NEW PATHS IN 2020 We have embarked on a new decade and looking back on the past decade, we can see that we have come a long way. We can also proudly say that we are by no means finished yet. Our new goal towards 2030 is to create a sustainable future – one carpet at a time. As we embark on 2020, we have reached the deadline for a number of the goals we have spent the last many years on working to achieve. So it is now time to draw a line in the sand, see how far we got and define where we are going from here. In many ways, we are therefore starting over, with new goals and with 2020 as the new base year. We’re looking forward to the journey this will take us on, even though it will undoubtedly also bring great challenges. The last financial year entailed some major upheavals. Some of these were of our own choosing, such as changing ERP system in Ege Carpets, which entailed changes in many internal workflows, while we are still settling into the new organisation structure that was introduced on 1 May 2018. Other challenges came from outside, such as Brexit and the Covid-19 virus, which in the course of no time turned the whole world upside down and put the normal game rules out of action. We have sought to navigate these challenges in the best possible way without compromising on our aim to be a socially responsible company. We owe a huge vote of thanks to all the employees who have shown a great willingness to help the company in the best possible way as we navigated the challenges we faced. It has been a difficult year for everyone, which makes it all the more pleasing that, despite these external events, we can also look back on a year in which the ege Group in many ways took a quantum leap forward in our sustainability work. Ege Carpets undertook a complete Cradle to Cradle certification of all carpets for the contract market, thereby making the choice that their carpets must always be sustainable. No other carpet manufacturers hold Cradle to Cradle certification of the entire range. This was also the year in which a new sustainability strategy was adopted by Ege Carpets. This strategy will have a very great impact on the entire Group going forward, since in view of its size and revenue Ege Carpets is a leading player in the ege Group. In the longer term, the direction set by Ege Carpets will also set the course for the other brands. This is good news for us as a Group, but also for the society in general. During the past year we became involved in the Danish government’s work on climate change when CEO John Vestergaard was nominated as vice chairman of the government's Climate Partnership for production companies. Through the Climate Partnership, we are helping to set the direction for how production companies can contribute to reducing Denmark's CO2 emissions by 70% before 2030. This is a role that we take very seriously and to which we attach great importance. Consequently we have decided, that the ege Group will be carbon neutral in 2030. We experience constantly increasing demand for good CSR stories. Our work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals draws a lot of interest from many sides, ranging from students to companies and public authorities. It is an honour to be invited to give presentations on this and many other important issues within the circular economy and the sustainable agenda. This bears witness to how society deems it necessary to take responsibility. One of our most important messages in these presentations is always that, together and individually, we must each dare to make a difference. This is how we can achieve the most. Our aim is still to be the world’s best carpet manufacturer when it comes to CSR. This Sustainability Report shows how we are dedicated to achieving this goal. The four brands in the Group are at different stages of the CSR journey, but they are all making dedicated efforts to achieve the same agenda. We hereby encourage everyone to join us on the journey towards a sustainable future. Herning, 2. juli 2020 CEO John Vestergaard CCO Svend Aage Færch Nielsen 5
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