The Executive Board of Continental AG is responsible for the preparation, completeness and integrity of the consolidated financial statements and the management report for the corporation and Continental AG, as well as for the other information provided in the annual report. The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the E.U., and include any necessary and appropriate estimates. The management report for the corporation and Continental AG contains an analysis of the earnings, financial and net assets position of the corporation, as well as further information provided in accordance with the provisions of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch – HGB).
An effective internal management and control system is employed to ensure that the information used for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements, including the management report for the corporation and Continental AG, as well as for internal reporting, is reliable. This includes standardized guidelines at corporation level for accounting and risk management in accordance with Section 91 (2) of the German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz – AktG) and an integrated financial control system as part of the corporation’s value-oriented management, plus audits by Corporate Audit. The Executive Board is thus in a position to identify significant risks at an early stage and to take countermeasures.
KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, Hanover, Germany, was engaged as the auditor for fiscal 2019 by the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of Continental AG. The audit mandate was issued by the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board. KPMG audited the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and the management report for the corporation and Continental AG. The auditor will issue the independent auditor’s report.
The consolidated financial statements, the management report for the corporation and Continental AG, the auditor’s report and the risk management system in accordance with Section 91 (2) AktG are discussed in detail by the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board together with the auditor. These documents relating to the annual financial statements and these reports will then be discussed with the entire Supervisory Board, also in the presence of the auditor, at the meeting of the Supervisory Board held to approve the financial statements.
Hanover, March 2, 2020
The Executive Board
