AmazonScience/document-haystack

1necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from 2material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.3In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is responsible for assessing 4the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. They also have the responsibility for 5disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern. In addition, they are responsible 6for financial reporting based on the going concern basis of accounting unless there is an 7intention to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or there is no realistic alternative but 8to do so.9Furthermore, management is responsible for the preparation of the summarized management 10report that, as a whole, provides an appropriate view of the Group's position and is, in all 11material respects, consistent with the consolidated financial statements, complies with 12German legal requirements, and appropriately presents the opportunities and risks of future 13development. In addition, management is responsible for such arrangements and measures 14(systems) as they have considered necessary to enable the preparation of a management 15report that is in accordance with the applicable German legal requirements, and to be able to 16provide sufficient appropriate evidence for the assertions in the summarized management 17report.18The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the Group's financial reporting process 19for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements and of the summarized 20management report.21Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial 22Statements and of the Summarized Management Report23Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial 24statements as a whole are free from material misstatements, whether due to fraud or error, 25and whether the summarized management report as a whole provides an appropriate view of 26the Group's position and, in all material respects, is consistent with the consolidated financial 27statements and the knowledge obtained in the audit, complies with the German legal 28requirements and appropriately presents the opportunities and risks of future development, 29as well as to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinions on the consolidated financial 30statements and on the summarized management report.31Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit 32conducted in accordance with Section 317 HGB and the EU Audit Regulation and in 33compliance with German Generally Accepted Standards for Financial Statement Audits 34promulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW) will always detect a material 35misstatement. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, 36individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic 37decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements and this 38summarized management report.39We exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the 40audit. We also:41— Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial 42statements and of the summarized management report, whether due to fraud or error, 43design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence 44that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinions. The risk of not 45detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from 46error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or 47the override of internal controls.48— Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit of the consolidated 49financial statements and of arrangements and measures (systems) relevant to the audit of 50the summarized management report in order to design audit procedures that are 51appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the 52effectiveness of these systems.53— Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used by management and the 54reasonableness of estimates made by management and related disclosures.55— Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use of the going concern basis of 56accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty 57exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group's ability 58to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are 59required to draw attention in the auditor's report to the related disclosures in the 60consolidated financial statements and in the summarized management report or, if such 61disclosures are inadequate, to modify our respective opinions. Our conclusions are based 62on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future 63events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to be able to continue as a going 64concern.65— Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial 66statements, including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements 67present the underlying transactions and events in a manner that the consolidated financial 68statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and financial 69performance of the Group in compliance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the 70additional requirements of German commercial law pursuant to Section 315e (1) HGB.71— Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the 72entities or business activities within the Group to express opinions on the consolidated 73         74To our 75Shareholders76Summarised 77Management Report78Consolidated 79Financial Statements Compensation Report Corporate Govern-80ance Statement81Supplementary 82Information DWS 2023 Annual Report83 84Confirmations85137 Independent Auditor’s Report