Auditors’ Report
We have audited the consolidated financial statements
prepared by Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft, Hamburg,
comprising the balance sheet, the income statement,
cash flow statement, statement of recognized income
and expense, and the notes to the consolidated financial
statements, together with the group management report
for the fiscal year from January 1 to December 31,
2008. The preparation of the consolidated financial
statements and the group management report in
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU, and the
additional requirements of German commercial law
under § 315a (1) of the Handelsgesetzbuch (German
Commercial Code, HGB) are the responsibility of the
parent company’s management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements
and on the group management report based on
our audit.
We conducted our audit of the consolidated financial
statements in accordance with § 317 of the HGB and
German generally accepted standards for the audit of
financial statements promulgated by the Institut der
Wirtschaftsprüfer (Institute of Public Auditors in Germany,
IDW). Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit such that misstatements materially
affecting the presentation of the net assets, financial
position, and results of operations in the consolidated
financial statements in accordance with the applicable
financial reporting framework and in the group management
report are detected with reasonable assurance.
Knowledge of the business activities and the economic
and legal environment of the Group and expectations as
to possible misstatements are taken into account in the
determination of audit procedures. The effectiveness of
the accounting-related internal control system and the
evidence supporting the disclosures in the consolidated financial statements and the group management report
are examined primarily on a test basis within the framework
of the audit. The audit includes assessing the
annual financial statements of those entities included in
the consolidated financial statements, the determination
of entities to be included in consolidation, the accounting
and consolidation principles used, and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating
the overall presentation of the consolidated financial
statements and the group management report. We
believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for
our opinion.
Our audit has not led to any reservations.
In our opinion, based on the findings of our audit,
the consolidated financial statements comply with
IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements
of German commercial law under § 315a (1) of
the HGB, and give a true and fair view of the net assets,
financial position, and results of operations of the Group
in accordance with these requirements. The group
management report is consistent with the consolidated
financial statements and as a whole provides a suitable
view of the Group’s position and suitably presents the
opportunities and risks of future development.
Hamburg, February 5, 2009
Ernst & Young AG
Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Steuerberatungsgesellschaft
ludwig opaschowski
german public auditor german public auditor