tesa SE: Our responsibility – Our commitment
2015 ReportA living tradition of responsibility

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations (World Economic Forum)

Global Compact
January 31, 2001 at the World Economic Forum in Davos: The then UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan,
calls upon internationally operating companies to actively respond to the challenges of globalization.
His vision: A global pact with universally applicable social and environmental principles.

Companies from some 170 countries, international employees’
associations, civil society groups, governments and UN organizations have now joined the Global Compact. Under the patronage of presiding UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the world’s
largest corporate citizenship initiative continues to grow. The
pact’s ten underlying principles in the areas of human rights,
labor standards, environmental protection and fighting corruption
have long been part of tesa’s corporate values. The membershipof tesa in the Global Compact underscores this lively tradition.
tesa SE’s entire commitment is based on a continuous improvement process. In the current progress report for 2015, tesa provides insights into the development of its activities and projects– with regard to the ten principles of the UN Global Compact andits corporate responsibility strategy.

The ten principles of the UN Global Compact
Principle 1: 	Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;
andPrinciple 2:	make sure that they are not complicit in humanrights abuses.
Principle 3: 	Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right tocollective bargaining;
Principle 4: 	the elimination of all forms of forced andcompulsory labor;
Principle 5: 	the effective abolition of child labor; andPrinciple 6: 	the elimination of discrimination in respect of
employment and occupation.
Principle 7: 	Businesses should support a precautionary
approach to environmental challenges;
Principle 8: 	undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; andPrinciple 9: 	encourage the development and diffusion ofenvironmentally friendly technologies.

Principle 10: 	Businesses should work against corruption in all its
forms, including extortion and bribery.

2

2015 Progress Report
As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, tesa has
undertaken to provide an annual report documenting the progress of its activities and measures. This serves the purpose ofengaging in regular dialogue with the environment and documenting the projects in which tesa is implementing and reinforcing the ten principles of the Global Compact within the company.
The 2015 Progress Report will give you an overview of our global
commitment in the areas of human rights and labor standards,
environmental protection, fighting corruption, and society. tesa
traditionally pursues a sustainable approach that both ensurescontinuity as well as a constant improvement process. With
more than 50 affiliates around the world, countless projects are
involved in these efforts. For this reason, this report is limited toan exemplary selection of current activities and measures. Since2008 we have been publishing an online version of the Progress
Report. Apart from the fact that this format makes it more easily
accessible, it also allows for regular updates. More information
about the topics of products, the environment, employees andsociety can also be found in the “Responsibility” section of thetesa website at www.tesa.com/company/responsibility.

Declaration of support
A member out of conviction

Human rights and labor standards
The human factor for success

Mandatory values and sustainable business policies are
traditionally the prerequisites for the economic success of
tesa SE. >> Page 4

The defining topics in 2015 included a culture of feedback
and dialogue, employee training and qualifications, as well as
occupational health and safety. >> Page 5

Environmental protection
Consistent further development

Compliance and fair competition
Integrity and proper conduct

All tesa locations have very high standards. We areconstantly evolving from this high level.
>> Page 12

tesa pays strict attention to compliance with laws and guidelines. A central co-ordination unit combines all associatedprocesses and activities. >> Page 17

tesa
connects
Social Commitment
Strategy with regional facets
The slogan “tesa connects” is associated with our corporatesocial responsibility program, comprised of activities designed to make it easy for tesa employees around the world
to become involved in a meaningful fashion. >> Page 18
3

Declaration of support“Taking responsibility has a longstanding tradition at tesa:
it is seen as an important investment for the future.”
The year 2015 was a special one for us, as some 1,000 employees moved into our new, ultra-modern headquarters building justoutside Hamburg. That represented a big step forward for thefirm and for me personally as well as the new CEO, as the move
optimally sets the stage for systematically executing on the plansthe company has in place. As one of the world’s leaders in
self-adhesive technology, our business has grown by delivering
innovation, quality and progressive technologies. Construction
work to build a similar facility has begun at the plant in Hamburg,and options are currently being reviewed regarding additional
international tesa production sites. Innovation, quality and technological advances remain the chief focus of product development. The assumption of responsibility is one of the supporting
pillars for our activities. We underscore this tradition of a sustainable business policy through our membership in the United Nations’ Global Compact.
The new corporate headquarters in Norderstedt opened onschedule in September 2015, marking the conclusion of three
years’ construction work. Since the end of the year, the tesa
headquarters has been the corporate center for research andtechnology, greatly enhancing international competitiveness. The‘one tesa’ project is already paying off through heightened business process transparency, flexibility and competitiveness, additionally improving teamwork and refining the tesa corporate culture. Employee interests and environmental concerns were taken
into account in planning for the new headquarters. As examples,the building complex was constructed in accordance with themost recent energy efficiency regulations (ENEV 2014), all office
workspaces are equipped with height-adjustable desks, andemployees benefit from the health-enhancing company gym andcanteen. Additionally, the new building is fully handicapped-accessible.
Binding environmental targets have been defined for tesa production sites worldwide for several years now. A range of measures large and small have meant that all tesa plants adhere withvery strict environmental standards, and implementation of thesemeasures continued unabated in 2015. During the year underreview the company locations in Offenburg and Hamburg received energy management certification under ISO 50001. Thisreliable energy management system, including high-tech monitoring, is being utilized at most tesa locations worldwide. Thismaximizes transparency regarding corporate energy consumption, allowing the design of effective control measures. In 2015
the firm began environmentally friendly in-house power generation, which has gone well. The new trigeneration system at the

Offenburg site substantially reduced carbon emission. A similarsystem is thus under construction at the Hamburg plant, andwe are currently looking at the
Dr. Robert Gereke,
potential for rolling these out at
CEO of tesa SE
international tesa sites. Productdevelopment is increasingly focused on the environmental impact resulting from customer use.
The group also continued its efforts in 2015 to cultivate a corporate culture of communication and dialogue. Frank talks between
staff and managers are essential, as they form the basis for mutual trust, elevating job satisfaction to high levels. In the year under review tesa drew up another new employee survey to be
conducted at tesa headquarters starting in April 2016. The tesa
plant in Offenburg received recognition twice in 2015 of the favorable work environment maintained there, receiving the Initiative Ludwig Erhard Award for holistic management and the family
NET Award presented by the state of Baden-Württemberg forwork-life balance standards.
The extensive tesa continuing education program was further
expanded in 2015 including both seminar offerings at the newheadquarters in Norderstedt and online courses, giving employees access to even more digital training modules allowing learning anywhere and anytime, including a dedicated online training
portal for our locations in Asia.
Our commitment to social responsibility was further demonstrated in the year under review in relation to the official company
objectives of “help, donate, support, protect”. “tesa connects” isour slogan for the range of employee volunteering activities andprojects worldwide.
Further information about the topic of responsibility at tesa canbe found on tesa’s “Responsibility” page on the Internet:
www.tesa.com/company/responsibility.
We will continue to pursue our sustainable business policy inkeeping with the UN Global Compact going forward.

Dr. Robert Gereke
4Human rights and labor standards
The human factor for success
People – employees as well as customers and suppliers – arethe foundation for the success of tesa’s business. For this reason, tesa believes it is just as important to respect and support
international human rights as it is to have impeccable working
standards. tesa has made a full commitment to this in an internationally applicable tesa Code of Conduct and in the global tesa
Purchasing Charter for collaborating with suppliers. The substance of the behaviors and rules associated with these measures were also an integral part of numerous employee training
and qualification measures in 2015. In the area of occupational

health and safety tesa was once again able to continue the positive trend of previous years. tesa’s reportable number of accidents is considerably lower than the industry average. The topic
of compliance was an item on tesa’s agenda once again. Amongother activities, preparations were completed for rollout of a new
system-linked reporting tool for heightening activity status andrisk transparency on a global basis. Issues relating to antitrust
law were addressed in training sessions and regular communication measures.

Code of Conduct
Mandatory rules of conduct

Purchasing Charter
Minimum standards in strategic purchasing

The tesa Code of Conduct defines clear values andbehavioural guidelines for all employees of the tesa Group.
>> Page 6

A standard process is used throughout the group to qualify,
evaluate and develop suppliers. This allows us to ensure ourmandatory minimum standards around the world. >> Page 7

Employees
Continuing education and corporate culture

Occupational health and safety
A low number of accidents

Our employees are the most important capital for securing our
success. Our corporate culture and targeted support initiatives
take this fact into account. >> Page 7

Thanks to high standards and preventative measures, the rateof reportable accidents was once again significantly lower than
the industry average in 2015. >> Page 115

Human rights and labor standards

Code of Conduct

The tesa Code of Conduct defines values and clear, behavioral guidelines.

Mandatory rules of conduct
Respect, honesty, trust, tolerance and integrity – these principles
of business activity have not only made us successful in the past.
They also guide us now and will continue to do so in the future.
The associated rules of conduct have been laid down in a globally binding Code of Conduct. As in previous years, we continued
to reinforce the content in 2015 by using various communicationand training measures.

The tesa Code of Conduct establishes our most importantprinciples in a total of six subject areas:
1. Compliance with legal regulations
tesa conducts its business lawfully and strictly complies with thelaws of the countries in which it operates.

2. Fair competition
With its rules and criteria, the tesa Code of Conduct, which isderived from our corporate values and the ten principles of the
UN Global Compact, provides clear orientation. It boosts confidence in the performance and integrity of the tesa Group. Regardless of their position or function, we expect all employees tostand by our ethical principles and to act consistently based onthem. As role models, our managers exemplify the rules of conduct and actively communicate them. Since introducing theCode of Conduct, all managers are required to complete a webbased training program. tesa also provide all levels of management with presentation materials to support them in the ongoing
communication process with employees. To ensure that thisissue is permanently present, the Code of Conduct is also an
integral part of tesa’s orientation seminars for new employees,
management training programs, the “Sales Qualification Program” for employees in sales, and tesa’s Management Development programs for managers and junior managers.

tesa does not obtain any market advantages through unfair or
illegal practices.

New whistleblowing system

6. Social Commitment

The groundwork for a new global compliance network was laid in
2015. Rather than having one single go-to for all countries, going
forward seven staff members across four time zones who speak
six languages will be acting as contact for compliance tip-off
issues. This system will facilitate confidential disclosures by whistleblowers, lowering worldwide reluctance to report potential
violations.

3. Protection of tesa assets
tesa is careful with the proprietary information, assets and resources of the company.

4. A socially acceptable working environment
tesa guarantees a socially acceptable, safe and motivating working environment. tesa strongly opposes child and forced labor,
discrimination and the like. We also expect the same from ourbusiness partners.

5. Personal integrity
tesa fosters a high degree of personal integrity and fairness
among its employees and avoid situations in which personal
interests conflict or could conflict with those of the company.

tesa takes its responsibility for future generations seriously andstrives for sustainable development in all relevant areas – economical, ecological and social.

The tesa
Code of Conduct

Download„Code of Conduct“6Human rights and labor standards

Purchasing Charter

Standard criteria are used at all locations to qualify, evaluate and develop suppliers.
This allows us to ensure our mandatory minimum standards around the world.

Minimum standards in strategic purchasing
Responsible corporate governance over the long term requires
looking beyond their boundaries of the company itself. This is our
firm conviction at tesa, which is why company-internal rules ofconduct have long applied to relationships with suppliers aroundthe world. In order to provide a standard framework for its internationally applicable minimum standards in the areas of humanrights, labor standards, environmental protection and fighting
corruption, tesa’s strategic purchasing division adopted the tesa
Purchasing Charter in 2008. As a result of the terms and conditions of contracts, suppliers make a binding commitment to act

in accordance with the ten basic principles of the UN Global
Compact. In its collaborations, tesa strives towards long-term
strategic partnerships and a continuous improvement process.
This includes mutually agreed goals and their verification, site
visits as well as certification in accordance with the environmentand quality standards ISO 14001 and ISO 9001.

Download„Purchasing Charter“

Employees

Our employees are the most important capital for securing our success.
Our corporate culture and targeted support initiatives take this fact into account.

Quality and corporate culture
The commitment and expertise of our employees is the basis
for the worldwide success of tesa. We promote trust between
employees and management, encouraging every individual toshow responsibility and initiative. Important components of our
future-oriented HR policy include the targeted training of qualified
employees, continuous further education and a very diverse
range of offers for actively promoting the well-being of our em7

Human rights and labor standards

ployees. The new tesa headquarters was in fact designed in parttaking these policy objectives into account. The ultra-modern
facility features height-adjustable desks at all office workstations
for example, a company gym and a canteen where fresh andhealthy foods are served. The new complex is fully accessible bypeople with disabilities.

A culture of feedback and dialoguetesa strives to maintain a culture of communication and dialogue
with employees across all regions, utilizing career pathways andperformance review meetings for example as a tool promoting
trust between staff and managers. In 2015 as in previous years,
such one-on-one dialogues were held, giving both parties a forum for providing constructive feedback, framing expectations
and actively structuring the cooperative relationship.
The firm conducts regular employee surveys in an effort tostrengthen our corporate values and continuously improve employee satisfaction and retention. While the feedback is consistently positive in general, several optimization measures havebeen introduced worldwide as a result.
In 2015 there a great deal of attention was given at tesa headquarters to the findings uncovered in the last employee survey
conducted. Teams of managers and staff across all functional
areas met in the framework of a series of some 20 workshops todevelop concrete agreements on how to further improve thecorporate culture. The next employee survey, the design ofwhich was completed in the year under review in partnershipwith leading HR consulting firm Aon Hewitt, will be devoted togauging the effectiveness of measures taken. The survey is slated to be conducted in April.
The last employee survey at the tesa plant in Hamburg indi­cated that employee satisfaction there is in the upper third ina nationwide comparison. In addition to quantitative results,
comment fields are provided on the survey questionnaire solic­iting insights regarding the company of a more qualitative
nature. Many employees took the opportunity to highlight thepositive relationship they have with their managers, rating tesa

a good employer overall. The next such survey there is plannedfor 2017.

Human resources, leadership and training
tesa stepped up its systematic strategic personnel development
efforts in 2015 to prepare internal successor candidates in advance for key positions at the international level. The firm hasdeveloped a new competency model augmenting the existing
talent management standards. The model is to be implemented
within all personnel development instruments worldwide to enhance the firm’s ability to assess the performance and potentialof our staff members. In the year under review, a uniform global
template for staff performance appraisals was developed based
upon the model which is to be initially introduced for management before eventually being rolled out to all staff levels. The tesa
Intensive Leadership Program was continued, which is a specialized training concept designed to prepare up-and-coming managerial talent for the challenges ahead. The Program was attended by 28 employees in 2015.
The Hamburg tesa plant expanded its array of training offerings,
Machinery and system operator training sessions started in theyear under review as well as industrial mechanic training courses. Chemical, electronics and mechatronic technician courses
are being added in 2016. This is part of tesa’s strategic response
to developments in individual business areas affected by demographic shifts.

Targeted continuing education
Ongoing investment into the targeted qualification of employees
is part of tesa’s corporate strategy. In line with this, the current
reporting year was once again marked by wide-ranging measures.
The Sales and Marketing Qualification Program continued withgreat intensity in 2015, involving 121 training sessions conducted
over 15 days, attended by roughly 1,025 employees. In addition
to introductory training courses for new hires, the training program includes specialized courses tailored to the needs of individual business areas such as Sales, whose staff members for8Human rights and labor standards

example receive training combining technical knowledge andsales competencies. tesa has a separate training program inplace for research and development personnel focusing on relevant topics such as patents and quality management. Consistingof 27 training days, the program was attended by 114 employees
in 2015.
The tesa Purchasing College conducted a further round offour training sessions in 2015, attended by 40 personnel.
This fairly new program for international purchasers comprises
custom-made training sessions in which participants acquirea broad skillset for international cooperation in line with glo­bal standards. In future, tesa plans to open up the training
courses to employees in different roles involving individual purchasing.
In 2015 the tesa plant in Hamburg continued its successful line
training offering as well as the Open Production project, in which
employees are able to gain practical experience in areas they are
not usually involved in. Temporary deployment in different production areas affords a comprehensive understanding of the
manufacturing process, strengthens cooperation and catalyzes
improvements. In the year under review the tesa plant in Hamburg augmented the long-established Management Orientation
Stop, in which staff rate their managers using a point system, byadding on a TEAM Orientation Stop. This feedback instrument isdesigned to allow identification of areas where action is needed
within teams and help staff recognize hidden improvement potential on their own, creating opportunities to build on existingteam strengths.
The topic for the annual tesa team training held in 2015 was plant
production strategy and its significance to each individual staff
member. Attended by 500 employees, the training event wasmoderated by the respective area managers, and involved realworld-oriented open-floor discussions of rules of cooperation,
uniform management expectations and the need for clear central
coordination of expectations. The training also involved a lookback at past events and topics such as workplace safety, quality,
leadership and shared expectations.

Open Course Program
In addition to courses on specialized and function-specific skills
tesa offers an open course program allowing study of a range ofvaried topics. In the year under review 250 staff members participated in training courses on presentation and project management skills, which have been quite well-attended generally inrecent years. The tesa offering of language and IT training courses was expanded in 2015, attended by 70 personnel in the year
under review.
Additional courses were set up as part of the “Treffpunkt Weiterbildung” continuing education offering in connection with movingof the Hamburg office to the new location in Norderstedt justoutside town. The diverse offering, which was originally createdmany years ago by our parent company Beiersdorf, enables
employees to complete training in their spare time. The first three
training seminars conducted at the new tesa headquarters starting in autumn 2015 were attended by 35 staff members. Plans
are to expand the training offering to 11 seminars in 2016.
Course enrollment is open to Beiersdorf and Tchibo employees
as well, promoting networking throughout the corporate group.
Responding to the trend towards virtual seminars, in 2015 tesa
launched a series of online learning modules and a digital versionof the Onboarding sales training course, which employees canutilize for further education from anywhere and at any time ofday. Our locations in Asia have their own platform called Learning Hub Asia, from which an array of digital training courses isoffered. These include training modules for familiarizing new hireswith the tesa corporate culture and business areas. Additional
international skill enhancement programs will be introduced in2016 such as an e-learning academy specifically for supply chain
personnel.

Health and well-being
tesa wants its employees to feel and be healthy. That’s why ateam of experts from the occupational health service, social
counseling, the works council and the severely handicapped
representatives panel together developed a modern health management program for the new headquarters in Norderstedt,
9

Human rights and labor standards

which includes the tesa sport club. The club offers top-quality
endurance and strength training equipment and a range ofcourses like spinning, yoga and ‘back power’, a lunchtime ‘active
break’, physiotherapy and massage therapy. This array will be
expanded in 2016 to include personal health checkups and individual risk analyses. tesa employees and their family members
have the possibility as well to utilize the Beiersdorf athletic association to keep in shape through low-cost memberships. Hamburg’s fourth-largest company athletic association offers over 40
different types of sports. The parent company’s workplace wellness offerings are quite popular as well, as are the health andfitness offerings at other locations.

The tesa plant in Offenburg received recognition twice for work
environment quality in 2015, first of all from the organization Initiative Ludwig Erhard Preis e.V., which presented its award forholistic management practices in the SME category. The judges’
panel cited the plant’s impressively solid and longstanding leadership culture, social and environmental responsibility practices
and culture of open communication and trust. Additionally theplant received the familyNet Award from the state of
Baden-Württemberg for LIFE+,a progressive work-life balance
policy initiative. The holistic approach taken by the tesa plant in
Offenburg extends as well to addressing the effects of demographic change.

Supplementing the tesa sport club, the corporate headquarters
in Norderstedt promotes active lifestyles by providing commuting
bicycles for sale or rent. Health is a concern in the offices too,
where all work stations have height-adjustable desks to minimize
back strain. All employees receive information and tips aboutmaintaining good posture both sitting and standing from thecompany’s in-house ergonomics desk. Good nutrition is also
important, which is why the new company cafeteria offers freshly
prepared local foods and a varied menu of healthy meals including a daily WellFit dish with less than 700 calories.

The group’s international affiliates are also active in promoting
employee health, with tesa location North America in Charlotte,
USA planning for example to introduce a Mental Health Awareness Training program in 2016. The program is designed toeducate employees on ways to guard against stress, improvemental health and better handle difficult workplace or customer
situations.

The Health Working Group presented its activities at the tesa
plant in Hamburg in 2015, adopting the slogan ‘Healthy – Body
and Soul’. This annual program of events involved a range ofcourses held in the plant’s own fitness room (yoga, table tennis,back training etc.) and team events such as group running. Employees again had four days to have their current fitness level
checked out, including heart and other organ functions. As motivation to exercise daily, a skiing course is offered for both beginners and advanced skiers. The teams also formed health circles
to address current health-related issues, discuss problem areasand come up with solution ideas jointly with their managers.
Cutting-edge work time models for the various stages of life wereadditionally introduced, including the ‘Parent-Child Office’ andthe ‘57 Plus’ arrangement for older workers interested in reducing their weekly work hours without major loss of income – both
aimed at improving work-life balance.
10Human rights and labor standards

Occupational health and safety

The health and safety of employees are a top priority at tesa which places the emphasis
firmly on prevention with high standards and targeted measures.

Strict regulations
The Occupational Safety Guidelines, which are based on theinternational standard OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and
Safety Assessment Series), apply for all tesa locations aroundthe world. In November 2015 the tesa plant in Italy received initial
OHSAS 18001 certification.

includes all parties involved. The foundation for targeted solutions and appropriate risk reduction is the so-called STOP principle, which outlines four categories: substituting, technical, organizational and personal. This way, measures can be categorized
and evaluated.

Targeted risk assessment and prevention measures are essential
however for optimal protection against injury and work-related
hazards. As in previous years, the accident rate at tesa was significantly below the industry average of 14.5 percent, as tracked
by the employers’ liability association. The worldwide group rate
was 2.3 accidents per 1,000 employees. This shows that tesa ison the right track with its high safety standards, occupational
health measures and training programs.

In order to ensure that its high demands for occupational healthand safety measures are consistently pursued and implemented,
tesa factors in occupational health and safety considerations
from the beginning when planning new plants projects. Here thefocus is on the early identification and elimination of potential
risks. tesa’s safety standards are thus already incorporated into
the drafting of specifications. The whole construction and manufacturing process is accompanied by regular status enquiries.
Even before a new plant is handed over, all the important location details are checked directly in situ in a “Factory AcceptanceTest”. Then a “Site Acceptance Test” is carried out before theplant eventually begins production. This test involves additional
checks on all safety-related functions, with optimization measures taken where necessary.

General safety rules were adopted for all areas of the new corporate headquarters in Norderstedt in 2015 and staff members
trained accordingly. The measures conducted on an ongoingbasis at all tesa locations include providing detailed operational
instructions for all production equipment, targeted at-machinebriefings and a range of educational and training courses onsuch topics as proper conduct for safety and health, explosion
and fire prevention and fire extinguisher usage. Such regularworldwide offerings heighten employee awareness.
Internal accident avoidance processes make a significant contribution to hazard reduction. These are based on a combination ofsystematic hazard identification and risk assessment, employee
responsibility, and a continuous improvement process, which

11Environmental protection
Global initiatives
Leaving an intact environment for subsequent generations is oneof tesa’s stated corporate goals. tesa’s “green thread” is basedon a precautionary approach: We promote the international exchange of information between our environmental experts andactively take the initiative. Part of this strategy is the developmentof tesa’s own production technologies, which enable it to manufacture without the use of solvents. We are increasingly demonstrating our commitment at the product level as well, as illustrated by the tesa ecoLogo® sub-brand: a full range of eco-friendly
office products. For over four years, tesa has been active in the
do-it-yourself sector with corresponding offerings.

ducted to facilitate systematic action upon the obligations webelieve are incumbent upon the company. In these audits, tesa
assesses whether process procedures and regulations are being
correctly adhered to. The firm also regularly conducts matrix
audits in connection with external certification auditing and monitoring to verify adherence by all sites certified under for international environmental standard ISO 14001. Where required, tesa
makes corrections and introduces measures for continuous improvement and to ensure the utmost efficiency in the use of resources.

tesa has defined its position in globally binding environmental
guidelines. These guidelines dictate the standards for the company’s actions to all employees and are meant to further raise
environmental awareness. Ongoing monitoring of performanceindicators and regular internal production site audits are con-

Of course, we also abide by minimum standards and legal requirements in all areas in which we are involved. In order to correctly implement the different countries’ laws, rules and regulations, which can sometimes vary, tesa has employees who arefamiliar with local laws and can ensure compliance at all of its
production sites.

The tesa environmental program
Corporate environmental protection

Climate protection
Raising awarenessSpecific areas of activity and clearly defined projects are the key
to tesa’s successful environmental management program. Alltesa locations around the world have high standards. >> Page 13

tesa operates climate protection measures on its own initiativeand responsibility in order to leave an intact environment for
subsequent generations. >> Page 14

Resource conservation
The efficient use of raw materials

Environmentally friendly products
Consumers benefit from tesa

Efficient use of raw materials and resources is important to
us in terms of sustainable business policy.
>> Page 15

Sustainably produced goods like the tesa ecoLogo® range
protect the climate. The winners? People all over theworld. >> Page 16

12

Environmental protection

The tesa environmental program

Specific areas of activity and clearly defined projects are the key to tesa’s successfulenvironmental management program. All tesa locations have very high standards.

Corporate environmental protection
Systematic efforts commenced in 2001 to set up a company
environmental management system, which has undergone continuous further development ever since. It is above all the worldwide plants that have contributed to tesa regularly exceeding thefirm’s ambitious goals. Since establishment of the environmental
program, tesa has substantially reduced emissions of volatileorganic compounds (VOC) – by more than half. In addition, there
have also been significant reductions in the consumption of solvents, CO2 emissions and generation of waste for disposal.
In the interest of climate protection and resource conservation
we also regularly review whether there are more environmentallyfriendly alternatives to the raw materials currently employed. This
involves referencing studies of the ecological balance sheet ofour products and analysis of environmental impact over their
entire useful lives. Additionally, for many years now the firm has
deployed environmentally friendly technologies and patented
processes “made by tesa”.
Care is taken to minimize energy consumption, which is why
the Offenburg and Hamburg plants (like all tesa production sites)
are certified for the environmental standard ISO 14001, and in
the first quarter of 2015 were additionally energy management
certified under ISO 50001. The new tesa headquarters, built inaccordance with the latest energy efficiency regulations (ENEV2014), is up next to be certified in 2016.
Good initial results have been seen from environmentally friendly
in-house power generation. In late 2014 the tesa plant in Offen-

burg started up a CCHP (trigeneration) system, which in 2015
already yielded a significant reduction in carbon emissions, andis being studied for potential rollout to other production sites.

Environmental program:
Goals achieved between 2002 and 2015
Energy use

- 24 percent

CO2

- 19 percent

Solvent use

- 41 percent

Waste

- 77 percent

VOCs

- 91 percent

Highlights, key figures and successes of thetesa environmental program
2002

In
the tesa plant in Offenburg put an eco-friendly production system for the solvent-free manufacturing of masking
tape into operation. That was just the beginning: today the over
60 percent of the plant’s entire production takes place without
solvents.
13

Environmental protection

2005

In
tesa received the B.A.U.M. environmental prize andthe “Responsible Care Prize” for the consistent and successful
development of a holistic environmental management system.

2006

In
, five years after launching its environmental program,tesa saw positive results from successfully reducing the amountof energy and solvents consumed.
A second environmental program was passed for the period
betweenand– with a focus on reduced emissions of volatile organic compounds, also known as VOC emissions.

2007

2012

2007

In
an innovative system for heat recovery at the tesa
plant in Offenburg considerably reduced energy consumption.

2009

In
tesa reported significant advances in the emission ofvolatile organic substances. VOC emissions were down 50 percent compared to 2001. One year later the figure was already atminus 58 percent.
In

2010

, the tesa plant in Hamburg installed a new, state-ofthe-art ventilation system. That same year the technology centerat tesa’s headquarters in Hamburg received funding from theHamburg Authority for Urban Development and Environmental
Affairs to modernize the technology in the ventilation system andits control unit. The first tesa ecoLogo® products also started
conquering the office supplies market.

2011

In
tesa succeeded in making a technological breakthrough at the plant in Hamburg. The globally unique and patented ACX technology enabled the eco-friendly production of
double-sided acrylic adhesive tapes for high-strength permanentadhesive bonds.

2013

In
, tesa introduced an energy management system at its
German production sites to sustainably reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions even further. The “Green Car Policy” waslaunched that same year. Low-emission cars are to significantly
reduce the CO2 emissions of the entire fleet from an average of
161 to 140 grams per kilometer.

2014

In
tesa’s Offenburg factory began operating a CCHP
(combined cooling, heat and power) system for environmentallyfriendly in-house power generation. The German production sitesof Hamburg and Offenburg are each implementing an ultra-modern
energy monitoring system as part of their energy management.

2015

In
the energy management systems were introduced at
the production sites in Hamburg and Offenburg, Germany arecertified under the international standard ISO 50001.

Climate protection

Employee awareness measures and environmentally friendly production methods
are part of the firm’s climate protection agenda.
The tesa plant in Offenburg started operation of an ultra-modern
trigeneration (CCHP) system in late 2014, enabling environmentally friendly power generation from natural gas, waste heat andcold. Heat for plant usage and cooling for the climate control
system are also generated. In line with planning, in 2015 alreadythe site recorded a roughly 3,600-ton reduction in carbon emissions for the year.

In November 2015 the tesa plant in Hamburg commenced work
to install a similar cogeneration system which will be yielding
significant carbon emission reductions starting in the spring of
2016. The cutting-edge system will enable simultaneous in-plant
generation of electricity and heat. The mechanical energy primarily generated is converted directly into electrical energy, while
heat generated in the process can be captured for building heating or use in production.
14

Environmental protection

In addition to eco-friendly methods and other measures that we
use to keep up with the latest technology, raising the awarenessof our employees is also part of our commitment. Not only are

they familiar with ongoing operations, they also continually help
us save energy, lower carbon emissions and reduce costs
thanks to their knowledge and ideas.

Resource conservationtesa handles raw materials and resources efficiently. Environmentally friendly technologies
and good waste management are deemed important.
During the year under review, the tesa production sites in Hamburg and Offenburg, Germany focused their efforts on further
development of their respective energy management systems.
Numerous staff training sessions were held on tesa energy policies in the first quarter 2015 in connection with the two plants’successful certification under the international standard ISO
50001. Additional energy-saving measures were identified andprojects designed accordingly for inclusion in the sites’ energy
management agendas. Modern energy monitoring systems arein place for tracking energy consumption, affording heightenedenergy efficiency and transparency. The systems are continuously expanded and improved, such as by the installation of new
meters in 2015.
The tesa plant in Hamburg invested in a new production hall in
2015, specially designed for energy efficiency. Seven hundred
LED lamps and motion detectors were installed for the hall’s
lighting system, the combined use of which will keep energy
consumption roughly two-thirds lower than if conventional lighting were used.

posal after use. With the help of the so-called life cycle analysis
method, tesa will determine the parameters that affect the ecological footprint of its products. The goal of this life cycle analysis
is to discover the best options for every product – not just inhouse at tesa, but always in collaboration with suppliers andservice providers.

Waste management
All production of goods involves the generation of waste. In orderto reduce this in a sustainable manner and to protect the environment and resources, we run regular training courses to ensure that all those involved are conscious of the need to avoid
unnecessary waste and to recycle appropriately. In addition, weare constantly seeking new technical solutions and cooperation
partners to enable us to maximize recycling.

Life cycle analysis
A great deal of environmental pollution is caused outside one’s
own company while manufacturing products. The firm is thus
focusing more sharply on the entire product life cycle from raw
materials to processed materials, production, transport and dis15

Environmental protection

Commitment at the Product Level

Products for conserving energy and sustainably produced goods help to protect the climate.
The winners? People all over the world.

Consumers benefit from tesa
For quite some time, tesa has been consistently transferring its
environmental commitment at the product level. tesa ecoLogo®
is a constantly expanding range of environmentally friendly consumer product solutions which have received multiple awards inrecent years. These solvent-free adhesives and their packaging
are mostly made of biological and recycled. The compactly designed Smart ecoLogo® tape dispenser for example meets highenvironmental standards, made 100% from recycled plastic via
materials-minimizing methods. Also in 2015, all glue sticks wereconverted over to the ecoLogo® format; tesa thus now only sells
ecoLogo® glue sticks, no conventionally made ones. The company’s ‘green’ range of ecoLogo® products has been sold in hardware, DIY and other stores for several years now, which includes
painting, repair and packing tapes. There consumers can alsofind energy-saving products like tesamoll® for sealing gaps
around windows and doors, as well as tesa® ISO SYSTEM foreasy roof insulation.

16

Compliance and fair competition

Adherence to laws and internal guidelines is something that goes without saying at tesa.
A central co-ordination unit combines all associated processes and activities.

ComplianceIntegrity and proper conduct

Fair competition

tesa traditionally stands for trust. This includes virtues that guarantee free markets and fair competition as well as protecting
people and the environment. The tesa group firmly rejects any
form of corruption as well as any illegal or immoral behavior. In
order to be able to consistently ensure this worldwide, we actively protect our company and our employees against possible
risks. In 2015 the firm once again actively addressed the issue ofcompliance and our system of values as laid down in the globally
applicable tesa Code of Conduct. Supporting activities included
refresher courses designed to keep the firm’s worldwide anticorruption policies a forefront consideration for all staff. Also in
the year under review, the groundwork was laid for rollout of an
efficient system-linked reporting instrument designed to further
increase transparency regarding the status of the global tesa
compliance management system.

For quite some time our activities have focused on antitrust law,which promotes a free economy and prevents clearly restrictive
practices. To do this, tesa successfully introduced the “tesa Antitrust Compliance Program” throughout the company a few years
ago. It serves to raise awareness on issues relating to antitrust
law and enable the implementation of a worldwide functional
antitrust law compliance system for the entire tesa Group. Besides providing relevant information on antitrust law and educating about possible violations, we set up internal communication
structures and a network of competent attorneys. In addition torefresher training, further intensive classroom training sessions
on the subject were held for multipliers in 2015, which involved
the identifying of high-risk countries where local authorities are
increasingly active in pursuing anti-trust matters. Training course
content was thus translated into the respective local languages
and tailored to take account of local legal particularities.

Communication measures are being continuously implemented
via in-house media. Detailed and specific compliance information
is provided to raise awareness and minimize breaches resulting
from ignorance of laws and regulations. Since late 2010 employees have had the ability to contact the Compliance Coordination
desk for any questions and in case of doubt. The central coordination desk is tasked with advising, setting international standards and ensuring efficient bundling of all compliance processes.
Its duties also include preparing status reports for the management team. The Compliance office combines a total of elevenfields. Specialists in various staff functions provide expert advice
on matters concerning anti-corruption, labor and competition
law, information technology and data protection, antitrust law,financial regulations, environmental protection, workplace safety,
and trademark and patent law.

We also offer a permanent topic-related platform on the tesa
intranet. This page allows employees worldwide to find out about
conduct that complies with antitrust law in their day-to-day business dealings and helps them find competent advisors. Training
seminars are conducted in the local language in these countries,
the material for which factors in specific considerations underlocal laws.
In our international regions, guidelines that have been modified totake into account the legal requirements in the respective countries and a catalog of examples of correct and incorrect conduct
lay down what is and what is not permissible under antitrust law.

17

Social Commitment
Strategy with regional facets
The assumption of corporate responsibility is part of tesa’s corporate philosophy. Out of the conviction that all sides win, tesa
gets involved at several levels worldwide – in the form of donations, sponsor memberships and sponsorships as well as
through volunteer involvement on the part of employees.

an approach that makes it easy for employees worldwide to
get involved for the good of society in a meaningful way. At thesame time, the program creates a bridge to the core tesa
competencies and strengths of the company – its inventivenessand spirit of ingenuity, orientation towards solutions, practical
aid and team spirit.

Help, donate, support, protect – the four pillars of the “tesaconnects” corporate citizenship program. The objective is to take

tesa
helps

tesa
donatestesa helps
Good neighborly relations

tesa donates
Uncomplicated help

In the immediate vicinity of our locations tesa teams getstuck in on local projects, thus supporting the community.
>> Page 19

tesa supports the victims of natural disasters or othercrises through targeted donations of money and products.
>> Page 20

tesa
supports

tesa
protects

tesa supports
Improving prospects for the futuretesa protects
Active conservation

With a focus on science and technology, we invest in the
futures of children and young people.
>> Page 21

Specific environmental projects preserve nature and help toimprove the quality of life in the region.
>> Page 22

18

Social Commitment

tesa helps: Here‘s to good neighbors

Neighborhood assistance that is needed in the immediate vicinity of tesa locations –that is the core thought behind “tesa helps”. On-site tesa teams on every continent
get involved project by project and support the community.
The tesa headquarters continued its partnership with thenon-profit volunteering organization “tatkräftig – Hände für Hamburg” in 2015. According to the motto “1 day, 1 team, 1 goal”,
the organization lends a hand in the form of volunteer helpers
at over 150 institutions that require support. In the year underreview, more than 60 employees volunteered in charitable projects, helping social institutions for example by performing extensive landscaping and handywork with tools, wood and paint.
A “tesa helps” joint project with “tatkräftig” has now become an
integral part of the first year of apprenticeship at the tesa plant in
Hamburg.

Global commitment
The affiliates also provided active aid in their vicinities in 2015.
The social commitment of tesa employees is a tradition in
France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Turkey,
Mexico, Colombia, Japan, India, China and many other countries. Examples:

Colorful afternoons for children in the Netherlands, Slovakia
and the Czech Republic
Employees of the Dutch affiliate in Hilversum began supportingthe “Stichting Het Raakt U” foundation in 2015. Fifteen employees of the firm organized an activity day for severely disabledchildren at the Orthopedagogical Daycare Center De Pompon(ODC) complete with funny clown, scrumptious pancakes andcovered wagon ride. In Slovakia there were craft-making activities for the “Deti Slovenska” foundation, as tesa employees (pro-viding all the materials) made paper flowers and race cars foryoung hemophilia patients along with balloon animals, clothespeg constructions and glass decoration using tesa glitter pens.
A similar crafts afternoon for children with leukemia was held by
eleven employees of the Czech affiliate at the Motol University
Hospital Transplant Center in Prague.

Runs for charity in France, Spain and Colombia
tesa employees in France participated in the “Course des Héros”charity run for the fifth time in 2015. These athletic tesa staff
members completed a six-kilometer run for which they had collected a total of 10,000 euros in advance donations from friends,
family and colleagues to benefit the organization “Action Enfance”, which supports needy children and adolescents. At the
Oxfam Intermon Trailwalker event, six tesa colleagues from Spaincovered 100 kilometers in less than 32 hours. Donations raised
went to the organizer Oxfam, which will use the money in theorganization’s fight against global poverty. And in Colombia,
24 employees ran in the “Carrera de la Mujer” to benefit a foundation for female cancer patients. Eight employees participatedin the Marriott 6K Run for Fun to raise funds for the “Instituto
Tobías Emanuel”, which provides daycare and schooling for blindand deaf children and youth.

Promoting integration in Belgium and the UK
Employees of the Belgium affiliate supported the tesa-sponsoredSpecial Olympics National Games for the third consecutive year
in 2015, assisting mentally handicapped children and adults before, during and after the judo competitions, providing encouragement and promoting their social inclusion. tesa UK again
19Social Commitment
supported the Walnuts School for autistic children in Milton
Keynes. In addition to a donation earmarked for the school topurchase several appliances in 2015, a number of teens were
given opportunity every Tuesday to get a look inside the working
world at tesa. Accompanied by teachers the students worked a
two-hour mini-shift at a packing station. This involved the sort ofrepetitive activities that suit people with autism.

tesa donates: Uncomplicated help

We support people in impacted regions – as well as selected institutions in their daily routine –with targeted funds and product donations.
In 2015 the Hamburg and Norderstedt locations introduced ‘leftover change’ donations, in line with the slogan: ‘small gesture,
big impact’. The concept is simple so participation is easy: employees donate the cents amount of their bottom-line monthly
pay (i.e. 0.01 to 0.99 euro) to non-profit organizations in theircommunities. The money collected, amounting to a maximum of
11.88 euro per employee and year, is credited to a separate tesa
donation account. Between the start of the campaign in September 2014 and the end of December 2015 the three tesa locations
collected approximately 3,100 euros. Management then rounds
up and doubles the individual amounts.
tesa SE donated the company portion (4,200 euros) to the“Plan haben” initiative of the crime prevention council of the cityof Norderstedt, aimed at providing adult supervisors to youths
with behavioral problems who act as a contact for trusted advice. The ‘leftover change’ collected by the Hamburg tesa plant(1,410 euros) was donated to the non-profit “Neuwiedenthal aktive.V.”, an organization working with children and youth and for thegreater community. The tesa Converting Center contributed tohelp young people and their families by donating 680 euros tothe “Grossstadt-Mission” project, which is an initiative for providing educational counseling and support to young people introubled life situations. The ‘leftover change’ collected by all ofthese tesa companies in 2016 is to be donated to the mentoring
project “Zeit für Zukunft – Mentoren für Kinder e.V.” Socially disadvantaged children and youths between the ages of six andsixteen meet two to four times a month for at least one year withan adult mentor whose role is to build up their self-confidence
and promote their personal development.
The collection and provision of donations is also a good traditionin the tesa affiliates: The international tesa locations outside
Germany donated almost 150,000 euro to various causes in2015. The Singaporean affiliate contributed a large amount to theregional Red Cross effort to aid earthquake disaster victims in
Nepal.

20

Social Commitment

tesa supports: Education secures a future

Under “tesa supports” tesa combines education projects through which it aims to open up future prospects
to children and young people. Here there is a focus on the themes of science and technology as important
prerequisites for the preservation of our livelihoods as well as technological and social progress.
In Germany and numerous affiliates, these objectives are linked to specific projects.

Introducing teens to MINT career paths
tesa SE in Germany has been partnering with the naturalsciences and technology initiative NAT since 2014. In Hamburg
and the surrounding metropolitan area, NAT networks schools
with universities, colleges and technology-driven companies.
The objective is to make it possible for adolescents to get a variety of insights into various occupational fields. tesa launched its
first 90 Minutes MINT program (MINT = Mathematics, IT,
Natural sciences, Technology) in early 2015. In this program,tesa employees take a little less than two teaching hours to giveschool students real-life insights into their working lives. In addition to practical projects and excursions like this, tesa has supported the NAT initiative financially by taking out a sponsoring
membership.

which provides English as a second language scholarships.
The Guatemalan affiliate finances a partial scholarship for a student otherwise unable to afford higher education, while tesa
India donates to the “Nanhi Kali” organization which offers primary school education opportunities to disadvantaged young girls.
In September 2015 tesa tape North America began sponsoring afour-year study program concentrating on automotive technology. The EcoCAR program is devoted to the development of an
extremely energy-efficient high-performance vehicle.

Adhesive technology outreach in Japantesa’s Japanese affiliate was again active in the Tsukuba Science
Festival in 2015. Held in Tsukuba, the famous ‘City of Science’,the event is aimed at introducing young people to the world of
science through fun experiments and games. The scientists of
tomorrow were able to experience fascination aspects of bonding technology at the tesa stand.

Sponsoring educational initiatives
Several tesa affiliates now regularly contribute funding to educational initiatives like the Educational Volunteers Foundation ofTurkey, which offers informal education programs for children
and the Mexican “Fundacion para la Proteccion de la niñez”
21Social Commitment

tesa protects: Active for the environment

Environmental protection and sustainable management of natural resources are part of thetesa business strategy. Engagement on the production and product level is complemented by
specific projects for preserving nature and improving the quality of life in the region.

Since 2011 we have been working to preserve the sensitive ecosystem of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Niedersächsische
Elbtalaue”, not far from Hamburg. Thanks to employee volunteering in three afforestation projects ongoing in 2015 – plus financial
support – a host of trees typical for the region were planted
which will increasingly provide habitats for birds and insects.
Additionally during the year under review, funding was provided
for nearly 20,000 plants for the nature dynamics area of the“Stapeler Rens” forest, which is to be afforested as a protected
habitat zone within the biosphere reserve where nature is left totake its own course.

Contact:
tesa SE
Hugo-Kirchberg-Straße 1
D-22839 Norderstedt, Germany
Tel.: +49(0) 40-88899-6597
Fax: +49(0) 40-88899-186597
responsibility@tesa.com
www.tesa.com/company/responsibility
22