Annual Report 2016

General

The following general control measures are in place at Beter Bed Holding to manage risks:

The organisation applies a matrix that describes the risks, their financial and other impact, the probability of their occurrence, the control measures and the actions to be taken. This matrix is updated and discussed in the Audit Committee twice a year and the key points are reported to the Supervisory Board. The risks are classified in the categories Financial, Operational, Board and Management, Legal, Social, Information and Tax.

Risk appetite

Beter Bed Holding operates in the European bed and mattress segment. Beter Bed Holding's risk appetite is based on a strong operating cash flow, a healthy balance sheet without external financing and carefully considered financial management. Although the company's daily operations involve taking risks, Beter Bed Holding adopts a carefully considered and balanced approach to those risks. More information about the risk appetite in the various categories defined by Beter Bed Holding is explained below.

The opportunities and threats identified by Beter Bed Holding for the group as a whole and for the individual companies in economic, strategic and commercial terms are determined in the annual budget cycle. The budget drawn up by the Management Board of Beter Bed Holding is discussed with and approved by the Supervisory Board.

All business units (in the Netherlands and abroad) report monthly to the group on the financial results (revenue, margin, expenses and operating profit) and the financial position. The Beter Bed Holding Management Board discusses these reports in monthly meetings held with the various management teams, an approach which provides for direct monitoring of the various operations. Endeavours are made to achieve a high degree of uniformity in the various reports to enhance their effectiveness. The administrative and accounting records of the operations are maintained in the SAP (ERP) environment implemented in the organisation several years ago.

The external auditor reviews the internal control structure during the annual audit of the financial statements. The audit findings are discussed by the external auditor with both the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, also in the absence of the Management Board.

The principal risks for Beter Bed Holding and its affiliated operating companies are as follows:

The financial strategic risks relate to the failure to achieve revenue due to the entry of new competitors, the introduction of new products, brands and revenue models. The positioning, product range, pricing and service level of the formats in their own markets are continually refined on the basis of frequent, extensive and thorough consumer research, market information and competition analysis. The company also follows a proactive omnichannel strategy that has been elaborated and tailored to consumers’ wishes in each country. This strategy allocates an express role to the stores in combination with own online webshops and strategic web partners whenever possible. The risks section of the general notes to the financial statements gives further information on a number of specific financial risks associated with the normal business operations.

The company identifies operational strategic risks with respect to supplier side consolidation, which could jeopardise margins and supplies. To mitigate this risk, internal agreements are in place on the maximum share in revenue that an individual supplier can have within the group. In addition, regular consultation takes place at the highest executive level (CEO) with the principal suppliers. The organisation also applies an extensive system of supplier management, enabling continuous monitoring of the performance of individual suppliers and early identification of indications of potential problems at suppliers. Moreover, the product range sourced from any one supplier can in principle be transferred to another supplier within an acceptable timeframe.

Legal strategic risks relate to non-compliance with legislation and regulations in various fields, including product liability, consumer protection and reporting. These risks are mitigated by systematically requesting advice from experts with relevant knowledge, including legal specialists, tax specialists, accountants and competent authorities. In addition, audits are conducted at regular intervals. Beter Bed Holding is not prepared to take risks relating to non-compliance with legislation and regulations.

The social strategic risks primarily relate to damage to the company’s image and reputation as a result of defective products or irresponsible actions in a broader sense. It should be noted that the formats do not manufacture products for the product range. Control systems ensure that products meet the applicable requirements. The organisation has adopted codes of conduct in various fields to ensure responsible conduct. The corporate culture, in which integrity and ethical business conduct are core values, makes a significant contribution to the mitigation of risks. The company has also adopted a whistleblower policy.

The main operational risks relate to the availability of information systems that support the primary processes and the availability of the logistics facilities. These risks are managed by designing the IT architecture in a manner that ensures that the cash register systems can operate standalone and that backups can continually be made of the data of all back-office systems, in turn ensuring that the external IT infrastructure will be operational within the timeframe required for continuity purposes in the event of an emergency. System integrity is monitored by applying a clear release policy and strict change management procedures. In 2016, Beter Bed Holding implemented a project in cooperation with an external party focused on further optimising digital security in the broadest sense of the term. Most of the findings from this project have been followed up, as a result of which security has been elevated to a higher level. The logistics risks relate largely to the situation in the Netherlands, where three distribution centres (DCs) are in operation. Should an emergency occur at one of these DCs then the other two can serve as backups. Each DC also has an individual business continuity plan.

Tax

Beter Bed Holding has adopted explicit tax principles. The main principles are that Beter Bed Holding maintains an open relationship with the tax authorities in the countries in which it operates, agrees on tax rulings solely to confirm the correct interpretation (and application) of the tax rules and tax laws and does not adopt (abnormal) tax arrangements focused exclusively on tax avoidance. Beter Bed Holding has signed a compliance agreement with the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration within the context of ‘horizontal monitoring’. This ensures that any tax issues are discussed openly and on the basis of full transparency. The Management Board reports twice a year on relevant tax issues to the Audit Committee.

Independent auditor's report

The independent auditor assesses the internal control measures relating to the financial statements to the extent required for an efficient and effective audit approach. He reports his findings to the Management Board and to the Supervisory Board in his management letter and his independent auditor's report, respectively.