Mercedes 2015 Annual Report Download - page 44

50 A | TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS | REPORT OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD
Following discussion of the course of business and the results
of the first half of 2015, in its meeting in July, the Supervisory
Board received detailed information on the business development
of Daimler Financial Services worldwide and in particular
in China, and subsequently approved a capital increase at
Mercedes-Benz Bank AG. The Supervisory Board also dealt
with the planned “Mercedes-Benz Stadium” sponsoring project
as an advertising and communication platform at the new
location of Mercedes-Benz USA in Atlanta, and approved the
project. Subsequently, the Supervisory Board received detailed
information on the planned joint acquisition of the HERE
digital mapping business from Nokia Corporation by Daimler,
Audi and BMW. Through the joint acquisition of HERE, it is
intended to create an open, independent and value-adding
platform for cloud-based maps and mobility services. The
Supervisory Board approved the project in written circulated
form in late July 2015.
Furthermore, in a joint meeting with the advisory board for
integrity and corporate responsibility, the Supervisory Board
dealt with, amongst other things, the Group’s role in the field
of sustainability. The participants in the meeting discussed the
Group’s international standards relating to working conditions,
the promotion of human rights and possibilities of making
a positive contribution to the development of society in certain
regions, as well as the Group’s sustainability communication.
During a two-day strategy workshop at the Mercedes-Benz
plant in Sindelfingen in the fall of 2015, the Supervisory Board
was first informed, in connection with recent events, about
the impact of the emissions issue on a competitor in the German
automotive industry. In that context, the Supervisory Board
received a detailed presentation of the current situation in all
of the Group’s automotive divisions, and ascertained that
no so-called defeat devices, which non-permissibly restrict
the effectiveness of exhaust-gas aftertreatment, are used
or have been used at Daimler.
Subsequently, the Supervisory Board received information
on the strategic goals of Daimler AG and the divisions, as well
as on the stage of their implementation so far. The starting
point was an assessment of the markets and the automotive
environment in the year 2025. The Supervisory Board dealt
in detail with the expected changes in structural conditions and
risks. Important points for discussion included the subjects
of the mobility of the future, connectivity and the digitization
of processes and systems along the entire value chain. After
that, the Supervisory Board discussed the key financial figures
and goals for the Group and the divisions. Other focuses of
the annual strategy meeting were the development of the Chinese
and Brazilian economies and the prospects for Daimler in
those two markets.
Also in the meeting on February 13, 2015, the Supervisory Board
received detailed information on the strategy for information
security at Daimler. This included the question of how the Group’s
different IT systems identify and repel attacks by hackers.
The Supervisory Board also discussed the current status of the
most important legal proceedings such as the arbitration
proceedings with regard to Toll Collect or the EU antitrust pro-
ceedings against truck manufacturers. After that, the
Supervisory Board discussed the results of the efficiency audit
carried out in 2014, which once again confirmed the very
good and constructive cooperation within the Supervisory Board
and with the Board of Management. Suggestions for the
further optimization of the cooperation were effectively acted
upon and implemented during the year.
Subsequently, the Supervisory Board dealt with questions of
corporate governance and the subject of Board of Management
remuneration. In addition, approval was granted for the other
board memberships and sideline activities of the members of the
Board of Management that were presented in the meeting.
One of the items on the agenda of the Annual Shareholders’ Meet-
ing held on April 1, 2015 was the reelection of Dr. Paul Achleitner
as a member of the Supervisory Board representing the
shareholders. After he was elected by the Annual Shareholders’
Meeting, the Supervisory Board reelected Dr. Paul Achleitner
as a member of the Nomination Committee.
In another meeting at the end of April 2015, the Supervisory
Board dealt with the various aspects of the subject of sustain-
ability and its importance for the Group. The detailed discussion
covered the development of resource consumption and
improved energy efficiency in production, the sustainable further
development of the product portfolio and the implementation
of integrity at the Group, as well as the legal and ethical questions
arising in the context of autonomous driving. Subsequently,
the Supervisory Board received information on the status of the
strategic cooperation with Renault-Nissan with regard to
the expansion of the Mercedes-Benz product portfolio. Specific
details were discussed of the project to offer in the future a
Mercedes-Benz pickup with the brand’s typical vehicle attributes
of safety, comfort and high quality. In addition, the Supervisory
Board discussed the strategy of the worldwide service and
spare-parts organization. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board
was occupied with the contents and possible legal conse-
quences for the Company of antitrust proceedings, as well as
the proportion of women in the Supervisory Board and the
Board of Management in the context of corporate governance
topics. The background was legislation for equal participation
of women and men in management positions, which came into
force in May 2015. For the composition of the Board of
Management, the Supervisory Board decided on a target for
the proportion of women of 12.5%, in line with the status
quo, which is to apply until December 31, 2016.