Information according to Section 243a(1) of the Austrian Commercial Code
- The share capital of UNIQA Insurance Group AG is €309,000,000 and is comprised of 309,000,000 individual no par value shares in the name of the bearer. €285,356,365 of the share capital was fully paid in cash and €23,643,635 was paid in non-cash contributions. All shares confer the same rights and obligations.
- A voting trust agreement exists for shareholdings of UNIQA Versicherungsverein Privatstiftung, Austria Versicherungsverein Beteiligungs-Verwaltungs GmbH, Collegialität Versicherungsverein Privatstiftung and RZB Versicherungsbeteiligung GmbH. Reciprocal purchase option rights have been agreed upon.
- Raiffeisen Bank International AG holds indirectly, via RZB - BLS Holding GmbH and RZB Versicherungsbeteiligung GmbH, a total of 10.87 per cent (allocated in accordance with the Austrian Stock Exchange Act) of the company’s share capital; UNIQA Versicherungsverein Privatstiftung holds directly and indirectly through Austria Versicherungsverein Beteiligungs-Verwaltungs GmbH a total of 49.00 per cent (allocated in accordance with the Austrian Stock Exchange Act) of the company’s share capital.
- No shares with special control rights have been issued.
- The employees who have share capital exercise their voting rights directly.
- There are no provisions of the Articles of Association or other provisions that go beyond the statutory provisions for appointing Management Board and Supervisory Board members or for modifying the Articles of Association, with the exception of the rule that when a Supervisory Board member turns 70 years of age, they retire from the Supervisory Board at the end of the next Annual General Meeting.
- The Management Board is authorised to increase the company’s equity capital up to and including 30 June 2019 with the approval of the Supervisory Board by a total of no more than €81,000,000 by issuing up to 81,000,000 no-par voting shares in the name of the holder or registered for payment in cash or in kind, one time or several times. The Management Board is further authorised until 29 November 2020 to buy back up to 30,900,000 treasury shares (together with other treasury shares that the company has already acquired and still possesses) through the company and/or through subsidiaries of the company (Section 66 of the Stock Corporation Act). As at 31 December 2017, the company held 2,034,739 treasury shares. 1,215,089 treasury shares are held through UNIQA Österreich Versicherungen AG. This share portfolio resulted from the merger in 2016 of BL Syndikat Beteiligungs Gesellschaft m.b.H. as the transferring company, with UNIQA Insurance Group AG as acquiring company (payment of portfolio in UNIQA shares to shareholders of BL Syndikat Beteiligungs Gesellschaft m.b.H.). This share portfolio is not to be included in the highest number of treasury shares.
- Concerning the holding company STRABAG SE, corresponding agreements with other shareholders of this holding company exist.
- No reimbursement agreements exist for the event of a public takeover offer.
Information according to Section 243a(2) of the Austrian Commercial Code
The internal control and risk management system at UNIQA Insurance Group AG is comprised of transparent systems that encompass all company activities and include a systematic and permanent approach, based on a defined risk strategy, with the following elements: identification, analysis, evaluation, management, documentation and communication of risks, as well as the monitoring of these activities. The scope and orientation of these systems were designed on the basis of company-specific requirements. Despite the creation of appropriate frameworks, there is always a certain residual risk because even appropriate and functional systems cannot guarantee absolute security with regard to the identification and management of risks.
Objectives:
a) To identify and evaluate risks that could obstruct the goal of producing (consolidated) financial statements that comply with regulations
b) To limit recognised risks, for example by consulting with external specialists
c) To review external risks with regard to their influence on the consolidated financial statements and the corresponding reporting of these risks
The aim of the internal control system in the accounting process is to guarantee sufficient security by means of implementing controls so that, despite identified risks, proper financial statements are prepared. Along with the risks described in the Risk Report, the risk management system also analyses additional risks within internal business processes, compliance, internal reporting, etc.
Organisational structure and control environment
The company’s accounting process is incorporated into the UNIQA Group accounting process. In addition to the SAP accounting system, a harmonised insurance-specific IT system is also used for the company’s purposes. Compliance guidelines and manuals for company organisation, accounting and consolidation exist for the purpose of guaranteeing secure processes.
Identification and control of risks
An inventory and appropriate control measures were conducted to identify existing risks. The type of controls was defined in the guidelines and instructions and coordinated with the existing authorisation concept.
The controls include both manual coordination and comparison routines, as well as the acceptance of system configurations for connected IT systems. New risks and control weaknesses in the accounting process are quickly reported to management so that it can undertake corrective measures. The procedure for the identification and control of risks is evaluated on a regular basis by an external independent auditor.
Information and communication
Deviations from expected results and evaluations are monitored by means of monthly reports and key figures, and they form the foundation of information provided to management on an ongoing basis. The management review that is based on this information, and the approval of the processed data, form the foundation of further treatment in the company’s financial statements.
Measures to ensure effectiveness
The internal control and risk management system is not made up of static systems; instead, it is adjusted on an ongoing basis to changing requirements and the business environment. The identification of the necessity of changes requires constant monitoring of the effectiveness of all systems. The foundations for this are:
a) Regular self-evaluations by the persons tasked with controls
b) Evaluations of key data to validate transaction results in relation to indications that suggest control deficiencies
c) Random tests of effectiveness by the Internal Audit department and comprehensive efficacy tests by the Internal Audit department and/or special teams
Reporting to the Supervisory Board/Audit Committee
In the context of compliance and internal control and risk management systems, the Management Board reports regularly to the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee by means of Internal Audit department reports and the engagement of external auditors.