Siemens 2010 Annual Report Download - page 81

261 Additional information 147 Consolidated Financial Statements

Recognition for our achievements
The true value of a company’s accomplishments becomes apparent only when these achievements
are recognized. At our company, this recognition takes various forms: first, the confidence that you,
our shareholders, demonstrate when you make long-term investments in our company; second, the
pride of our employees, who are not only committed to their company but also recommend it as an
attractive employer; and finally, the acceptance and loyalty of our customers, whose orders sustain
our business.
We have an obligation to earn the respect of all our stakeholders – our shareholders, our employees
and our customers. This obligation motivates us in our day-to-day work and promotes the long-term
stability of our company. As an infrastructure provider, a major employer and an economic force in
the regions where we do business, we also attach great importance to engaging in dialogue with
governments, organizations and people all around the world. That’s why we’re particularly proud
of the recognition they bestowed on us in fiscal .
One highlight was the trip of U.S. President Barack Obama to our production plant for wind turbine
rotor blades in Fort Madison, Iowa. During his visit, the first-ever by an American president to a
Siemens facility in the U.S., President Obama said of our company, “You’re showing America our
future.” Higher praise from an American president for the role of Siemens in the U.S. can hardly be
imagined.
Equally gratifying were the visits of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to our plants in Tianjin and Xi’an.
When he proclaimed “Siemens is a Chinese company,” Premier Wen was acknowledging the roots we
have in his country and the respect we enjoy there. His statement also underscores the high esteem
that our prudent, long-term business activities have earned us in China.
We were also very pleased that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev were both in attendance when we signed extensive cooperation agreements with Russian
partners in the fields of rail technology and wind power in Yekaterinburg in mid-July . This
was one of numerous occasions on which we met with the German chancellor and the Russian
head of state.
One encounter that I found personally very moving was a discussion with former South African presi-
dent and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela. Having traveled to South Africa for the festivi-
ties marking the th anniversary of Siemens’ business activities in South Africa, I had the honor of
being received by Mr. Mandela. This extraordinary gesture was an expression of the high regard that
we’ve long enjoyed as a result of our contributions to the country’s development and our responsible
behavior toward our local employees and within South African society in general.
All these meetings are a testimony to the great respect in which our company is held around the
world. They show not only that our individual achievements are gaining attention, but also that our
company in its entirety is being seen and recognized as a worldwide infrastructure provider. Siemens
is known all around the globe as a good corporate citizen. Like the many generations before us who
helped establish our reputation, we can and should be proud of this valuable asset.