Bedrijfsprofiel (english only) Globally active, ThyssenKrupp holds excellent technology and market positions in its three main businesses steel, capital goods and services. Our strengths lie in our decades of expertise, our strong service competencies, our flexibility and our innovative prowess. Global views At ThyssenKrupp, thinking forward keeps us moving forward. It is an approach which has served the Group well, unlocking creative potential and paving the way for change. Forward thinking provides ThyssenKrupp with a continuous stream of new ideas, products and services that make life easier for our customers. But thinking ahead also means taking seriously our responsibility to the environment, the community, our customers, stockholders and employees. As an international Group, we not only have the ability to influence the lives of current and future generations, we have a duty to keep on meeting these challenges every day. We have global views on how to achieve these objectives. Sustainability Business no longer takes place behind closed doors. Every step a company takes is in the public eye. To achieve long-term success, companies have to gear their actions more than ever to the interests of their various stakeholders. That means taking their legitimate needs and expectations seriously - be they ethical, social, ecological or economic - and incorporating them in our decision-making processes and day-to-day business. This is something we recognize and strive to achieve. Corporate governance Corporate governance stands for responsible business management geared towards long-term value creation. It calls for efficient cooperation between executive and supervisory boards, respect for the interests of stockholders, and openness and transparency in corporate communication. Stockholders Responsibility to our stockholders as the owners of the company is expressed above all in our value-based management system which aims to continuously increase the value of the enterprise. By that we mean achieving a rate of return higher than the cost of capital. This guarantees our stockholders an attractive long-term return on their investment and at the same time improves our chances of attracting new capital, which can be invested in further growth. Customer focus It is our customers who decide on the success of our products and services, and thus the success of our company. They demand high quality and innovative technology at competitive prices, driving us constantly to new heights. And only a successful and profitable company can meet its responsibilities to all stakeholders on a long-term basis. Employee shares The extent to which employees are prepared to invest in their own company is a reliable indicator of how strongly they identify with their employer. ThyssenKrupp does well in this respect: Under the 2001 employee stock program around half the eligible German workforce invested in "their" company. For this reason, the Executive Board has resolved to launch a new employer share program in fiscal year 2003/2004. But there are other kinds of investment which are no less important - for example the ideas and commitment of our employees as reflected in the company suggestion scheme or our annual innovation contest. Environmental protection Resource-friendly production equipment and processes, ecologically compatible product developments, environmental research - just some examples of our worldwide commitment to minimizing water, air and ground pollution and making responsible use of raw materials and energy. ThyssenKrupp also makes its expertise available to others to help reduce the burden on the environment. One way we do this is by building advanced production facilities with state-of-the-art pollution control, such as Shanghai Krupp Stainless, where production satisfies even the strict environmental requirements of the World Bank - for example, each cubic meter of water is used 30 to 40 times before being replaced. Freedom Regimentation stifles originality. So at ThyssenKrupp we make sure our employees have the freedom to develop their personalities and give their creativity free rein. We encourage our people to think like entrepreneurs and act on their own responsibility so that good ideas can be realized quickly to the benefit of all concerned. That makes ThyssenKrupp a more attractive place to work, to learn a profession and to cooperate on research. And it also enhances the value of our Group: After all, the future prospects of a company are really only decided in one place - in the minds of its employees.