To the General Meeting of Shareholders of USG People N.V.
Report on the financial statements
We have audited the accompanying financial statements 2010 of USG People N.V., Almere. The financial statements include the consolidated financial statements and the company financial statements. The consolidated financial statements comprise the consolidated balance sheet as at 31 December 2010, the consolidated income statement, the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, changes in equity and cash flows for the year then ended and the notes, comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information. The company financial statements comprise the company balance sheet as at 31 December 2010, the company profit and loss account for the year then ended and the notes, comprising a summary of accounting policies and other explanatory information.
The Board of Directors’ responsibility
The Board of Directors is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union and with Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code, and for the preparation of the report of the Board of Directors in accordance with Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code. Furthermore, The Board of Directors is responsible for such internal control as it determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Auditor’s responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Dutch law, including the Dutch Standards on Auditing. This requires that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the company’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the company’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Board of Directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Opinion with respect to the consolidated financial statements
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of USG People N.V. as at 31 December 2010, and of its result and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union and with Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Opinion with respect to the company financial statements
In our opinion, the company financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of USG People N.V. as at 31 December 2010, and of its result for the year then ended in accordance with Part 9 of Book 2 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
Pursuant to the legal requirement under Section 2: 393 ub 5 at e and f of the Dutch Civil Code, we have no deficiencies to report as a result of our examination whether the report of the Board of Directors, to the extent we can assess, has been prepared in accordance with Part 9 of Book 2 of this Code, and whether the information as required under Section 2: 392 ub 1 at b-h has been annexed. Further we report that the report of the Executive Board, to the extent we can assess, is consistent with the financial statements as required by Section 2: 391 ub 4 of the Dutch Civil Code.
Amsterdam, 3 March 2011
PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V.
Originally signed by P.J. van Mierlo RA