Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sustainability is not a new invention, it is an intrinsic part of human evolution, which is geared, if not to eternity, then at least to long-term survival. The human race has constantly evolved, sometimes in small steps, sometimes in giant leaps, as reflected not only in the development of average life expectancies. The quality of life has also improved constantly, though this does not hide the fact that poverty is still all too prevalent in the third world. To bring about a sustainable change to this requires successful business all around the globe.
The steel industry, in which we are one of the leading players, practices sustainable development worldwide. Steel is constantly being reinvented, though this may not be evident to consumers at first glance. There is no end in sight to the material’s possibilities. In-company research and development departments, often in close cooperation with customers, work to optimize the more than 2,000 steel grades now available and to develop new ideas to market readiness. Despite being around for so long, steel has remained a young material and displays sustainability in both economic and ecological terms. It can help save resources by allowing ever lighter structures without sacrificing safety, and it can be recycled virtually ad infinitum without losing its excellent properties.
ThyssenKrupp and its companies are committed to sustainable development to help secure the future for generations to come. We have defined value-based management as our central maxim for sustainability and apply it rigorously. By concentrating all our resources, over the past four years we have continuously improved our earnings to record levels, a success from which all stakeholders have benefited - shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, government institutions at all levels, and not least the societies in which we live and work. We take the same honest and fair approach to all our stakeholders, as documented in our Mission Statement, which also sets out a minimum target for ROCE (Return on Capital Employed) of 12%. We will continue to work to exceed this target and thus provide the latitude for action in the areas of ecology and social responsibility. We owe that to the future generations.
Dr. Ulrich Middelmann,
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
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