Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber

Dear Readers,
Thank you for your interest in the ALTANA Sustainability Report 2011. Our Sustainability Report also illustrates our progress, which–together with our annual report– offers a comprehensive insight in the way ALTANA lives its corporate responsibility.

This report covers a wide range of topics, extending from responsible use of valuable resources to our human resource policies and social commitment. The concept of sustainability serves as a guideline and represents a  self-obligation that far extends past statutory provisions and standards.

As a specialty chemicals company placing particular importance on sustainable development, our activities can be broadly summarized to focus  on products that protect and optimize surfaces and help both our company and our customers reach sustainability goals. Sustainable development offers fundamental opportunities for ALTANA and our customers, provided of course that we are intimately familiar with the current requirements of sustainable development, of climate protection, and resource concerns.

The major challenges of the future associated with resource and energy efficiency, healthcare, or secure drinking water and food supply can only be solved in conjunction with the innovative dev elopments of the chemical industry. In addition, we believe innovation and responsible care are the best ways for hedging against the risks of the global economy.

Our employees who develop sustainable solutions and products with great  dedication, creativity and professionalism are our most important asset for innovation and for consistently pursuing sustainability goals. This report  highlights their efforts, and every section of this report presents employees who drive respective efforts and innovations at ALTANA.

Our Identity, which was discussed in detail and broadly communicated in  2011, also expresses the importance of our employees’ well-being and places employees at the center of our corporate development. The new Guiding  Principles include all important aspects of our voluntary commitment. ALTANA also supports the objectives of the UN Global Compact, which are full in line  with the Identity of ALTANA. As a consequence, this sustainability report also serves as our annual communication on progress for the UN Global Compact.

I hope you will enjoy your reading.

Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber
Chief Executive Officer