Page 49 - Annual Report 2019

Supervisory Board Report
Group Management Report
Consolidated Financial Statements
Annexes

Responsibility of the auditor for auditing the consolidated financial statements and the
Group management report
Our objective is to obtain reasonable assurance as to whether the consolidated financial statements
as a whole are free from material misstatement – whether intentional or unintentional – and
whether the Group management report as a whole provides a suitable view of the Group’s position
and is consistent in all material respects with the consolidated financial statements and the findings
of our audit, complies with German legal regulations and accurately reflects the opportunities and
risks of future growth, and to express an opinion that includes our audit opinion on the consolidated
financial statements and the Group management report.
Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but not a guarantee that an audit conducted
in accordance with Section 317 HGB and the German generally accepted standards for the audit
of financial statements promulgated by the Institute of Public Auditors in Germany (IDW) will
always reveal a material misstatement. Misstatements can result from violations or inaccuracies and
are regarded as material if it could reasonably be expected for them to individually or collectively
influence the business decisions of addressees made on the basis of these consolidated financial
statements and the Group management report.

During the audit, we exercise due diligence and maintain a critical view. Moreover,
• We identify and assess the risk of material misstatements – whether intentional or unintentional –
in the consolidated financial statements and the Group management report, plan and perform
auditing activities in response to these risks and obtain evidence that is sufficient and appropriate
to provide a basis for our audit opinion. The risk of material misstatements not being detected
is higher for violations than for inaccuracies, as violations may include fraudulent collusion,
falsification, intentional incompleteness, misrepresentation or the overriding of internal controls.

• We gain an understanding of the internal control system relevant to the audit of the consolidated
financial statements and the precautions and measures relevant to the audit of the Group
management report to plan audit procedures that are appropriate under the circumstances, but not
for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the efficacy of these systems.

• We assess the appropriateness of the accounting policies used by the Management Board and
the reasonableness of the estimates made by the Management Board and related disclosures.
• We draw conclusions on the appropriateness of the accounting principle applied by the
Management Board for the continuation of the Company's activities and, on the basis of the
audit evidence obtained, whether there is any material uncertainty in connection with events
or circumstances that could cast significant doubt on the Group's ability to continue as a going
concern. If we conclude that there is a material uncertainty, we are required to express an opinion
on the consolidated financial statements and on the Group management report based on the
information contained therein or,
if such information is inappropriate, to modify our respective opinion. We draw our conclusions
on the basis of the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our audit opinion. Future events
or circumstances may, however, result in the Group no longer being able to continue as a
going concern.

49