Mercedes 2012 Annual Report Download - page 21

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1 | To Our Shareholders | Report of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board also dealt in detail with the causes
of the development of Daimler’s share price, and held detailed
discussions with the Board of Management about proposals
and the expected impact of strategic projects on the share price.
In addition to the usual key financial metrics, the Board of
Management regularly informed the Supervisory Board about
important topics such as:
– the Group’s profitability, especially in terms of return
on equity, and its liquidity situation,
– the internal control and risk management system including
compliance,
– specific developments in sales and procurement markets,
and
– the general economic situation in the main sales markets
as well as developments in the area of financial services.
The Supervisory Board also dealt with safeguarding the
Group’s long-term profitability, fundamental questions of
corporate planning including financial, investment, sales and
human resources planning, developments in the companies
of the Group, revenue developments and the situation of the
Group, as well as the ongoing implementation of measures
to secure pioneering and sustainable mobility for the future.
The latter was dealt with also considering current and future
requirements under the heading of “Digital Life,” with special
reference to the Group’s products and services. The Super-
visory Board was occupied with these topics going beyond the
operating business in close communication with the Board
of Management and especially intensively in a two-day strategy
workshop held at the end of September 2012.
Cooperation between the Supervisory Board and the
Board of Management. All the members of the Board of
Management attended all the meetings of the Supervisory
Board. The meetings featured intensive and open exchanges
of opinions and information concerning the position of
the Group, business and financial developments, fundamental
issues of corporate policy and strategy, and development
opportunities in important growth markets. Any deviations
from the planning were explained in detail to the Supervisory
Board by the Board of Management. The members of the
Supervisory Board regularly prepared for upcoming resolutions
on transactions requiring Supervisory Board consent on
the basis of documentation that had been provided in advance
by the Board of Management. They were supported by the
relevant committees, and discussed the actions and transactions
upon which decisions were to be taken with the Board of
Management. Furthermore, the Board of Management informed
the Supervisory Board with the use of monthly reports and
quarterly risk reports about the most important performance
figures and risks, and submitted the interim financial reports
to the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board was kept
fully informed of specific matters also between its meetings.
As required in individual cases, following consultation with
the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, the members were
requested to pass resolutions in writing. In addition, the Chair-
man of the Board of Management informed the Chairman
of the Supervisory Board in regular discussions about important
developments and consulted with him on upcoming decisions.
Dr. Manfred Bischoff, Chairman of the Supervisory Board