Corporate activities

Any consolidated activities within our continuing operations that are outside the four Business Units are reported as corporate activities.

Corporate activities include various holding companies and corporate overheads. The most significant cost elements are corporate departments and the share-based compensation for the company.

Insurances

We retain a limited part of our material damage, business interruption, (product) liability, and other risks via a captive insurance company. In 2025, the total retained damages were €29 million (2024: €29 million).

Corporate research

We invest in a number of disruptive technology platforms, managed by our senior science fellows, through which we aim to create greater differentiation in the long term.

These investments underpin early-stage innovation projects co-funded with the relevant business. They follow the principles of co-leadership, milestone-based funding, and assumption-based working, to provide market-ready scientific breakthroughs in the future.