corporate finance and business, especially in the automotive industry, where general-news reports reveal a history of deception and fraud, severe punishment, including imprisonment, as seen in the sentencing of engineers, is necessary to instill a clear understanding that corruption and criminal activity will not be tolerated.
