(NON-FINANCIAL GROUP STATEMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 315B, 315C AND SECTIONs 289B to 289E HGB)

We are aware of our corporate and social responsibility and perceive this as a comprehensive challenge. For ProSiebenSat.1 Group, success not only means sustainably increasing our . It also implies consistently enhancing the Group’s sustainability and non-financial performance and harmonizing the interests of our target groups, especially employees, shareholders, audiences, users and customers. In this context, the Group defines sustainable entrepreneurial activity as an integrated approach for ensuring both the economic as well as the environmental and social performance of our Group.

Non-financial aspects, indicators of sustainability performance and ESG (environment, social, governance) information at ProSiebenSat.1 Group are the particular responsibility of the Deputy CEO of the Executive Board and Group General Counsel, whose portfolio includes the Legal Affairs, Public Affairs and departments and of the CFO.

In this Non-Financial Group Statement in accordance with section 289b and sections 315b, 315c of the German Commercial Code (HGB) for the financial year 2018, ProSiebenSat.1 Group reports on the main non-financial aspects with the corresponding information needed in order to understand the Company’s business development, results and position and the effects of the business activities in this regard. Significant risks for individual non-financial aspects were not determined in this context. Thereby, the Non-Financial Group Statement is combined with the Non-Financial Statement (NFS) of the parent company within the meaning of section 315b (1) sentence 2 HGB.

  • As a media company, ProSiebenSat.1 Group is not part of one of the manufacturing industries that use large quantities of energy and resources and have complex, global supply chains. We therefore consider the environmental impact of our business activities to be limited and for this reason, we currently have not identified environmental matters as a key non-financial aspect in accordance with section 289c (3) HGB.

    We publish detailed information on our ecological responsibility and the topics of energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste disposal, and mobility in ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s Sustainability Report each year.
  • In the present NFS, we also forgo providing further information on the prevention human rights abuses in accordance with section 289c (3) and (4) HGB, such as combating child and forced or compulsory labor and assessing suppliers in terms of their compliance with human rights. In light of our industry-specific value chain and its potential impacts on our business activities, we do not define respect for human rights as a significant non-financial aspect for the Group as defined by the law.

    However, the Group is a prominent anti-discrimination campaigner and promotes a corporate culture that especially forbids any kind of sexual violence or abuse of power. With our compliance guidelines, we took up a clear position against such behavior even before the #metoo debate. In 2018, among other things, we initiated the establishment of an Ombuds Office for reporting legal violations. In the programming that we distribute, we also advocate the human right of freedom of opinion and information, for example.

042 / Material Non-Financial Aspects at ProSiebenSat.1 Group

042 / Material Non-Financial Aspects at ProSiebenSat.1 Group (Graphic)

ProSiebenSat.1 Group uses the ’s GRI Standards as a basis when preparing the NFS. In accordance with section 317 (2) sentence 4 HGB, the auditor checked that the NFS was presented in line with the legal requirements. The Supervisory Board also commissioned the auditing company KPMG to audit the content of the NFS with reasonable assurance. The audit opinion dated February 22, 2019, which describes the type, scope and findings of this audit, is reproduced online at www.prosiebensat1.com/en/sustainability/publications/reports and is part of the Annual Report. The audit was conducted using the relevant auditing standards “Assurance Engagements other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information (ISAE 3000)” in order to obtain reasonable assurance with regard to the legally required disclosures in accordance with sections 315b and 315c in conjunction with sections 289b to 289e HGB.

As part of a materiality analysis, which was conducted in 2017 and reviewed in 2018, we identified four non-financial aspects for ProSiebenSat.1 Group on which we make disclosures below in accordance with section 289c (3) HGB regarding the concepts followed, the due diligence processes used the results and the related performance indicators. For the required information on the business model in accordance with section 289c (1) HGB, please refer to the below-mentioned Combined Management Report of ProSiebenSat.1 Group. Information on corporate governance can particularly be found in the “To Our Shareholders” section in the Annual Report 2018. All references to content outside the Combined Management Report are to be understood as additional information and not as mandatory part of the NFS.

043 / Scope of Reporting and Data Collection

The organizational reporting framework for the information on concepts and key figures for our sustainability performance as contained in the summarized NFS essentially comprises all Group companies and corresponds to the financial of ProSiebenSat.1 Group, which is managed centrally by ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE. The distinction of the scope of consolidation follow the control principle of IFRS 10.

Exceptions and restrictions with regard to the scope of reporting for the individual defined aspects and data collection for performance indicators are described below. Further specifications are indicated accordingly in the information on the aspects.

  • Employees and Diversity
    In particular, the companies in the Commerce segment and international business in the Content Production & Global Sales segment are not included in the examination of the concepts for the employees and diversity aspect or in data collection for the key non-financial figures in some cases. Individual corporate functions or programs such as recruitment and employer branding are managed centrally from Unterföhring or are not implemented in this form at some individual investments due to the relatively small number of employees. ProSiebenSat.1 Group also performs a dynamic portfolio management, meaning that changes in the scope of consolidation are continually occurring. Due to contract manufacturing, the number of employees in the production sector is characterized by high volatility.
  • Social Responsibility (Public Value)
    The information on public value particularly relates to ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s sustainability-related business activities in the TV program (Entertainment segment). The concepts described also include public value measures that are implemented by employees at the Unterföhring site.
  • Product Responsibility and Compliance
    With the compliance management system (CMS), ProSiebenSat.1 Group largely covers the relevant legal areas throughout the Group and records the performance indicators across all companies. Some individual concepts, such as complying with advertising laws and ensuring journalistic independence, relate only to selected Group companies due to different legal regulations in foreign countries and a lack of relevance to many companies, for example in the production sector. These selected companies primarily include the holding company ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, ProSiebenSat.1 TV Deutschland GmbH, and the marketing companies SevenOne Media GmbH and SevenOne AdFactory GmbH. For key figures relating to aspects of product responsibility and compliance, companies acquired by ProSiebenSat.1 Group are included in data collection no later than in the reporting period in which they have been consolidated in financial reporting for a whole financial year.
Financial result
Is composed of the interest result, other financial result and income from investments accounted for using the equity method.
Glossary
Compliance
Compliance is part of corporate governance. It refers to compliance with laws, directives, and voluntary codes within the company.
Glossary
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
The GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines offer Reporting Principles and Standard Disclosures for the preparation of sustainability reports by organizations, regardless of their size, sector or location. The Guidelines are developed through a global multi-stakeholder process involving representatives from business, labor, civil society, and financial markets, as well as auditors and experts in various fields.
Glossary
Scope of consolidation
The full group of entities to be included in the consolidated financial statements.
Glossary