26. Provisions for Pensions and Other Post-employment Benefits

Group companies provide retirement benefits under both defined contribution and defined benefit plans. With the exception of net interest, the defined benefit and defined contribution expenses are included in the costs of the respective functions. Net pension interest is reported in the financial result.

Defined contribution expenses also contain contributions to statutory or state pension insurance funds. There was no material income or expense from the termination of pension plans or the curtailment and transfer of pension benefits in the year under review. Past service cost arose in Germany in 2022 in connection with a one-time benefit introduced by the sponsoring companies of the TROMA foundation for the existing pensioners and future retirees.

Defined benefit pension plans

The structure of the plans varies depending on the legal, economic, and tax situation in the country in question, and the plans are generally based on the employees’ length of service, salary, and status, as well as their own contributions. The largest plans can be found at the German companies.

International defined benefit plans are largely spread across the sites in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States. The present value of the defined benefit obligations and the balance sheet provisions were attributable to Germany and the other countries as follows as of the reporting date:

A majority of the defined benefit obligations within the Beiersdorf Group relate to employees in Germany. These are primarily obligations in relation to retirement pensions, disability pensions, and surviving dependents’ pensions granted as a supplement to the statutory pension insurance. Pension commitments in Germany largely consist of direct and indirect commitments by Beiersdorf AG and direct commitments by tesa SE. The benefits depend on the employees’ length of service and their average salary over the three years immediately preceding the date on which the pension becomes payable. The pension payments to the beneficiaries are adjusted for inflation by at least 1% per annum; this is performed annually in some cases or at the latest every three years.

Defined benefit obligations are funded exclusively by employer payments. Although there is no minimum funding requirement in Germany, both Beiersdorf AG and tesa SE have transferred plan assets to a separate entity. In addition, the benefit plans are protected against the consequences of insolvency in accordance with the Gesetz zur Verbesserung der betrieblichen Altersversorgung (German Occupational Pensions Improvement Act, BetrAVG); annual contributions are made to the Pensions-Sicherungs-Verein (German Pension Protection Fund) for this.

Beiersdorf AG has transferred plan assets to an entity with the legal form of a foundation (TROMA Alters- und Hinterbliebenenstiftung, Hamburg). The board of trustees of the foundation is composed of representatives of the company and of the Group Works Council. The board of trustees is responsible for setting and implementing the investment strategy. The strategy is regularly reviewed and adjusted as necessary in light of the latest developments.

Plan assets of tesa SE are invested and managed by an independent trustee via a contractual trust agreement (CTA). An investment committee consisting of representatives of the company and of the Works Council sets the investment strategy. Portfolio performance and the current situation are analyzed at regular intervals and, where necessary, the investment strategy is amended to reflect changed conditions.

To mitigate the risk of changes in capital market conditions and demographic developments, the old pension plans were closed to tesa employees in 2005 and to Beiersdorf employees in 2008. Employees joining the companies after this date can join employee-financed benefit plans. Under these plans, they can save part of their pensionable pay and also receive an employer contribution. The plan assets are invested and managed by independent trustees via a CTA. The employer guarantees a minimum return on contributions of 3.25% per annum until retirement. As from 2019, new entrants at Beiersdorf are guaranteed a minimum return of 1.8%. For new entrants at tesa, a minimum interest rate of 1.5% is guaranteed from 2022 onwards. The pension can be paid in the form of an annuity or as a lump sum.

The expenses for defined benefit plans and the present value of pension commitments are determined on the basis of actuarial calculations.

Measurement is based on the following assumptions:

The figures given are averages. The local parameters were weighted using the present values of the relevant defined benefit obligations. During the period under review, the present value of the defined benefit obligations changed as shown in the table below.

The funded status of the present value of the Group’s defined benefit obligations as of the reporting date was as follows:

The change in plan assets during the period under review was as follows:

In fiscal year 2024, employer contributions to plan assets are expected to amount to €22 million. The breakdown of the plan assets as of the reporting date was as follows:

The plan assets serve exclusively to meet the benefit obligations. The funding provided for these benefit obligations represents a provision for future cash outflows. The overarching investment policy and investment strategy are based on the goal of generating a return on plan assets in the medium term which, taken together with the contributions, is sufficient to meet the pension obligations. The plan assets are invested in a variety of different asset classes so as to avoid risk clusters.

The equity instruments comprise investments in equity funds and direct investments. In general, these have quoted market prices in a liquid market. Passive index tracker equities funds may contain a limited number of Beiersdorf shares. No Beiersdorf shares are held directly. Of the equity instruments in Germany, all are attributable to the mature markets.

Debt instruments may comprise investments in funds and direct investments in bonds. In general, these have quoted market prices in a liquid market. In Germany, 60% are attributable to corporate bonds and 40% to government bonds.

The real estate consists of residential and commercial properties. Investments can take the form of both investments in listed real estate funds and directly held properties. As of the reporting date, the portfolio included buildings held and used in the amount of €0 million (previous year: €41 million) as a result of the move to the new Beiersdorf Headquarters.

Cash and cash equivalents comprise both cash at banks and units in money market funds. This position also includes a short-term deposit of TROMA Alters- und Hinterbliebenenstiftung with Beiersdorf AG in the amount of €163 million (previous year: €204 million).

The following overview provides a breakdown of the weighted average duration of the present values of the defined benefit obligations and a maturity analysis of expected pension payments:

The following sensitivity analysis shows the effect of individual changes in assumptions on the present value of the defined benefit obligations:

The sensitivity analysis is based on realistic potential changes as of the end of the reporting period. It was performed using a methodology that extrapolates the effect of realistic changes in the key assumptions at the end of the reporting period on the defined benefit obligation. Each change in the key actuarial assumptions was analyzed separately. No interdependencies were taken into account.