8. Auditors
8.1 Duration of the mandate and term of the Auditor in Charge
At the 2014 General Meeting, KPMG, Lucerne, were appointed as the new statutory auditors for the financial year. They have been reappointed annually since that time. According to the Articles of Association, their term ends with the approval of the financial statements for the relevant financial year. The Auditor in Charge, Thomas Affolter, has been in office since 2014. According to the provisions of the Swiss Code of Obligations, he may execute this mandate for a maximum of seven years. Thomas Affolter will therefore be responsible for the audit of the Emmi Group until the 2020 annual financial statements have been approved.
8.2 Audit fees
For the year under review, the agreed audit fee for the performance of their mandate as statutory auditors (including the audit of the consolidated financial statements) amounted to KCHF 1,373.
8.3 Additional fees
During the year under review, KPMG charged a total of KCHF 205 for additional services beyond the scope of their statutory mandate. This fee includes KCHF 126 for tax advice and KCHF 79 for other consulting and audit-related services.
8.4 Information tools used by the external auditors
The supervision and monitoring of the auditors is exercised by the full Board of Directors. The Board of Directors’ Audit Committee assesses the performance, invoicing and independence of the external auditors and provides the Board of Directors with corresponding recommendations. It also annually reviews the scope of the audit, the audit plans and the relevant procedures, and discusses the audit reports with the Auditor in Charge. Details of the term of the Auditor in Charge can be found in section 8.1. The report on the final audit of the annual accounts is also sent to all members of the Board of Directors for the final approval of the Annual Report. The Auditor in Charge attended three meetings of the Audit Committee in the year under review. Details on Internal Audit are provided in section 3.7 Information and control instruments vis-à-vis Group Management.