Shaping, Helping, Supporting. Social Responsibility at Daimler.

Social responsibility at Daimler.

For us, entrepreneurial spirit and social responsibility go hand in hand. That is why, together with our employees we are involved in a variety of projects oriented toward public welfare in order to help solve the challenges facing society. Our global presence gives us the opportunity to participate in actively shaping the social environment at our corporate locations and to promote intercultural dialogue. We are concentrating our efforts on six key areas.

4 Education Inspiring enthusiasm for the future.

For more than 125 years, our enthusiasm for new ideas and innovations has inspired us to reinvent mobility over and over again. We are promoting this enthusiasm for technology and science, and in general terms the ability to perceive the world with open eyes and to look beyond the confi nes of our working lives with

a variety of educational projects on a worldwide scale. After all, education opens the door to a future of opportunities for all.

5 Arts & culture Promoting what unites us.

The promotion of the arts and culture is a matter of high priority for us, because art builds

bridges. A rich cultural life and a vibrant arts scene are the breeding ground for creativity and innovation. The Daimler Art Collection, as well as our transnational commitment to music, the visual arts, and museums, are expressions of open-minded interaction beyond the workplace.

6 Foundations Investing in knowledge.

Progress cannot be achieved without knowl-edge. It is only through the selective global advancement of science, research, education,

and culture that we can secure sustainable development while fostering international

understanding. With our charitable foundations, we are investing in the innovative power of people, whose ideas enable us to overcome the social challenges of our time and to successfully

meet those in store for us in the future.

1 Road safety Learning what enhances safety.

On our “Road to Accident-free Driving” it is important for us to protect and relieve the

burden on drivers with appropriate systems and to provide assistance in mastering hazardous situations. But this is only one aspect. Our

ambition is to ensure road safety for all with initiatives for young children, road safety

education projects for school pupils, and safety training courses for adults.

2 Environmental protection Preserving what is important to us.

It is our responsibility to preserve the diversity of habitats for future generations. An emission-free future for the automobile and responsible treatment of our natural resources are there-fore the top priorities in both the development and production of our vehicles. As a partner in numerous organizations and environmental initiatives worldwide we also help to ensure that our world will still be worth living in tomorrow.

3 Social responsibility Helping where we are needed.

Daimler provided emergency assistance when the earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan and the resulting nuclear disaster in Fukushima present-ed the world with immense challenges in 2011, when Thailand was threatened by fl oods, East Africa was ravaged by famine, and Turkey was shaken by earthquakes. But we also get things moving on a smaller scale in projects initiated or supported by the Group and our employees, where we provide help where it is needed the most.

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What do a rainbow hospital ward, a children’s zoo, and the elimination of fi sh traps have in common? All three projects are funded by Daimler – but not because we have changed industries. We are in the automotive industry, and that is where we will remain! But experi-ence has taught us that those do who more in their spare time than is demanded by their profession, and those who think holistically and show voluntary com-mitment to a good cause, get things moving at their workplaces and act more sustainably. This is reason enough for us to support this commitment on the part of our employees to socially or ecologically worthy projects. To mark the 125th anniversary of the car and the truck in 2011, we did just this in 125 exemplary cases – in keeping with the motto “We move it!” And this fi ts in perfectly with our branch of industry...

Of course, the social responsibility of an international-ly active enterprise goes far beyond supporting chari-table projects – especially in the case of an enterprise that invented the car and the truck. We are thus fi rmly committed to our responsibility and our aspiration to sustainably shape the future of mobility – for example with highly innovative vehicles that not only consume less and less fuel, but also have lower and lower CO2 emission levels. This year we will become the fi rst premium manufacturer to offer an electric car “for all”: the battery-electric smart of the third generation. It locally no longer emits any CO2. At the beginning of this year, we already introduced the world’s most fuel-effi cient premium automobile, the Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID. And our commercial vehicles are setting new standards, too: Our new Mercedes-Benz Actros already complies with the stringent Euro VI emissions standard that will come into force in 2014 – and is the fi rst long-haul truck ever to do so.

Behind all these achievements are more than 270,000 Daimler employees worldwide. Their diversity aptly refl ects that of our customers and markets. And it proves once again that top performance is not a mat-ter of gender, age, or background – in fact, different perspectives and competencies constitute fertile ground for building vehicles that inspire our customers throughout the world.

To ensure that there will be no shortage of creative minds in the future too, we are particularly dedicated to education – and not just at the top of the pyramid. In close cooperation with the relevant authorities, we are also addressing schools. In October 2010, for example, we initiated our “Genius” training initia-tive, with which we are setting out to arouse interest among children and adolescents – not least girls – in issues such as mobility, environmental protection, and technology at as early an age as possible. After all, the earlier education is provided, the greater the success. Education is a cumulative process in which material once learned becomes more productive by the year.

I could mention many more examples of Daimler’s commitment to society. The spectrum ranges from providing spontaneous aid in the wake of disasters or other emergencies to long-term funding schemes in the fi eld of the arts and culture. You can fi nd some instances in this brochure. They are wide-ranging, but they all show one thing: Economic success and social responsibility have long since ceased to be contradic-tory. Rather, they are mutually dependent. And that is a good thing.

I wish you enjoyable reading!

Dieter Zetsche

Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars

Foreword

Deriving enjoyment from reading is essential for grasping educational and

career opportunities. Dr. Dieter Zetsche aroused enthisiasm among children

with Christmas stories at the “Stuttgarter Kindertaler” event.

Dear reader,

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Children are active participants in road traffi c. From primary school age, they are on the move on foot, by bike, and as passen-gers in cars or buses; they rely on our particular attention and consideration. But children can also contribute to their own safety.

Safety is fun. To ensure this, we developed the MobileKids initia-tive together with international road traffi c experts. With this fi rst and only concept of its kind worldwide, we have been making chil-dren around the world fi t for road traffi c ever since 2001. Whether in Germany, India, Malaysia, Israel, or Italy: MobileKids conveys the many facets of road safety in an age-appropriate, interesting, and entertaining manner. MobileKids is fun for children and gives them the confi dence to move independently and safely through traffi c. To achieve this goal, we stage events such as the Mobile-Kids School Days, a nationwide road safety contest for German elementary school classes, in which children for example can submit crafts, poems, or pictures. At the MobileKids road traffi c school in the Ravensburger Spieleland amusement park, boys and girls can earn the coveted Children’s Driver’s License – this was acquired by 70,000 participants in 2011 alone. In the course of this, they learn the meaning of the most important road signs and basic traf fi c rules. As a special highlight, the youngsters then get to drive one of 25 electric-powered replicas of the SLK Roadster over a 1,300-square-meter course complete with traffi c lights, intersections, and road signs. By this means, they put their newly acquired knowledge to the test and get to know the driver’s perspective of traffi c in an entertaining manner.

Learning with enthusiasm. The numerous campaigns at schools and the interesting information provided on the MobileKids web-site not only address children. The concept takes a comprehen-sive approach: Parents and educational institutions are also given increased awareness of risk prevention and are supported by a wealth of information. Together with the University of Koblenz-Landau, for example, we have developed high-quality didactic materials on topics such as “Seeing and being seen” or “Crossing the road.” The materials do not include advertising and are avail-able free of charge on the MobileKids website.Another interesting aspect is the interactive approach of Mobile-Kids: The Safety Map invites participants to document critical spots in their local traffi c environment for the benefi t of all, for example in their own streets or on their children’s way to school. In this cooperative project for the benefi t of all, an interactive map is generated that provides information on hazards, practical solutions, and special traffi c conditions.

Learning What Generates Safety for All: MobileKids.

Mobility can be fun! With MobileKids, children learn in a playful manner

how to move safely through traffi c.

1 | Road safety

Road safety arises both inside and outside a vehicle. Our “Road to Accident-free Driving” initiative therefore also includes training for road users.

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Assessing risks early and then reacting to them effectively

takes practice. Safety training courses for drivers of cars and

commercial vehicles enhance road safety.

Not only the driver is responsible for the secure stowage of luggage and cargo

on board a vehicle. Awareness must also be enhanced among passengers.

The school bus as a hazard: the OMNIplus safety

training from EvoBus GmbH fosters mutual understanding

between bus drivers and school pupils.

The human remains the decisive factor in road traffi c.

Safely into the Future.

Safety for all road users is one of our guiding principles.

Passengers have a responsibility too. The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy takes a different approach. RoadSense is an interactive road safety education program specially devised for 8th grade students. It was developed to sharpen young people’s awareness of their own behavior and responsibility in road traffi c as early as possible. Whoever rides in a vehicle must ensure his or own safety and take responsibility: Is the driver going too fast or taking too many risks? Is he or she distracted? And how should I react? Under the guidance of specially trained instruc-tors, the youngsters spend half a day actively learning how to assess their own roles as passengers and those of other participants in road traffi c in order to resolve confl icts and avoid risks – for their own safety and that of all other road users.

Getting there safely together. With the OMNIplus safety training course of EvoBus GmbH, we show school pupils how to make an active contribution to road safety when traveling by school bus: How should I behave when getting off, or at the bus stop? We inform bus drivers of their rights and obligations in traffi c and refresh their theoretical knowledge of brak-ing distances. A special feature is that we then train pupils and bus drivers together – with information about the hazards of the blind spot, and a practical demonstration of stopping distances. The aim is to develop mutual understanding in a dialogue between bus drivers and students.

Safe driving requires practice. Despite the numer-ous driver assistance and safety systems available, a vehicle does not drive itself. Technology supports drivers and reduces stress to an increasing extent, but it must remain controllable. Heavy traffi c and complex situations demand responsible, safe action on the part of all road users. Our continuing education courses for drivers of cars and commercial vehicles make a major contribution to road safety. With more than 65,000 participants from 50 countries, Mercedes-Benz Driver Training has developed to become the largest facility of its kind for truck drivers. 14,000 bus drivers have also completed our safety training courses since 1993. Some 5,000 young car drivers participated in the Mercedes-Benz Cup 2011 China’s Best Driver Contest held in several Chinese cities. This fi rst safety training course from a car manufacturer ever to be staged in China included awards for safe and consid-erate driving.

1 | Road safety

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The global demand for mobility is on the rise, and individual transportation is constantly growing. The impact on the environ-ment and climate is visible and tangible. Our aim is therefore to considerably reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of our vehicles and to prevent them entirely in the long term. In our

“Road to Emission-free Driving” initiative we are concentrating on three areas: optimizing the combustion engine, further increasing effi ciency through hybridization, and zero-emission driving with battery- or fuel cell-powered vehicles. By the end of 2012 we in-tend to reduce the CO2 emissions from our European new vehicle fl eet to less than 140 grams per kilometer; this corresponds to a reduction of almost 40 percent since 1995. Daimler is on the right track with a number of initiatives for the passenger car and com-mercial vehicle sectors.

We set the scene for progress. Customer acceptance and the rapid proliferation of electric and hybrid vehicles will depend on a close-knit infrastructure of fi lling and recharging stations for new fuels such as electricity and hydrogen. In the course of strategic partnerships with electricity suppliers and energy companies, we are involved in initiatives such as H2 Mobility for the establish-ment of a hydrogen infrastructure. In international e-mobility projects together with partners from the political sphere and utility companies, we are seeking practical solutions for the imple-mentation of electromobility.

New concepts are changing our way of thinking. At the same time, we are also assuming a leading role on the way to fl exible and networked driving by promoting innovative mobility initia-tives. With car2go, Daimler is meeting its customers’ demand for fl exible, urban mobility: The motto is “Simply get in and drive off.” The car2gether mobility concept is a modern form of ride-sharing. A concept ideally suited to rapidly growing cities is the Bus Rapid Transit system, in which regular-service buses travel at short intervals along dedicated lanes of traffi c, with separate traffi c light phases.

Environmental protection begins in production. We also strive to set standards with our production and processing technologies and in environmental protection. From development through to recycling, we incorporate all stages of vehicle production and the entire product life cycle into a preventive environmental protec-tion concept. The use of renewable energy, climate-friendly heat generation, and new painting techniques or the optimization of existing facilities are just some examples of holistic environ-mental management at Daimler – as is borne out by numerous Environmental Certifi cates.

Preserving What Is Important to Us: Environmental Protection.

For sustainable mobility and a clean environment: Electric vehicles with

battery and fuel cell drive are showing the way to a local zero-emission

mobile future.

2 | Environmental protection

Protecting the environment is an integral part of our corporate operations. As an automotive manufacturer, we have a responsibility to avoid emissions, improve energy effi ciency, and promote the development of environmentally friendly engines and fuels.

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Environmental Protection Concerns Us All.

Environmental protection is a holistic task that we address in all areas of the Group – and beyond.

It’s never too early for environmental education. For a number of years, Daimler has been supporting the work of NatureLife International, a foundation for the environment, education, and sustainability, in various environmental projects. Last year, we launched the model project Neckar Junior Rangers

– Young Ambassadors for a Living River Neckar, which deals with environmental and sustainability edu-cation for children and adolescents. The aim of this project is to train a total of 100 “Neckar Junior Rang-ers” and to create enthusiasm among these ambas-sadors for a living river landscape in their home region. By learning about and refl ecting on environmental interrelationships, young people acquire competence that will serve them well in developing natural habitats with positive, innovative ideas in the future. The young people are encouraged to share their acquired knowledge.

The same objective – an all-round environmental edu-cation for children – was pursued in the project Pla-neta Mercedes Benz – Our Sustainable World car-ried out in Brazil last summer. In plays and workshops, children aged 8 to 12 years learned the importance of environmental protection in an entertaining way.

Water is the source of all life. Since 1998, Daimler has been supporting the Global Nature Fund in the worldwide protection of freshwater reserves and pro-moting the global Living Lakes network, an initiative that is committed to the protection and restoration of more than 100 lakes and wetland areas throughout the world. Last year for the fi rst time, Daimler AG and the Global Nature Fund organized a Family Nature Camp on Lake Constance, which is part of the Living Lakes network. With a creative blend of information and entertainment on the subjects of environmental protection and nature conservation, families and young people gained increasing awareness for a responsible treatment of this elixir of life.

The world belongs to us all. We also actively carry out environmental protection at the other end of the world. Since 2007, Mercedes-Benz China has joined forces with the United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in protecting and preserving world cultural heritage landscapes in China. The Green Legacy Program, for example, has made great advances in species conservation; the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries and the Mercedes-Benz Panda Kindergarten are just two highlights of this program. The world cul-tural heritage landscapes of Dujiangyan and Mount Qingcheng, Mount Lushan, and Mount Sanqingshan benefi t from this support for water and landscape conservation projects and for programs concerned with green tourism and environmental education for children and adults.

Nature is the basis of our future. It is our duty to protect and preserve it for the current and future generations.

Environmental awareness can be fun: Children participate in the project

“Neckar Junior Rangers – Young Ambassadors for a Living River Neckar.”

As part of the Green Legacy Program, Mercedes-Benz China supports

species protection. Children become aware of this issue at the opening

of the new panda kindergarten in the Chinese province of Sichuan.

Water is life: The global Living Lakes network is committed

to protecting the world’s freshwater reserves.

2 | Environmental protection

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As a globally active enterprise, we bear responsibility for all those who are in need of help and particular care. And we accept this responsibility together with our employees.

Just one example of our employees’ commitment, which we gladly support, is last year’s We move it! Campaign, in which employees throughout Germany could apply to cooperate with a non-profi t organization for the support of social and environmental projects. Of the 1,062 proposals submitted from 16 Daimler locations, a selection panel chose 125 highly diverse initiatives which are now being subsidized by Daimler and implemented by the employees.

Many small ideas are a big help. One example of the ingenu-ity and variety of the selected projects is the Climbing with a Handicap initiative of the German Alpine Association’s Baden-Baden/Murgtal Chapter. Funding is provided for disabled climbers, who require climbing routes with large holds on an inclined wall at the new indoor climbing center in Baden-Baden. The wall will allow handicapped climbers to reach heights of up to 13 meters without assistance, thus helping them to overcome fears and self-imposed limitations. The Regenbogenwohnung (Rainbow Ward) project of the Würzburg-based Parents’ Initiative for Children with Leukemia and Tumors is setting out to establish a parents’ apart-ment. As the research and medical care in the fi eld of leukemia and tumors in Würzburg is very good, affected families travel there from many parts of Germany. The Rainbow Ward will provide the families of affected children with appropriate accommodation, so that they can be closer to their children during these diffi cult times. The society Zigeunerinsel Stuttgart 1910 e.V. Is creating a refuge for city dwellers with its project “Let’s putz Feuersee” (Let’s Clean up Feuersee Lake). In collaboration with committed citizens, organizations, the local church parish, and the municipal authorities, Feuersee Lake – a centrally located “green lung” in Stuttgart – is to be revitalized: Once the water is drained off the lake will be cleaned, its surroundings beautifi ed, and a concept for oxygen enrichment developed in order to counteract alga forma-tion in summer.

The diversity and creativity of the submitted proposals and the commitment of our employees bear out the high degree of responsibility in social interaction that characterizes our entire Group.

Helping Where We Are Needed: We Move It.

From the more than 1,000 excellent suggestions submitted

by our employees, a selection panel chose 125 on conclusion

of the “We move it!” campaign. These projects are now being

sponsored by Daimler.

3 | Social responsibility

Daimler is involved in aid projects both large and small, on a worldwide basis – as are our employees. Countless initiatives are the expression of responsibility, compassion, and a common desire to open up opportunities to all those who need our assistance.

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Happiness shared is happiness doubled. With the initiative Schenk ein Lächeln (Give a Smile) the name says it all. Since this project was founded in 2008 by Daimler Financial Services, Daimler employees in Stuttgart and Berlin have packed Christmas parcels for children from socially disadvantaged families. Last year 1,200 packages with toys, school supplies, sweets, and clothes brought a smile to the faces of recipients and givers alike. With the social assistance fund ProCent, which was established on the initiative of the General Works Council, employees are given the opportunity to donate the cent amounts from their net earnings to a charitable project; each cent donated is matched by the Group with a donation of the same amount. A small gesture with a big effect.

A helping hand knows no borders. Support does not have to be of a fi nancial nature. For the Day of Caring, the employees of Daimler Financial Services worldwide invest their time and skills in transforming society: They help build schools, establish homes for the needy, and renovate social institutions. Particular commitment was shown by some 250 employees from the HR division – including many trainees – who were involved in converting an off-road G-Class and trailer for operations in Bolivia. In less than six months, the vehicle and its trailer were completely overhauled and fi tted out to meet the conditions of this South American country. The off-roader is used by the International Caritas charity organization for disaster relief and prevention in regions of Bolivia particularly affected by climate change. Since 1998, Daimler has been one of the principal sponsors of Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel e.V., an organization for the distribution of food to people in need. About 600 Sprinter and Vito vans have now been handed over to the centers throughout Germany, following modifi cation to meet the organization’s specifi c requirements. After a one-time donation of 100 vehicles, Daimler is now assuming 50 percent of the purchase costs.

Help can be rendered in many ways: on a large or a small scale, nationally or internationally, by the Group itself, or by supporting the commitment of our employees.

Help Makes for Happiness.

It’s not always money that counts. Personal commitment, too, can bring happiness.

A special kind of employee commitment: At the Day of Caring,

employees from Daimler Financial Services

throughout the world lent

a helping hand.

Hands-on commitment was shown

by some 250 employees who converted

a G-Class vehicle for disaster relief

operations in Bolivia.

Giving is just as pleasurable as receiving.

In 2011, Daimler employees packed

1,700 parcels for children from socially

disadvantaged families.

3 | Social responsibility

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Rapid assistance provides fast relief. As a globally active enterprise, we see ourselves in a position of re-sponsibility to support aid projects worldwide. As well as supporting our national companies and subsidiaries in the selection and monitoring of initiatives, we have also installed a process for disaster aid that guaran-tees effective assistance. For example, Daimler not only provided short-term relief in the amount of two million euros in the wake of the devastating earthquake in Japan. The Group also made a total of 50 trucks and SUVs available to the aid organization Nippon Foundation for reconstruction work. We also rendered rapid, effective assistance following the earthquake disasters in China, Haiti, and Turkey, the devastating fl oods in Thailand, and the famine in East Africa.

Help for self-help promotes independence. A great many projects initiated by Daimler set out to open per-spectives and opportunities for disadvantaged people around the world. SEED (sustainability – education – empowerment – development), an initiative created on the occasion of the establishment of Daimler Financial Services’ national division, for example supports fami-lies in Chennai, India. The spectrum of assistance ranges from the construction of shelters and access to educational opportunities, through development assistance, to health advice. Together with the founda-tion “Menschen für Menschen” (People for People), Mercedes-Benz Bank contributes to the funding of microloan programs for instance in Ethiopia, where above all unmarried, divorced, or widowed women are provided with support. In South Africa too, as a supplement to training courses and health care, and in Brazil in the establishment of small businesses and securing autonomous livelihoods, microloans help people throughout the world to become more independent.

Light in the darkness. Help for people living in abject poverty and with no perspectives in life has been provided since 2010 with the aid project Ekukhanyeni from Mercedes-Benz South Africa. This project, which initially merely provided day care for children in the town of Lawley south of Johannesburg, has since undergone impressive development. In addition to further day care vacancies, the town now has its own school. This gives children access to nearby second-ary schools, thus greatly helping to improve their prospects in life. The introduction of a sustainable permaculture around the centers and the entire com-munity sets out to create sustainable, nature-oriented cycles. This extends to agriculture, energy supply, landscape planning, and infrastructure design.

Assuming responsibility. As an employer, Daimler also bears a great deal of responsibility for the health of its employees. In collaboration with the parent company Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz South Africa therefore plays a proactive role in initiating HIV/AIDS prevention and relief programs. In South Africa, an estimated six out of the country’s 50 million inhabit-ants are affected by the virus. The spread of HIV/AIDS has already been contained thanks to initiatives such as Siyakhana. Along with providing comprehensive information, the focus here is on free AIDS testing, supply of medicines, the provision of clinic vacancies, and support for the families of the people affected. With its Trucking Wellness health care program for truck drivers, Mercedes-Benz South Africa is joining forces with the South African Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS (SABCOHA) to get to the root of the problem. Since they travel a great deal, truck drivers are a particularly vulnerable group. In addition to the 22 health centers that have now been established at truck stops along the transport routes, mobile clinics will be stationed in Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans in six provinces of South Africa. The HIV/AIDS initiative will be supplemented by treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria.

Only a stable society can provide a good business environment. We take our social responsibility seriously.

Helping Where Help Is Needed.

We provide effective assistance, wherever in the world it may be needed – for emergency aid in the wake of disasters, and in long-term help for self-help.

Effective disaster aid brings rapid, unbureaucratic relief

when it is most needed.

Microloans help people to become

self-suffi cient and are the best

example of helping others to help

themselves.

Truck drivers are the backbone of the South African transport industry.

As part of the “Trucking Wellness” project, Mercedes-Benz is providing 22

health centers at truck stops , along with several Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

vans fi tted out as mobile clinics for HIVAIDS prevention.

3 | Social responsibility

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Daimler sets out to create interest and enthusiasm for science and technology among young people already in their early child-hood. We benefi t from children’s natural curiosity and thirst for knowledge and convey the educational content in an entertaining manner. In this manner, we are actively helping to secure talented, motivated prospective young professionals and engineers for our company and for society.

Curiosity is the driving force of education. Genius focuses on topics that are both attractive for young people and highly relevant to the development of society. What will the mobility of the future look like? How can we protect our environment and the climate? What will our cars run on tomorrow and in the more dis-tant future? We also want to arouse young researchers’ interest in more general natural phenomena: How does a tornado arise? What is a magnet?

Exciting educational material arouses curiosity. As part of the Genius initiative, we work closely with schools: Pupils and teachers are given access to the latest topics in the fi eld of tech-nology. In cooperation with the educational publishing company Klett MINT, Genius has developed practical, curriculum-oriented instructional units in science and technology. The high-quality didactic material is made available to teachers free of charge. In collaboration with Genius, the State of Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Culture has already secured the topic of Mobility of the Future in the secondary school curriculum.

Playful learning fosters creativity. Children, adolescents, parents, and teachers can discover Genius in many places: At a hands-on exhibition in the Ravensburger Spieleland amuse-ment park, for instance, boys and girls can explore how energy is produced and used to generate motion. We also offer regular free workshops on topics such as magnetism, road safety, and electricity. These events, which are staged in locations like the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, address children of various ages from four to fourteen. Children and adults can become part of the vibrant, interactive Genius knowledge community. The website of the community includes exciting features on environ-mental and technology issues, along with entertaining puzzles for boys and girls – and the participants can even become Genius reporters.

Enthusiasm for a Future Full of Opportunities: Genius.

4 | Education

Inquisitive questions are always worthwhile. At the Genius workshops,

children develop smart solutions. The “Safety” workshop shows children

in a playful manner how an airbag works.

Knowledge is humankind’s most important resource. For decades, Daimler has seen it as its responsibility to extend, share, and communicate knowledge.

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People’s ideas and skills are our most productive capital.

Knowledge Strengthens.

Our conviction: Education is a sustainable investment in society.

Social competence fosters self-confi dence. Since early 2011, Daimler Financial Services has been sponsoring the C/O Berlin Teens cultural education program, in which young people become acquainted with the visual media, from photography to motion pictures, under professional conditions and are given the opportunity to try their hand in this fi eld. In teams, the youngsters discover cultural diversity as creative potential, develop ideas together and implement them with the help of educationists and artists. Young people learn how to deal with money successfully in the Plus/Minus seminars offered by Daimler Financial Services: Here, participants can learn how to build up equity, and reduce or avoid debt even with small incomes. In the U.S. our Group supports the volunteer initiative Beyond Basics, which actively enhances the literacy and communication skills of disadvantaged young people. This initiative also focuses on topics like assertiveness, self-esteem, and respectful, productive teamwork.

Music and art open up new perspectives. An all-round education includes encounters with art and music. In the long-term Hope Happy Music project, 125 Chinese schools are fi tted out with exemplary music rooms. More than 40,000 pupils have already benefi ted from this program. We also provide our employees with convenient and interesting access to aesthetic pleasures: At our Evening Academies we offer free tours and lectures in the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart art museum after working hours.

The fascination of our unique initiatives. We sup-port original, impulse-giving ideas and techniques for acquiring and sharing knowledge. The project Gedächtnis der Nation (Memory of the Nation), subsidized by Daimler, is an interactive online video database. Witnesses of German history recall signifi -cant historical moments and relate their very own personal experiences. The accounts and experiences of the contributors are thus made accessible to all and preserved for future generations. Stories generate history, and history creates identity – for individuals, societies, and enterprises.

Daimler educates people the world over. Together with the women’s organization CYDD, we are creat-ing opportunities for socially disadvantaged girls in Turkey to embark on technical professions. The award-winning project Each Girl is a Star offers young women aged fi fteen to eighteen years a four-year vocational training program with internships at Mercedes-Benz Turkey or at dealerships and suppliers. The participants are encouraged to discover their own skills and develop self-confi dence – and with success: More and more women who complete the program choose to continue along this career path and enroll for a technical course of study. We have responded to this trend by extending the initiative to include a university scholarship program. In Argentina too, our company has offered a scholarship program since 1962: We fi nance training for pupils at the Juan Manuel Fangio Technical School in Buenos Aires, which was founded by Daimler. In South Africa we support adults who have been excluded from a formal education by providing them with vocational train-ing. Together with the St. Anthony’s Centre in Reiger Park, a township on the outskirts of Johannesburg, we train men and women of all ages in subjects such as literacy, welding, and bricklaying. In cooperation with selected local universities, we also promote talented young Arabs by giving them the opportunity to gain practical working experience at a German corporate location. The focus here is on the exchange of knowl-edge in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership development, and education.

We promote tomorrow’s top researchers. Together with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Daimler has established a doctoral program and an endowed professorship, which allow nine young scien-tists to conduct research at the highest level on topics relating to electromobility. We are thereby combining the promotion of education with our endeavors for sustainability. In addition to their activities at KIT, the doctoral candidates from the disciplines of mechani-cal engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engi-neering, and information technology work at Daimler’s Research and Development department. Our company thereby reinforces the transfer between industry and academia. A further doctoral program run in coopera-tion with the Universities of Stuttgart and Esslin-gen on the topic of hybrid technology enhances and expedites the innovative capacity of the participants and combines their expertise.

Even big-time scientists start out small: Dr. Dieter Zetsche generates

enthusiasm among the coming generation at the Children’s University

in Tübingen.

More than 40,000 pupils participate in the

Hope Happy Music project in China and benefi t

from exemplary music rooms.

Knowledge creates perspectives: Young apprentices at St. Anthony’s

Center in a Johannesburg township.

4 | Education

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In 1977 the Group laid the foundation for its Daimler Art Col-lection, which now comprises some 2,000 works. Already at the time of its establishment, the intention was to secure cultural education within the company. Employees at various locations are therefore given direct access to the works of art. Through their daily encounters with art as a matter of course, it becomes an integral part of their everyday working environment. The abstract-minimalist basic orientation of the Collection includes interna-tional items to an ever greater extent, in view of the increasing internationalization and globalization of the company. It is thus the organically grown – and steadily growing – expression of our Group’s social self-image and cultural profi le.

Invitation to dialogue. The Collection, comprising works by some 700 German and international artists, is of course acces-sible not only to employees but also to the general public on previously arranged guided tours. Whether it be on the factory premises in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, Möhringen, or Sindelfi ngen or in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim: The Daimler Art Collection demonstrates that commitment to art is a fi rmly established part of the Group’s cultural profi le. Parts of the Collection can also be seen on the world tour of major museums that was launched in 2003, with an educational program specially devised for school and university students.

Art has a home. The Daimler Art Collection fi rst moved into a domicile of its own at the Group’s Berlin location in 1999, in the elaborately renovated Haus Huth complex on Potsdamer Platz. The “Daimler Contemporary” room provides special insights. The thematic exhibitions and new acquisitions shown are rotated on a quarterly basis. This exhibition space is also the setting for smaller exhibits by individual artists and for special exhibitions.

Promoting What Unites Us: Arts and Culture.

The many visitors to the exhibition “Art & Stars & Cars” experienced

an intriguing dialogue between art and automotive history at the

Mercedes-Benz Museum in 2011.

5 | Arts & culture

The visual arts, literature, and music connect people across borders and demonstrate the diversity of our world’s cultures. Encounter with the arts in museums, on stage, and within the company promotes openness for new ideas.

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Success can only be achieved by striving for perfection – whether in business or in art.

Art Builds Bridges between Cultures.

Arts and culture are a breeding ground for creativity and give impulses for new trends, ideas, and concepts.

Music is a universal language. Our commitment focuses not only on the visual arts. The German Music Council, an umbrella association covering more than eight million music-loving citizens, is the largest and most signifi cant cultural body in Germany. Daimler supports the German Music Council by subsidizing the Federal Youth Orchestra. Here, Germany’s top young musicians – instrumentalists and singers alike – are given the opportunity to work with renowned conduc-tors and experienced tutors. The world-renowned Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele (Ludwigsburg Pal-ace Festival), which can look back on a long tradition, provides a showcase for international artists from the fi elds of orchestral and chamber music, drama, dance, and literature. International artists also benefi t from our commitment. The broad spectrum of projects sup-ported by Daimler ranges from the Moscow Meets Friends music festival in Russia to the Emerging Artist Award jointly bestowed by Daimler Financial Services and the renowned Cranbrook Academy in the U.S..

Art provides new insights. Our employees are not the only ones who benefi t from our commitment to the visual arts. Through our long-term partner-ship with the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart art museum, Daimler has distinguished itself as an active supporter of the cultural life of this city. With the event series Evening Academy and KunstNacht (Night of Art), for instance, experts from the Staatsgalerie have aroused many people’s interest in art with inspiring tours and lectures. Art does not have to be diffi cult to understand. Once the background and the context are explained in an easily comprehensible and enlighten-ing way, prejudices and misgivings are cast aside and visitors see the exhibits with new eyes. The interna-tionally renowned Kunsthalle Tübingen gallery, which is supported by our company as its principal sponsor, exerts a magnetic attraction on thousands of art-lovers each year.

Art builds bridges. At our international locations too, many projects show how important art is to us as a unifying element of our global society. The strategic partnership of Mercedes-Benz in establishing Art Beijing, China’s leading contemporary art fair, is just one example. In Florence the artists’ residence Villa Romana has served the promotion of young artists ever since its inception. The annual Villa Romana Prize, the German art award with the longest history, comes with a scholarship that enables talented artists to de-velop their aesthetic and technical skills in the course of a prolonged stay in Italy.

Nothing is more international than music. It does not

differentiate between skin color or origin, but builds

bridges between nations. The Ludwigsburg Palace

Festival, with its 80-year tradition, is a place of encounter

for artists from all over the world.

Access to art is facilitated by interesting lecture

series iniitated by Daimler in collaboration with

art partners from the Stuttgart region.

Children are frequently more receptive to art than adults.

Their openness, curiosity, and desire to discover new things

make them enthusiasts of modern art.

5 | Arts & culture

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Whoever wishes to achieve sustainable development must invest in human innovation. With our foundations, we therefore encourage research and education, culture and health, and international understanding on a worldwide basis.

The Daimler and Benz Foundation. The Daimler and Benz Foundation supports interdisciplinary research about the interrelationship between humans, the environment, and technology. For this purpose, the Foundation draws on ideas from the spheres of sci-ence, industry, and society and fosters their intensive scientifi c treatment. The Foundation sees itself as a driver of the knowledge society and endeavors to con-tribute to the future development of society by making scientifi c fi ndings readily available to interested parties. The research programs focus on issues such as environmental protection as a national objective, technology and safety, transformations in our world of living, and cities as settlements and habitats.

The Berlin Colloquium of the Daimler and Benz Foundation conveys important scientifi c issues and fi ndings to the general public. Over recent years, the Colloquium has developed into a discussion forum for scientists and decision-makers from a wide variety of fi elds. The Innovation Forum initiated by the Founda-tion is a place of encounter for discussions between economists and young managers.

The Daimler and Benz Foundation also performs an important function in the promotion of talented young scientists. The Bertha Benz Prize, awarded on the oc-casion of the annual Bertha Benz Lecture, for example, acknowledges outstanding doctoral theses presented by women in the engineering sciences.

The German Sports Aid Foundation. The German Sports Aid Foundation has already been promoting German junior and elite athletes for 43 years, and it has enjoyed a close partnership with Mercedes-Benz for more than two decades. Mercedes-Benz extended its commitment four years ago and has since been one of the four “National Sponsors” of the German Sports Aid Foundation. In this role, Mercedes-Benz is making both material and ideological contributions to the sustainable promotion of German athletes. This support extends to almost all Olympic disciplines, traditional non-Olympic sports, and sports for disabled and deaf athletes.

Daimler has established foundations for a long-term, targeted distribution of subsidies. In some areas, we also group together our activities for society in chari-table foundations. On the occasion of “125 Years of the Automobile” at the end of 2010, the Board of Management resolved to increase the capital of the Daimler and Benz Founda-tion by 88 million to a total of 125 million.

The Daimler Foundation. This organization for the advancement of science, research, and education currently focuses on three areas of funding:1. Structural problems in research and education 2. Engineering sciences3. International and scientifi c cooperation

As part of its focus on “Structural problems in re-search and education,” the Daimler Foundation has made a sustainable contribution to the establishment of endowed professorships in Germany, such as those for Integral Transport Planning and for Production Software at the University of Stuttgart, and for Hybrid-Electric Vehicles at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technol-ogy (KIT). Support has also been provided for the Karl Feuerstein Endowed Chair of Pain Research at the Mannheim Clinic of the University of Heidelberg, and for the Endowed Chair of Process-oriented Technology Design at the University of Bremen.

The Daimler Foundation also supports the German Future Award, which has been presented annually since 1977. This technology and innovation prize, bestowed by the Federal President, is one of the country’s most prestigious scientifi c awards.

The Laureus Foundation. “Sport has the power to change the world,” said Nelson Mandela, the Patron of Laureus, at the presentation ceremony for the fi rst Laureus World Sports Awards. Numerous examples have shown that he is right. Sport – in the midst of poverty – can provide goals, bring success, and give hope.

Daimler established the Laureus Sport for Good Foun-dation in 2001 together with the International Watch Company (IWC) in Schaffhausen. The Foundation is a global movement in honor of sport and its unifying power. Laureus comprises the three core elements Laureus World Sports Academy, Laureus World Sports Awards, and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Together, these institutions not only acknowledge sporting excellence, but also put the power of sport to effect in bringing about social change.

Since its inception, Laureus has donated more than 40 million to various projects. The Foundation current-ly supports around 90 global social sports projects worldwide for the benefi t of disadvantaged children and adolescents. Top international athletes and further celebrities are involved on a voluntary basis.

Investing in Knowledge: Science, Technology, and Environmental Protection.

6 | Foundations

With four Olympic victories, the Laureus Ambassador and world record-holder

Michael Johnson is one of the most successful athletes of all time and is a role

model for socially disadvantaged children and adolescents.

Sport brings people together: Daimler makes both a

creative and a material contribution to the sustainable

promotion of German athletes.

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59 million euros were provided by Daimler in 2011 to support projects of charitable organizations and social initiatives as part of its commitment to society.

1,200 women in Ethiopia benefi t from the microloan program developed by Daimler in conjunction with the foundation

“Menschen für Menschen” (People for People).

1,062 proposals for social and environmental initiatives were submitted by Daimler employees as part of the “We move it!” campaign. The Group made available a total of 625,000 euros for 125 selected projects.

2,200 employees gave voluntary assistance at the 2011 “Day of Caring.” Daimler Financial Services enables employees to take a day off from work in order to participate in social or environmental projects.

4,750 young people have already participated in the RoadSense traffi c education program, which heightens the traffi c awareness of eighth-graders from all types of schools.

2,000,000 euros were rapidly made available by Daimler following the devastating earth-quake and tsunami in northern Japan.

7,000 children in Brazil experienced a new brand of environmental education at performances of the play “Planeta Mercedes-Benz – Our Sustainable World” initiated by Mercedes-Benz do Brasil.

35 years ago, Daimler started to promote contemporary art. The Daimler Art Collection currently comprises some 2,000 works, which are accessible to both employees and the public.

70,000 children attended the MobileKids road traffi c school last year.

40 percent less CO2 emissions compared to 1995: This is the goal to be attained by the Daimler new car fl eet in 2012.

125 million euros is the amount of capital of the Daimler Benz and Foundation. As an impulse-giver of the knowledge community, the Foundation contributes to the future development of society.

Facts and Figures. Our Brands.

Daimler at a Glance. Daimler AG is one of the world’s most successful auto-motive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world’s biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides fi nancing, leasing, fl eet management, insurance and innovative mobility services.

The company’s founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today: The Group’s focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal to and fascinate its customers. For many years now, Daimler has been investing continually in the development of alter-

native drive systems with the goal of making emission-free driving possible in the long term. So in addition to vehicles with hybrid drive, Daimler now has the broadest range of locally emission-free electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment.

Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on fi ve continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world’s most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Bharat-Benz, Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2011, the Group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed a workforce of more than 271,000 people; revenue totaled €106.5 billion and EBIT amounted to €8.8 billion.

Social responsibility is fi rmly anchored in the corporate culture of the Daimler Group. Being prepared to provide assistance is an integral part of this commitment. Together with our employees, we are facing up to the economic, social, and environmental challenges of the future. We are creating a reliable system of values that provides orientation and support in a changing world.

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