SÜSS MicroTec SE

Annual Report • Mar 27, 2025

Annual Report 2024

Growing Innovation

Advanced Backend Solutions

• Mask Aligner
• UV Projection Scanner
• Coater / Developer
• Bonder

Order intake: • € 300.2 million

• Segment Sales:
• € 314.7 million
• Segment EBIT:
• € 60.5 million

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Photomask Solutions

• Equipment for production and cleaning of photomasks

Order intake: • € 123.5 million Segment Sales: • € 131.4 million Segment EBIT: • € 27.2 million

Key Figures

SUSS Group – continuing operations

in € million	2024	2023	Change
Business Development
Order intake	423.7	420.5	0.8%
Order book as of December 31	428.4	452.5	−5.3%
Sales	446.1	304.3	46.6%
Gross profit	178.3	103.9	71.6%
Gross profit margin	40.0%	34.1%	5.9%-Points
Cost of sales	267.8	200.4	33.6%
Research and development costs	40.1	31.3	28.1%
EBITDA	83.0	34.7	139.2%
EBITDA margin	18.6%	11.4%	7.2%-Points
EBIT	75.1	27.8	170.1%
EBIT margin	16.8%	9.1%	7.7%-Points
Earnings after taxes (continuing operations)	52.1	17.3	201.2%
Net profit 1	110.3	4.7	-
Earnings per share, basic (in EUR) continuing operations	2.72	0.91	198.9%
Earnings per share, basic (in EUR) 1	5.77	0.25	-

in € million	2024	2023	Change
Balance sheet and cash flow
Equity	279.7	176.6	58.4%
Equity ratio	55.9%	47.8%	8.1%-Points
Balance sheet total	500.9	369.7	35.5%
ROCE	36.8%	17.5%	19.3%-Points
Net Cash	122.9	32.8	274.7%
Free cash flow (continuing operations)	25.3	7.9	220.3%
Free cash flow total 1	96.1	−4.4	–
Further key figures
Investments	7.6	4.6	65.2%
Investment ratio	1.7%	1.5%	0.2%-Points
Depreciation	7.8	6.9	13.0%
Employees as of December 31	1,498	1,207	24.1%

1 including discontinued operations

Content

Letter to the Shareholders	7
Report of the Supervisory Board	9
Investor Relations – SUSS in the Capital Markets	17
Condensed Management Report	22
Consolidated Financial Statements (IFRS)	231
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements	246
Responsibility Statement by the Legal Representatives	308
Audit Certificate of the Independent Auditor	309
Independent Auditor's Report	317
Five-Year Overview	321
Contact / Imprint	322

5

6

Company

Letter to the Shareholders 7 Report of the Supervisory Board 9 Investor Relations – SUSS in the Capital Markets 17

Letter to the Shareholders

Dear Shareholders,

The 2024 financial year was the most successful year in the history of SUSS. Our goal was to execute the high order book – driven in particular by numerous orders in connection with the capacity expansion for AI chip modules – and to achieve profitable growth. We impressively accomplished this with sales growth of 47 percent to around € 446 million, a gross profit margin of 40 percent and an EBIT margin of 16.8 percent. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our employees who made these outstanding results possible. We would also like to thank our business partners, especially our suppliers, who had a significant contribution to our growth.

Last year was much more than just a year of growth. We celebrat-

In the 2024 financial year, we achieved sales growth of

ry throughout the year: with our customers at SEMICON trade shows around the world, and with our employees and their families at major site events. We were particularly pleased that Dr. Winfried Süss, son of our

ed our 75th company anniversa-

company founder Karl Süss, came to our celebration in Garching shortly after his 90th birthday. In his emotional speech to the guests, the roots of our company were literally tangible.

However, the past development of SUSS over the last 75 years is no guarantee for the future. Our Strategy 2030 is designed to ensure our success for tomorrow and beyond. In essence, we are increasingly focusing on innovative solutions that we can offer to leading customers in the semiconductor industry and manufacture in small series. We expect this focus to improve the scalability of our business model with further growth and higher profitability. More details on our mid-term and long-term outlook are likely to be presented in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The fact that we remain ambitious was also underscored in 2024 with the launch of our new brand identity. We have simplified the SUSS MicroTec brand to the concise and international name SUSS. We have mixed the colours yellow and blue and developed the new corporate colour green. A dark green that stands for our

from left to right: Burkhardt Frick, Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer and Dr. Thomas Rohe

legacy and experience. And a light, active green that represents our future orientation and dynamic spirit. Our new brand identity also includes our new claim: Growing Innovation. Because innovation and growth are inseparably linked in our industry, which continuously pushes technological boundaries and contributes significantly to the evolution of new end applications such as generative AI.

Growth often sounds so obvious. For us at SUSS, growth means building more tools than ever before. To do this, we need a flexible organization that can adapt to market demand changes. That happened in 2024, where we added 291 people to our team, an increase of almost a quarter compared to the previous year. These 291 more dedicated people working in research and development, production, our business units, in sales and service and in administrative functions to meet the expectations of our customers. In 2024, we also succeeded in increasing our production capacity, while at the same time improving our flexibility. As part of our platform and modularization strategy, we define modules that suppliers build on our behalf. Manufacturing partners also provide temporary support during periods of peak demand.

As a management team, it is our responsibility to ensure the shortterm success of SUSS while preparing the company for the midterm and long-term future. And we are fundamentally optimistic about the future! There is a high potential that we will generate significantly more sales in 2030 compared to what we do today. Therefore, we are now setting the course for further growth, which includes the decision we made last year to move to a larger production facility in Taiwan. We are currently preparing a leased new building in Zhubei, around 10 kilometers from our current site in Hsinchu, to start production in the second half of 2025. The relocation gives us the perspective of doubling our production capacity in Taiwan if needed. And this strategic step sends a clear message to our customers: We are preparing to be an even stronger partner in the future with room to grow!

We are currently undergoing a growth transformation not only in operations, but also in all other functions. With IT and digitalization projects, as well as the continuous expansion of our research and development activities, we are ensuring the future readiness and capabilities for long-term success of SUSS.

These examples illustrate the need to continuously balance shortand long-term perspectives. We see these projects as investments in the future. Consequently, we anticipate that our profitability in 2025 should be at around the same levels as in the previous year. In detail, we expect ranges for gross profit margin of 39 to 41 percent and for EBIT margin of 15 to 17 percent.

In terms of sales levels, we expect to achieve another record of € 470 to 510 million in 2025. SUSS is set to remain a growth company in 2025. And an innovative company, because we are currently working at full speed on product and process solutions that we plan to launch in 2026. These include the next generations of our photomask cleaners for high-end and mid-end applications and our new wafer cleaning solution in the Photomask Solutions segment – as well as a new mask aligner and an enhanced UV projection scanner in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment. All in the spirit of our brand promise: Growing Innovation.

We would like to thank you, our shareholders, for the trust you have placed in us and the entire SUSS team. Trust in our strategic direction to create value for our company.

Best regards,

Burkhardt Frick

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Dr. Thomas Rohe

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Report of the Supervisory Board

In the 2024 financial year, the Supervisory Board carried out its duties with due diligence pursuant to the statutory requirements, articles of incorporation, and Company bylaws. The Supervisory Board monitored the work of the Management Board diligently and regularly. On the following pages, the Supervisory Board reports on its activities in the 2024 financial year.

Dear shareholders,

The 2024 financial year was a successful and eventful year for SUSS. It was successful in the sense that SUSS experienced outstanding development over the past financial year. The Group's revenue increased by 46.6 percent compared to the previous year, reaching a new all-time high of € 446.1 million. Never before has the Company built and delivered as many systems as in 2024. With an EBIT of € 75.1 million and an EBIT margin of 16.8 percent, the result for the past financial year is outstanding.

Thanks to the strong performance in 2024, SUSS has already achieved its mid-term targets for 2025 – namely, Group sales of € 400 million and an EBIT margin of 15 percent. It is worth noting that these targets still included the contribution of the MicroOptics segment, which was sold in January 2024. This development should therefore be regarded as a significant success. In the 2024 financial year, the Company was able to demonstrate the potential that lies within SUSS.

In addition to the operational success of our semiconductor equipment business, there were several notable events in 2024: the completion of the sale of the MicroOptics segment in January, the celebrations for the Company's 75th anniversary in the summer, the decision to establish a new site in Taiwan, and the launch of our new brand identity in the fall. The Supervisory Board has closely monitored these developments. The Supervisory Board has also overseen current and upcoming (regulatory) requirements and the associated challenges, such as preparing for the significantly increased demands in sustainability reporting.

Dr. David Dean, Chairman of the Supervisory Board

In our supervisory work, we have closely monitored the overall economic and political developments as well as market trends in the semiconductor market and analyzed their impact on the Company. The Management Board regularly updated the Supervisory Board on the current business performance, the Company's net assets, financial position, and results of operations, as well as ESG and sustainability topics. In addition to the Supervisory Board meetings, the Chair of the Supervisory Board was in close contact with the Management Board and informed himself about significant business transactions. Additionally, the Chair of the Audit Committee engaged in regular and in-depth exchanges with CFO Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer and the auditors from Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, based in Düsseldorf with a branch in Munich, on topics related to financial reporting, the year-end audit, governance systems, and the review of non-financial reporting.

Continuous Dialogue with the Management Board

The Supervisory Board has once again fulfilled its duties, as required by law, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Company Bylaws, with the utmost diligence. To this end, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board have worked together in a spirit of trust, always in the best interest of the Company. The Supervisory Board monitored the Management Board throughout the financial year and provided guidance on corporate control. The communication between the Supervisory Board and the Management Board, whether in person or virtually, was constructive and characterized by focused and productive discussions.

The Supervisory Board was involved in all decisions that were of vital importance to the Company. The business development, financial situation, and strategic direction of the SUSS Group and its subsidiaries were regularly discussed by the Supervisory Board. The Management Board regularly informed the Supervisory Board through detailed written and oral reports on the intended business policy, corporate planning – particularly financial, investment, and personnel planning – and the strategy and developments in order intake, sales, liquidity, and earnings. The Supervisory Board always had the opportunity to critically examine the reports and proposals of the Management Board. Deviations in business performance from targets and plans, as well as measures to address these deviations, were explained in detail by the Management Board and reviewed by the Supervisory Board.

Even outside the Supervisory Board meetings, both I, as the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board, and the respective Chair of the committees maintained close contact with the Management Board. The Supervisory Board was comprehensively and promptly informed about current developments and significant business matters. The continuous briefing of the Chair of the Supervisory Board on significant business transactions, which were essential for assessing the Company's situation and business development, was always ensured.

The Supervisory Board discussed significant business transactions in detail with the Management Board. The Supervisory Board granted its approval for transactions requiring approval. In addition, the Supervisory Board regularly confirmed that the Management Board acted properly, lawfully, and appropriately. The Supervisory Board was given the necessary access to the Company's relevant business documents.

Meetings and Main Topics of Discussion

Eleven Supervisory Board meetings were held in 2024. Five of the meetings were regular sessions held on March 22, 2024, June 10, 2024, October 10, 2024, October 11, 2024, and December 5, 2024. The following table provides an overview of the individual meeting attendance of the Supervisory Board members.

Supervisory Board Meetings

Supervisory Board member	Attendance at meetings (during reporting period)	Of which: Attended in person	Of which: Attended virtually	Presence (during reporting period)
Dr. David Dean	11 / 11	7	4	100%
Dr. Myriam Jahn	11 / 11	6	5	100%
Dr. Bernd Schulte	11 / 11	8	3	100%
Jan Smits	11 / 11	5	6	100%
Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp	11 / 11	7	4	100%

annual financial statements. In addition, the compensation report for the 2023 financial year was discussed and approved. There was an in-depth exchange with the auditors regarding the key focus areas of the financial audit for the 2023 financial year.

Furthermore, the outlook for the 2024 financial year, as well as the changing reporting and corporate organization requirements due to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), were discussed. Additionally, the agenda for the 2024 Shareholders' Meeting was approved.

In the second regular meeting on June 10, 2024, the Supervisory Board analyzed and discussed the corporate and location strategy of SUSS. The Supervisory Board discussed and approved new Company Bylaws for the Management Board, the Supervisory Board, and the Supervisory Board committees.

In the regular meeting on October 10, 2024, the discussions focused on the Company's corporate and portfolio strategy. In the meeting, the Management Board presented the corporate strategy and outlined various scenarios. The results serve as the basis for mid-term planning. As part of the presentation on strategy and strategic initiatives, the Supervisory Board received in-depth reports on the business units, sales and service, research and development, operations, and human resources, which were discussed with the Management Board.

The incumbent Supervisory Board members participated in all Supervisory Board meetings and resolutions. In accordance with the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code (DCGK) to hold Supervisory Board meetings without the Management Board, the Supervisory Board also met without the Management Board on February 16, 2024, March 22, 2024, October 11, 2024, and December 5, 2024. In addition to the regular and extraordinary meetings, several resolutions were passed by written procedure.

The business development, financial situation, and strategic direction of SUSS MicroTec SE and its subsidiaries were regularly discussed. The Management Board provided the Supervisory Board with comprehensive information on corporate planning, strategic decisions, and developments in order intake, sales, earnings, and liquidity. In the regular meetings of the Supervisory Board, in addition to the recurring standard reports from the Management Board and the reports from the Supervisory Board committees, the following key topics were addressed.

In the regular Supervisory Board meeting on March 22, 2024, the annual financial statements prepared by the Management Board, the consolidated financial statements, and the combined management report of the Company and the Group, including the non-financial Group statement, were reviewed and approved by the Supervisory Board. This confirmed the adoption of the In the regular meeting on October 11, 2024, the Supervisory Board focused on the internal organization of the committee, selected ESG topics, and the development of individual company locations.

In the final regular meeting of the year on December 5, 2024, the Supervisory Board discussed the budget plan for the 2025 financial year and reviewed the progress of strategy implementation. In the meeting, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board jointly issued the Declaration of Compliance regarding the German Corporate Governance Code (DCGK).

As in the previous year, the Supervisory Board also addressed, based on the findings and recommendations of the Audit Committee, the monitoring of the financial and non-financial reporting process, the effectiveness of the internal control system, the risk management system, the compliance management system, and internal auditing, as well as the independence of the external auditor.

The Supervisory Board also discussed the status and further development of corporate governance in the Company. In particular, compliance with the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code (DCGK) was discussed.

Committee Meetings Personnel Committee

As of December 31, 2024, the Personnel Committee (which also serves as the Nomination and Compensation Committee) continued to consist of the Supervisory Board members Dr. David Dean (Chair), Dr. Myriam Jahn, and Jan Smits. The Personnel Committee deals with matters related to the Management Board and, in particular, prepares the Supervisory Board's personnel decisions. Furthermore, the Personnel Committee proposes suitable candidates to the Supervisory Board for its recommendations to the Shareholders' Meeting regarding the election of Supervisory Board members and regularly reviews the qualification profile for the Supervisory Board. The following table provides an overview of the individual meeting attendance of the members of the Personnel Committee.

Meetings of the Personnel Committee

The committee met for a regular session on December 2, 2024, and held extraordinary meetings on January 25, 2024, and February 8, 2024. The meetings were held in a virtual format. All members of the committee attended all meetings. In the first half of the year, the committee focused on long-term succession planning and the anticipated achievement of the sustainability-related variable compensation components of the Management Board's remuneration. The committee determined the achievement level of the sustainability-related targets for the Management Board's short-term variable compensation (STI) and longterm variable compensation (LTI) in preparation for the full Supervisory Board. In the second half of the year, the committee developed the sustainability targets for the STI and LTI of the Management Board's compensation for the 2025 financial year and the 2025–2027 period.

Supervisory Board member	Attendance at meetings (during reporting period)	Of which: Attended in person	Of which: Attended virtually	Presence (during reporting period)
Dr. David Dean	3 / 3	–	3	100%
Dr. Myriam Jahn	3 / 3	–	3	100%
Jan Smits	3 / 3	–	3	100%

Audit Committee

As of December 31, 2024, and continuing thereafter, the Audit Committee consisted of Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp (Chair), Dr. David Dean, Dr. Bernd Schulte, and Jan Smits. The Audit Committee primarily deals with issues related to financial reporting, risk management, the internal control system, internal auditing, and the compliance management system, as well as the financial statement audit. In particular, it focuses on the selection and independence of the external auditor, the quality of the audit, and the fee agreement.

The Audit Committee discusses with the auditor the assessment of the audit risk, the audit strategy, the audit planning, and the audit results. The Chair of the Audit Committee regularly discussed the progress of the audit with the auditor and reported on this to the committee. The Audit Committee also met with the auditor without the presence of the Management Board.

The Audit Committee remained apprised of business development through regular review of the management reporting during the year. The five regular meetings of the Audit Committee in the reporting year took place on February 15, 2024, March 14, 2024, May 2, 2024, August 1, 2024, and November 4, 2024. All meetings were held in a hybrid format.

The following table provides an overview of the individual meeting attendance of the members of the Audit Committee.

Meetings of the Audit Committee

Supervisory Board member	Attendance at meetings (during reporting period)	Of which: Attended in person	Of which: Attended virtually	Presence (during reporting period)
Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp	5 / 5	3	2	100%
Dr. David Dean	5 / 5	4	1	100%
Jan Smits	4 / 5	–	4	80%
Dr. Bernd Schulte	5 / 5	4	1	100%

The meeting in the first quarter focused on the audit of the financial statement. The focus was on reviewing and auditing the annual financial statements of the individual entities, the consolidated financial statements, including the condensed Management Report for the Company and the Group according to HGB and IFRS, as well as the audit of non-financial reporting in preparation for the Supervisory Board meeting to adopt the financial statements. The Audit Committee also addressed the internal control system, the early risk detection system, the risk management system, the compliance management system, and internal auditing, as well as the assessment of the effectiveness of these five governance systems.

In the second quarter, the Audit Committee discussed with the Management Board the quarterly statement for the first quarter of 2024 and the initial forecast for the current financial year. The Audit Committee and the Management Board reviewed the preparation process and audit of the annual and consolidated financial statements, including the condensed Management Report and non-financial reporting, and derived improvements for the following year. Furthermore, the committee discussed the status of preparations for sustainability reporting in accordance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

In the third quarter, the Audit Committee focused on the Interim Report as of June 30, 2024, the risk management system, the internal audit system, and the progress in preparing sustainability reporting in accordance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in 2024.

In the fourth quarter, the committee discussed the quarterly statement for the third quarter of 2024, the third forecast for the financial year, and the auditors' current audit approach, including the status of the audit of non-financial reporting. Furthermore, the committee discussed the tender process for the financial statement audit for the 2025 financial year. The Audit Committee also received an update on the further development of the risk management system, the compliance management system, and internal auditing. In addition, the Supervisory Board defined the key audit areas for the 2024 audit of the annual and consolidated financial statements. Additionally, the provision of non-audit services by the external auditors was discussed.

ESG Committee

As of December 31, 2024, and continuing thereafter, the ESG Committee (Sustainability Committee) consisted of the Supervisory Board members Dr. Myriam Jahn (Chair), Jan Smits, and Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp. The Sustainability Committee is responsible for monitoring and advising on the Company's environmental and sustainability programs as well as monitoring and advising on social and governance guidelines. In 2024, the committee focused extensively on the impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) on SUSS and the implementation of measures to align reporting with the requirements of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS).

Meetings of the ESG Committee

Supervisory Board member	Attendance at meetings (during reporting period)	Of which: Attended in person	Of which: Attended virtually	Presence (during reporting period)
Dr. Myriam Jahn	3 / 3	2	1	100%
Jan Smits	3 / 3	–	3	100%
Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp	3 / 3	2	1	100%

During the reporting period, three regular meetings of the Sustainability Committee were held. All meetings were held in a hybrid format. In addition to the topics already mentioned, the committee's March meeting focused on SUSS's sustainability strategy, the development of key sustainability-related metrics, and various sustainability programs and initiatives. In the September meeting, the committee discussed the progress toward achieving the sustainability targets linked to the Management Board's remuneration. Furthermore, the committee discussed the impact of AI applications on the Company and the related aspects of corporate governance. In the December meeting, the discussions focused on regulatory requirements in the areas of IT, digitalization, and data organization, including the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2, and the EU Data Act. Furthermore, the Company's emissions accounting and the results of the first Company-wide employee survey were presented and discussed.

Corporate Governance and Declaration of Compliance

As usual, the Supervisory Board dealt with corporate governance and compliance issues in the past finacial year. In December 2024, the Declaration of Compliance for the year 2024 was adopted, stating that there were no deviations from the current version of the German Corporate Governance Code. The declaration, along with the statements from previous years, has been published on the Company's website. Further information on corporate governance within the Company can be found in the Corporate Governance Declaration. A detailed report on the amount and structure of the remuneration of the Management Board and Supervisory Board can be found in the Remuneration Report. On February 16, 2024, the Supervisory Board conducted its annual self-assessment and analyzed how effectively the full board and its committees fulfill their responsibilities. This is reported in detail in the Corporate Governance Declaration.

In the 2024 reporting year, there continued to be no consultancy agreements or other service or labor contracts between the members of the Supervisory Board and the Company. Conflicts of interest involving Management Board or Supervisory Board members, which must be promptly disclosed to the Supervisory Board, were not reported during the 2024 financial year.

Audit of the Annual and Consolidated Financial Statements

Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, based in Düsseldorf, with a branch in Munich, audited the annual financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE as of December 31, 2024 prepared in accordance with the provisions of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2024 prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as well as the combined management report for the Company and the Group for fiscal year 2024 and has issued an unqualified audit opinion in each case. The consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with Section 315e HGB on the basis of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU. The Group Sustainability Statement of SUSS, which is part of the combined management report and uses the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) provided by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) as a framework, was subjected to a voluntary limited assurance engagement by the auditor and received an Auditor's report.

The auditor conducted the audit in compliance with German generally accepted standards for the audit of financial statements promulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland e.V. (IDW).

The audit reports of Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, based in Düsseldorf with a branch in Munich, were made available to all members of the Supervisory Board in a timely manner and were thoroughly discussed in the Supervisory Board's balance sheet meeting on March 21, 2025, in the presence of the auditor. The auditor reported on the key findings of the audit. In particular, the auditor provided explanations on the net assets, financial position, and results of operations of the Company and the Group and was available to the Supervisory Board in order to provide additional information. The auditor also elaborated on the scope, key findings, and costs of the audit. Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, based in Düsseldorf with a branch in Munich, was first appointed as the auditor for SUSS for the 2022 financial year. The lead auditor for the 2024 financial year was the auditor Tibor Abel, who was responsible for the audit of the financial statements and consolidated financial statements of SUSS alongside the auditor Valerie Knaack. Ms. Knaack conducted the audit for SUSS MicroTec SE for the second time, while Tibor Abel audited the Company for the third time.

The key audit matters for the SUSS Group's annual financial statements were determined to be the assessment of the impairment of goodwill and the deconsolidation of SUSS MicroOptics S.A.

Based on its own review of the annual and consolidated financial statements, the condensed Management Report for the Company and the Group, and the Management Board's proposal for the allocation of profits, the Supervisory Board raised no objections and took note of the results of the audit by Baker Tilly with approval. In its meeting on March 21, 2025, the Supervisory Board approved the annual financial statements, the consolidated financial statements, and the condensed management report of SUSS MicroTec SE and the Group for the 2024 financial year, as prepared by the Management Board. The annual financial statements have thus been adopted. The Supervisory Board has endorsed the Management Board's proposal for the allocation of profits.

Composition of the Management and Supervisory Boards

In the past year, there were no changes in the composition of the Management Board or the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE. As stipulated in the Articles of Incorporation, the Management Board consisted of three members during the financial year. In the reporting year, the Management Board consisted of Burkhardt Frick as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Dr. Thomas Rohe as Chief Operations Officer (COO).

The Supervisory Board consisted of five members during the financial year. The Chair of the Supervisory Board was Dr. David Dean. The Deputy Chair was Dr. Myriam Jahn. The other members of the Supervisory Board were Jan Smits, Dr. Bernd Schulte, and Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp. In accordance with Section 100 (5) of the German Stock Corporation Law (AktG), Dr. David Dean was appointed as an expert for financial reporting and Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp as an expert for auditing in the reporting period.

Education and Training of the Supervisory Board

The members of the Supervisory Board are responsible for the training and further education measures required for their tasks. These can include changes to the legal framework, technological developments, and sustainability issues. As in every year, the Supervisory Board members continued their education on current topics, with a focus on sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), responsible supply chains, IT, and cybersecurity, as well as the risks and opportunities of artificial intelligence applications.

Thanks

My special thanks once again go to all employees who made 2024 the most successful year in the Company's history. The outstanding operational performance of SUSS in 2024 would not have been possible without their dedication. With the conclusion of the 2024 financial year, SUSS has already achieved its medium-term goals, which were set in 2018, one year ahead of our goal. We would like to highlight and sincerely thank all employees for their continuous dedication, which extends beyond the financial year and has made SUSS an important company in the global semiconductor industry.

I would like to thank the current members of the Management Board for their dedication and commitment in 2024, particularly for their significant efforts in implementing our new corporate strategy and successfully identifying a suitable location to expand production capacities in Taiwan.

Garching, Germany, March 2025

Signed

Dr. David Dean

Chairman of the Supervisory Board

Investor Relations

SUSS in the Capital Markets

The stock market in 2024 had a mixed performance. Over the course of the year, the DAX gained around 20 percent and even hit a new all-time high above the 20,000-point mark in the fall. In contrast, the MDAX dropped by about 4.7 percent. The SDAX and TecDAX, both of which include SUSS shares, ended the year 2.2 percent lower and 2.8 percent higher, respectively. While many internationally oriented companies were often able to offset weak business in Germany, companies that rely primarily on the German market struggled with the country's ongoing economic slowdown. Compared to the previous year, economic output, as measured by GDP, declined by 0.2 percentage points. Persistently high energy costs, rising wages, geopolitical crises, and political tensions continued to create uncertainty, just as they did the year before. In Germany's economic policy environment, uncertainty 30 40 50

Average price target of the SUSS' analysts as of December 31, 2024

about the stability of the federal government added to the overall unease. The SDAX reflected the growing uncertainty over the course of the year. The optimism of the first half of the year, which had driven the 0 10 20 € 73.11 0.65

index up from around 14,000 points to a peak of 15,300 points, faded by the middle of the third quarter at the latest. As a result, the index fluctuated unevenly and ended the year at 13,711 points.

SUSS Shares

SUSS shares carried the positive momentum from 2023 into 2024. From the first XETRA closing price of the year at € 27.40, the share's valuation climbed through the summer, reaching an initial peak of € 68.80 on July 11, 2024. The exceptionally strong performance of the shares mirrored the trend of other major companies in the semiconductor industry and was supported by SUSS's positive operational development. Accordingly, on July 18, 2024, the Management Board raised its forecast for the company's financial performance indicators. Despite its strong performance, the shares underwent a significant correction in early August amid a weak market environment, closing at € 49.20 on August 5, 2024. The subsequent recovery propelled the SUSS shares to a new all-time high, reaching € 70.50 on October 9, 2024. From this level, the shares underwent another significant correction, dropping to € 54.10 on October 21, 2024. Following this, shares fluctuated between € 48.65 and € 60.60. The continued positive news about the establishment of a new production site in Taiwan, along with strong business performance in the third quarter, helped stabilize the share price in the fourth quarter. Over the year, based on the final XETRA closing price of € 48.65, the SUSS MicroTec SE shares recorded a total gain of 75.6 percent. With its strong performance in 2024, the SUSS shares

significantly outperformed both the SDAX and the Deutsche Börse Prime Technology Index. The SUSS shares also significantly outperformed the 24.9 percent gain of the internationally important benchmark index, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Sector Total Return (PHLX), which tracks the performance of the 30 largest U.S.-traded semiconductor companies.

Key data on SUSS shares

WKN / ISIN	A1K023 / DE000A1K0235
Reuters code	SMHN
Bloomberg code	SMHN:GR
Stock exchange segment	Prime Standard
Index memberships	TecDAX, SDAX
Description of securities	Registered shares
Designated sponsor	Hauck Aufhäuser
Initial public offering	May 18, 1999

Development of SUSS shares
	2024	2023
Number of issued shares	19,115,538 (December 31, 2024)	19,115,538 (December 31, 2023)
Of which outstanding shares	19,115,538	19,115,538
Of which own shares	–	–
Share price in €
Closing price	€ 48.65 (December 31, 2024)	€ 27.70 (December 31, 2023)
Yearly high 1	€ 70.50 (October 9, 2024)	€ 27.70 (December 29, 2023)
Yearly low 1	€ 26.05 (January 3, 2024)	€ 14.64 (January 2, 2023)
Market capitalization 1	€ 930.0 million (December 31, 2024)	€ 529.5 million (December 31, 2023)
Earnings per share (undiluted)	€ 5.77	€ 0.25
Earnings per share from continuing operations (undiluted)	€ 2.72	€ 0.91
Price-earnings ratio 1 (December 31)	8.4	110.8
Sales per share	€ 23.34	€ 15.91
Book value per share	€ 14.63	€ 9.24

1 XETRA closing price

The strong interest in SUSS shares led to a significant increase in trading volume on XETRA, the primary trading venue of the Deutsche Börse. On average, 92,000 shares were traded per day (previous year: 57,000 shares per day). Multiplying by the respective closing price of SUSS shares, this resulted in an average daily XETRA trading volume of € 4.6 million (previous year: € 1.3 million).

Further information on the long-term financial performance of SUSS can be found in our 5-year overview on page 321.

Dividend Policy

SUSS's dividend policy stipulates that 20 to 40 percent of the company's free cash flow should be distributed as dividends. This principle may be deviated from, particularly in response to overall economic or business conditions, the financial situation of the company and the resulting distributable earnings of SUSS Micro-Tec SE, or due to acquisitions or disposals of assets.

Development of dividends
Fiscal year (with payout in the following year)	Dividends per share (in €)	Dividend yield (as of December 31, in %)	Total payout amount (in € million)
2020	0.00	0.0	–
2021	0.16	0.8	3.1
2022	0.20	1.3	3.8
2023	0.20	0.7	3.8
2024 1	0.30	0.6	5.7

1 Dividend proposal

The Management Board and Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE will therefore propose a dividend of € 0.30 per share to the Shareholders' Meeting for the 2024 fiscal year. This corresponds to a total dividend amount of € 5.7 million and 22.8 percent of the free cash flow from continuing operations. The profit appropriation proposal is presented in the consolidated notes under section (23).

Shareholder Structure

Our shareholder structure changed in the 2024 fiscal year as follows: On March 4, 2024, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (United States), informed us that, as of February 29, 2024, it had exceeded the reporting threshold of 5 percent of directly or indirectly held shares. On that day, Goldman Sachs held 5.25 percent of the shares. According to Goldman Sachs' latest notification dated March 28, 2024, its stake amounted to 4.74 percent of the shares. On June 4, 2024, UBS AG (Switzerland) informed us that it held a direct or indirect stake of 3.06 percent of the shares. According to UBS's latest notification dated October 1, 2024, its stake remained at 3.10 percent. As of the end of 2024, the free float, according to the definition of Deutsche Börse AG, was 92.5 percent. The largest shareholders are fund companies, investment companies, and asset managers.

Analyst Recommendations

Over the course of the year, four predominantly international banks initiated coverage of SUSS MicroTec SE shares. In May, Berenberg initiated coverage, rating the shares as "Buy" with a price target of € 71.00. In July, Deutsche Bank initiated coverage of the shares, also recommending a "Buy" rating with a price target of € 65.00. Since September, renowned U.S. investment bank Jefferies has been regularly publishing research reports on SUSS. Jefferies also rated the shares as "Buy" in its initial report, setting a price target of € 76.00. In October, SUSS was included in the coverage of Bankhaus Metzler. Metzler also issued an initial "Buy" recommendation with a price target of € 89.00. As of December 31, 2024, the total coverage had grown to ten analysts (previous year: six analysts).

Institute	Recommendation
Berenberg	Buy
Deutsche Bank	Buy
DZ Bank	Hold
Hauck Aufhäuser	Buy
Jefferies	Buy
Metzler	Buy
mwb Research (previously AlsterResearch)	Buy (sponsored research)
Oddo BHF	Buy
Stifel	Hold (sponsored research)
Warburg	Buy (sponsored research)

The average target price of the six analysts was € 73.11 as of December 31, 2024. Current analyst estimates and sponsored research are published on our website in the area https://www. suss.com/en/investor-relations/share

Investor Relations Activities

The goal of investor relations at SUSS is to provide the capital market with relevant information for evaluating SUSS shares. For this reason, the company maintains close contact with its shareholders and engages in an open and continuous dialogue with the capital market. All members of the Management Board attended a large number of meetings with investors and analysts in 2024.

To attract new institutional investors and engage with existing shareholders, we participated in 17 investor conferences, some spanning multiple days, across Europe and North America throughout 2024. Additionally, we participated in six investor roadshows at the invitation of various banks, meeting with numerous investors. We also participated in virtual investor events and roundtable discussions on multiple occasions. Additionally, several expert meetings and visits to our largest development and production site in Sternenfels were offered throughout the year. We also presented the company to investors and analysts at multiple events during SEMICON, the world's largest semiconductor industry trade fair. Numerous one-on-one meetings with investors and analysts complemented our investor relations activities. Following the publication of annual, quarterly, and half-year financial results, we always organize conference calls where the Management Board explains the released figures and the business situation to analysts and investors.

On June 11, 2024, the ordinary Shareholders' Meeting of SUSS MicroTec SE was held in Munich. We once again held the Shareholders' Meeting as an in-person event at the Haus der Bayerischen Wirtschaft. This allowed our shareholders to gain firsthand insights into SUSS's development. The Shareholders' Meeting passed several resolutions, which can be viewed in detail at https://www.suss.com/en/investor-relations/shareholdermeeting. The Shareholder's Meeting granted discharge to the Management Board and the Supervisory Board with a majority of well over 90 percent. The Shareholders' Meeting also approved the proposal to change the parent company's legal form to SUSS MicroTec SE.

Financial Calendar 2025

May 8, 2025	Quarterly Report Q1 2025
June 3, 2025	Annual General Meeting 2025, Munich
August 7, 2025	Half Year Report 2025
November 6, 2025	Nine Months Report 2025

22

Condensed Management Report

Basics of the Group	23
Economic Report	31
Disclosures Required by Takeover Law in Accordance
with Section 289a and Section 315a of the German
Commercial Code (HGB)	48
Group Declaration Regarding Corporate Governance
as per Section 289f and Section 315d of the German
Commercial Code (HGB)	51
Group Sustainability Statement	52
Opportunities and Risk Report of SUSS Group	206
Events after the Reporting Date	225
Forecast Report	225

Basics of the Group

Business activity, sales markets, and segment structure

The SUSS Group (hereinafter referred to as SUSS) develops, manufactures, sells, and services equipment for the production of microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems, and related applications. SUSS's markets are the frontend of the semiconductor industry, serviced by the Photomask Solutions segment, and the backend of the semiconductor industry, serviced by our Advanced Backend Solutions segment.

Advanced Backend Solutions is the larger of the two segments, offering systems for various process steps with its Coating, Imaging, and Bonding Systems product lines, which, in themselves, may represent individual submarkets. Our Coating and Imaging solutions are used primarily in (advanced) packaging: This is where the chip structure is prepared at the wafer level for contact with end devices such as cellphones or tablets. Our solutions for temporary bonding and debonding, as well as for permanent debonding, including hybrid bonding, are used by our customers in the manufacture of memory chips, in (advanced) packaging and in MEMS, among other things.

For the frontend of the value chain in the semiconductor industry, we offer equipment for the production and cleaning of photolithography masks and are the market leader in this field. Our customers include the world's leading international manufacturers of photomasks and microchips, as well as their foundries.

For many years, we have generated the highest proportion of our sales in Asia, particularly in Taiwan, South Korea, and China. We manufacture our tools mainly in Sternenfels and Garching, both in Germany, and in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

In the 2024 financial year, SUSS was divided into two salesgenerating segments on the basis of continuing operations: Advanced Backend Solutions and Photomask Solutions. What used to be our third sales-generating segment, MicroOptics, was sold to Focuslight (HK) Investment Management Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of Focuslight Technologies Inc. The closing of the transaction took place in January 2024.

In addition to its two operating segments, SUSS segment reporting also covers the Central Group Functions segment. In this segment, we report overhead costs for central Group management positions and other costs for which it is not possible or appropriate to allocate them to the other segments.

Structure of the Group as at Dezember 31, 2024

Sales-generating segments

Legal structure of the group

The SUSS Group's parent company is SUSS MicroTec SE. At the Annual General Meeting of SUSS MicroTec SE on June 11, 2024, the shareholders resolved to amend Section 1 (1) of the Statue and to change the name of the Group holding company from SÜSS MicroTec SE to SUSS MicroTec SE. Changing the company name aligns the name of the Group parent company with the existing nomenclature of the Group subsidiaries and simplifies spelling and pronunciation in an international context.

The legal structure of the Group consists of the parent company, SUSS MicroTec SE, as the management and financial holding company, as well as the subsidiaries holding a majority of the proprietary Company. Development and production activities or local sales and service activities for the Group are organized in the subsidiaries. SUSS has locations in Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Netherlands.

Significant changes to the Group structure occurred in the reporting period as a result of the completion of the sale of the Micro-Optics business, as part of which all sites in Switzerland were also sold. Furthermore, HUGLE Lithography Inc., San Jose, California, was dissolved with effect from December 30, 2024. The company conducted no business operations in the reporting year and was no longer included in the scope of consolidation in the 2023 annual financial statements on account of its immateriality.

Corporate control

Corporate control is based in particular on sales, the gross profit margin, and the EBIT margin at the Group level and at the level of the operating segments. These key figures are the most important financial performance indicators for SUSS. Order intake, that is, the sum of all new and binding orders received within a period, is another important key figure. However, it is not included in the control system because it cannot be predicted with sufficient accuracy owing to market and demand fluctuations.

The reconciliation of the gross profit and EBIT key figures is presented in the table on the development of the main financial performance indicators in the "Earnings" section of the "Group Position" chapter in the "Economic Report" section of this condensed Management Report.

In addition to the key financial figures presented, SUSS has included a selection of nonfinancial key figures in its control system since January 1, 2024. Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions at the Group level have been defined as a key indicator for the environmental aspect. The carbon footprint includes greenhouse gases that are covered by the Kyoto Protocol. Emissions are converted into carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e).

In the area of social affairs, an Employee Engagement Score (EES) is calculated quarterly to measure the extent to which employees identify with the Company. In the area of corporate governance, a key performance indicator has been set for the rate of employee participation in mandatory compliance training, which includes the in-house training program on IT security and the Code of Conduct.

Corporate and segment strategy

SUSS develops innovative technologies and process solutions for cutting-edge applications in selected, high-growth markets in the global semiconductor industry. As a solutions provider, we support our customers in high-volume production in particular. Our systems are also used in the production of small quantities and in laboratory applications.

Our overall corporate strategy is focused on being a leading partner for our customers in the relevant submarkets and on achieving profitable growth. We ensure our strong market presence via an ambitious product roadmap aligned with our customers' needs. We are systematically reducing the complexity of our operational business in order to further increase profitability in the medium term. First, this includes streamlining our product portfolio by focusing more intensively on solutions that we can manufacture in larger quantities. Second, we are continuing to pursue a platform strategy for our plants. In this context, we define modules that can be used in different solutions across multiple product lines, thus enabling efficient small-scale production. This modularization also forms the basis for increasing the integration of strategic suppliers and external production partners.

We are also steadily expanding our own production capacity. In the fourth quarter of 2024, we announced the conclusion of a long-term lease for a new, larger production site in Zhubei, Taiwan. New production capacities covering 18,000 square meters of floor space are being developed to meet the sustained high demand for SUSS solutions and lay the foundations for further targeted growth in the years ahead. Approximately 6,300 square meters of the new space will be developed for production under cleanroom conditions. We decide which solution is produced at which production site on a flexible basis, in line with the order situation and the capacity utilization of our three production sites in Taiwan and Germany.

In our business model, the sales we generate from maintaining, servicing, and optimizing the systems installed at our customers' premises are playing an increasingly important role. We intend to increase the share of total sales generated by the crosssegmental service business in the medium term through the stand-alone functional area set up in 2024.

Through our clear positioning, we pursue the goal of always being one of the leading suppliers in the markets that are relevant to SUSS. Partnerships with leading institutes and companies in the industry help us identify key trends and promising technologies at an early stage and exploit the potential for us and our target customers. The focus here is on organic growth. In the case of key technologies, meaningful additions to our portfolio, and attractive research and development capacities, we also consider targeted acquisitions of companies or business units.

In 2024, we reached an important milestone in the implementation of our strategy by completing the sale of the MicroOptics business. The segment had little synergy with the core semiconductor equipment business on which we want to focus.

In the following, we present our market position and the respective strategic approaches in our segments.

Segment Advanced Backend Solutions

The Advanced Backend Solutions segment comprises the development, production, and sale of solutions in the Imaging, Coating, and Bonding Systems product lines. Specifically, we offer mask aligners and UV projection scanners (imaging), coaters and developers (coating), and temporary and permanent bonders (bonding). These product lines are manufactured in Germany at the locations in Garching and Sternenfels, as well as in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The main market for our systems is the backend of semiconductor production. We differentiate between temporary and permanent bonding solutions. Both submarkets have different technical requirements and a differentiated competitive situation. Generating a share of sales of around 70 percent in 2024, the Advanced Backend Solutions segment was SUSS's largest segment.

With a market share of around 50 percent , our mask aligners form a strong foundation for our activities in the exposure equipment market. Our competitive advantage lies in the superior quality of our optics and alignment. We have been supporting our customers for many years with fully automated systems for high-volume production as well as with manual systems in the laboratory and in small-series production. In addition, we are positioning our UV projection scanners in certain fields of application, in the packaging process for AI chip modules in particular, as an especially cost-efficient bridging technology between mask aligners and steppers offered by our competitors. Thanks to the combination of mask aligners and UV projection scanners in our portfolio, we expect to maintain or slightly increase our sales volume in this slightly declining market in the medium term. Our solutions are used exclusively in the micrometer range and do not compete with nanometer resolution exposure technologies such as those used in the frontend of semiconductor manufacturing.

We occupy a leading position among coaters and developers. According to our own analyses, we share first and second place with an Asian competitor in the strategically important target market of advanced packaging. With our next generation of equipment, we are aiming for higher yield and throughput during ongoing operations. In doing so, our goal is to reduce our customers' cost of ownership, that is, the total cost of purchasing and operating the equipment. Our goal is to grow faster than the market overall. New coating technologies, in particular inkjet processes for efficiency-optimized processes, round out our portfolio.

In the temporary bonding and debonding market, our solutions play a key role in building capacity to produce high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM), which are required to scale manufacturing of microchips in connection with AI applications. Our temporary bonder solutions are also used to produce silicon carbide semiconductors based on 200 mm wafers. Based on our market estimates, SUSS is the leading supplier with a market share of between 30 and 40 percent. Among the leading memory manufacturers, we estimate that our market share for temporary bonders is even higher than 50 percent. In the years ahead, we expect further growth potential resulting from the expansion of capacity in existing fields of application and from addressing new applications.

In the market for permanent bonding, SUSS is a challenger with a market share in the single-digit percentage range. Following our withdrawal in the 2010s, we decided to address this market again a few years ago. It was possible to catch up with the competition again very quickly in terms of technology. The attractive future market of hybrid bonding also falls under permanent bonding. In this area, we are working together with a partner on an integrated hybrid bonder for die-to-wafer applications, that is, for connecting a wafer to individual chips. We have also developed our own solution for hybrid bonding of two wafers (wafer-to-wafer). The next step involves successful evaluation by potential customers. Similarly, since 2024, we have been providing a solution that combines both types of hybrid bonding in a single package, targeting in particular research institutes and the development units of leading semiconductor manufacturers. Hybrid bonders have the potential to make a significant contribution to sales in SUSS's bonder business in the medium to long term.

Segment Photomask Solutions

The Photomask Solutions segment comprises the development, manufacture, and sale of systems used in the production or cleaning of photomasks for the semiconductor industry. The key target markets are lithography photomask manufacturers and the frontend of the semiconductor industry, where photomask cleaning systems are typically used in close proximity to lithography equipment. The structuring and thus the actual production of microchips takes place in the frontend. Asia is the main sales region for the Photomask Solutions segment.

The majority of this segment's sales stem from our photomask cleaning solutions. According to our information, SUSS has the only mask cleaner which is qualified for the 3nm technology node. Our solutions are also scalable for the next technology nodes in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Thanks to our leadership in technology, we are by far the leading supplier according to our own calculations. Our goal is to defend our market-leading position in this growing market. We are currently developing the next generation of photomask cleaners for high-end and mid-end applications. We also supply bake and develop solutions, which are used in the production of photomasks.

We are also working on transferring our expertise in photomask cleaning to wafer cleaning. For further information, please refer to the Research and Development section of this management report.

Employees

With their experience, skills, and knowledge, our employees are one of the key factors in the success of SUSS. Our business is characterized by internationality, global positioning, and cultural diversity. Our employees work in production and technology, marketing and sales, and administrative roles worldwide. They form an important network for the cross-site exchange of knowledge and intercultural cooperation.

Employees 1	December 31, 2024	December 31, 2023
Administration	131	100
Marketing and Sales	389	329
Production and Technology	978	778
Total	1,498	1,207

1 As full-time equivalents

In the 2024 financial year, 1,498 people were employed by the SUSS Group as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: 1,207 employees). Accordingly, the number of employees rose by 24.1 percent. In 2024, we continued to work closely with universities and research institutes to raise SUSS's profile among talented graduates as early as possible and to attract new employees. For more information on the composition of our workforce in 2024, please refer to the ESRS S1 – Own workforce section of the CSRD report.

Research and development

Research and development expenditure increased substantially by € 8.8 million, or 28.1 percent , to € 40.1 million in the 2024 financial year (previous year: € 31.3 million). As a result of the exceptionally high growth in sales, the R&D ratio, that is research and development expenditures in relation to sales, fell to 9.0 percent (previous year: 10.3 percent ).

024 2	R&D ratio: 9.0 percent				40.1
023 2		R&D ratio: 10.3 percent			31.3
	0	10	20	30	40	50

0 10 20 30 40 50

At the end of 2024, 382 employees and thus approximately a quarter of all SUSS employees worked in research and development (previous year: 309 employees). In addition to expanding our own workforce, which is not progressing as quickly as we would like because of the limited availability of highly qualified scientists and engineers at German research and development facilities, we increased our collaboration with external research and development service providers in 2024. By utilizing these additional resources, we are scaling our development capacities and can complete a larger number of development projects within the planned time frame.

We also attach great importance to our partnerships with leading research and development institutes and universities. In 2024, we stepped up our partnership with Imec, a leading international semiconductor research institute based in Belgium. Over the next few years, we will continue to use Imec's infrastructure to develop processes as part of a joint development program. Skywater is our main research and development partner in North America. We have installed key equipment from our Advanced Backend Solutions segment portfolio at the Skywater site in Florida for the purpose of conducting local product demonstrations.

Segment Advanced Backend Solutions

Approximately 75 percent of our research and development expenditures were attributable to the Advanced Backend Solutions segment in the 2024 financial year. The overall goal is to capitalize on market opportunities by developing innovative solutions and to advance SUSS's targeted future growth.

In our imaging solutions, the focus was on developing new generations of equipment for the mask aligner and UV projection scanner. Both solutions are being developed consistently on the basis of the new platform and modularization strategy in order to increase the similarities between the systems and to minimize complexity. Modularization also helps us in our partnerships with strategic suppliers, whose role is to take on a growing share of module production. In addition to modularization, we are working on significant technological improvements for both solutions in order to expand their fields of application and thereby increase the number of potential major customers. The new imaging solutions are scheduled to be brought to market in 2026.

In the Bonding product line, our research and development activities continued to focus on the promising area of hybrid bonding. In 2024, we made significant progress toward our goal of providing our customers with a comprehensive hybrid bonding portfolio. While a strategically relevant customer has continued its evaluation of our wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding solution as planned and extended it into 2025, in May 2024 we announced the launch of a combined solution for wafer-to-wafer and die-towafer hybrid bonding. The fully integrated solution is designed to meet the specific requirements of research institutes and R&D teams at semiconductor manufacturers. In 2024, we also continued to develop our solution for die-to-wafer hybrid bonding, that is the connection of a wafer with individual microchips and/ or the stacking of semiconductors. Together with our partner, we are working on a fully integrated end-to-end solution. To this end, our partner is providing a pick-and-place module, which can be used to quickly and accurately place individual chips on a target wafer. We combine this module with the solution we have developed for surface preparation and cleaning to create an integrated cluster that we can offer our customers from a single source. An initial tool has been installed at our application center in Sternenfels for customer demonstration purposes. Its official launch is scheduled for the first half of 2025 and will complete our hybrid bonding portfolio.

Segment Photomask Solutions

In the Photomask Solutions segment, we are the leading provider of systems and process solutions for the production and cleaning of photomasks used in frontend lithography in semiconductor production. In 2024, our R&D activities focused in particular on the development of the high-end mask cleaner MaskTrack Smart, which is designed to provide an innovative cleaning solution for next-generation frontend lithography, including High NA EUV. In this connection, we continued to advance our development work with customers in Europe, the United States, and Asia and made considerable progress in validating technological requirements. The solution will be available for purchase in 2026.

We are also working on a new cleaning platform for the mid-end segment. We intend to use this to specifically address applications that are produced in technology nodes of 38 to 90 nanometers.

Also in 2024, we continued to develop our GreenTec wafer cleaning solution. We apply our photomask cleaning and our wafer processing expertise to develop sustainable solutions for backend processes in the semiconductor industry. In addition to a new system platform, this includes developing environmentally friendly chemicals. The target behind the solution is to significantly reduce our customers' costs as compared to conventional

technologies. A pilot system has been installed at our application center in Sternenfels. An initial system that takes into account the requirements of our production customers is scheduled for further development in 2025 and completion in the second half of the year.

Investment principles

SUSS MicroTec SE owns the Company premises at the main production, development, and administration locations in Garching and Sternenfels. SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG is also based in Sternenfels. We continuously invest in the Company buildings at both locations in order to keep them state-of-theart – also from an energy perspective. In the reporting year, SUSS concluded a long-term lease agreement for a new production site in Taiwan. SUSS is leasing the building and equipping the new site with all the necessary fixtures and fittings, such as the cleanroom infrastructure. Upon handover of the property, which is expected in the first quarter of 2025, lease liabilities in the amount of approximately € 43 million will be recognized, matched by a right-of-use asset.

Given our business model, investments in technical equipment and machinery do not play a significant role in our Company's development. The core of our added value comes from the development, design, and construction of systems for the semiconductor industry. This also includes software management, as well as the assembly and alignment of components and the installation of the finished equipment at the customer's site, plus service and maintenance. These activities do not require any capital expenditure-intensive production equipment or machines. However, due to the expected growth of the Company, additional investments will be necessary in the future to expand production and development capacity.

SUSS MicroTec SE operates a Group-wide ERP platform that is used by the German companies, the US company SUSS MicroTec, Inc., Corona, USA, SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Company Ltd., Hsinchu, Taiwan, and SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Eindhoven, Netherlands. We continuously invest in the digital transformation of our processes. This includes developing the ERP system further and using other relevant software applications.

Economic Report

Economic environment

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that, measured in terms of global gross domestic product (GDP), the world economy grew by 3.2 percent in 2024. In addition, international crises and conflicts, as well as fluctuating raw material and energy prices, continued to impact economic development across the globe. By contrast, inflation levels around the world continued to normalize, which had a positive effect. There were regional differences in terms of economic growth.

Growth in our most important sales region, Asia (Emerging and Developing Asia), amounted to 5.2 percent in 2024, after 5.7 percent in the previous year. The most important individual markets for SUSS in Asia are Taiwan, China, and South Korea. In Taiwan, real gross domestic product grew by 3.7 percent in 2024, up from the previous year's level of 1.3 percent. The economy in China continued to develop positively in 2024, although economic growth slowed to around 4.8 percent , down from 5.2 percent in the previous year. In South Korea, real gross domestic product grew by 2.2 percent in 2024 after 1.4 percent growth in the previous year.

In the United States of America, another key market for SUSS, the economy grew at a slightly slower rate of 2.8 percent in 2024, down from 2.9 percent in the previous year.

GDP growth in Europe again lagged the global average in 2024. Political instability, weak industrial production, and weak exports weighed on performance. GDP in the European Union grew by 1.0 percent (previous year: 0.6 percent ), and therefore at a higher rate than in the eurozone, where growth amounted to 0.8 percent (previous year: 0.4 percent).

The RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research expects Germany's economy to undergo a further contraction in GDP of 0.2 percent in the reporting year. The economy already contracted by 0.3 percent in 2023. Germany's export-oriented economy suffered from a combination of flagging international demand for vehicles and high energy costs. In the second half of the year in particular, a lack of certainty regarding economic policy caused by the unknown outcome of the US elections and ongoing discussions about the stability of the German government weighed on performance.

Along with general economic trends, which can serve as an indicator for global demand for semiconductors, the development of the semiconductor market and the markets for semiconductor and wafer fab equipment are of particular importance for SUSS.

Semiconductor Market

Source: Gartner, October 28, 2024; the suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

According to Gartner industry experts, sales in the semiconductor sector grew by 18.8 percent in 2024. Total industry sales worldwide therefore rose to USD 629.8 billion (previous year: USD 530.0 billion). The main positive drivers in 2024 included robust demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence applications. In addition, the upturn in electronics manufacturing, particularly in the consumer electronics and IT hardware sectors, had a positive impact. Developments in the semiconductor market remained weak in the automotive and industrial applications segments. 0 200 400 600 800

Semiconductor equipment and wafer fab equipment market

The positive development of the semiconductor market in the reporting year is also reflected in the development of the market for semiconductor equipment and the wafer fab equipment market – a key submarket for SUSS.

Development of sales in the semiconductor equipment market in USD billion

0 30 60 90 120 150 Source: SEMI, December 8, 2024

The suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) industry association expects the semiconductor equipment market to have generated sales of USD 112.8 billion in 2024. The market thus grew by 6.5 percent compared to the previous year's figure of USD 105.9 billion. This means that sales rose to a new record level, even exceeding the previous year's high figure. SEMI divides the semiconductor equipment market into three segments: assembly and packaging (A&P), test equipment, and wafer fab equipment (WFE).

Source: SEMI, December 8, 2024

0 30 60 90 120 The suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

Sales development in the wafer fab equipment market

SEMI estimates indicate that the wafer fab equipment submarket, which is particularly relevant for SUSS, grew by 5.4 percent year on year to USD 100.8 billion, up from USD 95.6 billion in the previous year. In this context, sales rose more sharply than SEMI industry experts had predicted as recently as mid-2024. The main reasons for this were sustained high levels of investment in DRAM and HBM applications used for AI solutions, as well as persistently strong demand from China, notably in the second half of the year.

Business development

2024 proved to be the most successful year in SUSS's history. We succeeded in increasing sales by 46.6 percent to € 446.1 million, and thus grew more substantially than the semiconductor and semiconductor equipment industry as a whole. This means that we have already achieved our sales target of € 400 million that was announced for 2025 one year earlier than originally planned. This outstanding performance is underpinned by the fact that we achieved this sales target without the MicroOptics business, which was sold in January. The result from continuing operations for the 2024 financial year amounted to € 52.1 million. Net income for the year amounted to € 110.3 million and included the gain on the sale of the MicroOptics business.

We commenced the 2024 financial year with an unprecedented order book, which refers to the cumulative total of all orders scheduled for a defined delivery date that remain unprocessed but have been contractually confirmed. The high order book was largely driven by the first wave of orders for our temporary bonding solutions in the second half of 2023. This strong demand continued into early 2024, particularly in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment. Demand for bonding solutions was very high in the first half of the year, accounting for more than half of the segment's order intake. As expected, the number of orders for our bonders dropped back over the summer because our customers were occupied with commissioning tools and ramping up high-volume production. By contrast, demand for coating solutions saw a significant increase starting in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, all three product lines in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment – coating, imaging, and bonding systems – contributed to the record order intake of € 147.5 million. Continued capacity growth in the production of memory and AI chips again proved to be a key factor driving demand. In the Photomask Solutions segment, the first three quarters were initially dominated by a slowdown in new business before order intake picked up noticeably in the period from October to December 2024, boosted in particular by orders from leading international customers.

Total order intake in the 2024 financial year consequently amounted to € 423.7 million (previous year: € 420.5 million), thus achieving a new record. At € 300.2 million (previous year: € 296.4 million), the Advanced Backend Solutions segment accounted for the largest share, while the Photomask Solutions segment contributed € 123.5 million (previous year: € 124.1 million) to new business. In both segments, demand from Chinese customers normalized. Viewed in absolute terms, orders from China fell by € 41.4 million overall year on year, although the other sales regions succeeded in more than making up for this decline.

The order book as of December 31, 2024, thus amounted to € 428.4 million (previous year: € 452.5 million). The largest share was attributable to our bonding solutions and to the Photomask Solutions segment. We expect to execute most of these orders in financial year 2025.

All in all, SUSS performed very positively in the financial year 2024. We had anticipated a very positive business performance even at the start of the year. The forecast for Group sales of € 340 million to € 370 million implied expected growth of 11.7 to 21.6 percent. The forecast range also implied a significant improvement of 0.9 to 3.9 percentage points in the gross profit margin, which we expected to be in the range of 35 to 38 percent. Our assumption at the time was that the EBIT margin would also improve significantly thanks to economies of scale, reaching between 10 and 12 percent.

Business development in the first half of the year significantly exceeded not only our own expectations but also those of the market. Consequently, we raised our forecast on July 18, 2024, after the development of key figures for the second quarter of 2024 became available. We then increased the expected sales to a range of € 380 million to € 410 million for 2024. The gross profit margin was expected to increase further to between 38 and 40 percent. We also raised our expectations for the EBIT margin to between 14 and 16 percent.

Based on preliminary, unaudited figures, SUSS announced in an ad hoc release on January 16, 2025, that sales would come in at around € 445 million as a result of a strong fourth quarter and would therefore be well above the forecast of € 380 million to € 410 million. The Company expected to achieve a gross profit margin at the upper end of the target range, that is, a figure of around 40 percent. At that time, the Company had anticipated the EBIT margin to be around 17.5 percent based on preliminary calculations.

Ultimately, the EBIT margin amounted to 16.8 percent. The preliminary figure for the gross profit margin of 40.0 percent was confirmed. Sales amounted to € 446.1 million.

Compared to the results achieved in the 2024 financial year, we have far exceeded the forecast published in our Annual Report dated March 27, 2024. Compared to our most recent forecast, we note that we achieved the upper end of the forecast range for the gross profit margin and exceeded the forecast figures for sales and the EBIT margin.

A comparison of the original forecast, the forecast adjustments during the year, and the target achievement is presented in the following table:

Comparison of the forecast with the result achieved

Key Figure	Original 2024 forecast (March 27, 2024)	Forecast adjustment (July 18, 2024)	Target achievement 2024 (Continuing operations)
Sales	€ 340–370 million	€ 380–410 million	€ 446.1 million
Gross profit margin	35–38%	38–40%	40,0%
EBIT margin	10–12%	14–16%	16,8%

At the beginning of the financial year, we forecast strong double-digit growth in sales for the Advanced Backend Solutions segment, as well as a positive trend in the gross profit margin and EBIT margin. These expectations were met with a growth in sales of 46.6 percent , an improvement in the gross profit margin of 6.0 percentage points to reach 42.2 percent , and an increase in the EBIT margin from 9.3 to 19.2 percent.

We expected sales in the Photomask Solutions segment to remain flat in the reporting year. We did not expect a higher EBIT margin on account of increased development costs. We succeeded in meeting high demand by increasing our production capacity, which allowed us to significantly increase our sales by 46.5 percent. The gross profit margin and the EBIT margin also benefited from an increase in business volume, rising by 6.5 percentage points to 36.1 percent and by 6.9 percentage points to 20.7 percent respectively.

Nonfinancial Performance Indicators	Internal Objectives for 2024	Results for 2024 (Continuing operations)
Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2e emissions (market-based) (in tons of CO2e)	1,417	1,491
Employee Engagement Score (in %)	≥ 23.0	38.0
Completed compliance training (in %)	100	98.0

Nonfinancial performance indicators were incorporated into the Company's internal control system for the first time in the 2024 financial year. The volume of Scope 1 and Scope 2 (market-based) CO2e emissions totaled 1,491 tons. This resulted in a CO2e intensity ratio of 3.34 for SUSS in 2024, calculated as tons of CO2e emissions per € million sales. The divergence from the emissions target arose from the leasing of additional production space in Taiwan, where it was not feasible to immediately switch to green electricity. The employee engagement score (EES), calculated for the first time in the reporting year, was also used as a performance indicator and amounted to 38.0 percent in the last survey of the year. It reached a level well above the target of 23 percent. The number of compliance training courses completed was also used as a key performance indicator for the first time. By the end of the year, 98.0 percent of all employees had completed their compliance training. The target was not met because a large number of employees joined SUSS in the fourth quarter of 2024 and had not yet completed the training by the reporting date.

The Management Board is extremely satisfied with the development of SUSS during the reporting period. In the financial year, all financial performance indicators underwent a marked improvement over the previous year. The forecast was raised over the course of the financial year and reached the upper end of the forecast range. The sale of the MicroOptics segment also boosted SUSS's liquidity levels. As of the end of the year, net cash – defined as the total of cash and cash equivalents and securities, less financial liabilities to banks and financial debt from leasing obligations – amounted to € 122.9 million (previous year: € 32.8 million).

Position of the Group Earnings position

SUSS continued to grow in the 2024 financial year. Sales rose by 46.6 percent year on year to reach € 446.1 million (previous year: € 304.3 million), thus achieving its highest level in the Company's history. With an increase in sales of € 100.0 million, the Advanced Backend Solution segment made the largest contribution to Group sales. The main factors driving this growth were our temporary bonding solutions, for which we received very large orders in the second half of 2023 in connection with semiconductors for AI applications and subsequently created additional production capacity. In the Photomask Solutions segment, sales increased by € 41.7 million year on year. We succeeded in increasing capacity by hiring additional staff, reallocating production slots, and reducing throughput times in assembly.

In 2024, gross profit, which is sales less cost of sales, increased by € 74.4 million to € 178.3 million (previous year: € 103.9 million). As a result, gross profit margin grew by 5.9 percentage points from 34.1 to 40.0 percent, driven primarily by a very favorable product and customer mix as well as very high production capacity utilization in both segments. Expenses of € 3.2 million, primarily for value adjustments of assets in the used equipment business, which will be closed in 2025, weighed on gross profit and gross profit margin.

Selling costs rose by 28.5 percent from € 21.4 million to € 27.5 million in the past financial year. Around one third of the increase, or € 2.1 million, was attributable to the higher volume of sales, in particular for freight and commissions. The largest share of the increase was due to higher personnel and material costs for sales, product management, and marketing. Meanwhile, research and development costs rose by 28.1 percent to € 40.1 million (previous year: € 31.3 million) as we recruited new staff in targeted areas and intensified our partnerships with external research and development service providers and leading semiconductor research centers. Scaling up our research and development activities is essential as we seek to lay the foundations for future growth. The R&D ratio, which is the ratio of research and development costs to sales, fell by 1.3 percentage points to 9.0 percent (previous year: 10.3 percent) as a result of the significant increase in sales. Administration costs increased in the reporting year by 40.5 percent from € 24.2 million to € 34.0 million, with the administrative cost ratio falling by 0.4 percentage points to 7.6 percent. The main factors driving the increase in administrative expenses were significantly higher IT and digital transformation expenses, in particular for cloud infrastructure and licenses, as well as for IT security, further development and expansion of the HR, controlling, finance, ESG, and governance functions, and general organizational and personnel development. In total, selling, administration and R&D costs increased by 32.1 percent from € 101.6 million (previous year: € 76.9 million), thereby – as in the previous year – developing at a significantly lower rate than sales. The corresponding expense ratio fell from 25.3 to 22.8 percent year on year.

Amounting to € −1.6 million, the balance of other operating income and expenses was negative in the 2024 financial year. This contrasts with the previous year's balance of € 0.8 million. This difference was mainly due to the fact that the balance of income and expenses from foreign currency translation amounted to € −1.0 million in the 2024 financial year, down from € 0.9 million in 2023. As in the previous year, the main foreign currency effects resulted from US dollar positions.

EBIT increased to € 75.1 million in the reporting year (previous year: € 27.8 million) due largely to a higher gross profit and the disproportionately low increase in selling, administration, and research and development costs. Therefore, the EBIT margin expanded considerably by 7.7 percentage points to 16.8 percent (previous year: 9.1 percent).

The financial result rose significantly to € 2.8 million in the 2024 financial year (previous year: € 0.5 million). Higher financial income of € 3.2 million (previous year: € 1.0 million) resulting from an increase in short-term financial investments was offset by financial expenses of € 0.5 million (previous year: € 0.4 million).

Therefore, earnings from continuing operations before taxes amounted to € 77.9 million (previous year: € 28.3 million). The income tax expense incurred on this amount came to € 25.8 million (previous year: € 11.0 million). The tax rate fell accordingly to 33.1 percent (previous year: 38.9 percent). As in the previous year, the tax rate in 2024 was also impacted by the impairment and non-recognition of deferred taxes on loss carryforwards. After taxes, earnings from continuing operations amounted to € 52.1 million (previous year: € 17.3 million).

The result from discontinued operations after taxes amounted to € 58.3 million in the 2024 financial year and essentially comprised the gain from the sale of SUSS MicroOptics S.A. In the previous year, the result from discontinued operations amounted to € −12.6 million and was also related to the MicroOptics business.

In total, the SUSS Group generated net profit for the financial year of € 110.3 million (previous year: € 4.7 million). Basic earnings per share (EPS) amounted to € 5.77 (previous year: € 0.25).

The Management Board proposed to the Supervisory Board a dividend distribution of € 0.30 per share to be submitted to the Sharehholder´s Meeting on June 3, 2025. Based on 19,115,538 dividend-bearing shares, this results in a distribution volume of € 5.7 million and a payout ratio of around 23 percent of the free cash flow from continuing operations.

The following key figures were calculated for 2024 and the previous year on the basis of continuing operations.

in € million	2024	as % of sales	2023	as % of sales
Order intake	423.7	–	420.5	–
Sales	446.1	–	304.3	–
Cost of sales	−267.8	−60.0%	−200.4	−65.9%
Gross profit	178.3	40.0%	103.9	34.1%
Selling /administration / development expenses	−101.6	−22.8%	−76.9	−25.3%
Other operating expenses/income	−1.6	−0.4%	0.8	0.3%
EBIT	75.1	16.8%	27.8	9.1%
Financial result	2.8	0.6%	0.5	0.2%
EBT	77.9	17.5%	28.3	9.3%
Income taxes	−25.8	−5.8%	−11.0	−3.6%
Profit after taxes	52.1	11.7%	17.3	5.7%
Profit / loss discontinued operations	58.3	–	−12.6	–
Net profit	110.3	–	4.7	–

Development of the segments Advanced Backend Solutions

There was very high demand for our solutions in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment in financial year 2024. With orders worth € 300.2 million, we slightly exceeded the previous year's figure of € 296.4 million. As in the previous year, the Bonding Systems product line made by far the largest contribution to new business. With our temporary bonders, debonders, and cleaning systems, we supply both leading manufacturers of high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips and a leading foundry for the packaging process of AI chips. Our UV projection scanner, which we categorize under our Imaging Systems product line, is also used in this packaging process. The number of orders received for this solution increased substantially in 2024. In terms of the total number of orders for our temporary bonding solutions and the UV projection scanner for use in AI, 2023 and 2024 were on a comparable level. Demand for the mask aligner, which is also a component of the Imaging Systems product line, declined in 2024 due to lower demand from China. This was offset by a noticeable year-on-year increase in orders for our coating solutions, including coaters and developers. Business picked up in the second half of the year in particular. As expected, demand from China fell across all product lines by 37.0 percent year on year, but this was more than offset by demand from our other sales markets.

314.7

214.7

Order book Segment Advanced Backend Solutions as of

Gross profit increased significantly from € 77.8 million to € 132.8 million in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment in 2024. Therefore, the gross profit margin expanded considerably by 6.0 percentage points to reach 42.2 percent (previous year: 36.2 percent). Factors contributing to this positive development included higher sales volumes and related economies of scale, an attractive product mix, and increased manufacturing efficiency.

Due to the significantly higher gross profit and a disproportionately low increase in expenditure for selling, research and development, and administration, EBIT tripled year on year, growing from € 20.1 million to € 60.5 million. In 2024, the EBIT margin was 19.2 percent, compared with 9.4 percent in the previous year.

The targets in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment – substantial, double-digit growth in sales and positive development in the gross profit margin and EBIT margin – were not only met but surpassed in light of the actual momentum.

0 70 140 210 280 350 The order book in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment amounted to € 271.7 million as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of 5.3 percent compared to the figure of € 286.8 million as of December 31, 2023. We plan to have completely worked through the order book by the end of the 2025 financial year.

0 100 200 300 400 Sales generated by the Advanced Backend Solutions segment increased significantly by € 100.0 million or 46.6 percent to a record € 314.7 million in the 2024 financial year (previous year: € 214.7 million). The main driver of this growth in sales was the Bonding Systems product line. In 2024, we focused on processing AI-related orders for temporary bonders, debonders, and cleaning systems, and expanded our capacity for these solutions at our production site in Hsinchu, Taiwan. All in all, Bonder sales more than tripled year on year. Sales generated by the Imaging Systems and Coating Systems product lines in 2024 remained below the level of the previous year as a result of the sluggish order situation in the preceding quarters.

Advanced Backend Solutions Segment Key Figures
in € million	2024	2023
Order intake	300.2	294.4
Sales	314.7	214.7
Order book (December 31)	271.7	286.8
Gross profit	132.8	77.8
Gross profit margin	42.2%	36.2%
EBIT	60.5	20.1
EBIT margin	19.2%	9.3%

Photomask Solutions

Order intake in the Photomask Solutions segment, whose business is generally characterized by high-value individual orders, amounted to € 123.5 million in the 2024 financial year (previous year: € 124.1 million). The largest share was attributable to highend cleaning solutions for photomasks. In regional terms, demand from China fell, in line with expectations, by € 15.8 million year on year. However, other markets were more or less able to balance out this decline.

The order book in this segment thus amounted to € 156.7 million as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 165.7 million).

As expected, we significantly increased sales in the Photomask Solutions segment in the 2024 financial year by 46.5 percent from € 89.7 million to € 131.4 million. The renewed growth in sales was achieved thanks to our ability to meet the persistently high market demand by expanding our production capacity. Specifically, additional production slots for our photomask solutions were utilized at the Sternenfels site while additional capacity for the production of temporary bonders was set up in Hsinchu, Taiwan. In addition, a record output volume was achieved by hiring additional staff and reducing throughput times in assembly. Photomask cleaning

Order book Segment Photomask Solutions as of December 31 in € million

solutions again accounted for the largest share of product sales, namely around two-thirds. Bake and develop solutions, which are used in the production of photomasks, accordingly contributed around a third.

Gross profit increased from € 26.5 million to € 47.4 million, which corresponds to a gross profit margin of 36.1 percent (previous year: 29.6 percent). In addition to higher sales volumes, a strong product and customer mix contributed to the improved margin. Since sales in this segment are made up of a relatively small volume of systems with higher retail prices, the margin trend is subject to greater fluctuations when there are changes in the product and customer mix.

Sales Segment Photomask Solutions in € million

0 40 80 120 160 200

EBIT showed a marked improvement from € 12.4 million to € 27.2 million on the back of the significantly higher gross profit. As a result, the EBIT margin rose from 13.8 to 20.7 percent.

The guidance for financial year 2024 – flat sales and little improvement in the EBIT margin owing to higher development costs for the next generation of photomask cleaners and the new wafer cleaning solution – was exceeded significantly with sales growth and an improvement in the EBIT margin of 6.9 percentage points.

Photomask Solutions Segment Key Figures

in € million	2024	2023
Order intake	123.5	124.1
Sales	131.4	89.7
Order book (December 31)	156.7	165.7
Gross profit	47.4	26.5
Gross profit margin	36.1%	29.5%
EBIT	27.2	12.4
EBIT margin	20.7%	13.8%

Central Group Functions

The Central Group Functions segment includes all other activities and the costs of the central Group functions, most of which cannot be allocated at the segment level. The segment posted EBIT of € 46.4 million in 2024 (previous year: € −7.9 million) and mainly included the one-time income from the sale of the MicroOptics business.

Development in the regions Order intake

APAC (Asia and Pacific), North America and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) are important regions in the world for SUSS's business. At 77.9 percent, the APAC region again accounted for by far the largest share of order intake in the 2024 financial year. However, order intake in this region fell from € 360.4 million to € 330.3 million due to an expected return to normal levels of demand in China. Taiwan was the strongest individual market last year. By contrast, orders from customers in North America surged from € 19.1 million to € 57.1 million, while incoming orders in EMEA dropped to € 36.3 million (previous year: € 41.0 million).

Order intake by region in € million

Sales

Sales in the 2024 financial year varied from region to region. The APAC region saw significant growth of 92.6 percent from € 202.6 million to € 390.3 million. The share of Group sales amounted to 87.2 percent. The strongest individual markets were Taiwan, South Korea, and China. The main factors driving growth were our temporary bonding solutions in conjunction with AI chip modules, which are used almost exclusively in Taiwan and Korea, and our Photomask Solutions segment. The pronounced focus on these projects gave rise to a decline in sales in North America, from € 45.1 million to € 26.1 million, and in EMEA, from € 56.6 million to € 31.1 million.

Sales by region in € million

Assets and financial position

Net financial assets and available liquidity

The Group's net liquidity – the balance of cash and cash equivalents and financial liabilities – increased from € 32.8 million in the previous year to € 122.9 million as of December 31, 2024.

Cash and cash equivalents increased to € 136.2 million as of the end of the reporting year (previous year: € 38.1 million). The main reason for this increase was the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., which resulted in a cash inflow of € 75.0 million in January 2024.

Financial liabilities fell by € 1.9 million to € 13.3 million as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 15.2 million). The reduction was mainly due to the scheduled repayment of bank liabilities in the amount of € 1.2 million.

Analysis of the cash flow statement

The cash and cash equivalents shown in the cash flow statement correspond to the balance sheet item "Cash and cash equivalents."

Cash flow from operating activities amounted to € 33.5 million in the financial year just ended (previous year: € 3.8 million). Of this, € 0.9 million (previous year: € −8.7 million) was attributable to discontinued operations, and € 32.6 million (previous year: € 12.5 million) to continued operations. This favorable development of cash flow from operating activities stemmed from the marked increase in business volume. However, this had an impact on working capital. Net working capital – defined as the sum of inventories, accounts receivable, and contractual assets, less accounts payable and contractual liabilities – increased from € 103.8 million to € 156.7 million in the reporting year. This development was largely due to the increase in inventories, which rose by € 47.3 million year on year. By contrast, the increase in current contractual liabilities by € 10.7 million to € 99.4 million and the increase in accounts payable by € 4.4 million to € 31.5 million had a positive impact. This was offset by a negative effect of € 23.7 million on cash flow from operating activities stemming from the increase in contractual assets.

Cash flow from investing activities

Cash flow from investing activities amounted to € 71.9 million (previous year: € −8.2 million), of which € 69.5 million (previous year: € −3.6 million) was attributable to cash flow from investing activities of discontinued operations. This was shaped by the cash inflow of € 75.0 million from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., less sales costs of € 3.9 million. Of the cash flow from investing activities of continuing operations in the amount of € 2.3 million (previous year: € −4.6 million), € −6.8 million was attributable to investments in property, plant, and equipment (previous year: € −3.4 million). These cash outflows were related to investments in a variety of technical systems and in demonstration facilities at the Garching and Sternenfels sites, as well as in operating and office equipment in the amount of € 4.8 million. We also invested a total of € 1.6 million in equipment for the cleanroom and in operating and office equipment at our site in Taiwan. By contrast, the balance of incoming and outgoing payments from financial investments as part of short-term financial planning had a positive effect that amounted to € 9.9 million (previous year: € 0.0 million). Investments in intangible assets amounted to € −0.7 million in the past financial year (previous year: € −1.3 million) and mainly related to acquisition costs forpatents and licenses.

Free cash flow

In 2024, free cash flow from continuing operations – defined as the difference between cash flow from operating activities and cash flow from investing activities, adjusted for the effect of the acquisition and disposal of securities – amounted to € 25.3 million (previous year: € 7.9 million). This development was mainly due to higher cash flow from operating activities. Total free cash flow from continuing and discontinued operations amounted to € 96.1 million (previous year: € −4.4 million). This change is the result of the cash inflow in connection with the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. and higher operating income.

Cash flow from financing activities

Cash flow from financing activities amounted to € −7.9 million in the past financial year and was attributable exclusively to continuing operations. The previous year's figure of € −8.0 million was composed of € −7.2 million attributable to continuing operations and € −0.8 million attributable to discontinued operations. Loan repayments totaling € 1.2 million (previous year: € 1.2 million) were made on KfW development loans granted in 2019 (loan amount: € 10.0 million). In addition, repayments of leasing liabilities in the amount of € −2.8 million (previous year: € −2.2 million) and the dividends paid in the amount of € −3.8 million (previous year: € −3.8 million) for the 2023 financial year had a negative impact on cash flow from financing activities.

Aside from cash and cash equivalents of € 136.2 million, at the end of the reporting year the Group had a syndicated credit line of € 56.0 million (previous year: € 56.0 million), which can be utilized for guarantees and cash drawdowns. The Group also has bilateral guarantee credit lines totaling € 20.0 million (previous year: € 13.0 million). Only guarantee facilities were utilized in 2024. These amounted to € 11.6 million on the reporting date (previous year: € 15.8 million). As in 2023, no bank loans were taken out in the reporting year. The nature, maturity, currency, and interest rate structure of the liabilities are shown in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements under Note 27.

With the debt facility from the syndicated loan agreement, which has a term until October 24, 2026, and the cash inflow from the sale of the MicroOptics segment in the 2024 financial year, the Group currently has sufficient financial scope to finance product developments and planned investments in the year ahead.

Analysis of the statement of financial position

As of December 31, 2024, the total assets of the SUSS Group amounted to € 500.9 million (previous year: € 369.7 million). The 35.5 percent increase in total assets in the reporting year resulted primarily from the inflow of liquidity from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. and an increase in inventory reserves. On the liabilities side, € 279.7 million was attributable to equity and € 221.1 million to liabilities. The Group's equity ratio at the end of the 2024 financial year was 55.9 percent (previous year: 47.8 percent).

Assets

As of December 31, 2024, non-current assets amounted to € 58.6 million (previous year: € 56.3 million). This moderate change was attributable mainly to a slight increase in property, plant, and equipment to € 33.8 million (previous year: € 31.1 million). Changes to the item reflect investments in technical equipment, demonstration facilities, and clean rooms. The two business properties in Garching and Sternenfels, which carried a residual book value of € 13.5 million as of the reporting date (previous year: € 14.0 million), continued to account for the largest share of tangible assets.

As of the reporting date, the Goodwill amounted to € 18.6 million (previous year: € 18.5 million) and increased slightly due to currency conversion differences since part of this item, namely USD 2.4 million, is held in US dollars and, as such, is subject to currency fluctuations.

In addition, non-current assets included intangible assets in the amount of € 4.6 million (previous year: € 5.5 million), primarily for licenses and patents but also for software licenses and rights of use for an application center in the USA, including equipment installed therein.

As of the reporting date, deferred tax assets amounted to € 0.7 million (previous year: € 0.7 million). Deferred tax liabilities amounted to € 20.8 million (previous year: € 11.2 million), primarily at our German companies, and related to temporary valuation differences between the determination of taxable income and IFRS accounting.

Current assets increased significantly in the reporting year from € 313.4 million to € 442.3 million, in particular due to the higher level of cash and cash equivalents, which rose by € 98.1 million to € 136.2 million (previous year: € 38.1 million). This was largely the result of the cash inflow from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. In addition, inventories increased by € 47.3 million to € 214.0 million (previous year: € 166.7 million) as a result of the significantly higher business volume. At the same time, work in progress grew by € 34.5 million.

Trade receivables decreased from € 17.7 million in the previous year to € 14.9 million. The contract assets of € 58.9 million (previous year: € 35.2 million) relate to claims by SUSS on consideration for services from the delivery of systems that were completed but not yet invoiced as of the reporting date. This increase over the previous year's figure also stemmed from the appreciable rise in business volume.

Other current assets increased by € 6.2 million to € 17.0 million as of the reporting date (previous year: € 10.8 million) and mainly comprised VAT receivables of € 4.7 million and advance payments of € 7.5 million.

While the assets of the MicroOptics segment held for sale in the amount of € 33.9 million were still reported under current assets in the item "Assets held for sale" as of the balance sheet date on December 31, 2023, following the sale this item amounted to € 0.0 million as of December 31, 2024.

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

In the 2024 financial year, non-current liabilities increased by € 11.9 million to reach € 38.6 million (previous year: € 26.7 million). The increase is due mainly to the increase in the item "Deferred tax liabilities" to € 20.8 million (previous year: € 11.2 million) and to the increase in other provisions to € 3.9 million (previous year: € 1.7 million).

In addition, non-current leasing obligations amounted to € 5.7 million (previous year: € 6.3 million), while pension provisions totaled € 1.8 million (previous year: € 1.6 million) and remained virtually unchanged. Non-current liabilities also included financial liabilities to banks, which decreased from € 5.3 million on the previous balance sheet date to € 4.1 million on December 31, 2024, as a result of scheduled repayments.

Current liabilities, that is, liabilities with a remaining term of less than one year, increased by € 16.1 million to € 182.5 million in the financial year (previous year: € 166.4 million). This was mainly due to the increase in contract liabilities, that is, customer prepayments, of € 10.7 million and the increase in other financial liabilities of € 8.7 million, which is primarily attributable to higher bonus provisions.

In addition, tax liabilities increased by € 8.8 million to € 20.6 million (previous year: € 11.8 million), and accounts payable grew by € 4.4 million to € 31.5 million (previous year: € 27.1 million).

Current liabilities to banks and leasing obligations totaling € 3.5 million were roughly at the previous year's level of € 3.6 million. Current provisions moved in the opposite direction and dropped to € 4.2 million because the previous year's figure of € 7.3 million included expenditures for the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A.

The € 13.0 million reported under the item "Liabilities in connection with assets held for sale" in the previous year were derecognized in 2024 following the sale.

The SUSS Group shareholders' equity amounted to € 279.7 million as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 176.6 million), and increased significantly as a result of the strong net income for the financial year. The equity ratio rose from 47.8 to 55.9 percent. For more details on the development of Group shareholders' equity, please refer to the "Consolidated Statement of Shareholders´Equity"

The holding company – SUSS MicroTec SE

The holding company is responsible for the steering and management of SUSS. It takes on tasks such as strategic orientation. These include the adjustment of the product portfolio, acquisition and sale of companies, business units, and technologies, and financial matters for the entire Group. The holding company is also responsible for Legal and Compliance, Corporate Marketing, Communications, Investor Relations, Insurance Management, Internal Audit, and IT. Furthermore, the holding company assumes the financing of strategically important development projects of the operating subsidiaries.

SUSS MicroTec SE is the sole shareholder of the companies included in the consolidated financial statements. Loans granted by the holding company were made exclusively to subsidiaries. The earnings position of the holding company as an individual company is not directly dependent on the development of the Company's markets. The holding company refinances itself primarily by charging the operating companies for management services, IT system costs and licenses, and other services provided. It also generates rental income by leasing buildings at the Garching and Sternenfels sites to subsidiaries. Further income is generated from interest received on loans to subsidiaries. Furthermore, earnings from shareholdings, income from profit transfers, and expenses related to the assumption of losses make a significant contribution to the holding company's overall financial structure.

Net income for the year is the most important financial performance indicator for the holding company.

Presentation of the Key Financial Figures of the Holding Company (in € thousand)

		SUSS MicroTec SE (HGB)
	2024	2023	Change	In %
Net profit	67,190	3,452	63,738	–
Shareholders' equity	174,866	111,498	63,368	+ 56.8%
Total assets	245,228	180,312	64,916	+ 36.0%
Equity ratio in %	71.3%	61.8%		+9.5 percentage points
Fixed assets	60,051	89,022	−28,971	−32.5%
In % of total assets	24.5%	49.4%		−24.9 percentage points
Current assets	183,180	90,168	93,012	+103.2%
In % of total assets	74.7%	50.0%		+24.7 percentage points

Loans to affiliated companies decreased by € 21.3 million and had a carrying amount of € 3.6 million as of the reporting date (previous year: € 24.9 million). In the 2024 financial year, the existing loan to SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Eindhoven, Netherlands, was increased from a nominal amount of € 5.6 million to € 10.0 million to meet the company's liquidity needs. As a result of the reduced earnings prospects at this location, write-downs amounting to € 10.0 million were recognized at the end of the year, so the carrying amount of the loan as of December 31, 2024, was € 0.0 million. As part of the divestment of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., the loan to the sold company in the amount of € 15.8 million was also written off, as it was redeemed by the party that acquired it.

Significant changes in the assets and financial position

Total assets increased by € 64.9 million to € 245.2 million year on year. The share of fixed assets in total assets was 24.5 percent as of December 31, 2024. As a result, fixed assets fell to € 60.1 million (previous year: € 89.0 million), primarily due to the reduction in the "Financial assets" item.

As of December 31, 2024, shares in affiliated companies were reported at € 40.0 million (previous year: € 46.9 million). The reduction in the amount of € 6.9 million resulted from the writedown of the investment in SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Eindhoven, Netherlands, in the amount of € 3.3 million, and the shareholding in SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Germany, in the amount of € 0.03 million. In addition, the carrying amount of the investment in the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. in the amount of € 3.6 million was derecognized when it was sold.

The loan of JPY 775 million (previous year: JPY 775 million) granted to SUSS MicroTec KK, Yokohama, Japan, had a carrying amount of the equivalent of € 1.1 million as of December 31, 2024.

The loan granted to SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Company Ltd., Hsinchu, Taiwan, with a nominal value of TWD 85 million (previous year: TWD 85 million), had a carrying amount of the equivalent of € 2.5 million as of December 31, 2024.

Current receivables from affiliated companies increased by € 11.3 million to € 58.0 million. This amount includes receivables from profits received in the same period from SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG.

In the 2024 financial year, the liquidity position of SUSS MicroTec SE increased significantly by € 92.1 million to € 122.4 million. The main reason for this increase was the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., which resulted in a cash inflow of € 75.0 million.

Shareholders' equity increased by € 63.4 million to € 174.9 million as of December 31, 2024. The change in shareholders' equity resulted from the significantly higher net income for the financial year of € 67.2 million compared to the previous year (previous year: € 3.5 million). A dividend of € 3.8 million was paid in the 2024 reporting period for the 2023 financial year.

The equity ratio improved accordingly by 9.5 percentage points to 71.3 percent (previous year: 61.8 percent ) as of December 31, 2024.

Liabilities to affiliated companies fell by € 5.7 million to € 40.8 million in the 2024 financial year. The decrease was mainly due to the reporting date and resulted from the decrease in the cash pool liability to SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG. In addition, this amount includes loss absorption obligations in the amount of € 4.0 million under the profit and loss transfer agreement with SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH.

Liabilities to banks consist entirely of KfW loans to SUSS MicroTec SE. These were granted in the amount of € 10.0 million in the 2019 financial year and were not due for repayment until June 30, 2021. As of December 31, 2024, the amount was reduced by € 1.2 million to € 5.3 million as a result of repayments.

SUSS MicroTec SE has a syndicated credit line in the amount of € 56.0 million, which can be used for guarantees in the amount of € 16.0 million and cash drawdowns in the amount of € 40.0 million. A partial amount totaling € 24.0 million can be utilized for revolving credit facilities. The remaining amount of € 16.0 million can be drawn down as an overdraft facility. The term of the syndicated loan agreement ends in October 2026. As of December 31, 2024, no amounts had been drawn down under the cash credit facility, as was also the case on the previous year's reporting date.

The Group also has bilateral guarantee credit lines totaling € 20.0 million (previous year: € 13.0 million). Only guarantee facilities were utilized in 2024. These amounted to € 11.6 million on the reporting date (previous year: € 15.8 million).

Significant events with Influence on the earnings position of the holding company

In the annual financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE under commercial law, net income for the 2024 financial year came to € 67.2 million (previous year: € 3.5 million).

The holding company's sales in 2024 totaled € 16.4 million (previous year: € 15.3 million) and mainly comprised the management services, marketing services, and other services charged to the subsidiaries. The increase in sales was due to higher, reallocated personnel expenses. Sales also included charges for the Groupwide SAP system, rental income, and license fees. The allocations of SUSS MicroTec SE to the segments can be found in the segment reporting.

Other operating income amounted to € 57.3 million in 2024 (previous year: € 1.3 million). The marked increase over the previous year resulted primarily from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. in the amount of € 54.5 million.

Personnel expenses rose by € 4.7 million to € 12.8 million, mainly as a result of the expansion of the workforce in central administrative functions.

Other operating expenses decreased marginally by € 0.2 million to € 12.4 million and included, in particular, general administrative expenses, foreign currency losses, and legal and consultancy fees.

In the 2024 financial year, income from the profit transfer received from SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG in the same period was recognized in the amount of € 43.8 million (previous year: € 22.6 million). This item also included income in the amount of € 2.2 million from the distribution of profits by SUSS MicroTec S.A.S, France, and SUSS MicroTec Ltd., Market Rasen, United Kingdom.

Income from loans of financial assets comprised interest income from financial investments and from long-term loans granted to the subsidiaries SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Company Ltd., Hsinchu, Taiwan, SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Netherlands, and SUSS MicroTec KK, Yokohama, Japan.

In the 2024 financial year, amortization was recognized on the carrying amount of the investment in SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Netherlands, in the amount of € 3.3 million (previous year: € 0.0 million) and in SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany, in the amount of € 0.03 million (previous year: € 0.0 million).

Furthermore, a loss of € 4.0 million (previous year: € 0.0 million) was absorbed on the basis of the existing profit and loss transfer agreement with SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany.

Interest expenses totaled € 0.4 million (previous year: € 0.4 million).

Taxes on income increased by € 2.5 million compared to the previous year. The increase is due to a higher taxable income in 2024, in particular due to SUSS MicroTec SE's higher profit share as a partner. Only 5 percent of the gains from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. are taxable (Sections 8b (2) and (3) of the German Corporate Income Tax Act (KStG)).

In the 2024 financial year, SUSS MicroTec SE employed an average of 47 (previous year: 40) employees.

The future economic development of SUSS MicroTec SE depends primarily on the development of the financial and earnings position of its key subsidiaries. The financial and earnings position of the subsidiaries is critical for the level of the interest-bearing net financing balance of the holding company and the distribution and transfer of profits to the parent company.

Since the subsidiaries generally only maintain small cash reserves, in 2025 the development of the Group's net liquidity will also be reflected primarily in SUSS MicroTec SE as a financial holding company. On the basis of the assumptions made for the Group, it can be reasonably expected that the net assets, financial position, and results of operations of SUSS MicroTec SE will continue to perform favorably. In this context, we anticipate higher profit transfers and dividend distributions from the subsidiaries.

Disclosures Required by Takeover Law in Accordance with Section 289a and Section 315a of the German Commercial Code (HGB)

Composition of subscribed capital

As of December 31, 2024, the subscribed capital of the Company totaled € 19,115,538.00 (previous year: € 19,115,538.00). Equity capital is divided into 19,115,538 (previous year: 19,115,538) registered, no-par-value individual shares representing a pro-rata amount of € 1.00 per share. The shares are fully paid in. The same rights and obligations apply to all shares. Each share confers one vote at the Annual General Meeting and determines the shareholders' portion of the Company's profits. A shareholder in relation to the Company is only someone who is entered as such in the register of shareholders. Shareholders must provide the Company with the information necessary to be included in the share registry.

Restrictions with regard to voting rights or the transfer of shares

There are no restrictions with regard to voting rights or the transfer of shares, as stipulated by the Articles of Incorporation. We are also not aware of the existence of such agreements between shareholders.

Investments in capital that exceed 10 percent of the voting rights

As of December 31, 2024, there are no investments in the capital of SUSS MicroTec SE exceeding 10 percent of the voting rights.

The current voting rights notifications pursuant to the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG) are published on www.suss.com, in the Investor Relations section.

Shares with extraordinary rights that grant controlling authority

Shares with extraordinary rights that grant controlling authority do not exist.

The nature of voting rights control when employees have a stake in the company's capital and do not exercise their control rights directly

To the extent that SUSS MicroTec SE issues shares to employees through an employee share program, the shares are transferred to the employees directly. The beneficiary employees can exercise the control rights to which they are entitled from the employee shares directly in the same way as other shareholders in accordance with the statutory provisions and the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation. There is currently no share option program in place for employees.

Legal provisions and rules in the statute for appointing members to the management board and asking them to step down as well as making changes to the Statute

The appointment and dismissal of members of the Management Board are governed by Articles 39, 46 of the SE Regulation, Section 16 of the German SE Implementation Act, Sections 84 and 85 of the German Stock Corporation Law (AktG), and Section 8 of the Statute of the Company. Accordingly, members of the Management Board are appointed by the Supervisory Board for a maximum of six years. A reappointment or extension of their terms is permitted for a maximum of six years. The Supervisory Board decides on the appointment and dismissal of Management Board members with a simple majority vote. The Management Board consists of a minimum of two persons, with the number of Management Board members being determined by the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board may appoint a member of the Management Board as the Chairman or Spokesman of the Management Board as well as a Deputy Chairman or Spokesman of the Management Board. If a required member of the Management Board is absent, in urgent cases the member can be legally summoned upon petition by a concerned party. The Supervisory Board may revoke the appointment of a Management Board member and the nomination of the Chairman of the Management Board for good cause.

Changes to the Statute require a resolution by the Annual General Meeting. Such resolutions require a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast or, if at least half of the equity capital is represented, a simple majority of the votes cast in accordance with Section 27 (1) of the Articles of Incorporation, unless mandatory statutory provisions require otherwise. The authority to make changes that pertain to the wording only is delegated to the Supervisory Board, in accordance with Section 18 (3) of the Articles of Incorporation.

Authority of the management board to issue or buy back shares

The Management Board is authorized to increase the equity capital of the Company until May 30, 2028, on one or more occasions up to a total of € 2,500,000.00 through the issuance of up to 2,500,000 new registered share certificates for cash or non-cash contributions, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board.

In the process, the shareholders are granted subscription rights. The new shares can also be taken over by one or more banks determined by the Management Board with the obligation to offer these to shareholders (indirect subscription rights). However, the Management Board is authorized to exclude the subscription rights of shareholders with the approval of the Supervisory Board:

a) To offset fractional amounts

b) If, in the case of an increase in capital stock against tangible assets, shares are granted for the purpose of acquiring companies, parts of companies, or investments in companies (including an increase in existing investments), or for the purpose of acquiring receivables against the Company

c) If an increase in capital stock for cash contributions does not exceed 10 % of the equity capital and the issue price of the new shares is not significantly lower than the stock market price (Section 186 (3)(4) of the German Stock Corporation Law (AktG)); when utilizing this authorization excluding subscription rights in accordance with Section 186 (3)(4) AktG, the exclusion of subscription rights based on other authorizations in accordance with Section 186 (3)(4) AktG should be taken into account

The total number of shares issued under this authorization in exchange for cash and/or non-cash contributions, excluding shareholders' subscription rights, may not account for more than 10 percent of the equity capital at the time this authorization takes effect. Deducted from this limit are shares that (i) were issued or sold in the direct or corresponding application of Section 186 (3)(4) of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) excluding subscription rights during the term of this authorization and that (ii) are issued or can or must be issued to service bonds with conversion or option rights or obligations, insofar as the bonds are issued after this authorization takes effect in the corresponding application of Section 186 (3)(4) of the German Stock Corporation Act excluding the subscription rights of shareholders.

The Management Board is authorized, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to establish further details regarding the increase in capital stock and its implementation. The Supervisory Board is authorized to adjust the wording of the Articles of Incorporation accordingly following each utilization of approved capital or expiration of the deadline for the utilization of approved capital.

Significant agreements on the part of the company subject to the condition of a change of control resulting from a corporate takeover bid

The syndicated loan of € 56 million, which runs until October 2026, contains an extraordinary right of termination in the event of a significant change in the Company's circumstances, and the parties are unable to reach an agreement on the continuation of the loan agreement in good time.

SUSS MicroTec SE is not subject to any other significant agreements that would apply in the event of a change of control as a result of a takeover bid.

Compensation agreement of the company with Management Board members or employees in the event of a corporate takeover bid

No special rules exist with regard to the voting rights tied to shares or any control options resulting from this, either through the establishment of special stock categories or through restrictions on voting rights or transfers. There are no provisions extending beyond the legal regulations regarding the appointment of members of the Management Board or asking them to step down.

Disclosures relating to the acquisition of treasury shares

SUSS did not acquire any treasury shares in the reporting period.

Group Declaration Regarding Corporate Governance as per Section 289f and Section 315d of the German Commercial Code (HGB)

On March 17, 2025, the Management Board and Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE issued a joint Group declaration regarding corporate governance in accordance with Sections 289f and 315d of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and made it permanently accessible to the public on the Company's website in the Investor Relations section under "Corporate Governance". The Group Declaration on Corporate Governance also includes the report on the Company's corporate governance starting with the 2020 financial year.

Group Sustainability Statement

SUSS prepares a non-financial Group statement in accordance with Section 289b HGB and Sections 315b to 315c HGB and uses the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) as published in Annex I of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2772 of July 31, 2023, as a framework for reporting. The Group Sustainability statement on the basis of ESRS covers the aspects that are usually covered in a non-financial statement in accordance with Section 289c of the German Commercial Code (HGB).

The following table shows how the material aspects according to Section 289c (2) German Commercial Code (HGB) and the topics that are material to SUSS are reconciled with the ESRS topics.

In accordance with Section 289c of the German Commercial Code (HGB), SUSS discloses information on the key topics that are important for understanding SUSS's position and SUSS's impact on the aspects. Each ESRS standard describes in its own terms the concepts and due diligence processes that SUSS pursues and applies with regard to sustainability matters. The material risks associated with the business activities that affect these aspects / topics are the basis for the double materiality assessment described in ESRS 2 SBM-3.

Aspects acc. § 289c HGB	Material topics for SUSS	Transition to ESRS topics
Environmental concerns	Climate, energy, emissions Sustainable products, innovation & technology, circular economy	E1 – Climate change E5 – Resources and circular economy
Employee concerns	Employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction Occupational health & safety Training & further education	S1 – Own workforce
Social concerns	Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination Human rights, Responsible supply chain	S1 – Own workforce S2 – Workers in the value chain
Respect for human rights	Human rights, Responsible supply chain	S2 – Workers in the value chain
Combating corruption and bribery	Legal conformity, compliance and information security	G1 – Business Conduct
No mandatory aspect in accordance with § 289c HGB	Customer satisfaction, product quality	Company-specific standard

The most important non-financial performance indicators that are significant to us are described in this condensed Management Report in the section "Basics of the Group" under the heading "Corporate control". The information on the performance indicators regarding emissions should be taken from the information on ESRS E1-6. The Employee Engagement Score (EES) is reported in ESRS S1-5. The training courses are covered in Section ESRS G1-3.

In accordance with Article 8 of EU Taxonomy Regulation 2020/852 and the supplementary delegated acts, SUSS publishes the relevant information in the EU Taxonomy section of this Group Sustainability Statement.

The Group Sustainability Statement was audited with limited assurance by Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft in accordance with the auditing standards (ISAE 3000 Revised) applicable to sustainability reporting. The disclosures marked with the caret symbol (^) in the Group Sustainability Statement were not subject to this audit.

ESRS report for SUSS MicroTec SE

For the reporting period of January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.

ESRS 2 General Disclosures General basis for preparation

Disclosure ESRS 2 BP-1: General basis for preparation of sustainability statements

Scope of consolidation

(ESRS 2 BP-1 5 a; b) The SUSS Group's 2024 Sustainability Statement was prepared on a consolidated basis and corresponds to the consolidated annual financial statements as of December 31, 2024. The consolidation is presented in the "Basics of the Group" section of the condensed Management Report. In the reporting year, we did not exclude any consolidated subsidiaries from the consolidated sustainability reporting.

Value chain

(ESRS 2 BP-1 5 c) The SUSS-Group develops, manufactures, sells, and services equipment for the production of microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems, and related applications. The upstream value chain consists of suppliers, particularly manufacturers of basic products and components for equipment manufacturing, service providers, and logistics partners. Suppliers of SUSS are located worldwide, but are concentrated in Europe, Asia, and North America. SUSS pursues a supplier strategy that avoids an inappropriate concentration on key suppliers as much as possible and maintains multiple supply channels for important components. This is how we ensure a reliable supply of high-quality materials, such as electronic components, mechanical components, and software solutions. Long-term supplier relationships ensure the quality and availability of the base materials.

Equipment manufacturing takes place in Germany and Taiwan. Research and development continue to play an important role in the business model. SUSS pursues a customer-centered research approach in which the development of the equipment is performed in close coordination with customers in the semiconductor industry and their technical requirements. SUSS's research activities of are supported by external research partners. Most of the research and development work is based in Germany at the locations in Garching and Sternenfels. We maintain installed equipment with our own services and keep them up to date through upgrades. SUSS pursues a sales approach, with service and maintenance components increasingly accompanying the sale of equipment. The reconditioning and remarketing of used equipment is performed on a project-by-project basis and currently is not considered material in the business model.

The equipment is sold by our own specialized sales team and by external sales partners and dealers in order to serve customers worldwide. Logistics covers global planning of warehousing, packaging, and shipping to customers.

Our products and services are aimed at various customers in the semiconductor industry, such as research and development facilities and manufacturers of semiconductors. The equipment is used in various processing steps in the frontend and backend of the semiconductor industry. Customers of SUSS are concentrated in Asia, North America, and Europe.

We attach great importance to the longevity of our equipment. Our responsibility also extends to reusability and recyclability, as well as to the promotion of adequate disposal after the end of the use phase of our products.

This Group Sustainability Statement, which uses the European Standard Reporting Structure (ESRS) as a framework in accordance with the European Commission's Delegated Regulation 2023/2772 of July 31, 2023, covers the SUSS Group as well as selected aspects of the upstream and downstream value chain. This includes the relationships with suppliers and their employees in the upstream value chain. In the downstream value chain, we place special emphasis on our customers and the utilization of SUSS's equipment. The assessment of material impacts and risks and opportunities (hereinafter: IRO) covers the entire upstream and downstream value chain.

The following diagram illustrates the value chain with the material impacts, risks and opportunities, the material stakeholders in our own business operations, and the upstream and downstream value chain.

Summary of the value chain of SUSS

Upstream activities	Own business activities			Downstream activities
Supply	Procurement	Research and development	Production	Sales and logistics	Product utilisation	End-of-Life
Supply: Close co-opera tion with suppliers and lo gistics partners to ensure a reliable and timely supply of high-quality materials and components	Materials and com ponents: Purchasing high-quality materials and components that are used in the production process. This includes special elec tronic components, me chanical components and software solutions. Supplier management: Establishing and maintain ing relationships with reli able suppliers to ensure the quality and availability of materials.	Technological innova tion: Investment in the de velopment of new technol ogies and products to meet the rapidly evolving require ments of the semiconduc tor industry. Product development: De sign and prototype develop ment of new machines and systems to improve produc tion processes.	Manufacturing: Manufac ture of machines and sys tems using advanced pro duction processes and technologies. Quality control: Conduct extensive testing and quality control to ensure that prod ucts meet the high stan dards of the semiconductor industry.	Sales strategies : Devel opment and implementa tion of sales strategies to reach customers and pro mote sales. This includes di rect sales as well as the use of sales partners and dis tributors. Logistics: Planning and or ganising the worldwide dis tribution of products. This includes warehousing, packaging and shipping.	Product utilisation: Use of the machines and sys tems by customers for the production of high-preci sion semiconductor com ponents. SUSS MicroTec's products enable customers to manufacture advanced electronic components with maximum efficiency and precision.	Disposal: Consideration of reusability and recyclability as well as promotion of ade quate disposal at the end of the products' life.
Suppliers		Employees		Research institutes and co-operation partners		Customers
Human rights, responsible supply chain	Training & education Customer satisfaction, product quality Occupational health & safety Climate, energy & emissions	Employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction	Human rights, responsible supply chain circular economy non-discrimination	Sustainable products, innovation & technology, Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities,	Customer satisfaction, product quality
	Climate, energy & emissions			Legal conformity, compliance & information security
Neg. Impacts Pos. Impacts	Risks	Opportunities

The extent to which SUSS strategies, measures, objectives, and parameters extend to the value chain is described in the sections on the respective topic-related standards.

SUSS includes data from the upstream and downstream value chain in the calculation of parameters on its own sustainability performance. This data is collected by SUSS directly from the companies in the value chain through inquiries or from their disclosures and is determined by SUSS on the basis of secondary data or estimates. SUSS only uses secondary data if primary data cannot be obtained from the companies in the value chain with reasonable effort or if the companies do not collect it. Data from the value chain is used in particular to determine the emissions inventory in Scope 3 (Section ESRS E1 – Climate change), statements about employees in the value chain (Section ESRS S2 Workers in the value chain) and in the area of human rights violations (Section ESRS G1 – Business conduct).

Transparency

(ESRS 2 BP-1 5 d) In the reporting year, SUSS did not make use of the option to exclude certain information relating to intellectual property, expertise, or the results of innovations that are material within the meaning of the reporting standard. SUSS also did not make use of the option of omitting classified or confidential information, even if this is material within the meaning of the reporting standard.

(ESRS 2 BP-1 5 e) In the reporting period, SUSS does not make use of the option of exceptions to the disclosure requirement for developments or matters in the negotiation phase in accordance with Article 19a (3) and Article 29a (3) of Directive 2013/34 / EU in order to protect the interests of SUSS.

Disclosure ESRS 2 BP-2: Disclosures in relation to specific circumstances

(ESRS 2 BP-2 6) Management systems that have been adopted by the European standardization system have been established in parts of the SUSS Group. Our quality management system at the German sites in Garching and Sternenfels is certified in accordance with ISO 9001:2015. The environmental management system is certified according to ISO 14001:2015 at both sites. The certifications at the German locations were confirmed in February 2024. The data collected by the environmental management system is included in the SUSS Group's reporting in the ESRS E1 Climate Change and ESRS E5 Circular Economy sections.

Time horizons

(ESRS 2 BP-2 9) SUSS complies with the requirements of the European Sustainability Reporting Standard ESRS 1 for the underlying time horizons of the sustainability statement.

The following time horizons apply accordingly:

• For the short-term time horizon: reporting period, one year
• For the medium-term horizon: one to five years
• For the long-term time horizon: more than five years

Estimates of the value chain

(ESRS 2 BP-2 10 a-d) In the reporting year, SUSS had access to

secondary data to calculate the following parameters:

Parameters and reference chapters (ESRS 2 BP-2 10 a)	Basis for preperation (ESRS 2 BP-2 10 b)	Resulting level of accuracy (ESRS 2 BP-2 10 c)	Planned actions to improve accuracy in the future (ESRS 2 BP-2 10 d)
Energy consumption and energy mix (ESRS E1-5)	For South Korea, the USA, China, Singapore and, to a lesser extent, Taiwan, the shares of fossil, nuclear and renewable sources were calculated on the basis of the respective country-specific electricity mix.	The degree of accuracy is determined by the method of calculation and cannot be quantified.	In the next reporting year, the aim is to achieve coverage with exact values
Scope 2 GHG gross emissions for South Korea (ESRS E1-6)	Use of estimated values for Q4 2024 as no values for Q4 2024 were available at the time of calculation	The degree of accuracy is determined by the method of calculation and cannot be quantified.	In the next reporting year, the aim is to achieve coverage with exact values
Scope 3 Emissions (ESRS E1-6)	Instead of primary data from our customers, the emission factors were taken from recognised databases (e.g. DEFRA 2024, Ecoinvent 3.11).	The degree of accuracy is determined by the method of calculation and cannot be quantified.	SUSS has not planned any measures.
Resource inflows (ESRS E5-4)	Data that could not be collected via the ERP system was The degree of accuracy is determined by the method of estimated using average values. calculation and cannot be quantified.		SUSS is continuing to talk to suppliers and is endeavouring to improve coverage with primary data.
Resource outflows (ESRS E5-5)	Data that could not be collected via the ERP system was estimated using average values.	The degree of accuracy is determined by the method of calculation and cannot be quantified.	SUSS is continuing to talk to suppliers and is endeavouring to improve coverage with primary data.

For example, if we used indirect sources such as secondary data or other approximate values for reporting on the upstream and downstream value chain, this is stated accordingly in the relevant topic-related standards.

We also present the reasons for using corresponding secondary data and describe the basis on which they were developed. The degree of accuracy of the information is also explained on the basis of the source material.

For information that SUSS gets from secondary sources, it explains how it plans to improve coverage with primary data in the future in interaction with stakeholders in the upstream and downstream value chain.

Sources for estimates and uncertainty of results

(ESRS 2 BP-2 11 a) The following quantitative parameters and monetary amounts were subject to a high degree of measurement uncertainty in the reporting period:

Parameter (ESRS BP-2 11 a)	Sources of measurement uncertainty (ESRS BP-2 11 b i)	Assumptions, approximations and judgements (ESRS BP-2 11 b ii)
Energy consumption and mix (ESRS E1-5)	Missing information on the composition of the electricity mix at the site	Application of electricity mix data for the respective countries
Scope 2 GHG gross emissions for South Korea (section ESRS E1)	Absence of consumption values; Use of estimated data	Use of estimated data for Q4 2024 as no values for Q4 2024 were available at the time of calculation
Total indirect (Scope 3) gross GHG emissions (t CO2e) (ESRS E1)	No full coverage by primary data and use of sec ondary data in conjunction with emission factors	Use of established calculation methods to adequately supplement missing data
Resource inflows (ESRS E5-4)	Lack of primary data; Calculation based on own averages	Within the reporting year, data could not be col lected within reasonable effort constraints; Aver ages representative of total inflows and outflows
Resource outflows (ESRS E5-5)	Lack of primary data; Calculation based on own averages	Within the reporting year, data could not be col lected within reasonable effort constraints; Aver ages representative of total inflows and outflows

In our reporting, we use language to identify such assumptions and monetary amounts that are subject to a high degree of measurement uncertainty. The information used to assess the issues is provided with the relevant information. SUSS uses scenarios to correctly assess the impact. SUSS assesses all relevant facts and circumstances in the scenarios, including events with a low probability of occurrence and a high impact, which can reasonably be expected to have an impact on the development of the information.

As necessary, the monetary bases of the scenarios are transferred from the financial key figures of the consolidated financial statements.

(ESRS 2 BP-2 11 b) When specifying the assumptions and the monetary amounts, we indicate the sources of measurement uncertainties that could arise in the future, such as from the occurrence or absence of an event, changed data in the value chain, or new measurement methods.

We refer to chapter E1-6 for the sources for calculating the total indirect Scope 3 GHG emissions, to chapter E5-4 for the sources for calculating the resource inflows, and to chapter E5-5 for the sources for calculating the resource outflows.

Changes in the preparation or presentation of sustainability information

(ESRS 2 BP-2 13) SUSS prepares the Group Sustainability Statement for the first time on the basis of the European Sustainability Reporting Standard (ESRS) under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which is intended to replace the requirements of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) and to supplement the legal requirements applicable in Germany. For the 2024 reporting period, SUSS used the ESRS as a framework to comply with the disclosure requirement of Sections 315b and 315c of the German Commercial Code (HGB) in conjunction with Section 289c HGB. Since SUSS is using a completely new framework for the first time, the comparison of the changes focuses on the presentation of the significant changes to the report of the previous period, which was prepared in accordance with the

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard. These changes include in particular:

• The inclusion of a sustainability statement of the SUSS Group in the condensed management report for the Group, which is structured according to the requirements of the ESRS
• New information and metrics, as required by the ESRS, including descriptions of the material impacts, risks, and opportunities, as well as strategies, measures, and targets for its management;
• The assessment of climate risks and opportunities according to TCFD assessment with different scenarios
• The adaptation and cause-related disaggregation of emissions in Scope 1 and 2 as well as an improvement in the quality of data. The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions was changed from expenditure-based to weight-based for Category 3.1 Purchased Goods and Services.
• The material Scope 3 emissions of the downstream value chain have been added. More detailed information can be found in the topic-related standard ESRS E1 Climate Change.
• In the 2023 fiscal year, SUSS started to carry out a comprehensive analysis regarding supply chain-related risks. Based on this, country- and sector-specific risks relating to compliance with human rights, labor rights, and environmental protection at direct suppliers were examined in 2024.

Our sustainability reporting is changing in many respects with the regulations that are being applied voluntarily for the first time. If there are significant changes compared to the key figures of the previous period, this is indicated in the corresponding disclosure. The sustainability reporting of SUSS should be comparable to reports of similar companies through the application of a uniform framework. The new reporting should makes it possible to make direct comparisons between companies.

Reporting errors in previous reporting periods

(ESRS 2 BP-2 14) There is no evidence of any material misstatements in the sustainability reporting of SUSS for the previous period.

Information based on other legal provisions or generally recognized announcements on sustainability reporting

(ESRS 2 BP-2 15) For individual disclosures related to ESRS E1 Climate Change, SUSS relies on the reporting recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). More detailed information can be found in the disclosures in accordance with the topic-related standard ESRS E1 Climate Change in the section entitled "Management of impacts, risks, and opportunities".

Information included by reference in the sustainability statement

(ESRS 2 BP-2 16) Some information is included by reference. This is listed in the following table. Language is also used to indicate places where the report refers to other parts of the condensed Management Report.

Disclosure Requirements	Reference
BP-1: Disclosures in relation to specific circumstances	'Basics of the Group' section in the condensed management report
DR GOV-1: The role of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies	Corporate Governance Declaration
GOV-2: Information provided to and sustainability matters addressed by the undertaking's administrative, management and supervisory bodies	Corporate Governance Declaration
GOV-5: Risk management and internal controls over sustainability reporting	'Opportunities and risk report' section in the condensed management report
DR SBM-1: Strategy, business model and value chain	'Basics of the Group' section in the condensed management report
ESRS E1-1 16 e	'EU taxonomy' section in the condensed management report
Company-specific standard	'Basics of the Group' section in the condensed management report

Governance

Disclosure ESRS 2 GOV-1: The role of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

Information on the composition and diversity of the members of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 21 a) The SUSS Group is controlled by SUSS MicroTec SE as the parent company. SUSS MicroTec SE is a European company (Societas Europaea). As such, it is governed primarily by European SE regulations and the German SE Implementation Act, which have priority of application over German stock corporation law. The Company has a dual management and control structure consisting of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. Both Boards work together closely in the interest of the Company and pursue the common goal of increasing the enterprise value sustainably.

According to the Articles of Incorporation of SUSS MicroTec SE, the Management Board consists of at least two members. In the reporting period, the Management Board consisted of three members, two male and one female.

In accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the Supervisory Board consists of five members. In the reporting period, the committee had two female and three male members.

	Management Board	Supervisory Board
Number of executive members	3
Number of non-executive members		5

The composition of the Management Board and Supervisory Board is described in the Corporate Governance Declaration.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 21 b) No employee or other employee representatives were represented on the Supervisory Board during the reporting period.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 21 c) Both committees, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board, have a great deal of experience in the sectors, products, and geographical locations in which SUSS operates. In the reporting period, the expertise of the Management Board and Supervisory Board was distributed as follows:

	Sectors	Products	Locations
Management Board
Burkhardt Frick (Chief Executive Officer)			
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer (Chief Financial Officer)			
Dr. Thomas Rohe (Chief Operating Officer)			
Supervisory Board
Dr. David Dean (Chairman of the Supervisory Board)			
Dr. Myriam Jahn (Vice Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board)			
Dr. Bernd Schulte (Member of the Supervisory Board)			
Jan Smits (Member of the Supervisory Board)			
Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp (Member of the Supervisory Board)			

has expert knowledge and is able to understand and categorise relevant issues and make informed decisions based on the experience gained through existing qualifications, further training and, if applicable, many years of service on the Supervisory Board.

• has extended expertise and is able to understand and categorise relevant issues and make informed decisions on the basis of the experience acquired through existing qualifications, further training and, if applicable, many years of service on the Supervisory Board.
  • has basic knowledge in the respective area, which enables them to understand relevant issues and make informed decisions.

The Management Board's assessment presented in the table is based on a self-assessment, which takes into account the Management Board's curriculum vitae, experience, and continuing education. In addition, the Supervisory Board and Management Board's experience and knowledge are already extensively disclosed in the Corporate Governance Declaration. The disclosure "sectors" required by the ESRS corresponds to the disclosure "Experience in the semiconductor and semiconductor equipment sector." The disclosure "products" corresponds to the disclosure "Expertise in production in the machinery and plant engineering business." The disclosure "Geographical locations" is covered by the disclosure "International experience in SUSS's main sales markets." The Corporate Governance Declaration is published on the Company's website www.suss.com in the "Investor Relations" section under "Corporate Governance."

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 21 d) In the composition of the committees, the Supervisory Board and the Management Board take diversity into account. As of December 31, 2024, the Management Board consisted of one female member and two male members. The Supervisory Board had two female and three male members.

	2024
Diversity	Management Board	Supervisory Board
Percentage of Men	66.7%	60.0%
Percentage of Women	33.3%	40.0%

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 21 e) All Supervisory Board members are independent of the Company and the Management Board within the meaning of the German Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) and have presented the Company with a declaration of independence. All members of the Supervisory Board are shareholder representatives. The proportion of independent members of the Supervisory Board in accordance with the GCGC and their own declaration is 100 percent as of December 31, 2024.

Information on the tasks and responsibilities of the members of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 a) In the reporting year, the Management Board was responsible for identifying and evaluating the impacts, risks, and opportunities. The ESG Committee advised the Management Board and discussed the issues with its members. The Audit Committee and Supervisory Board monitored the impacts, risks, and opportunities.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 b) The Management Board has overall responsibility for sustainability. According to the schedule of responsibilities for the Management Board, ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance), in which the impacts, risks, and opportunities are considered, was assigned to the business area of Chief Financial Officer Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer in the reporting year.

The Supervisory Board formed an ESG Committee from its members. The committee members have extensive expertise in the areas of environment, social affairs, and governance. The Committee consolidates this expertise and supports the entire Supervisory Board's involvement with sustainability-related issues through its preparation. The ESG Committee advises the Management Board on environmental and sustainability programs as well as the Company's guidelines on social affairs and governance. In this function, the Committee contributes to managing risks and opportunities. The Audit Committee oversees the environmental and sustainability programs established by the Management Board as well as the Company's guidelines on social affairs and governance, and therefore contributes to monitoring the impacts, risks, and opportunities.

A multi-departmental team, in which members of the Management Board and various corporate functions meet regularly (ESG core team), consolidates all information flows that deal with the impacts, risks, and opportunities related to sustainability under the direction of an ESG manager. The ESG core team appoints members from all departments and sustainability-related functions. Representatives from Human Resources, Legal, Facility Management, Quality Management, Purchasing, Sales, Operations, Investor Relations, and IT develop initiatives and support in implementing the derived measures and monitoring the achievement of targets. The core team also compiles new measures and initiatives. The ESG core team meets every two months and is coordinated by the ESG manager.

A risk management system has been established under the Management Board, which has already been described in the "Opportunities and Risk Report" in the condensed Management Report, to monitor the risks and opportunities of the SUSS Group's business activities. A risk manager leads the Group risk management and reports to the Management Board on a quarterly basis and as required.

Since compliance with legal regulations and internal guidelines and policies can contribute to the management of impacts, risks, and opportunities, the Compliance Management System (CMS) fulfills an important function. The CMS is implemented by the central compliance organization, which is managed by the centrally established Compliance Officer function. The Compliance Officer reports directly to the Management Board. The Compliance Committee, which meets regularly, advises and supports the Compliance Officer in implementing necessary compliance activities.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 c i) As one of the sub-areas of ESG, governance is also anchored by the Chief Financial Officer of the SUSS Group in the reporting period. Different departments and responsible persons are assigned subtasks in the area of governance, such as fulfilling legal regulations and reporting obligations. This includes the risk management officer and the risk committee, the compliance officer, and the officers for the internal control system with regard to the impacts, risks, and opportunities. Overall responsibility remains with the Management Board.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 c ii) The rules of procedure for the Management Board governs the exchange of information between Management Board members, who keep themselves informed about essential aspects of their work. Members of the Management Board inform the CEO about developments in their departments. The departments, the Risk Management and ICS Officer, the Compliance Officer, and the multi-departmental ESG core team, are required to regularly report and inform the full Management Board and individual Management Board members. The exchange with the Group risk management takes place once a quarter, including the report on the internal control system (ICS). The results are presented to the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board at least once a year. The Compliance Officer reports to the Management Board at least once a year and as required. The ESG core team meets with the Management Board to discuss the results every other month.

The Management Board fulfills extensive reporting obligations to the Supervisory Board, involving the departments and responsible members of the ESG core team. These are also set out in the Management Board's Company rules of procedure.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 c iii) Reporting and monitoring the impacts and risks is centrally summarized in risk management. Those responsible for risk in the Group support the risk manager in their work. They apply the control systems and procedures used to monitor impacts and risks. Internal Audit reviews the ICS as part of individual audits. The Management Board and the operational management team continuously monitor opportunities.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 22 d) The objectives with respect to the material impacts are either set by legal or regulatory requirements or, in the case of voluntary commitments, defined by the Management Board. The Management Board sets the objectives in consultation with and following the preparation by the ESG Manager and the ESG core team.

In order to track the achievement of the objectives, the responsible departments regularly report to the Management Board via the ESG core team as part of the Group-wide reporting on the progress made towards the objectives and the development of key parameters.

Availability of appropriate skills and expertise to monitor the sustainability matters of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 23 a) The in-depth expertise of the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE on sustainability issues is based on ongoing information on current developments from the departments of SUSS and the networking of the Management Board with industry experts and consultants. The various contacts of the Management Board and the experience of the Committee form the basis for assessments of the impacts, risks, and opportunities of the Company.

The Supervisory Board members are responsible for their continued training and keeping their expertise up to date, especially in the area of sustainability. On the Supervisory Board, members of the Audit Committee and ESG Committee, in particular, have relevant expertise in sustainability matters. A member of the Audit Committee also has relevant expertise for auditing sustainability matters and the associated reporting. The relevant expertise of the Supervisory Board members is based on their many years of professional experience, their experience with other Supervisory Board mandates, and the ongoing professional development of each individual. Further information on the qualifications of the Supervisory Board members is disclosed in the Corporate Governance Declaration of SUSS MicroTec SE and the curricula vitae of the Supervisory Board members.

(ESRS 2 GOV-1 23 b) The knowledge and skills of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board are accordingly characterized by an environment in which the material impacts, risks, and opportunities are comparable to those of SUSS. In order to assess whether the skills and knowledge of the Supervisory Board are sufficient, the Supervisory Board annually reviews the requirements profile of the Supervisory Board in order to identify any requirements that may have arisen.

When searching for suitable candidates for the Management Board, the Supervisory Board ensures that the candidates' expertise enhances the Executive Board appropriately. The Supervisory Board also proposes candidates to the Annual General Meeting who are familiar with the significant impacts, risks, and opportunities of the business activities of a semiconductor equipment manufacturer.

Disclosure ESRS 2 GOV-2: Information provided to and sustainability matters addressed by the undertaking's administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(ESRS 2 GOV-2 26 a) The Management Board considers the topic of sustainability to be an important decision criterion in the management of the Company. To form its opinions, the Management Board draws on its own knowledge and experience as well as that of the departments of the SUSS Group. The departments report to the Management Board in various formats on significant events and developments related to sustainability matters and are available to answer any questions the Management Board may have. The position of an ESG manager has been created as a key interface. The ESG manager provides information to the Management Board on the material impacts, risks, and opportunities, the progress made in implementing the measures to address the material impacts, risks, and opportunities, the non-financial performance indicators, and current environmental, social, and governance issues. The status of the implementation of the due diligence obligation in the area of sustainability is also discussed.

The Management Board regularly informs the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE about the development of the SUSS Group. The reports to the Supervisory Board are made at least once a quarter at the regular meetings of the Supervisory Board. The information provided to the Supervisory Board also includes topics from the area of sustainability. The Management Board and

representatives of the departments of SUSS inform the Supervisory Board about significant developments in three meetings per year. In addition, the Supervisory Board and its committees are in close contact with the Management Board outside of meetings. SUSS reports extensively on the cooperation of the Supervisory Board with the Management Board in the Corporate Governance Declaration. The Corporate Governance Declaration is published on www.suss.com in the "Investor Relations" section under "Corporate Governance."

The ESG core team meets six times a year and provides information to the Management Board member responsible for ESG and the Chief Operations Officer about the most important developments. The ESG Committee of the Supervisory Board is informed three times a year by the Management Board and the ESG Manager about the development in the area of sustainability.

The Management Board receives information on the significant impacts, risks, and opportunities four times a year in quarterly risk meetings. In addition, there are rules governing the circumstances under which the Management Board must be informed on an ad hoc basis.

At least once a year, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee address the risk and opportunity management system set up by the Management Board, pass a resolution on the effectiveness and appropriateness of the system, and report on this in the risk and opportunity report of the condensed Management Report.

The Management Board regularly informs the Supervisory Board on current sustainability topics. In addition, the Supervisory Board addressed the topic of sustainability in two committees:

• Audit Committee: The Audit Committee regularly focuses on regulatory changes and requirements in the area of auditing financial and non-financial reporting. The sustainability reporting is reviewed by the Audit Committee and the Supervisory Board as part of its review of the annual financial statements and the consolidated financial statements, including the condensed Management Report. In addition, the Audit Committee regularly reviews the structure and functionality of the corporate governance systems, including monitoring the risk and opportunity management system, which captures significant impacts, risks, and opportunities related to sustainability topics. The work of the Audit Committee is presented in the Report of the Supervisory Board and the Corporate Governance Declaration.
• ESG Committee: The ESG Committee advises the Management Board when it comes to identifying and evaluating material impacts, risks, and opportunities. It also offers advice on sustainability reporting and proposes the non-financial targets for target setting as part of the

Management Board remuneration. The ESG Committee generally meets three times a year.

(ESRS 2 GOV-2 26 b) The principle of management is to develop the Company sustainably with due consideration for the impacts and to leverage the opportunities of SUSS with an appropriate risk profile. When making decisions, the Management Board takes into account all material impacts, risks, and opportunities and brings them into an appropriate balance in the interests of the Company, its shareholders, and other stakeholders. This approach underlies the risk management process and is also taken into account in business decisions and important transactions.

(ESRS 2 GOV-2 26 c) In the 2024 fiscal year, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board addressed in particular the following impacts, risks, and opportunities:

IRO-Cluster

Key topic cllimate, energy and emissions – global warming and extreme weather events

Key topic employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction – employee satisfaction

Human rights, responsible supply chain – Potential human rights risks

Key topic customer satisfaction, product quality – quality, reliability, performance of our systems

Legal conformity, compliance and information security – Data protection and preventive measures regarding cyber attacks

Disclosure ESRS 2 GOV-3: Integration of sustainability-related performance in incentive schemes

Information on the strategies for sustainabilityrelated incentive and remuneration systems for members of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(ESRS 2 GOV-3 29 a) The Supervisory Board establishes the remuneration system for the Management Board. The features of the applicable remuneration system for the Management Board and the Supervisory Board are described in the annual Remuneration Report. The European reporting standard requires a complete reproduction of these characteristics.

"I. Main Features of the 2022 Remuneration System^

Against the backdrop of regulatory amendments, the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec reviewed the 2021 remuneration system for the Management Board in 2022, extended it where necessary, and developed the 2022 remuneration system. In this context, strategy orientation will be further enhanced and sustainability matters will be added.

Strategic orientation

The 2022 Management Board remuneration system in its entirety makes a significant contribution to promoting and implementing the business strategy of SUSS MicroTec. This is ensured by defining performance criteria related to the longterm and sustainable success of the Company and linking them with ambitious annual and multi-year targets. The short-term variable remuneration is primarily based on the financial performance criteria of sales and net income for the fiscal year. The long-term variable remuneration is based on the financial performance criteria of sales growth and return on capital employed, among others. This promotes the focus on organic growth, profitability, and return on investment in the Management Board's activities.

Performance orientation

The 2022 remuneration system is designed to provide adequate and ambitious performance incentives for Management Board members. The variable, performance-related remuneration components represent a significant proportion of the total remuneration if 100 percent of the targets are achieved. The individual remuneration of each Management Board member is therefore proportionate to his or her duties and performance as well as to the situation of the Company.

Sustainability

A key aspect of the business strategy of SUSS MicroTec is the long-term and sustainable development of the Company. In order to link remuneration to the long-term development of SUSS MicroTec, long-term variable remuneration makes up a significant portion of the total remuneration and exceeds short-term variable remuneration. By integrating sustainability targets into short-term variable remuneration, social and ecological aspects are also taken into account, thereby promoting sustainable action within the Company. This is in line with the clear focus on emerging technologies and the strategy of achieving a leading position in the relevant markets through organic growth.

Capital market orientation

The interests of shareholders are taken into account in a special way through the share-based structure of long-term variable remuneration in the form of a performance share plan and the integration of the total shareholder return (TSR) performance criterion based on the development of the share price of SUSS MicroTec compared to the TSR of two indexes. In addition, the interests of the Management Board, employees, customers, and other important stakeholders were always kept in mind when developing the new remuneration system for SUSS MicroTec (2022 remuneration system). Finally, clarity and comprehensibility were important criteria in the revision of the 2021 remuneration system. The new remuneration system of SUSS Micro-Tec from 2022 follows the requirements of the German Stock Corporation Act as amended by ARUG II. In addition, the recommendations of the GCGC 2020 are taken into account."

The performance of the Management Board is evaluated in terms of the ESRS on the basis of objectives. The following section explains the parameters of these objectives.

The 2022 remuneration system for the current Management Board and the 2021 remuneration system for two former Management Board members of SUSS MicroTec SE are published on the website www.suss.com in the "Investor Relations" section under "Corporate Governance."

(ESRS 2 GOV-3 29 b) The Management Board's performance with respect to the sustainability-related targets is determined on the basis of specific objectives. The following categories for sustainability-related targets are specified for the STI and LTI in the 2022^ remuneration system.

Area	Potential Goals for STI and LTI 1
Environment	Reduction of CO2e emissions
Environment	Optimization of resource usage
Environment	Reduction of waste
Environment	Circular Economy
Social	Employee satisfaction and development
Social	Diversity
Social	Inclusion
Social	Occupational health and safety
Governance	Compliance, in particular prevention of corruption and bribery
Governance	Riskmanagement
Governance	Responsible supply chain
Governance	Further development of the sustainability strategy
Governance	Reporting and communication

1 See remuneration system 2022 of SUSS MicroTec SE

The sustainability-related targets for the STI are set annually by the Supervisory Board for the target year and reviewed after the end of the year. In the reporting year, the following STI were applicable to the remuneration of the Management Board:

Environmental

1 Sustainability target: The aim is to develop a concept for balancing greenhouse gases and calculating the Product Carbon Footprint (incl. Scope 3) as a basis for the Group's "net zero path", which addresses the necessary processes, responsibilities and technical and organizational requirements.

Threshold for 50% target achievement	The concept has been developed and documented for Germany
Target value for 100% target achievement	The system has been developed and documented throughout the Group.
Cap value for 200% target achievement	The date of "net zero" is 2050 at the latest. The measures and milestones on the way are set for the next 3 years.

Social

2 Sustainability target: In order to increase the attractiveness for (potential) employees, a Group-wide key performance indicator system is being developed based on a professional approach in a competitive comparison (benchmarking) in line with the ESRS (beyond the previous Pulse Check, e.g. with the support of Qualtrics).

Threshold for 50% target achievement	The system has been introduced and an initial survey has been carried out.
Target value for 100% target achievement	The system has been introduced throughout the Group and an initial survey has been carried out throughout the Group.
Cap value for 200% target achievement	Prerequisites for improvement measures based on the survey have been introduced.

The sustainability-related targets for the LTI are set annually by the Supervisory Board for a performance period of three years. The following LTIs were active in the 2024 reporting year.

LTI-Tranche of the performance period 2023-2025:

Sustainability target: Improving the sustainability ratings of SUSS MicroTec

Threshold for 50% target achievement	No deterioration in the ratings from ISS and Sustainalytics (basis: 2022 / early 2023) and a midfield rating from EcoVadis or an equivalent rating agency
Target value for 100% target achievement	Fulfilment of the above mentioned threshold targets plus: Rating has improved by one category (compared to 2022 / early 2023) with one of the three rating agencies listed above
Cap value for 200% target achievement	Fulfilment of the above mentioned threshold targets plus: Rating has improved by one category for two of the three rating agencies listed above compared to 2022 / early 2023

LTI-Tranche of the performance period 2024-2026:

Sustainability target: The international Scope 1, 2 and 3 CO2e consumption of the SUSS Group amounted to approx. 160,000 tonnes in 2022. With the help of sustainable products, innovation and technology and consideration of the circular economy, the CO2e footprint of SUSS can be sustainably reduced. The product carbon footprint plays a decisive role here: it should be determined and developed for each product group over the long term. Typical customer use cases are derived from the specification of the appliance. The actual application at the customer may differ.

Threshold for 50% target achievement	The prerequisites for calculating the product carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) are in place (e.g. appropriate software solution, consideration when selecting suppliers for new parts, CO2e estimates for the BOM, assumptions on customer use cases, etc.).
Target value for 100% target achievement	The product carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) is determined for a pilot project.
Cap value for 200% target achievement	The product carbon footprint (Scope 1, 2 and 3) is calculated for all current systems (i.e. systems that have not been discontinued and are expected to be available for order until at least the end of 2029).

Additional details on the remuneration of the Management Board will be disclosed in the 2024 Remuneration Report for SUSS MicroTec SE.

(ESRS 2 GOV-3 29 c) The Supervisory Board sets the sustainability-related targets annually. Accordingly, the sustainability-related performance metrics are to be regarded as performance benchmarks and included in the remuneration policy.

(ESRS 2 GOV-3 29 d) The performance of the Management Board is evaluated based on specific sustainability-related targets. The proportion of sustainability-related targets within the shortterm variable compensation (STI) is 15 percent. The STI is intended to make up 15 to 30 percent of the total remuneration.

The sustainability-related target of the LTI is intended to make up 25 percent of the long-term variable remuneration. The LTI is intended to make up 30 to 40 percent of the total remuneration.

(ESRS 2 GOV-3 29 e) The remuneration system is adopted by the Supervisory Board in accordance with § 87a (1) of the German Stock Corporation Act and submitted to the Annual General Meeting for approval every four years at the latest. The Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE determined the remuneration systems to be applied during the reporting period (2022 remuneration system for all current Management Board members and 2021 remuneration system for two former Management Board members). These systems were then approved by the Annual General Meeting of SUSS MicroTec SE. This information is permanently available on the Company's website www.suss.com under "Investor Relations" in the "Corporate Governance" section.

Disclosure ESRS 2 GOV-4: Statement on due diligence

Overview of the information provided in its sustainability statement regarding the due diligence process

(ESRS 2 GOV-4 30-33) SUSS has utilized a multi-step process to assess the impacts, risks, and opportunities of its business activities, following the OECD guidelines for due diligence. At SUSS, the principles of responsible business conduct (RBC) are firmly established and implemented in management systems, including the Compliance Management System, opportunity and risk management, and the ICS. The fulfillment of the due diligence within the Company is closely linked to the systems described. The relevant targets, as well as the elimination, avoidance, or mitigation of the impacts, are addressed by the Company's departments where the significant impacts occur. In some cases, the areas where negative impacts occur are associated with targets. They outline how SUSS tracks development and what their mitigation strategies look like. SUSS provides reports in various formats, particularly sustainability reports, detailing the outcomes of its processes.

The following table provides an overview of how SUSS applies the core elements of due diligence for people and the environment and where they are presented in this sustainability statement.

Core elements of due diligence	Paragraphs in the sustainability statement	Relation of the disclosure to humans and / or the environment
Embedding due diligence in governance, strategy and business model	ESRS 2-GOV 2 ESRS 2-SBM 3	People and the environment People and the environment
Engaging with affected stakeholders in all key steps of the due diligence	ESRS 2-GOV 2 ESRS 2-SBM 3 ESRS 2-IRO-1	People and the environment People and the environment People and the environment
Identifying and assessing adverse impacts	ESRS 2-SBM 3 ESRS 2-IRO-1	People and the environment People and the environment
Taking actions to address those adverse impacts	ESRS 2-MDR A	People and the environment
Tracking the effectiveness of these efforts and communicating	ESRS 2-MDR M ESRS 2-MDR T	People and the environment People and the environment

Disclosure ESRS 2 GOV-5: Risk management and internal controls over sustainability reporting

(ESRS 2 GOV-5 36 a) SUSS has established a group-wide risk management system and an internal control system (ICS). The main features of risk management are presented in the condensed Management Report in the Opportunities and Risks Report of the SUSS Group in the section "Description and essential characteristics of the Group-wide Risk Management System (RMS)" and in the section "Description of the essential characteristics of the Internal Control System (ICS)".

The reporting system within the entire SUSS Group adheres to the principle of proper management and documentation of records and documents. In combination with a principle of dual control, it forms the foundation for accurate reporting. Additional (management) systems ensure that essential processing steps are executed with precision, and that the results are reliably collected, documented, and shared. SUSS also relies on the increasing use of data processing systems to improve the traceability and quality of data. Clearly distributed areas of responsibility, Group-wide guidelines, signature and representation regulations, established reporting lines, and a uniform reporting system support correct, comprehensible, and reliable reporting. The processes used to collect ESG data are reviewed based on the existing standards and processes of the management systems, such as through audits of the relevant ISO standards. We continuously review, revise, and update our processes.

In 2024, we conducted an intensive review of existing processes and necessary adjustments, supported by external expertise, with a focus on sustainability reporting. The project aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the ESRS requirements and the necessary adjustments to existing management processes, policies, and procedures. The changes were gradually implemented during the reporting year. In particular, the departments responsible for the correct implementation of the ESRS requirements received detailed briefings on the ESRS standards. Subsequently, the departments took over the responsibility for the content of the information on the topic-related standards. The departments maintain a close collaboration with the ESG department, where the ESG department monitors compliance with the requirements and the quality of internal reporting, following the previously described principle of dual control.

(ESRS 2 GOV-5 36 b) The sustainability reporting processes are subject to the same risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) as the entire internal reporting system of SUSS. The processes of sustainability reporting are handled with the same approach to risk assessment as all other risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) in reporting.

(ESRS 2 GOV-5 36 c) The risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) of sustainability reporting primarily involve general reporting risks. The following general risk (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) exists for reporting:

• Risk of incorrect data: Incorrect data could be included in SUSS' reporting. As already described, SUSS has implemented various measures to prevent and detect errors in the collection, processing, and presentation of data. The control is continuously monitored by all parties involved (principle of dual control). If deficiencies are identified, they are addressed by the process participants through regular adjustments of the guidelines and controls.

The use of the ESRS poses specific risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) for sustainability reporting.

• Risk of incorrect application of the ESRS: Incorrect application of the required reporting obligations or implementation provisions of the ESRS could lead to an inaccurate presentation. For instance, there is a risk (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) that material topics for SUSS may be overlooked during the reporting process, resulting in an incomplete Group Sustainability Statement. This risk is

mitigated by the control that a materiality assessment is performed before the sustainability statement is prepared (see chapter ESRS 2 > SBM-3 Material Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities).

Furthermore, a change in the disclosure requirements, additional explanations from the standard setter (such as the EFRAG FAQ), or a modified reporting practice could result in an inconsistent application of the reporting standard. SUSS, with external support, closely follows the discussions on the interpretation and application of the standard, documenting internal decisions on interpretation issues.

The control of the measures taken to ensure accurate reporting is achieved through the definition of processes and regular, at least annual, review of the appropriateness of the defined controls and steps. The independent auditor also reviews the reporting and reporting processes.

(ESRS 2 GOV-5 36 d) Since the risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) of reporting are either general in nature or specifically related to the correct application of the standard, our response to these risks (within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure) is to continuously review and adapt our processes accordingly. The departments and the ESG department respond to identified errors and new or changed requirements by reviewing

the processes and existing work instructions and guidelines. During the reporting year, the sustainability reporting processes were redesigned, with internal controls implemented accordingly. These internal control systems are regularly reviewed and optimized.

(ESRS 2 GOV-5 36 e) The ESG core team coordinated with the Management Board in regular meetings on the challenges of sustainability reporting and, in this context, also discussed risks in reporting. The management body was particularly involved in adapting existing guidelines and processes to meet the ESRS requirements, as well as establishing new processes and guidelines in coordination with the Management Board. The Management Board, with the support of the departments and the ESG department, has informed the ESG Committee of the Supervisory Board about significant challenges and adjustments to the processes and guidelines.

Disclosure ESRS 2 SBM-1: Strategy, business model, and value chain

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 a i) SUSS addresses two different areas of semiconductor manufacturing with its product lines – the frontend and the advanced backend of the semiconductor industry. In the frontend, SUSS equipment is utilized for both the production (bake and develop) and cleaning of photomasks. The Advanced Backend segment, the product groups Imaging (alignment and exposure of substrates with mask aligners and projection scanners), Bonder and De-Bonder (bonding of wafers on substrates and in the area of temporary bonding also the separation of wafers and substrates), and Coater (coating and varnishing of substrates) address various process steps in the semiconductor industry.

SUSS helps its customers improve the sustainability of their process steps by boosting yields in semiconductor production. Throughout each step of the process, SUSS strives to minimize its environmental impact. Examples of this include the replacement of mercury vapor lamps with LED lamps for wafer exposure or the introduction of more environmentally friendly cleaning agents for wafers. In these areas, SUSS focuses on targeted innovation, working closely with customers and collaborating with leading global research institutes in the semiconductor industry.

During the reporting period, SUSS successfully completed the sale of its Micro Optics business area and the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. This business area was already classified as held for sale in the 2023 fiscal year.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 a ii) SUSS sells its products worldwide, serving the locations of our customers in the semiconductor industry and research institutions. Asia, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), and North America are the most important regions for SUSS's business, with Asia strongly dominating the regional distribution in 2024 with a share of 78 percent of order intake.

The SUSS Group's customers include semiconductor manufacturers who utilize SUSS equipment in various process steps, as well as other semiconductor industry suppliers, such as photomask manufacturers. Customers continue to include international corporations and research institutions. During the reporting period, there were no significant changes in the structure of the SUSS Group's key customers and markets.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 a iii) The number of employees by geographical area is shown in the following table:

Employees by geographical area	2024
EMEA	978
North America	81
Asia and Pacific	518

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 a iv) There are no restrictions for certain markets for SUSS products or services. SUSS products may be affected by trade restrictions.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 b; c) SUSS did not generate any intra-Group income from activities in the relevant ESRS sectors in the reporting year.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 d) In the reporting period, SUSS did not generate any income from activities that were attributable to fossil fuels, chemical manufacturing, controversial weapons, or tobacco cultivation and production sectors.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 e) Our portfolio is divided into four product lines. Within the product lines, different equipment is offered in customer-specific configurations. We continuously explore various design aspects to enhance the sustainability performance of our equipment. These are formulated as targets within the meaning of the ESRS disclosure. The following table explains the sustainability targets within the product lines.

Product line (Segment)	Sustainability targets
New products (Photomask Solutions / Ad vanced Backend Solutions)	New products with environmentally friendly cleaning processes.
Imaging (Advanced Backend Solutions)	Mask Aligner: Conversion to LED light sources

During the reporting year, there were no specific sustainability targets at the Company level regarding customer groups, geographic areas, and relationships with stakeholders.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 f) SUSS has not yet assessed its most important products, significant markets, and customer groups in terms of their sustainability targets. Improving the sustainability performance of the equipment is relevant for all customers.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 g) The most important element of the corporate sustainability strategy is the SUSS Group's objective of achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, based on Scopes 1 and 2. The objective is to be achieved through various measures, each addressing specific areas.

(ESRS 2-SBM-1 42) The SUSS Group develops, manufactures, sells, and services equipment for the production of microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems, and related applications. The upstream value chain consists of suppliers, particularly manufacturers of basic products and components for equipment manufacturing, service providers, and logistics partners.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 42 a) The value chain and the business model are presented in the specification ESRS 2 BP-1 5 c. The following information should be read in conjunction with the disclosures made there. SUSS manufactures equipment for the semiconductor industry. Production factors (inputs) can be divided into the following main categories.

• Base materials for equipment manufacturing
• Components for equipment manufacturing
• Module for equipment manufacturing
• Knowledge and experience of the workforce
• R&D

Base materials for equipment manufacturing, such as cables, wires, sheets, profiles, and basic components, are purchased by SUSS through retailers. We have long-standing supplier relationships. There are no significant risks that require safeguarding from the loss of suppliers.

SUSS procures various components for equipment manufacturing. The components can be standardized or highly customized. SUSS is currently working with long-standing suppliers in the field of special components, fostering a strong and evolving supplier relationship. However, SUSS is also striving to develop multiple suppliers for components as supply sources.

In its product range, SUSS takes a unique approach. It either has suppliers manufacture complex components, which typically have their own function within the equipment (modules), or it outsources them from its own production to suppliers and then integrates them into its own equipment (modular production). SUSS collaborates with manufacturers of this equipment, establishing a long-term relationship with suppliers.

A crucial factor in SUSS's production is the knowledge and experience of its workforce. Our comprehensive program for securing knowledge, employee retention initiatives, and extensive employee training and qualification efforts aim to ensure that our employees consistently maintain the high level of knowledge and skills required for our production, research, and development operations.

The construction of the equipment necessitates extensive development work. This is accomplished by external partners and SUSS employees (R&D). The relationships with research institutions and customers who collaborate with SUSS to develop and qualify the equipment are also intended to be long-lasting.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 42 b) Our customers use the equipment in different process steps. In some applications and divisions, SUSS is the world market leader, and the equipment enables customers to produce semiconductors at the leading (3 nm to 7 nm) and trailing edge (up to 30 nm) of the frontend. In the Advanced Backend area, SUSS equipment is utilized in various process steps, where customers integrate chips into more complex structures. The equipment is also utilized in established processes and applications, such as in MEMS manufacturing.

SUSS also equips research and development facilities with equipment. Here, SUSS's equipment enables the development of new semiconductor products and processes for semiconductor production.

Investors participate in the growth of SUSS through dividends and the development of SUSS shares in the capital market.

Other interested parties do not directly benefit from SUSS's investments, as they are exclusively sold to industrial clients.

(ESRS 2 SBM-1 42 c) The upstream value chain of SUSS consists of logistics partners and a large number of suppliers whose products have wide-ranging characteristics. The upstream value chain provides essential production factors. SUSS collaborates closely with manufacturers on certain modules. SUSS procures the materials and components that are incorporated into the production process and builds equipment for the semiconductor industry from this. SUSS remains significantly involved in R&D, both independently and in collaboration with partners. SUSS manages its sales through an in-house sales team and wholesale channels, which is crucial for the global distribution of its equipment.

The downstream value chain includes the use of SUSS equipment by leading semiconductor manufacturers, photomask manufacturers, foundries, and research and development facilities, as well as the disposal of the equipment after its end of use.

Disclosure ESRS 2 SBM-2: Interests and views of stakeholders

(ESRS 2 SBM-2 45 a) SUSS not only considers its own objectives but also the expectations of external stakeholders. Close cooperation and regular dialog are basic prerequisites for individual solutions tailored to specific needs. They are the basis for our business success and the future viability of the Company.

All stakeholders have different information needs and expectations regarding SUSS. That's why SUSS uses various communication formats and forums to connect with stakeholders. SUSS maintains regular communication with the following stakeholders.

• Customers: SUSS regularly engages with customers from the semiconductor industry through audits, trade fairs, and personal interactions. Our customers are economic stakeholders. Customer feedback is primarily considered in the areas of product quality and development.
• Suppliers: SUSS also maintains regular contact with its suppliers. From exchange within the context of routine purchasing activities to audits and progress and review meetings through to visits, trade fairs, and other specialized forums.
• Workforce: Our own workforce is crucial to the success of SUSS. Employees have access to a variety of channels for expressing their interests. These include employee information events, training and safety instructions,

mandatory health examinations, QM instruction, employee surveys (including pulse checks), annual employee reviews, the SUSS intranet, and compliance training. The workforce is organized within the SUSS Group through employee representatives. SUSS places a high priority on addressing employee concerns when designing the work environment.

• Research institutes and cooperation partners: Research institutes and development partners perform basic work in product development in close coordination with SUSS. SUSS collaborates with partners in selected areas to drive the development of products and solutions. These are economic stakeholders. They contribute to the development of SUSS and provide crucial expertise. The results are incorporated into SUSS products.
• Current and potential investors and other financial players: As a listed company, current and potential capital providers and other financial actors are important stakeholders. The Company's potential shareholders need comprehensive information to make their investment decisions. The investor side encompasses a wide spectrum of the organization. Private shareholders are typically not organized, or they are organized through a shareholder protection association. Large investment firms can present themselves as well-coordinated and organized due to better access to market and industry information. They usually pursue a profit-making interest and actively participate in discussions and investor conferences to gain a deeper understanding of

SUSS's operational and strategic development. SUSS acknowledges and, where feasible, incorporates suggestions from the investor side.

• Environment: The environment is a silent stakeholder. SUSS can assess the impact of its business activities through studies on the effects of the semiconductor industry on nature and publications from the industry association. The environment is represented by interest groups that possess a high level of organization but did not maintain contact with SUSS during the reporting year. SUSS takes environmental interests into consideration in its business practices.

The interest groups each have their own separate forums in which they articulate their interests. The identification and collection of interests also took place in different formats. We do not take a centralized approach to engaging stakeholders. In Company decision-making, the results of the exchange with stakeholders are considered as needed.

(ESRS 2 SBM-2 45 b) SUSS can understand the interests and views of the key stakeholders regarding the strategy and the business model through direct contact with the stakeholders and representatives in the Company who are in contact with these stakeholders.

(ESRS 2 SBM-2 45 c) SUSS maintains a close relationship with its key stakeholders, especially with customers, regularly implementing their suggestions in its products and processes. In our daily operations, we prioritize a customer-centric approach. Changes and adjustments made by SUSS based on stakeholder input are often not of a fundamental, strategic nature, nor are they primarily product-related. During the reporting year, the Management Board and Supervisory Board adopted an internal strategy for 2030, with sustainability as a key pillar. SUSS did not make any adjustments to its strategy or business model based on the perspectives of stakeholders during the reporting year. Furthermore, SUSS does not plan to make any adjustments to its business model due to the involvement of stakeholders in the foreseeable future. SUSS has been a long-standing partner for customers in the semiconductor industry, and we do not anticipate a significant shift in our relationship with stakeholders due to our business strategy in the near future.

(ESRS 2 SBM-2 45 d) The representatives of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE are regularly informed, at least once a year, about the involvement and the positions of the stakeholders as part of the presentation of the materiality assessment. The Management Board and Supervisory Board maintain a close, informal relationship with a wide range of stakeholders, including addressing sustainability-related topics.

Disclosure ESRS 2 SBM-3: Material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 a) In its materiality assessment, SUSS identified the following topics as material from a material and financial perspective.

• Climate, energy, emissions: This topic primarily encompasses the impacts of climate change, energy use, and the associated emissions. The impacts occur throughout the value chain. Risks arise primarily from acute and chronic climate risks as well as higher energy prices. Positive impacts arise from conserving resources through the use of renewable energies (biogas, photovoltaics, solar energy, geothermal energy) and, in the medium term, limiting the impact of energy costs on the Company by generating electricity in-house. The business model of SUSS remains unaffected by these risks.
• Sustainable products, innovation & technology, circular economy: This topic includes improving the sustainability performance of SUSS equipment, the contribution of customer-oriented R&D activities, and the transition to a circular economy. The impacts are felt within the Company and among customers. SUSS creates opportunities through customer-specific product development, achieving sustainable production by avoiding or reducing the use of chemicals. By maintaining and taking back equipment, SUSS

contributes to the transition to a circular economy. Customers benefit from more sustainable production with the equipment. Risks arise from insufficient R&D activity. Customers may opt for a supplier change during the next technology upgrade or generational shift, which would reduce sales, gross profit, EBIT, and, at the same time, market share. The business model of SUSS is directly impacted by this issue and adjusted to it.

• Employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction: This issue summarizes the impact of SUSS on both potential and existing employees. Opportunities arise from high employee satisfaction that can positively impact work behavior (e.g., increased efficiency, fewer errors, and innovations). Risks arise from low employee satisfaction, which can lead to demotivation and negatively impact physical and mental health. The impacts only occur within the Company. The business model of SUSS is not directly impacted by this issue.
• Training and further education: The education and training of employees describes the development and safeguarding of employee knowledge. The impacts only occur within the Company. Risks arise from a lack of or outdated expertise, which can lead to declining employee satisfaction and competitiveness. Opportunities arise when well-trained personnel identify new growth opportunities and harness them for the Company's benefit. At the same time, the demand for external specialists decreases. The business model is directly impacted by this issue.

• Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimi-

nation: SUSS believes that this set of issues is important for a successful corporate culture that is fair and open, as well as for employee satisfaction. The impacts only occur within the Company. Opportunities arise from the fact that all employees feel well-integrated and accepted at SUSS. Risks arise from the fact that, if the issue is not adequately addressed, employee retention may decline, leading to negative impacts on SUSS's economic performance due to employee turnover. The business model is directly impacted by this issue.

• Human rights, responsible supply chain: This topic encompasses the impact of SUSS in the upstream and downstream value chain, ranging from the protection and promotion of human rights to transparent and fair procurement. The impacts occur in the upstream value chain. Risks arise from the potential violation of human rights and environmental damage caused by SUSS suppliers. Inadequate oversight by SUSS can negatively impact customer supplier ratings and result in lost orders.

Opportunities arise within a company when its employees are positively impacted. SUSS control actions in the form of audits can improve the situation in the upstream value chain. The positive image boost can stabilize and improve customer relationships. The business model of SUSS is not directly affected by this issue.

• Customer satisfaction, product quality: In this topic, SUSS looks at customer satisfaction with SUSS equipment and services. The impacts are felt within the Company and among customers. The high quality of SUSS equipment and service, along with exceptional delivery reliability, result in exceptional customer satisfaction and ensure the success of SUSS. Conversely, inadequate quality, poor services, and failure to meet delivery deadlines can jeopardize customer relationships and the success of SUSS. The business model is directly affected by this issue.
• Legal compliance and information security: This topic includes incidents such as cyber-attacks, data loss or data blocking, the loss of confidential data, and legal violations in

general. This topic affects the entire SUSS value chain. Risks arise particularly from the economic damage caused by cyber-attacks as well as from legal violations and sanction risks. The business model is not directly affected by this issue. Violations of applicable law and non-compliance with internal compliance regulations can lead to further potential negative consequences. However, these risks can be minimized through various preventive measures.

The material impacts, risks, and opportunities identified in the materiality assessment are also highlighted in the individual chapters on the relevant ESRS E1 Climate Change, ESRS E5 Resource Use and Circular Economy, ESRS S1 Own Workforce, ESRS S2 Workers in the value chain, ESRS G1 Business conduct, and within the Company-specific standard of Customer Satisfaction and Product Quality in this Group Sustainability Statement.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 b) In the reporting year, SUSS did not make any adjustments to measures due to the current and expected influences of the material impacts, risks, and opportunities on the business model, the value chain, the strategy, the decision-making, and the way in which it reacts to these influences.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 c i) SUSS has identified how the Company's activities can have a significant impact on people and the environment in the following areas:

Environment

• Climate, energy, emissions: Global warming due to emissions. Negative consequences due to extreme weather events (heat, storms, cold). On the other hand, positive impacts arise from conserving resources through the use of renewable energies (biogas, photovoltaics, solar energy, geothermal energy).

Social concerns

• Employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction: Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and negatively impact physical and mental health. On the other hand, flexible and individual working models (e.g., part-time work, working from home, flexitime) contribute to employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness.
• Occupational safety & health protection: Unsafe working conditions can lead to injuries and workplace accidents. By

proactively addressing the issue, employees have an elevated sense of safety and health due to the measures taken (e.g., the occupational health service).

• Training and further education: Lack of employee expertise due to insufficient resources in the training center. This lack of knowledge leads, for example, to mental overload and demotivation. The positive impacts are described in the section "Employer Attractiveness and Employee Satisfaction."
• Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination: Discrimination is a serious violation of human rights and can dramatically affect the well-being and motivation of the affected employees. As an international company, SUSS recognizes the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion to drive innovation, collaboration, and market position. Failure to integrate diversity can jeopardize a company's long-term success and image.

Individual employees or groups may experience dissatisfaction due to a lack of pay transparency, which could negatively impact motivation and satisfaction.

On the other hand, training concepts can raise awareness of diversity and inclusion. While the measures have a positive impact on the work environment, the need for additional measures to promote DE&I is not particularly high due to the existing positive corporate culture.

Corporate Governance

• Human rights, responsible supply chain: Similar human rights risks arise in the supply chain as they do at SUSS. Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) may not feel accepted / disadvantaged / discriminated against and perceive this as a violation of their human rights. A positive impact can be achieved through the Supplier Code of Conduct and control measures such as supplier surveys and audits. In this way, SUSS can help reduce the likelihood of human rights violations or environmental damage in the supply chain.
• Customer satisfaction, product quality: In relation to our customers, inadequate quality, reliability, or performance of our equipment can lead to customer dissatisfaction. Uncompetitive delivery times and failure to meet delivery deadlines can also have a negative impact on customer satisfaction. Opportunities for SUSS arise from meeting customer expectations in terms of quality, reliability, and equipment performance, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction. Opportunities arise from quick customer service and reliable error resolution. Great service can significantly enhance customer loyalty. A high level of product and service quality, in conjunction with a correspondingly high level of customer satisfaction, ensures a higher level of employee satisfaction and loyalty at SUSS. Competitive delivery times and meeting promised delivery dates are key to customer satisfaction.

• Legal conformity, compliance, information security: In the area of compliance and IT security, risks arise from cyber-attacks, data loss, or data blocking, as well as the loss of confidential data, which can have a negative impact on the Company and its employees. The loss of personal data may have significant consequences for those affected. Restrictions on access to internal IT systems may have an impact on SUSS suppliers and customers.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 c ii) The impacts are due to SUSS's overall economic activity and are not based on its strategy or business model.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 c iii) The time horizons for the impact can occur in the short term, medium term, and long term.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 c iv) Through its business activities and business relationships, SUSS has an influence on a portion of all material impacts at all stages of the value chain and on affected stakeholders. Relating to emissions, the vast majority of material impacts are not caused by SUSS's business activities but rather arise in the upstream and downstream value chain. The information can be found in Section E1-6 of this report. The description of the activities and the business relationships affected can be found in Disclosure ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 a.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 d) The Company's material risks and opportunities have no current financial effect on the financial position, financial performance, or cash flows.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 e) In our risk management, we regularly evaluate the material risks and the resulting expected short- and medium-term financial impacts. The Management Board and the operational management team continuously monitor the opportunities.

We have used scenario analyses to assess environmental risks and opportunities in the short, medium, and long term since 2024.

As of the reporting date of the reporting year, there are no significant investment or divestment plans in place.

The financing of strategic initiatives is secured by means of cash and cash equivalents, and no financial impact on its financial position, financial performance, or cash flows is expected from significant risks and opportunities.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 f) The following estimates of the resilience of SUSS's business model are based on the climate scenario analysis carried out in 2024 and based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD).

Short-term measures

• Improve infrastructural robustness: Immediate reinforcement of existing equipment against extreme weather events such as storms or floods. Development and implementation of emergency plans: Development and implementation of detailed emergency plans and early warning systems to respond to immediate climatic events.

Medium-term measures

• Implementing flexible operating models: Adapting operational processes to enable flexibility in extreme weather conditions, such as adjusting work schedules during heat waves or introducing remote work options.
• Technological adjustments and innovation: Investing in technologies and research to adapt long-term operational processes to climate change, including the use of renewable energies and improved water management systems.

Long-term measures

• Building comprehensive climate resilience: Developing long-term strategies to minimize the impacts of climate change on the Company, including continuous review and adjustment of business models to predicted climate changes.
• Strengthening cooperation and partnerships: Fostering long-term partnerships with other companies, governments, and non-governmental organizations to develop joint resilience strategies and implement comprehensive solutions to climate-related challenges.

SUSS focused on environmental resilience in 2024 and will explore the potential for extending these topics to social and governance aspects.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 g) Due to the initial application of the ESRS system, no changes in the material risks and opportunities can be identified compared to the previous reporting period.

(ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 h) The impact, risks, and opportunities arising from the information provided by the ESRS are stated in the disclosure ESRS 2 SBM-3 48 a. SUSS identified IROs in the Company-specific standard that are not covered by the ESRS. These were listed in the section "Customer satisfaction and product quality".

Disclosure ESRS 2 IRO-1: Description of the processes to identify and assess material impacts, risks, and opportunities

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 a) During the reporting year, the materiality assessment process focused on business activities, business models, business relationships, and the value chain of SUSS and its stakeholders. Current and potential investors, as well as other financial players, suppliers, customers, employees, research institutes, and cooperation partners, are the most important stakeholders for SUSS. Stakeholders are involved through a broad-based approach using a variety of formats. This encompasses a wide range of activities, from research and evaluating stakeholder statements to conducting interviews and workshops. During the reporting year, SUSS primarily engaged stakeholders by representing their interests through the Company's departments with whom they regularly interact.

The SUSS Group has identified the key sustainability issues through a comprehensive, multi-step process. The outcome of this multi-step process is a comprehensive understanding of all key topics. The sustainability reporting of companies in our sector was initially analyzed to identify potentially material sustainability issues. At the same time, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) were applied. Based on these analyses, a list of potentially material sustainability issues was drawn up. SUSS has defined impacts, risks, and opportunities in relation to the identified sustainability issues. Impacts include positive and negative, actual and potential, and short and long-term effects of business activities on the environment, society, and / or human rights. Actual and potential risks and opportunities arise from an environmental, social or human rights aspect that has an impact on the financial result. The materiality of the impact was determined according to the assessment criteria of extent, scope, possibility of redress, and probability of occurrence. The materiality of risks and opportunities was determined according to the two assessment criteria of extent and probability. The financial materiality was defined on a monetary scale.

To identify and evaluate the material impacts, risks, and opportunities, a validation was conducted in collaboration with the department heads. This took place as a conversation and based on guidelines. The departments also assessed the significant impacts, risks, and opportunities in internal workshops, and the results were compiled in the outlined process.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 b) In the year of its initial application, SUSS chose a broad analytical approach rather than focusing on specific activities, business relationships, geographical conditions, or other factors. An initial analysis did not reveal any activities, business relationships, regions, or other factors that could potentially lead to an increased risk of negative impacts.

Throughout the process, we consistently engaged with stakeholders, both directly and indirectly, to ensure that their interests were accurately and adequately represented.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 c i) In the reporting year, SUSS did not consider any connections between its impacts and dependencies and the risks and opportunities that arise from the impacts of these dependencies.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 c ii) The assessment resulted in a materiality rating for each impact, risk, and opportunity. We used threshold values to differentiate between significant and insignificant topics in terms of their impact, risks, and opportunities.

The materiality of the impact was determined using four scales.

• 1. Extent: What is the current severity of the impact? Scale: From minimal to absolute
• 1. Scope: How widespread are the impacts? Scale: From limited to absolute / global
• 1. Reversibility: Can the initial state be restored before the impacts take place? Scale: From relatively simple to irreversible
• 1. Probability: How likely is it that the impacts will occur? Scale: Very low (0 ≤ 5%) to very high (50 ≤ 100%)

In the dimension of financial materiality, two sub-aspects are considered:

• 1. Valuation: How should the impact on financial performance at SUSS be evaluated? Scale: Negligible (0 ≤ € 0.5 million) to critical (€ 20.0 ≤ € 100.0 million)
• 1. Probability of occurrence: What is the likelihood of this event happening? Scale: From very unlikely (0 ≤ 5%) to very likely (50 ≤ y)

Sustainability matters can be material from an impact perspective, from a financial perspective, or from both perspectives.

During the reporting period, SUSS conducted a validation of the materiality assessment. A discussion was held with all department heads whose areas of responsibility encompass the material impacts, risks, and opportunities, who operate the corresponding management systems for monitoring, and who are involved in reporting the key figures. We constructively discussed the previous assessment of financial and material materiality. The requirements and expectations of external and internal stakeholders were also evaluated. Where necessary, adjustments were made and documented accordingly. As this validation did not result in any significant changes, all material topics were confirmed. The results were reviewed and approved by the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE and presented to the Supervisory Board.

Following the materiality assessment, the financial risks and impacts are discussed in the quarterly risk management committee. Known risks are appropriately acknowledged, and new topics are included. To determine the materiality of the impact and financial materiality, points were assigned to each risk based on their classification. To determine the materiality of the impact, a threshold of 2.67 (on a scale of 1 to 5) was established. On a scale of 1 to 5, a threshold of 2.00 was chosen for financial materiality.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 c iii) The sustainability risks were assessed from a financial perspective using the same methodology as all other risks considered in Group risk management. The materiality of the impact is an ESRS-specific requirement that has been incorporated accordingly.

For all risks reviewed by Group Risk Management, a comparison was made to determine if the identified risks were already covered by the topics identified in the double materiality assessment. As new risks were revealed from the double materiality, these were incorporated into the Group risk inventory.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 d) SUSS identified all topics with potentially material impacts, risks, and opportunities according to the process already described. The logic for scale selection was adopted from the Group risk management system. The scale for financial materiality was adopted directly from the Group risk management system. The decisions on the prioritization of risks and opportunities that could have financial impacts were reached by totaling the points for both dimensions as calculated using this procedure.

Experts from the ESG and risk management team were involved in the decision-making process for internal control. The materiality assessment process was also reviewed and approved by the Management Board. The decisions on which topics are material, and the procedures applied to ensure that the calculation, assessment, prioritization, and monitoring of risks and opportunities, as well as the financial assessment, are recorded correctly are derived from the process for the application of double materiality.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 e) SUSS has fully incorporated the sustainability risks identified through the double materiality assessment into the Group risk management system. The sustainability risks identified have been incorporated into the assessment of the general risk profile and risk management processes.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 f) The process for identifying impacts, risks, and opportunities and the opportunities identified through this process are not systematically incorporated into the Company's general management process at present.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 g) The double materiality assessment is the systematic methodology, that is, the rule-based procedure through which SUSS identifies the input parameters for the assessments of material topics. This refers to the data sources, the scope of the procedures covered, and the degree of detail of assumptions. Various procedures were applied for the purpose of data collection. These included reviews of documents (policies, manuals, process documentation, work instructions), system extract assessments, operational procedures, and (guideline-based direct and indirect) interviews. The fundamental concept of the materiality assessment is derived from the goals for the assessment of financial materiality and impact materiality as defined in ESRS 1 Section 3 and the corresponding Application Requirements.

In the double materiality assessment, a foundation encompassing all topics that could be material to SUSS was established by preparing and progressively expanding a list of topics. This list was then condensed by identifying related topics and delimited through the involvement of stakeholders and internal stakeholder representatives for the topics material to SUSS. The list of impacts, risks, and opportunities encompassed 16 topics, nine of which were assessed to be material. In this context, the SUSS ESG team identified all procedures that are material to the Company through either individual departmental representatives or other stakeholder representatives.

The information on the degree of detail used in assumptions required by the ESRS represents the contributions of the individual stakeholders regarding the topics and sub-topics and thus the corresponding procedures and processes the Company adheres to and employs. The degree of detail of these processes is therefore determined by the representation of the stakeholders who have contributed the topics and the underlying assumptions to the process in an appropriate manner. SUSS has included the data sources cited by stakeholders where doing so appeared appropriate for the purposes of the assessment. Since the double materiality assessment is carried out on the basis of these

individual qualitative contributions, the degrees of detail cannot be precisely delimited and can only be identified, documented, and disclosed subject to a disproportionately high degree of effort. The scope of the procedures covered cannot be meaningfully delimited either. SUSS has no cause to believe that not all procedures that are material to SUSS have been addressed in an appropriate manner.

(ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 h) In the 2024 fiscal year, SUSS conducted a review of the existing materiality assessment and adapted the assessment to conform to the expanded requirements of the ESRS by including additional topics. The next review of the materiality assessment will be conducted in 2025.

Disclosure ESRS 2 IRO-2: Disclosure requirements in ESRS covered by the undertaking's sustainability statement

(ESRS 2 IRO-2 59) Material information related to risks and opportunities has been compiled at SUSS through contact with the departments and contact persons within the Company. These departments monitor the material operational and strategic risks and opportunities for the Company. They report on these to the Group risk manager and provide their reports to other Group departments. These reports from the intra-Group reporting system are the key sources serving to identify information related to the risks and opportunities classified as material. In addition, SUSS established a double materiality assessment in 2023 which served to identify impacts, risks, and opportunities on a broader basis. A multi-stage procedure was implemented to facilitate this in conjunction with the existing sources and processes. Guideline-based interviews were conducted with stakeholders within the Company to validate and supplement the risks and opportunities identified. The aspect of impacts was also systematically included through this process. As such, there are two established procedures through which SUSS identifies, collects, and assesses information related to the impacts, risks, and opportunities that are material to the Company.

The determination of which topics are material was made in reference to the thresholds defined in Disclosure ESRS 2 IRO-1 53 c ii.

Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-P: Policies adopted to manage material sustainability matters

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 a) During the reporting year, SUSS pursued a policy regarding the sustainability matters classified as material. The main objectives of the policy were:

• Net zero emissions by 2030: SUSS aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 and has defined multiple actions to facilitate this. This objective addresses material impacts and risks in the area of climate, energy, and emissions, mainly in terms of the risks associated with climate change and the impacts of SUSS's energy consumption. The monitoring process for energy flows is carried out through the energy management system. The ESG manager and the ESG core team implement the actions for reducing emissions and maintaining the emissions inventory.
• Employer attractiveness: In the interest of continuing to produce cutting-edge technology with a highly qualified employee base, SUSS seeks to position itself as an attractive employer. This objective was chosen in order to inspire

long-term employee loyalty to SUSS and to present SUSS to potential employees as an attractive employer. This objective addresses material impacts, risks, and opportunities in the area of the Company's own workforce. The HR department oversees the implementation of individual actions.

• Responsible supply chain: SUSS also hopes to increasingly involve its own supply chain in its sustainability efforts. The policy for the "responsible supply chain" objective encompasses a range of operational actions that aim to contribute to greater transparency in regard to the supply chain as well as to participation from suppliers, such as through the Supplier Code of Conduct. This objective was formulated in the interest of better understanding SUSS's impacts within its own supply chain, risks for employees in the supply chain, and environmental impacts in the upstream value chain. The implementation of actions is overseen primarily by Purchasing and customer accounts and is discussed within the ESG core team.

Improvement of the sustainability performance of individual products and operational initiatives to reduce the impacts of SUSS's business activities are managed by the responsible departments on a decentralized basis. The list of individual actions can be found in Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-A.

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 b) During the reporting period, the policy applied to the SUSS Group in all geographic regions and pertained to the Company's own employees, customers, and suppliers.

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 c) The policy is supported by various objectives that have been implemented by the departments with the approval of the responsible management level and the Management Board.

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 d) SUSS did not participate in third-party initiatives that the Company had committed to respecting as part of the implementation of its policy during the reporting year. No third-party standards taken into account by SUSS were applied either.

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 e) Various objectives were defined in the course of formulating the policy. The perspectives of stakeholders were taken into account in the selection and development of individual initiatives.

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 f) The Management Board of SUSS has communicated the objectives and core elements of the policy to all employees in the context of all-hands meetings.

Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-A: Actions and resources in relation to material sustainability matters

(ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 a-c) During the reporting period, SUSS initiated and continued key actions that could serve to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate actual or potential impacts and to address risks and opportunities. Actions relevant to the management of material impacts, risks, and opportunities were defined for the following topics.

Description of the scope of the key actions (i.e. coverage in terms of activities, upstream and / or downstream value chain, geographies and affected stakeholder groups) (ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 b)	Time horizons until completion of the key action (ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 c)
Group-wide definition of measures and milestones on the path to net-zero emissions for the next three years; concept development for the accounting of greenhouse gases Scope 1-3 Carrying out a climate scenario analysis Affected stakeholder group: Own employees, suppliers	2025
Germany-wide switch to LED lights in offices / production buildings; building refurbishments Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Switch to 100% electricity from renewable energies in Taiwan Affected stakeholder group: none	2024
Further expansion of the charging infrastructure at the Sternenfels / Garching sites Affected stakeholder group: none	2024
Germany-wide development of a concrete timetable for the switch to 100% CO2-neutral heat supply Affected stakeholder group: none	2024
Evaluation of software solution, consideration of CO2e when selecting suppliers for new parts, CO2e estimates for the Bill of Materials (BOM), assumptions on customer use cases, etc. Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers, customers	2026
Group-wide concept development for calculating the product carbon footprint Affected stakeholder group: none	2026
Group-wide, gradual expansion of the vehicle fleet with fully electric drives Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2027

Area sustainable products, innovation & technology, circular economy
Mask aligners use environmentally friendly LED technology (instead of the previous mercury vapour lamp)	Production of mask aligners equipped exclusively with environmentally friendly LED technology Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers, customers	2025
Sustainable procurement and utilisation of renewable resources	Definition of requirements and criteria for sustainable procurement e.g. increasing the proportion of recycled plastic in plastic packaging and films Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers	2025
Area employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction
Increase employee satisfaction	Group-wide introduction of an employee engagement score that is collected as part of quarterly pulse checks Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Achieving a fluctuation rate of ≤ 8% 1	Development of a Group-wide system of key figures to record employer attractiveness, including a comparison with competitors; Conduct an initial survey and initiate improvement measures Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Analysis of quarterly pulse checks	Analysis of quarterly pulse checks Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Area diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination
Increasing the proportion of women in the workforce and in management positions 2 Proportion of women at 1st level below of the Managment Board 36% Proportion of women at 2nd level below of the Managment Board 36%	Continuation of current recruiting measures Affected stakeholder group: potential employees	2024

1 The target fluctuation rate of ≤ 8.0% was set before the introduction of the CSRD and only relates to Germany.

2 The target refers to SUSS MicroTec SE. We will be continuing the current target, which is described in the Corporate Governance Declaration, until 2027. SUSS aims to establish a Group-wide objective as of 2028 at the latest. In contrast to the disclosures related to SUSS MicroTec SE, ESRS S1-9 paragraph 66 contains a disclosure for the SUSS Group's senior management level.

Area occupational health & safety
Achieve a Global Lost Time Injury Rate ≤ 3.7	Further expand occupational safety measures; report near-accidents in order to derive preventive measures Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Area training and education
No operational target has yet been defined for 2024
Area responsible supply chain
Agreement of a code of conduct with existing suppliers	Contacting existing suppliers to obtain confirmation of the Code of Conduct. Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers	2024
Inclusion of sustainability criteria in the supplier selection process	The following criteria are checked: - Compliance with the Code of Conduct - ISO 14001 (environmental management system) certification - Appointment of a sustainability manager Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers	2025
Conducting audits on human rights and environmental protection	SUSS audits are used to verify compliance with standards and guidelines to ensure that all business partners fulfil their obligations with regard to human rights and envi ronmental protection. Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers	2024
Abstract risk analysis: location, sourcing, sustainability, human rights	SUSS carries out a risk analysis to identify potential risks. Criteria such as geographical location, dependence on a supplier, acceptance of the code of conduct and creditwor thiness are assessed by Kreditreform. Affected stakeholder group: Suppliers	2024

Area legal conformity, compliance and information security

No cases of corruption and bribery	Continuation of regular preventive measures Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
100% participation rate of all employees in compliance and cyber security trainings	Training for all employees Affected stakeholder group: Own employees	2024
Area customer satisfaction, product quality
No operational target has yet been defined for 2024	Customer satisfaction survey after every service call; major customer satisfaction sur vey of all key customers every four years Affected stakeholder group: Customers	2024

(ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 d) During the reporting year, SUSS was not aware of any stakeholders who had been harmed by actual material impacts. As such, no actions with the objective of providing remedy for such stakeholders were taken.

(ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 e) SUSS provides information on the progress of objective attainment for the actions and objectives in effect during the reporting year in the topical standards.

(ESRS 2 MDR-A 69) No significant operational expenditures (OpEx) or capital expenditures (CapEx) were incurred in conjunction with the implementation of the actions outlined in Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 a during the reporting period.

Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-M: Metrics in relation to material sustainability matters

(ESRS 2 MDR-M 75; 77) All of the metrics that SUSS tracks in regard to the effectiveness of its actions to address material sustainability matters on the basis of Company-specific principles are listed and presented in the table below. The table also provides descriptions of methods and significant assumptions as well as definitions of metrics where appropriate. The measurement of metrics has not been validated by any department other than the external departments responsible for quality assurance.

Parameter	Metric and significant assumptions, including limitations (ESRS MDR-M 77 a)	Metric and significant assumptions, including limitations (ESRS MDR-M 77 c)
Develop a net-zero pathway for Scope 1-3, with target achievement in 2050	Action plan that shows a transformation path for SUSS.	–
Saving energy, waste and water	Information for employees in production and offices	–
Share of electricity from renewable energies	Conversion of the Group electricity contract	–
Charging infrastructure	Development of a charging infrastructure for vehicles to operate the vehicle fleet	–
Concept development (for a 100% CO2-neutral heat supply)	Concept development (Germany)	–
Determination of the product carbon footprint for a pilot project	Development of a metric	–
Determination of the product carbon footprint for all current systems (at least orderable until 2029)	Development of a metric for the portfolio	–
100% emission-free vehicle fleet	Procurement of zero-emission vehicles	100%
100% mask aligners use environmentally friendly LED technology	Conversion of the Mask Alignern	100%
Sustainable procurement and utilisation of renewable resources	Conversion of the purchasing processes	–
Employee Engagement Score	Development of an Employee Engagement Score metric	≥ 23%
Fluctuation rate		≤ 8%1
Proportion of women in management positions 2		Proportion of women at 1st level below of the Management Board 36% Proportion of women at 2nd level below of the Management Board 36%

1 The target fluctuation rate of ≤ 8.0% was set before the introduction of the CSRD and only relates to Germany.

2 The target refers to SUSS MicroTec SE. We will be continuing the current target, which is described in the Corporate Governance Declaration, until 2027. SUSS aims to establish a Group-wide objective as of 2028 at the latest. In contrast to the disclosures related to SUSS MicroTec SE, ESRS S1-9 paragraph 66 contains a disclosure for the SUSS Group's senior management level.

Parameter	Metric and significant assumptions, including limitations (ESRS MDR-M 77 a)	Metric and significant assumptions, including limitations (ESRS MDR-M 77 c)
Global Lost Time Injury Rate		≤ 3,7
Training and education: No operational target hast been defined for the reporting year		–
Coverage of suppliers with a sustainability performance rating		–
Purchasing volume covered by the Code of Conduct		At least 65%
Implementation of regulatory IT security requirements in the supply chain		–
Cases of corruption and bribery		No cases
Participation rate of all employees in compliance and cyber security trainings		100%
Customer satisfaction, product quality: Customer satisfaction with service operations		At least 80%

Disclosure ESRS 2 MDR-T: Tracking effectiveness of policies and actions through targets

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 79 a) The Company's progress towards the adopted targets is tracked within the SUSS Group. Progress is reviewed by the corresponding committees on the basis of the defined metrics. Developments are collected and are presented and discussed by the SUSS ESG core team at regular two-month intervals.

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 79 b) SUSS has defined measurable, timebound, outcome-oriented targets in regard to material impacts, risks, and opportunities. A precise description of the targets can be found in ESRS 2 MDR-T 80.

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 79 c) As SUSS is reporting on its policy objectives for the first time, overall progress towards the adopted targets over time cannot be disclosed yet.

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 79 d) SUSS has adopted targets for its actions and initiatives, which are reviewed at regular intervals in regard to appropriateness, degree of target attainment, and effectiveness in addressing the material impacts, risks, and opportunities. This evaluation is carried out by reviewing progress towards the adopted targets and assessing the effectiveness of target attainment in regard to the material impacts, risks, and opportunities within the ESG core team.

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 79 e; 80 h) The results of the materiality assessment were taken into account in the definition of targets. The materiality assessment was carried out on the basis of dialog with stakeholders (see section ESRS 2 SBM-2).

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 a–f; j). The effectiveness of SUSS's policies is tracked using the following targets.

ESRS Standard	Sustainability aspect (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 c)	Baseline value (Base year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 d)	Targetvalue (Target year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 b; e)	Milestones (Year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 e)	Method & assumption for defining the objectives (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 f)	Performance achieved in the previous periods (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 j)
ESRS E1	Scope 1 und 2 (Market-based)	4.482 tonnes of CO2e 1 (2022)^	0 tonnes of CO2e (2030)	1.491 Tonnen CO2e (2024)	SUSS bases its targets on the European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.	−66,7% compared to the base year
ESRS S2	Code of Conduct accepted by suppli ers	36,0 % (2022)^	> 65,0 % (2024)	58,0 % (2024)	There are no assumptions for the definition of targets and the calculation of supplier coverage through measures.	+22 percentage points to the base year
ESRS G1	Compliance training participation rate	100% (2024)	100% (2024)	98,0% (2024)	Internal compliance regulations	The target value was undershot by 2 percentage points.
ESRS S1	Employee Engagement Score	38,0% (2024)	≥ 23,0% (2024)	Annual target value	Benchmark analyses	Target was exceeded by 15 percentage points.
ESRS S1	Reportable accidents at work	5,0 (2023)^	≥ 3,7 (2024)	0,96 (2024)	Benchmark analyses	Target value was achieved and undercut by a ratio of 2.74
ESRS S1	Women's quota for the first and second management levels at SUSS Microtec SE	1st level 36,4% 2nd level 25,0% (2022)^	Percentage of women at levels 1 & 2 below the Management Board 36,0% (2027)	1st level 40,0% 2nd level 50,0% (2024)	SUSS bases its quota of women at the first and second management levels on the "Gesetz für die gleichberechtigte Teilhabe von Frauen und Männern an Führungsposi tionen in der Privatwirtschaft und im öffen tlichen Dienst"	Target for the first level was exceeded by 4 percentage points and for the second level by 14 percentage points
ESRS S1	Fluctuation rate	Value collected inter nationally for the first time, therefore not available.	≤ 8,0% 2 (2024)	13,0% (2024)		Target value of the first was exceeded by 5 percentage points

1 Including the discontinued MicroOptics segment

2 The target employee turnover rate of ≤ 8.0% was defined before the rollout of the CSRD and applies only to Germany. In terms of target achievement, the turnover rate in Germany was 9.6% in 2024 (previous year: 9.5%).

(ESRS MDR-T 80 g) The targets related to environmental aspects are not based on scientific evidence.

(ESRS MDR-T 80h) The results of the materiality analysis were taken into account when setting the targets. The materiality analysis was carried out on the basis of the dialog with stakeholders (see section ESRS 2 SBM-2).

(ESRS MDR-T 80 i) The targets have not been changed since their adoption. As such, there have also been no changes to the underlying measurement methods.

Environmental ESRS E1 Climate Change Governance

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 GOV-3: Integration of sustainability-related performance in incentive schemes

(ESRS E1 GOV-3 13) Sustainability targets are integrated into both short-term variable remuneration (short-term incentive, or STI) and long-term variable remuneration (long-term incentive, or LTI). This served to create incentives to take social and ecological matters into account and integrate sustainability into corporate governance. Sustainable action is an integral part of SUSS's corporate strategy that safeguards the future social and economic viability of the Company. This is in line with the clear focus on emerging technologies and the strategy of achieving a leading position in the relevant markets through organic growth. The integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability goals as variable remuneration components incentivizes sustainable and forward-looking actions while striving to create value for SUSS's customers, employees, and shareholders, as well as the environment as a whole. Specific and measurable ESG targets derived from the corporate strategy are included in both short-term and long-term variable remuneration.

This part of the STI is measured by the achievement of the non-financial sustainability target, which has a total weighting of 15 percent. The sustainability target is composed of up to two non-financial performance criteria related to environmental, social, and governance performance ("ESG performance criteria") that are derived from SUSS's sustainability strategy. The inclusion of sustainability in the STI reflects SUSS's ambition to provide targeted incentives for the implementation of the sustainability components of its comprehensive (overall) corporate strategy. SUSS thereby highlights its focus on viewing its corporate responsibility holistically and drives long-term corporate success. Each year, the Supervisory Board, at its own discretion, defines up to two equally weighted ESG performance criteria underlying the assessment of the sustainability target, which it selects from the following categories:

Category	ESG-Aspects
Environmental	– Reduction of CO2e emissions – Optimisation of the use of resources – Reduction of waste – Circular economy

Before the start of a fiscal year, the Supervisory Board sets ambitious targets for the ESG performance criteria. The targets are based, among other things, on the operationalization of the SUSS sustainability strategy. With regard to the ESG targets determined by the Supervisory Board, a distinction must be made between quantitative and qualitative targets. Qualitative criteria that cannot be measured exactly must only be used in exceptional cases; in these cases, the Supervisory Board shall ensure that the qualitative criteria are definitely verifiable and stand up to scrutiny in accordance with the explanatory statement of the German Corporate Governance Code.

For the 2024 fiscal year, the aim for the short-term variable remuneration is to create a foundation for the Group's "net-zero roadmap" by developing an accounting approach for greenhouse gases and an approach to calculating the product carbon footprint (including Scope 3) that addresses the necessary processes, responsibilities, and technical and organizational requirements. The environment-related share of the short-term variable remuneration is 7.5 percent, with an overall ESG share of 15 percent of the short-term variable remuneration. The long-term variable remuneration aims to reduce the CO2e footprint and to calculate the product CO2e footprint for each product group on a long-term basis. The ESG share of the long-term variable remuneration is 25 percent. Both the short-term and long-term variable remunerations aim to contribute to the "net-zero" emissions reduction target for Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030. This serves to incorporate the objectives from Disclosure Requirements E1-4 into the targets for Management Board remuneration.

Strategy

Disclosure ESRS E1-1: Transition plan for climate change mitigation

(ESRS E1-1 14) Our environmental and climate change mitigation actions are carried out from two perspectives. On the one hand, it is about improving the energy efficiency of our products and thus ultimately improving the CO2e footprint of our customers. With the support of our systems, semiconductor companies can manufacture ever more powerful and energy-efficient products, which improves the energy balance of many electronic end devices such as cellphones. We therefore strive to improve our equipment's throughput, energy efficiency, and material consumption through innovations and continuous improvements. Our responsibility extends from the development, component purchasing and production of our systems through to the buy-back, reconditioning, and sale of used systems by our subsidiary SUSS MicroTec ReMan GmbH in the spirit of the circular economy. Second, we are continuously working to make our own production and administration activities more energy-efficient and less resource-intensive.

The SUSS Group's transition plan aims to limit global warming and achieve net-zero emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by 2030. More than 95 percent of SUSS's emissions are indirect Scope 3 emissions that originate from our upstream and downstream value chain. In the future, portfolio-specific decarbonization approaches will be iteratively developed on the basis of the SUSS Group's overarching decarbonization tools. This requires calculation of the CO2e footprint of the SUSS product portfolio. An approach for this was developed during the 2024 reporting year.

The transition plan (Scopes 1 and 2) has been integrated into SUSS's business strategy and financial planning and was coordinated with and approved by the Management Board.

(ESRS E1-1 16 a) SUSS aims to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. SUSS contributes to this objective by setting environmental targets (e.g., reducing CO2e emissions, improving energy efficiency, obtaining electricity from renewable energy sources, optimizing resource use, reducing waste, developing environmentally friendly technologies, equipment, and products) and implementing action plans based on these targets. SUSS is committed to the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree target and aims to achieve net-zero emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) by 2030.

(ESRS E1-1 16 b) The material decarbonization levers for Scopes 1 and 2 have been identified, with new solutions and new generations of equipment systematically documented in the product development process. Specifically, the product manager formulates the desired specifications required for the desired market success, also with regard to the environment and occupational health and safety. In addition to the technological component, the further consumption of resources also plays an important role. This, for example, concerns special, highly developed photo resists that are applied to surfaces. By reducing the consumption of these resists and other chemicals in our coater and development machinery, we will be able to protect the environment and reduce our customers' production costs. The highly sensitive photo resists that are used for our coaters usually contain photochemical compounds that are sensitive to the environment and entail high costs and energy consumption for manufacturing and disposal. In the further development of our coaters, we constantly strive to optimize the applied processes regarding the quantity of coating that is used. In our inkjet printer business, which we assign to the Coating Solutions product line, we produce and sell semi-automatic and fully automatic devices for inkjet printing-based coating processes. This inkjet process, in which a protective resist is applied only to specific areas of a substrate, can achieve average reductions in the consumption of process chemicals of up to 40 percent compared to conventional full-surface coating processes. In the Photomask Solutions segment, we are also working on applications for cleaning wafers, initially for MEMS applications. Based on our know-how in photomask cleaning, we have developed a much more sustainable solution compared to today's products. Hazardous chemical substances are replaced by highly effective and significantly more environmentally friendly solutions.

Levers for decarbonization by 2030

In order to reduce Scope 1 emissions by 2030, options are currently being evaluated for converting energy sources to low-emissions alternatives. A plan for doing so will be developed by the end of 2025, and implementation is scheduled for 2027. This plan represents the most important action for reduction in regard to Scope 1 emissions.

Another lever for the decarbonization of Scope 1 emissions is the conversion of the vehicle fleet to e-mobility. SUSS aims to accomplish this by 2027.

In terms of Scope 2 emissions, the transition to green electricity in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as at the main location in Taiwan since April 2024, is already proving effective. As such, our activities relating to Scope 2 emissions are currently focused on increasing energy efficiency. The light sources at all three production sites are gradually being replaced with energy-efficient LED light sources. The use of usage-dependent intelligent LED lighting control systems is being continuously reviewed and implemented where appropriate, particularly in the area of production. To boost energy and cost efficiency, we regularly invest in our buildings, particularly the cleanrooms and production areas at the production sites. This includes modern electrical and air-conditioning systems, for example.

The installation of a photovoltaic system at the Sternenfels location is planned for the period from 2025 to 2027. Due to the existing use of green electricity at SUSS locations (since 2024 at the main location in Taiwan), there is currently no CO2e impact on

Allocation of funds	(Actual)	(Plan)
	2024	2025−2027	2028−2030
Capital expenditure
Photovoltaic systems		350,000 €
Energy source transition		450,000 €	200,000 €
Infrastructure for e-charging stations		100,000 €
Operational expenditure
Energy efficiency measures for buildings and technology	158,000 €	600,000 €	600,000 €

the carbon footprint from these sources under the current circumstances. The action serves to reduce power consumption at the location.

Further details on SUSS's decarbonization levers and its actions to limit climate change can be found in E1-3.

(ESRS E1-1 16 c) Implementation of the actions described above for the achievement of net-zero emissions by 2030 will require significant operational expenditures (OpEx) and capital expenditures (CapEx); the following overview outlines the actions defined thus far and is not yet complete in regard to the attainment of the target of net-zero emissions by 2030.

SUSS aims to achieve a reduction of Scope 1 emissions with its capital expenditures and operating expenditures, which represents a significant contribution to the emission pathway for 2030.

(ESRS E1-1 16 d) SUSS's locked-in greenhouse gas emissions on connection with its most important assets are the buildings at its production sites and their production installations. The emissions associated with these and with SUSS's products do not jeopardize the achievement of the emissions reduction targets.

(ESRS E1-1 16 e) SUSS pursues the objective of reducing and preventing CO2e emissions with its CapEx and OpEx plans. Further details can be found in the "EU Taxonomy" section.

(ESRS E1-1 16 f) In addition, there are no coal, oil, or gas-related economic activities at SUSS.

(ESRS E1-1 16 g) SUSS is not excluded from the EU Paris-aligned Benchmarks.

(ESRS E1-1 16 h) SUSS's transition plan for net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions is part of the corporate strategy; as part of SUSS's investment planning, it is also an integral part of the strategy until 2030.

(ESRS E1-1 16 i) The transition plan has been approved by the Management Board of SUSS.

(ESRS E1-1 16 j) SUSS has achieved the following progress with the transition plan thus far:

• Conversion to green electricity at production locations (since April 2024 at the main location in Taiwan)
• Construction of e-charging stations at German locations
• Introduction of electric vehicles

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-3: Material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model

(ESRS E1 SBM-3 19 a) A climate-related scenario analysis (resilience analysis) was conducted in regard to climate-related risks and opportunities in 2024; this analysis is presented in the following section.

The resilience analysis had the following scope:

• The entire SUSS Group was included in the resilience analysis
• The Company's own activities, as well as the upstream and downstream value chain, were taken into account
• Transitory and physical climate risks were taken into account

(ESRS E1 SBM-3 19 b) The resilience analysis was carried out during the period from January to July 2024 using the guidelines of the Task Force on Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD). An external service provider was tasked with implementation.

SUSS supported the analysis with internal workshops in which transitory and physical risks and opportunities were evaluated and assigned probabilities and financial impacts.

For the three transitory risks and opportunities rated as the most acute, two scenarios depicting the potential impacts of climate change on SUSS were developed. Scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) were used for this in order to illustrate different scenarios and their potential climate change impacts on SUSS (sources: IEA2023, IPCC2022):

• SSP 1-1.9 (Compliance with the 2 °C target)
• SSP 5-8.5 ("Business as usual")

Only the low emissions scenario (SSP 1-1.9) was taken into account for potential transitory risks and opportunities, and only the high emissions scenario (SSP 5-8.5) was taken into account for potential physical risks.

The potential impacts of each scenario variant on the business activities, financial performance, and sustainability of SUSS were then investigated.

Risks and opportunities associated with the different scenarios were also classified in regard to their impacts on the Company.

(ESRS E1 SBM-3 AR 7 b) The following time horizons were applied:

• Short-term time horizon (until 2030)
• Medium-term time horizon (2030 to 2040)
• Long-term time horizon (2040 to 2050)
• Long-term time horizon (2040 to 2050)

(ESRS E1 SBM-3 19 c) The following material climate-related risks have been identified; in this context, only the low-emissions scenario has been taken into account for transitory risks, and only the high-emissions scenario has been taken into account for physical risks. This is because the implementation of stricter emissions reduction measures is most likely in the low-emissions scenario. In contrast, the physical risks are the most severe in the high-emissions scenario. A more detailed description of the two scenarios can be found in section ESRS E1 SBM-3 19b.

Transitory risks (taken into account in the low-emissions scenario SSP 1-1.9):

• Political and legal risks: Increasing regulation of existing products and services worldwide could lead to new requirements and restrictions. Adaptability and innovation will be necessary to deal with these challenges.
• Technological risks: The transition to lower-emissions technologies is accompanied by additional costs, posing challenges to companies worldwide.

Physical risks (taken into account in the high-emissions scenario SSP 5-8.5):

• Acute risks: The increasing severity of extreme weather events like hurricanes and flooding is serving to increase the risk of damage and disrupted operations worldwide.

The following material climate-related opportunities were identified:

Products and services:

• The development and proliferation of lower-emissions goods and services offer potential opportunities for growth and market leadership.
• Research and innovation create opportunities for the development of new, future-oriented products.
• Diversification of the business model makes it possible to react to changing market conditions with flexibility.

Resilience:

• Investments in climate resilience strengthen the capacity to address climate-related risks and ensure long-term sustainability.

The analysis shows that along with considerable risks, there are also meaningful opportunities to gain a competitive advantage through innovation and adaptation.

(ESRS E1 SBM-3 AR 8 b) In the following, we describe the short-, medium-, and long-term actions SUSS can take in regard to the transitory and physical risks identified in order to adapt its policy and business model to climate change.

Short-term actions:

• Proactive product development and technological

upgrades: Investments in more environmentally friendly technologies and products that meet or exceed regulatory requirements. The goal here is to minimize compliance costs and open up new markets.

• Training and process optimization: Employee training in sustainable practices and the optimization of operational processes to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. This serves to reduce the risk of penalties.
• Careful investment planning and technology selection: Prioritization of technologies with modular or scalable characteristics in order to minimize financial burdens and prevent bad investments.
• Increases in efficiency: Implementation of actions to improve energy efficiency in existing processes in order to avoid cost-intensive ad hoc technological upgrades.
• Location selection and building standards: Review of location selection for new facilities and adaptation of building standards in order to increase the resilience of buildings and infrastructure in regard to extreme weather conditions.
• Early warning systems and emergency plans: Launch of early warning systems and preparation of emergency plans for rapid and effective responses to extreme weather events in order to minimize damage.

Medium-term actions:

• Flexible business model and market observation:
• Development of an adaptable business model that enables rapid responses to regulatory changes. Ongoing observation of regulatory developments ensures that the Company always remains compliant.
• Integration of risk-sharing clauses: Adoption of contractual clauses that distribute regulatory risks between the Company and its partners (suppliers, customers) in order to ensure financial stability.
• Flexible use of technology and training: Development of strategies for flexible adaptation to new technologies and training for employees to ensure that these can be used and maintained efficiently.
• Partnerships and subsidies: Development of strategic partnerships and active pursuit of subsidy programs for financial support and risk mitigation.
• Infrastructural adaptations and flexible business models: Strengthening existing structures and adapting business models so that disrupted operations can be dealt with in a flexible and efficient manner.
• Insurance coverage and risk transfers: Revision of insurance policies to ensure comprehensive protection against financial losses and utilization of outsourcing options for critical functions in order to mitigate risks.

Long-term actions:

• Insurance solutions and acceptance strategy: Taking out long-term insurance policies against regulatory risks in order to minimize financial losses. A strategy will also be developed for accepting unavoidable regulatory risks and dealing with them effectively.
• Sustainable innovation and competitive advantages: Continuous investment in R&D promotes sustainable innovation, increases the value of the Company, and serves to position the Company as a leader in the field of environmental responsibility.
• Planning for unavoidable costs: Long-term financial planning that takes unavoidable costs into account, such as by accumulating reserves or adjusting budgets.
• Long-term financial strategy: Development of a comprehensive plan for dealing with transition costs that mitigates risks and puts the Company on a sustainable and financially resilient path.
• Acceptance of residual risks and budgeting: Recognition that not all risks can be fully averted and creation of special budgets for covering unavoidable damage and losses.
• Sustainable adaptation strategies and monitoring: Development of long-term adaptation strategies to cope with climate change and implementation of a system for continuous monitoring and assessment in order to review and optimize the effectiveness of actions on a regular basis.

SUSS will reconcile the identified actions with actions for climate change adaptation, risk mitigation, and exploitation of opportunities that are already in effect and make adjustments where necessary. This serves to pursue the objective of improving SUSS's strategic resilience.

Management of Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 IRO-1: Description of the processes to identify and assess material climate-related impacts, risks, and opportunities (ESRS E1 IRO-1 20 a AR 9) In the course of the materiality assessment, we identified the following impacts and risks related to climate, energy, and emissions:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value chain	Time frame
Climate, energy and emissions	Global warming due to emissions. Negative consequences of extreme weather events (heat, storms, cold).	Negative impact	Entire value chain	Short, medium and long term
Climate, energy and emissions	Conservation of resources through the use of renewable energies (biogas, photovoltaics, solar energy, geothermal energy).	Positive impact	Within the company	Short, medium and long term
Climate, energy and emissions	Higher costs in the event of storm damage and supply to buildings due to storms or heat.	Risk		Short and medium term
Climate, energy and emissions	Rising energy costs	Risk		Short and medium term

Emissions contributing to global warming are generated in the context of the manufacture of purchased goods, production, logistics, and during the use phase of products. These pertain to the entire value chain and can have a negative impact on the environment in the short, medium, and long term.

The use of renewable energy makes it possible to achieve a positive impact at the Company in the short, medium, and long term. The use of photovoltaics at the German production location in Sternenfels is currently under review and is expected to be implemented in 2025.

Increased costs from severe weather damage to buildings and rising utility costs due to more frequent severe heat events represent a physical climate-related risk for SUSS. Rising energy costs are a transitory climate-related risk for SUSS.

SUSS assesses its impacts on overall greenhouse gas emissions by systematically identifying and analyzing its emissions sources. In this context, SUSS also refers to the statements in chapter E1-6.

(ESRS E1 IRO-1 20 b AR 11 a-d) In the course of the climate-related scenario analysis, SUSS identified short-, medium-, and long-term physical risks at the regional level, which are described in greater detail in Section ESRS E1 SBM-3. The scenario analysis takes the high-emissions scenario SSP5-8.5 into account. SUSS has not yet determined whether and to what extent its assets or business activities within its supply chain may be exposed to physical risks.

(ESRS E1 IRO-1 20 c AR 12 a-d) In the course of the climate-related scenario analysis, SUSS identified short-, medium-, and long-term transitional incidents, which are described in greater detail in Section ESRS E1 SBM-3. These pertain both to the Company's own business operations as well as the upstream and downstream value chain.

Through the consideration of the low-emissions scenario SSP1- 1.9, the scenario analysis is in conformity with the Paris Agreement, which calls for the limitation of global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

SUSS has not yet determined whether and to what extent its assets and business activities within the upstream and downstream value chain may be exposed to transitional incidents.

No assets or business activities have been identified that are not compatible with the transition to a climate-neutral economy or that can only be made compatible subject to considerable expense.

(ESRS E1 IRO-1 21 AR 15) The climate-related scenario analysis inspired by the TCFD was carried out for the first time in the 2024 fiscal year. As such, it was not yet usable for the identification and assessment of climate-related impacts, risks, and opportunities. SUSS will incorporate the results of the climate-related scenario analysis into the next materiality assessment.

Disclosure ESRS E1-2: Policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation

(ESRS E1-2 24; 25) With the policy in accordance with ESRS 2-MDR-P and E1-2 25 a on the subject of climate change mitigation, SUSS reaffirms its commitment to contributing to global climate neutrality and achieving its climate targets while ensuring compliance with all relevant ESG criteria.

Strategy	Policy / Description
1. Policy	Policy on climate protection
2. Objectives and content	The reduction of emissions and the transition to net zero emissions are integral components of SUSS's corporate strategy. By embedding this policy in its business processes, SUSS aims to address sustainability risks and opportunities, increase the long-term value of the company and utilise climate neutrality as a competitive advantage. SUSS is committed to the comprehensive and transparent collection of emissions data for Scope 1 and Scope 2 in accordance with the GHG Protocol. This includes the regular recording of emissions from our own plants and from purchased energy in order to make progress in reducing emissions measurable. For Scope 3 emissions, SUSS conducts a comprehensive analysis to identify the most important GHG categories along the value chain. Both upstream and downstream categories are taken into account. The analysis covers all relevant activities asso ciated with the procurement of materials, transport and logistics, business travel and the disposal and recycling of products. The focus is on the categories with the greatest potential for reducing emissions.Emissions data is collected and reviewed regularly and verified by independent third parties to ensure transparency, accuracy and accountability. With ISO 14001 certification, we are also committed to systematic monitoring and continuous improvement in order to fulfil both legal requirements and internal environmental targets. Target setting: Net zero emissions by 2030 for Scope 1 and Scope 2: This is to be achieved through a combination of emissions reduction, energy efficiency measures and the use
	of renewable energies. Continuous reduction of Scope 3 emissions: In the identified key areas of Scope 3, SUSS is committed to a steady reduction in emissions by creating sustain able supply chains, optimising business travel and minimising resource consumption.
3. References to significant impacts, risks or opportunities	By implementing this policy, SUSS addresses the following significant impacts, risks and opportunities: – Impacts: Significant reduction in GHG emissions and a contribution to climate mitigation. – Risks: Regulatory risks due to stricter emissions regulations and reputational risks if the communicated climate targets are not achieved. – Opportunities:Increased efficiency in production, cost savings through the use of renewable energies and the development of new markets through sustainability initiatives.
4. Monitoring process	Compliance and progress are monitored in close cooperation with the ESG manager and quality management. Operational management is the responsibility of the relevant specialist departments in the Scope 1-3 categories. These bodies are responsible for ensuring that the defined measures are properly implemented and that all relevant ESG and sustainability requirements are met. The Management Board regularly reviews progress and makes strategic decisions in order to achieve the climate targets.
5. Scope of the policy	This policy applies to all business units and global locations of SUSS. It includes: – Scope 1 emissions: Direct emissions from sources controlled by SUSS, such as the combustion of fuels in our own facilities and vehicles. – Scope 2 emissions: Indirect emissions from the consumption of purchased electricity, heating and cooling. – Scope 3 emissions: Significant indirect emissions along the value chain from categories 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 / 3.9, 3.5, 3.6, 3.11 and 3.12.
6. Accountable level for the policy	Responsibility for the implementation of this policy lies with the SUSS Management Board.
7. Reference to standards	ISO 14001

8. Consideration of the stakeholders	SUSS is in active dialogue with key stakeholders to ensure full participation in emission reduction measures. The relevant stakeholders include
	– Employees: They are trained and encouraged to adopt sustainable practices and support emission reduction efforts. – Suppliers: They are included in the materiality analysis of Scope 3 in order to jointly develop strategies for reducing emissions. – Investors and customers: You will be informed transparently about SUSS's progress in reducing GHG emissions.
9. Availability of the policy for stakeholders	The policy is made available to all employees to ensure that the guidelines and objectives are implemented in all areas of SUSS.

Disclosure ESRS E1-3: Actions and resources in relation to climate change policies

(ESRS E1-3 28; 29 a) SUSS implements the following actions related to climate strategies in keeping with ESRS 2 MDR-A:

Direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 emissions) at Company locations are mainly caused by the stationary combustion of natural gas and heating oil, as well as the use of coolants. We are continuously working towards more efficient consumption and are currently examining options for a lower-emission heat supply. We view this as a significant decarbonization lever for the transition to net-zero emissions. In addition, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is being expanded further and the vehicle fleet is being progressively converted to electromobility.

Our activities to reduce Scope 2 emissions currently focus on increasing the efficiency of energy use and purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources. The light sources at all three production sites are gradually being replaced with energy-efficient LED light sources. The use of usage-dependent intelligent LED lighting control systems is being continuously reviewed and implemented where appropriate, particularly in the area of production. To boost energy and cost efficiency, we regularly invest in our buildings, particularly the cleanrooms and production areas at the production sites. This includes modern electrical and air-conditioning systems, for example. We purchase green electricity at all of our production sites and in the Netherlands.

In 2023, energy audits were successfully carried out at all production sites, for the Garching and Sternenfels sites in accordance with DIN EN 16247-1. The energy audit in Taiwan was based on the ISO 50001 standard. Measures to reduce energy consumption and cut CO2e emissions have been defined, and some have already been implemented or incorporated into the longterm planning for building measures at the locations. We also see this as a decarbonization lever for SUSS.

New investments in building equipment will be assessed in coming years for their economic efficiency and environmental impact based on service life, age, consumption, and payback period. We are continuing to carry out actions to improve the energy and resource efficiency of our equipment and, ultimately, to improve energy and resource efficiency for our customers. For example, in refining our coating systems, we are constantly working to optimize processes to reduce the amount of paint consumed by our customers' production processes.

Given the challenges involved in decarbonization, cooperation with companies in the semiconductor sector is crucial to making progress. We intensified our cooperation with the global association for nano- and microelectronics manufacturers SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) in 2024, and we hope to participate in various working groups in the future with the goal of advancing decarbonization in the semiconductor sector and developing best practices.

All measures for Scope 1 and Scope 2 reductions are to be completed by 2030 at latest.

(ESRS E1-3 29 b) Across the Group, total CO2e emissions for the 2024 financial year measured 317,234 tons CO2e (previous year: 193,257 tons CO2e), corresponding to an increase of 64.2 percent. Scope 1 emissions were reduced by 15.5 percent to 1,083 tons CO2e (previous year: 1,281 tons CO2e). Scope 2 (market-based) greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 85.8 percent to 408 tons CO2e (previous year: 2,863 tons CO2e). This reduction was primarily attributable to the conversion to green electricity at all SUSS production locations in 2024 (since April 2024 at the main location in Taiwan). Scope 3 emissions rose to 315,743 tons CO2e, corresponding to a 67.0 percent increase relative to the previous year. (Previous year: 189,113 tons CO2e). The increase in Scope 3 emissions was primarily attributable to the calculation of emissions in category 3.11 Use of sold goods for the first time. SUSS aims to harmonize corporate growth with decarbonization. For this reason, we are working with various departments to develop solutions for reducing our ecological footprint.

(ESRS E1-3 AR 21) Implementation of the actions described under ESRS 2 MDR-A is also partially dependent on provision of the necessary financial resources. Uninterrupted access to financial resources at affordable capital costs can be crucial to the performance of actions at SUSS, which can also include adaptations to changes in supply / demand and associated purchases or significant investments in R&D.

(ESRS E1-3 29 c i) The monetary amounts for CapEx are recognized under capital expenditures, and the monetary amounts for OpEx are recognized under cost of sales in financial statements.

(ESRS E1-3 29 c ii; iii 16 c) The material amounts from the economic activities listed in the EU Taxonomy chapter can be attributed to the considerable monetary amounts of CapEx and OpEx and the CapEx plan in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178.

Metrics and Targets

Disclosure ESRS E1-4: Targets related to climate change mitigation and adaptation

(ESRS E1-4 33) SUSS has defined the target of achieving net-zero emissions for Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030. This target is in line with the material topic of climate, energy, and emissions. The base year of 2022^ is the year in which SUSS defined the objective. There were no extraordinary events or anomalies that year that could distort data during the base year, which means the base year can be viewed as representative.

GHG emissions (in tonnes CO2e) (ESRS E1-4 32; 34 a; c; d)	2030 (Target year)	2024 (Calcula tion year)	2022^ (Basis year)	Performance achieved in the previous periods	Method & assumption for defining the objectives
Scope 1	0	1,083	1,450	−25,3% Reduction to base year
Scope 2 marked based	0	408	3,032	−86,5% Reduction to base year	SUSS bases its targets on the
Scope 2 location based	0	3,524	3,251	+8,4% Increase compared to base year	European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.

(ESRS E1-4 34 b) The target related to climate change mitigation and adaptation was updated in 2022^ and aims to reduce total global CO2e emissions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 categories to zero by 2030. In addition to upstream Scope 3 emissions, we also calculated downstream Scope 3 emissions for the first time in 2024 and began holding working groups to identify reduction potential. This process will be intensified in 2025.

In April 2024, SUSS converted its primary location in Taiwan to power from renewable energy sources and has been using green electricity at all production locations since then. The location in the Netherlands also uses green electricity. SUSS is also working to introduce green electricity at all sales locations.

The base figure can be viewed as representative in regard to the activities covered.

(ESRS E1-4 34 e, 16 a) The targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions are not currently defined according to the scientific standards of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and are not derived using a sectoral decarbonization pathway. Increased sales could potentially have a negative impact on greenhouse gas emissions since purchased goods and services, as well as logistics services, would increase in this context. Changes towards stricter sustainability regulations will have an impact on customer requirements and could potentially lead to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the use phase.

(ESRS E1-4 34 f; 16 b AR 30 c) The expected levers for reducing CO2e emissions broken down into Scopes 1, 2, and 3 and their quantitative total amount are as follows:

Scopes 1 and 2 emissions reductions:

In order to reduce Scope 1 emissions by 2030, options are currently being evaluated for converting energy sources to low-emissions alternatives. A plan for doing so will be developed by the end of 2025, and implementation is scheduled for 2027. This plan represents the most important action for reduction in regard to Scope 1 emissions.

Another lever for the decarbonization of Scope 1 emissions is the conversion of the vehicle fleet to e-mobility. SUSS aims to accomplish this by 2027.

In terms of Scope 2 emissions, the transition to green electricity in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as at the main location in Taiwan since April 2024, is already proving effective.

The installation of a photovoltaic system at the Sternenfels location is planned for the period from 2025 to 2027.

The chart below presents the levers for CO2e reduction with 2022^ as the base year. The target is to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

Scope 3 emissions reductions:

The improvement of the ecological properties and environmental impact of our products is an important part of our research and development work. We are therefore attaching increasing importance to minimizing the use of energy sources, chemicals, and other processing materials during the manufacturing process and the operation of our equipment. The careful handling of chemicals plays an important role, particularly with our coaters and developers. However, the use of wet chemistry has been absolutely necessary for semiconductor production processes until now. In the application laboratory in Garching – where test runs and customer demonstrations of our systems take place – we have therefore installed a neutralization system for waste water treatment that adjusts the pH value of the various chemicals to a safe level during the processes. In addition, SUSS is working to make the cleaning process, such as in the context of wafer cleaning, much more environmentally friendly through the use of less aggressive chemicals.

A quantification of these product improvements is not yet available and will be advanced in the course of a project to calculate the product CO2e footprint in 2025.

1 Emissions excluding SUSS MicroOptics SA, which was sold in 2024

Different climate scenarios have not yet been taken into account comprehensively for the definition of the decarbonization levers, since the climate scenario analysis was carried out for the first time in 2024. This is described in greater detail in chapter ESRS-IRO-1. The following transitory risks were taken into account in this context:

• Political and legal risks
• Technological risks
• Market Price Risks
• Reputational risks

The following physical environmental risks were also taken into account:

• Chronic risks
• Acute risks

It is planned to take the results of this analysis into account to a greater extent in the definition of decarbonization levers in 2025.

Disclosure E1-5: Energy consumption and mix

(ESRS E1-5 37 AR 34) Our energy consumption mix consists primarily of electricity, gas, and heating oil. In order to attain our target of net-zero emissions by 2030, we are working to reduce our consumption of non-renewable energy. We purchase green electricity at our production sites in Germany, at our primary location in Taiwan, and in the Netherlands. Our energy consumption in 2024 was 11,734 MWh. This resulted from the use of electricity, gas, and heating oil in our own operations. Energy consumption in MWh dropped by 20.8 percent during the reporting year, due in large part to the deconsolidation of the MicroOptics segment, which was taken into account during the 2023 reporting year.

SUSS does not operate in a climate-intensive sector as defined under Regulation (EC) No. 1893/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council and under Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1288. As such, items 1−5 are omitted in the following table.

in MWh	2024	2023^
Total energy consumption from fossil sources	4,895	-
Share of energy consumption from fossil sources in total energy consumption	41.7%	-
Total energy consumption from nuclear sources	73	-
Share of energy consumption from nuclear sources in total energy consumption	0.6%	-
Total energy consumption from renewable sources	6,766	-
Share of renewable energy sources in total energy consumption	57.7%	33.3%
Fuel consumption for renewable sources	0	-
Purchased and received electricity, heat, steam and cooling	0	-
Self-generated energy that is not fuel	0	-
Total energy consumption	11,734	14,825

For South Korea, the United States, China, Singapore, and, to a lesser extent, Taiwan, the shares of fossil, nuclear, and renewable sources were calculated on the basis of the respective country-specific electricity mix.

Disclosure E1-6: Gross Scopes 1, 2, 3 and Total GHG emissions

(ESRS E1-6 44 a-d; 46; 47; 48; 49; 50; 51; 52; 53) During the reporting year, a comprehensive analysis of material Scope 3 categories was carried out, and material downstream Scope 3 emissions were calculated for the first time. New additions classified as material consisted of the categories 3.2 Capital goods, 3.9 Downstream transport, 3.11 Use of sold products, and 3.12 Handling of sold products at the end of product lifespans. The methodology for calculating Scope 3 category 3.1 Purchased goods and services was converted from expenditure-based to primarily weight-based.

• 1 SUSS collects greenhouse gas emissions data for all operationally controlled companies.
• 2 The methodology for calculating Scope 3 category 3.1 Purchased goods and services was converted from expenditure-based to primarily weight-based.

in tonnes CO2e		2023
	SUSS-Group 1
Scope 1 GHG gross emissions	1,083	1,281
Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions from regulated emissions trading systems (in %)	0	0
Scope 2 GHG gross emissions (location based)	3,524	3,349
Scope 2 GHG gross emissions (market based)	408	2,863
Scope 3 GHG gross emissions	315,743	189,113
3.1 Purchased goods and services	87,373 2	181,085
3.2 Capital goods	2,562	-
3.3 Energy and fuel-related activities	422	965
3.4 Upstream transportation and distribution	4,590	2,307
3.5 Waste	396	-
3.6 Business travel	2,613	2,027
3.7 Employee Commuting	2,841	2,729
3.9 Downstream transportation and distribution	38	-
3.11 Use of sold products	214,641	-
3.12 End of life treatment of sold products	266	-
Total GHG emissions
Total GHG emissions (Scope 2 location-based)	320,349	193,743
Total GHG emissions (Scope 2 market-related)	317,233	193,257
GHG intensity (in t CO2e / € million sales)
GHG intensity (location-based)	718.1
GHG intensity (market-related)	711.1

The methods used, material assumptions, and emissions factors used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions are presented in the following:

DEKRA Assurance Services GmbH has been verifying the calculation of the global carbon footprint according to the GHG Protocol since 2021. Emission factors from recognized databases (e.g., DEFRA 2024, Ecoinvent 3.11) are used to calculate greenhouse gas emissions. All greenhouse gas emissions were calculated in accordance with the operational control approach.

• Scope 1: Activity data was collected from sources including meter readings and utility company statements. Part of the data is already available in aggregate form and originates from internal systems (e.g., fuel consumption from commercial facility management). The emissions factors are from the DEFRA (2024), Ecoinvent 3.11, and Ökobaudat databases. Direct emissions from stationary combustion, mobile combustion, and cooling were calculated by multiplying consumption data per item by the emissions factors for the respective fuel type or coolant type.
• Scope 2: Emissions were calculated according to both location-based and market-based methods. Activity data for electricity consumption was collected from sources including meter readings, utility company statements, and ancillary cost statements. The emissions factors for the market-based method are supplier-specific. Electricity consumption for the South Korea location (6.8 percent market-based, 1.0 percent location-based of total Scope 2 emissions) was estimated on the basis of previous-year figures because consumption figures for 2024 were not yet available at the time of calculation. Emissions factors from the Ecoinvent database (version: V3.11) were applied for individual items for which supplier-specific emissions factors were unavailable. Emissions factors from the Ecoinvent database (version: V3.11) were also used for the location-based method. The calculation of indirect emissions from purchased electricity and heating for the market-specific method was carried out by multiplying estimated / actual consumption data per item by supplierspecific emissions factors. Upstream emissions1 fall under Scope 3 (category 3.3).
• Scope 3: These emissions were calculated for the year 2024 for nine material categories as well as the non-material category 3.5 of the GHG Protocol.
• 3.1 Purchased goods and services: Activity data is available in aggregate form (via analysis tools) and originates from software systems. The emission factors were taken from recognized databases (e.g., DEFRA 2024, Ecoinvent V3.11). The calculation of indirect emissions from purchased goods and services was converted from expenditure-based to primarily weight-based in the 2024 fiscal year.
• 3.2 Capital goods: Activity data is available in aggregate form and originates from software systems. The calculation of indirect emissions from capital goods is carried out using an expenditure-based method. The emission factors from the DEFRA 2024 database applied are based on ecologically expanded input-output models that enable statements about emissions in CO2e per monetary unit at the sector level. After allocation, net expenditures are multiplied by the emission factors. The emission factors were first adjusted for taxes, inflation, and currency.

• 3.3 Fuel and energy-related emissions: Activity data corresponds to the information for Scopes 1 and 2. The emission factors originate from the DEFRA 2024 database (upstream fuel emissions) and the Ecoinvent database (version: V3.11) (electricity and purchased heating). The calculation for fuel and energy-based emissions that are not included in Scopes 1 or 2 (upstream emissions) is carried out by multiplying estimated / actual consumption data per item by the emission factors for the respective fuel or electricity type (country-specific electricity mix). Since emission factors for upstream electricity are not separately available, it has been assumed that 32.7 percent of the emission factor for electricity was upstream, and the emission factor has been adjusted accordingly.

• 3.4 Upstream transportation and distribution: Activity data originates from various emissions reports from logistics service providers and from SUSS analysis tools. The emission factors are partially supplier-specific (from logistics suppliers' emissions reports). Where supplier-specific emissions factors are unavailable, emission factors from the Ecoinvent database (version V3.11) are used. The calculation of transport emissions is carried out by multiplying activities in ton-kilometers per item by the emission factor. For some items, emissions are already available in the form of total emissions.

• 3.5 Waste: Activity data was collected by individual SUSS locations. Emission factors are from the Ecoinvent (version V3.11) database. For the calculation of indirect emissions from waste, each waste and disposal type was assigned to the most suitable emission factor and multiplied by the respective waste volume. If the disposal type was unknown, a mixture of different disposal methods was applied.
• 3.6 Business travel: Activity data is from SUSS internal tools and systems (e.g., SAP) and travel company statements. The emission factors are supplier-specific (from the travel companies) in some cases. Where supplier-specific emissions factors are unavailable, emission factors from the Ecoinvent database (version V3.11) DEFRA (2024) are used. The calculation of emissions from business travel is carried out by multiplying activities per item by the emission factor according to the mode of transportation. For hotel stays, country-specific emission factors are applied where available. For some items, emissions are already available in the form of total emissions.
• 3.7 Employee commuting: Activity data is from a survey on mobility behavior from 2021 extrapolated to all employees and other information provided by SUSS employees. The emission factors are from the DEFRA database 2024 and the Ecoinvent database (version: V3.11). The calculation of emissions from commuting behavior is carried out by multiplying activities per item by the emission factor

according to the mode of transportation. The survey on mobility behavior will be updated in 2025.

• 3.9 Downstream transportation and distribution: Activity data is from the dedicated SUSS SAP system. EcoTransIT was used to calculate road and flight distances. Indirect emissions for downstream transport were calculated by multiplying the weight, the distance in ton-kilometers, and the respective emission factor from the DEFRA 2024 database.
• 3.11 Use of sold products: Activity data is from a usage scenario defined by SUSS. Total power consumption for the entire lifespan of individual products was calculated using hourly consumption and usage profiles. Consumption was then multiplied by the global electricity emission factor from the Ecoinvent (V3.11) database.
• 3.12 End-of-life treatment of sold products: Activity data was available for some machinery and was used as a basis for all products. End-of-life emissions were calculated for all available machinery profiles by assigning an emission factor (from the Ecoinvent V3.11 database) to each material for which the weight was available and by extrapolating to the total weight. An emission factor per kg product was then calculated and applied to all machinery for which no profile was unavailable.

The share of emissions calculated using primary data from suppliers or other partners in the value chain in 2024 was 32.0 percent.

A comprehensive analysis of material Scope 3 categories was carried out in 2023. The following table provides an overview of all categories with a justification for excluded Scope 3 categories:

Material category Explanation
	No relevant quantities; was categorised as not material in an initial calculation in 2022; another quantity check will be carried out in 2025
	Not relevant for the 2024 reporting year; this category is reviewed annually
	The products sold are not further processed.
	Not relevant for the 2024 reporting year; this category is reviewed annually
	Not relevant for the 2024 reporting year; this category is reviewed annually
	Not relevant for the 2024 reporting year; this category is reviewed annually

1 No material category in 2024. Due to the material topic of resource outflows in ESRS E5, CO2e emissions were nevertheless calculated for 3.5 Waste.

SUSS's carbon footprint encompasses greenhouse gases that are part of the Kyoto Protocol. These gases are converted into CO2 equivalents (CO2e).

(ESRS E1-6 55 AR 55) The reconciliation of the net income used for the calculation of greenhouse gas intensity is shown in the following table:

Net revenue used to calculate GHG intensity	In million €
Net sales (other)	0
Total net sales (in financial statements)	446.1

ESRS E 5 Resource use and circular economy Management of Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 IRO-1: Description of the processes to identify and assess material resource use and circular economy-related impacts, risks and opportunities

(ESRS E5-1 11 a related to ESRS 2 IRO-1) In 2023, we reviewed the materiality analysis in accordance with ESRS 2 IRO-1 by discussing the previous assessments and the requirements with the responsible division heads. No significant changes were identified, and all relevant topics were confirmed and documented. In this context, topics related to research and development were the most important areas in which impacts, risks, and opportunities occurred. SUSS continues to support its customers throughout the entire use cycle of equipment with service and upgrade offers that improve the sustainability of solutions. The focus for 2024 reporting in the context of resource use and circular economy is on the service and upgrade business. The topic of circular economy and efficient resource use is important to SUSS. For us, the importance of the topic is reflected by the primary economic activity, the service and upgrade business associated with equipment manufacturing. While the service and upgrade business accounts for the largest contribution to efficient resource use and circular economy, the disclosure in accordance with the ESRS is focused primarily on information pertaining to resource cycles. But resource inflows and outflows, as well as recycling and material cycles, play only a subordinate role for SUSS due to the Company's business model.

SUSS's remanufacturing activities were also taken into account in the materiality analysis. These also play only a subordinate role in SUSS's business model. In accordance with the strategic orientation of the Group's business activities, the purchase and refurbishment of equipment from customers was not a focus of business activities. These activities, which were consolidated under a Group subsidiary in the reporting year, had a low volume and were primarily project-based. During the reporting year, SUSS made the decision to discontinue operations of the subsidiary.

The approaches pursued by SUSS in the area of resource use and circular economy are primarily linked with operating processes indirectly and are pursued by organizational units independently. From an overall perspective, these individual initiatives do not fulfill ESRS requirements for the characteristics of a strategy or comprehensive policy. As such, SUSS's disclosures refer to these initiatives and do not contain information on strategies or policies.

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in ESRS 2 IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) positive impact, as well as opportunities and risks:

Description	IRO	Value Chain
Through our R&D activities, we enable our customers to manufacture more competitive, higher-performance, cost-optimised and energy-efficient products.	(Potential) positive impact	Downstream, at the customer
With continuous R&D activities that are closely aligned with our customers' needs, we increase the likelihood of being considered for future projects by our customers or for technology / generation changes by potential customers. This leads to higher sales, gross profit, EBIT and market share.	Opportunity	n / a
Insufficient R&D activities could result in customers deciding to switch suppliers when the next technology or generation changes. This will reduce sales, gross revenue, EBIT and market share.	Risk	n / a
The return, refurbishment and resale of used machines are an additional revenue stream and increase the gross profit.	Opportunity	n / a

During the process of evaluating material impacts, risks, and opportunities, a variety of areas were analyzed – most notably, research and development and the take-back and reconditioning of equipment.

SUSS has a supplier base of around 2,000 suppliers worldwide for direct and indirect materials. At present, we can only provide data for products and transport packaging. Accurate data that differentiate between nonrenewable and renewable materials are not available for the 2024 reporting year.

SUSS has not yet assessed its assets and activities to determine impacts, risks, and opportunities.

(ESRS E5-1 11 b related to ESRS 2 IRO-1) SUSS did not conduct any circular economy consultations with the affected communities in the 2024 financial year. SUSS will assess whether consultations with the communities affected will be included for 2025.

Disclosure E5-1: Policies related to resource use and circular economy

(ESRS E5-1 14) For SUSS, material impacts, risks, and opportunities occur in the area of research and development and, to a lesser degree, the take-back and remanufacture of equipment. The research and development policies are introduced in Sections ESRS 2 SBM-1 and ESRS 2 SBM-3. The repurchase and remanufacture of equipment represent a small percentage of the total sales volume and are managed according to project.

Because resource inflows and outflows play a subordinate role due to the business model, SUSS does not follow any explicit policies and strategies of its own but instead tends to fulfill legal requirements as well as industry and other voluntary standards when it comes to procurement, disposal, and reuse.

(ESRS E5-1 15) We support the transition to a circular economy in line with the EU's Green Deal. However, a significant share of our product portfolio is subject to stringent requirements that make certification and / or official approval all the more difficult. As a result, recycled materials can only go so far when safety and / or complex functionality are at stake. Introducing changes to existing products is, therefore, a difficult process. The same applies to avoiding the use of new, nonrenewable resources. Due to the aforementioned provisions, this is currently not an option for the products already on the market. Only virgin resources were used in production during the reporting year.

Operation and Strategies for the Length of the Life Cycle

Service, repair, and upgrade business: SUSS's service and upgrade business helps conserve resources and promote the circular economy. It not only offers customers an economical alternative to procuring new equipment but also makes a significant contribution to reducing waste, energy consumption, and emissions, which makes it a component of SUSS's strategy for sustainable growth and innovation.

Service repairs and upgrades can extend the service life of existing equipment. SUSS offers services that ensure efficient, reliable equipment operation. Routine maintenance increases operational efficiency and reduces energy consumption.

Upgrades make it possible to bring older equipment up to the latest technological standards, which often improves energy efficiency and reduces material consumption.

Service business enables the removal of older or damaged components for refurbishing and reuse, which promotes a circular economy by reducing the amount of waste produced and new materials required.

Some spare parts and modules can be recycled or overhauled and then offered again, which goes one step further in closing the material cycle.

SUSS took stock during the reporting year to identify important topics related to the circular economy and develop potential actions that could help further emphasize the principles of the circular economy.

Disclosure E5-2: Actions and resources related to resource use and circular economy

(ESRS E5-2 19 related to ESRS 2 MDR-A) SUSS did not implement any specific actions in the area of circular economy or resource use for the 2024 reporting year. The actions for procuring sustainable raw materials were based on the resource and waste management laws and provisions applicable at the sites. The responsible team of developers advanced the switch to LED systems for mask aligners.

Metrics and Targets

Disclosure E5-3: Targets related to resource use and circular economyt

(ESRS E5-3 23 related to ESRS 2 MDR-T) As disclosed in ESRS 2 MDR-T, SUSS's circular economy efforts did not follow any specific policies based on objectives during the reporting year.

(ESRS E5-3 24; 25−27) During the reporting year, SUSS did not pursue any objectives related to resource inflows and outflows, including waste, products, and materials. Correspondingly, the objectives did not focus on a single level of the waste hierarchy, did not reference any environmental thresholds, and were not legally required or voluntary.

Disclosure E5-4: Resource inflows

(ESRS E5-4 30) The material resource inflows were stainless steel, plastics, aluminum, and composite materials during the reporting year. In terms of packaging, the material resources were wood, cardboard, and film.

(ESRS E5-4 31 a-c)

in tonnes	2024
Total weight of resource inflows 1	4,747.1
of which products used	0
of which technical materials	0
of which biological materials	417.7
Proportion of biological materials (incl. biofuels for non-energy purposes) that were procured sustainably	0
Total weight of reused and recycled components, products and materials	0
Percentage of reused and recycled components, products and materials	0

1 related to delivered machines with representative equipment

(ESRS E5-4 32 AR 25) The weight information for the resource inflows of both materials and packaging is based on the average values of standardized equipment and their packaging. Because a share of 0 was indicated for reuse and recycling, double counting did not occur.

Disclosure E5-5: Resource outflows

(ESRS E5-5 34 a) SUSS did not develop any products based on the principles of the circular economy during the reporting year. It was not possible to determine the extent to which products and materials were recirculated after first use. Certificates provided by certified disposal companies served as proof of waste recovery.

(ESRS E5-5 34 b) The production sites' waste management policy is limited to legal requirements at the sites, which define specific material cycles and disposal channels, and to collaboration with certified waste management providers that support sorted disposal of waste and correspondingly high recycling rates.

(ESRS E5-5 35) As a high-tech provider of production equipment in the semiconductor component value chain, SUSS manufactures its production equipment in accordance with SEMI standards. No circular economy principles were observed in the 2024 financial year.

(ESRS E5-5 36) The expected durability of SUSS products in relation to the industry average for each product group cannot be determined, as these data are not available due to confidentiality clauses. Depending on the product range, process step, technological development, and intensity of use by the customer, the average durability of SUSS equipment is 10 to 15 years. These disclosures are based on the equipment's average values.

SUSS emphasizes the importance of equipment repairability and offers comprehensive service and upgrade business. Further details are also available in the "Customer Satisfaction and Product Quality" section.

The recyclable share of products and their packaging is 58.6 percent. This value is based on estimations.

(ESRS E5-5 37)

in tonnes	2024
Total amount of waste generated	377.8
Total amount by weight diverted from disposal	217.4
Thereof hazardous waste	5.7
– preparation for reuse	1.9
– recycling	1.2
– other recovery operations	2.5
Thereof none-hazardous waste	211.7
– preparation for reuse	18.0
– recycling	38.0
– other recovery operations	155.7
Weight directed to disposal	160.4
Thereof hazardous waste	3.3
– incineration	2.8
– landfill	0.2
– other disposal operations	0.3
Thereof none-hazardous waste	157.1
– incineration	111.6
– landfill	45.6
– other disposal operations	0
Total amount of non-recycled waste	338.5
– Total amount of non-recycled waste (in % of the total quantity)	89.6%

(ESRS E5-5 38) Equipment production produces waste in many different categories, including scrap from consumables, cleaning agents, and packaging materials. No waste streams were identified that, in terms of volume or amount, represent a relevant category connected to the SUSS business model.

(ESRS E5-5 39)

in tonnes	2024
Total amount of generated hazardous waste and radioactive waste	01

1 No radioactive waste is generated

(ESRS E5-5 40) SUSS's primary source of data for the production sites was acquired from the engaged disposal companies. The disclosures for the sales sites were extrapolated on the basis of average data for office locations. Because no products were developed in accordance with cycle-oriented principles, SUSS did not collect any data for this disclosure.

Disclosure E5-6: Anticipated financial effects from resource use and circular economy-related risks and opportunities

(ESRS E5-6 41−43) SUSS applies the transitional rules with reference to Annex C of ESRS 1 and will not be reporting on the E5-6 Disclosure Requirements in the first reporting year, 2024.

EU Taxonomy

The European Union has set itself the goal of completing the transition to a climate-neutral economy by 2050. To support the transition to an emission-neutral and environmentally sustainable economic system, the European Parliament and the European Council have adopted the so-called Green Deal, which bundles a range of actions. One of these actions is the development of a framework for simplifying sustainable investments and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (Regulation (EU) 2020/852), which assesses an EU-wide classification system for evaluating economic activities and their contribution to restructuring the economic system. Also referred to as the Taxonomy Regulation, this framework defines a total of six environmental objectives. Economic activities that have the potential to support one of the environmental objectives are referred to as Taxonomy-eligible. The share of Taxonomy-eligible activities that is actually ecologically sustainable is referred to as Taxonomy-aligned. Taxonomy alignment is subject to the following three criteria: The activity::

• makes a significant contribution to one of the six environmental objectives;
• does not harm any of the other five environmental objectives ("do no significant harm" (DNSH) principle);
• and is carried out in compliance with minimum social and governance requirements (minimum protection).

For the 2024 reporting year, Taxonomy-eligible and Taxonomy-aligned activities must be reported for all six environmental objectives. The objectives of the Taxonomy Regulation are:

• 1. Climate change mitigation (CCM)
• 1. Climate change adaptation (CCA)
• 1. Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources (WTR)
• 1. Transition to a circular economy (CE)
• 1. Pollution prevention and control (PPC)
• 1. Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems (BIO)

The aim of the Taxonomy Regulation is to create a consistent reporting framework in which companies disclose their activities, how these activities contribute to achieving the Green Deal objectives, and whether companies are making an effort to align a growing share of their economic activities with the Taxonomy Regulation objectives.

This reporting requires three key steps.

• The first is to identify the principal Taxonomy-eligible activities. These are defined in Annexes I and II of Regulation C(2021) 2800, as a supplement to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/85, as well as in the European Commission's complementary Regulation C(2023) 3851.
• The second step is to evaluate whether the activities align with the technical assessment criteria and whether they impair the achievement of the other five environmental objectives. The idea behind the "do no significant harm" (DNSH) principle is to prevent any impairment of the other objectives.
• The third and final step is to assess whether the economic activities comply with minimum social and governance requirements (minimum protection).

An activity is only Taxonomy-aligned if it fulfills all three requirements.

The economic activities are determined for SUSS's sales as well as for capital expenditure (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx). SUSS has been reporting the associated KPIs since 2021. The requirements of Annex I of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2178 are essential to defining KPIs.

There are processes that attribute SUSS's sales to the corresponding economic activities. Even for capital expenditure and operating expenses, SUSS identifies which expenses are connected to Taxonomy-eligible economic activities. The data are sourced from different departments and compiled. The following describes how we audited the economic activities for the 2024 financial year with regard to Taxonomy eligibility and alignment and subsequently determined the corresponding Taxonomy metrics. 

Determining Taxonomy-Eligible Economic Activities

SUSS annually assesses which Taxonomy-eligible economic activities occur in the Group during the reporting year. SUSS uses the analysis conducted the previous year as a foundation for sales and validates which economic activities occurred in the SUSS Group on the basis of any adjustments to the business model, modifications to the scope of consolidation, or changes to regulatory requirements. ESG and Controlling are the primary departments responsible. The identified Taxonomy-eligible economic activities for the 2024 financial year relate to the "climate change mitigation" and "transition to a circular economy" environmental objectives defined for the sales KPI.

The team of experts came to the conclusion that SUSS's business activities are attributable to "NACE Code 28.99 – Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery." For NACE Code 28.99, the following economic activities are categorized as principally Taxonomy-eligible for the sales KPI in the 2024 reporting year.

Transition to the circular economy (objective 4):

• CE 5.1 Repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing: SUSS refurbishes equipment purchased or taken back from customers for further use. The services offered generate sales and are thus incorporated into the points of the sales KPI.
• CE 5.4 Sale of second-hand goods: SUSS sells refurbished equipment to customers. Sales generated through the sale of equipment are correspondingly Taxonomy-eligible.

The team of experts has also identified the following activities as relevant to the CapEx KPI.

Contribution to climate change mitigation (objective 1)

• CCM 6.5 Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars, and light commercial vehicles: The expenses are related to SUSS's vehicle fleet, largely for procurement.
• CCM 7.3 Installation, maintenance, and repair of energy efficiency equipment: Capital expenditure is largely the result of investments in SUSS buildings.
• CCM 7.4 Installation, maintenance, and repair of charging stations for electric vehicles in buildings (and parking spaces attached to buildings): What's relevant here is

primarily the expenditure for developing the charging infrastructure at SUSS sites.

• CCM 7.5 Installation, maintenance, and repair of instruments and devices for measuring, regulating, and controlling energy performance of buildings: The amounts attributed to this economic activity correspond to the installation of devices at SUSS properties that serve as control units to improve the building's energy assessment.

The team of experts has also identified the following SUSS business activities as relevant to the OpEx KPI.

Contribution to climate change mitigation (objective 1)

• CCM 6.4 Operation of personal mobility devices, cycle logistics: SUSS offers its employees "Jobrad" company bicycle leasing, which fulfills the description of the economic activity.

• CCM 7.3 Installation, maintenance, and repair of energy efficiency equipment: These operating costs occur as a result of regular maintenance of solutions installed by SUSS at its properties and generally take the form of craftsmen costs.
• CCM 7.5 Installation, maintenance, and repair of instruments and devices for measuring, regulating, and controlling energy performance of buildings: The amounts attributed to this economic activity correspond to the installation of devices at SUSS properties that serve as control units to improve the building's energy assessment.

The mandatory metrics on the identified Taxonomy-eligible activities are disclosed for the 2024 reporting year. Because SUSS has no economic activities related to nuclear energy and fossil gas, the standard reporting forms according to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1214 are not reported.

A comparison to the previous year reveals the following change: Due to a modification to vehicle fleet allocation, activity 6.3 "Urban and suburban transport, road passenger transport" is no longer reported and is now appropriately attributed to economic activity 6.5 "Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars, and light commercial vehicles."

Significant Contribution to the Environmental Goal of "Transition to a Circular Economy"

Based on SUSS's understanding, its Taxonomy-eligible economic activities support the transition to a circular economy in the areas of "CE 5.1 Repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing" and "CE 5.4 Sale of second-hand goods." This includes general and maintenance services as well as second-hand machines from the SUSS product portfolio provided by the subsidiary SUSS MicroTec ReMan GmbH, ranging from current equipment to machines that have been reliably used by customers for many years and have been refurbished and certified by SUSS. 

The analysis did not change from the previous year's assessment with regard to the Taxonomy eligibility of economic activities.

No Significant Harm to Other Environmental Objectives ("DNSH")

Environmental objective 2

To avoid material adverse effects on the environmental goal Climate change adaptation, the EU Taxonomy specified the implementation of climate risk and vulnerability analyses to identify material physical climate risks and the implementation of adaptation measures if a risk is identified.

The climate risk and vulnerability analysis features the following content:

• 1. Evaluation of every economic activity: identification of climatic impact throughout its expected lifetime
• 1. If impairment to the economic activity (direct climatic impact) has been identified, the materiality of these physical climate risks needs to be determined
• 1. Evaluation, implementation, or disclosure of an implementation plan of defined adaptation solutions for reducing the physical climate risk

The risk evaluation is based on standard guidelines or the German Environment Agency's Guidelines for Climate Impact and Vulnerability Assessments. The IPCC's RCP scenarios or the derived SSP scenarios are used to observe the impacts. As intended, the actions are based on the worst-case scenario (RCP8.5 / SSP5-85).

SUSS has already completed step 1 in the current project, with steps 2, and 3 currently being processed for the rest of the project. A derived climate risk analysis was conducted accordingly. SUSS is aware that no activities can ultimately be categorized as aligned in this way. This is the established objective for 2025.

Environmental objective 3-6

The DNSH criteria for the environmental objective "Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources" refer to legal and regulatory requirements for preventing environmental degradation. SUSS ensures compliance with these requirements through annual water analyses and routine tests at the production sites. The amount of water used by SUSS in its production processes is not noteworthy.

The DNSH criteria for the environmental objective "Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems" call for the implementation of environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The EIA requirement takes effect if specific activities are implemented that could potentially harm biodiversity and ecosystems. Any legally required environmental impact assessments are conducted by SUSS. The resulting risks are monitored during the implementation of the economic activity and, if required, counteracted with sensible actions.

The general DNSH criteria for "Pollution prevention and control" (use and presence of certain chemicals) state that an activity does not significantly impair the environmental objective if it does not lead to the manufacture, placing on the market, or use of substances regulated in different European acts. SUSS ensures these requirements at all times. Internal instructions document these approaches.

The different forms of evidence on the level of economic activities have not yet been accurately allocated. Accordingly, SUSS cannot categorize Taxonomy-aligned economic activities.

Compliance with Minimum Social Protection

While assessing compliance with minimum standards for fulfilling Taxonomy requirements in accordance with Article 18, an evaluation was conducted to ensure there were no violations or cases of impairment for the following topic areas:

• Human rights, including employee and consumer rights
• Corruption / bribery
• Taxation
• Fair competition

During the 2024 business year, the minimum social protection assessment initially determined which requirements will be made of SUSS and covered by existing practices. The objective was to determine whether SUSS fulfills the corresponding regulatory requirements of minimum social protection in reference to the identified Taxonomy-eligible economic activities. SUSS has determined that most of the requirements have already been met. Missing processes have been established, and the corresponding forms of evidence have been documented. The existing structures of the compliance management system fully cover compliance with the requirements pertaining to minimum social protection.

SUSS was not penalized due to a violation of the four aforementioned areas during the reporting year. Correspondingly, SUSS fulfilled the criteria of minimum social protection in 2024.

Data Collection

As with the Financial Report, the numbers published in connection with EU Taxonomy were prepared on the basis of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and only represent fully consolidated companies. The reporting does not include affiliated companies that have not been incorporated into the scope of consolidation or companies accounted for using the equity method.

To prevent double counting in the KPIs, activities are thoroughly reviewed to determine their objective alignment. For economic activities that are relevant to both objective 1 (contribution to climate change mitigation) and objective 2 (climate change adaptation), a considerable contribution to climate change mitigation was identified so that these activities are entirely attributed to objective 1. All other economic activities can be clearly attributed.

Sales

To identify Taxonomy-eligible sales, Group sales were analyzed and categorized according to product group. Every economic activity has already been analyzed in terms of its eligibility for the climate objective and any associated investments, operating costs, or sales.

Economic activities were identified that make a significant contribution to the environmental objective of "Transition to a circular economy." Taxonomy-eligible sales accounted for 5.0 percent of Group sales. Several activities related to capital expenditure and operating expenses as well as the environmental objective "climate change mitigation" were identified as Taxonomy-eligible. SUSS is not reporting any Taxonomy-aligned sales for the 2024 reporting year, as the aforementioned requirements must be met cumulatively. Looking ahead to the 2025 financial year and the coming years, SUSS will continue to intensify the analyses from previous years and work on the reporting processes for testing Taxonomy alignment.

Background Information on the sales KPI

SUSS was able to attribute sales of € 22,376.8 thousand to Taxonomy-eligible activities in the reporting year (previous year: € 20,273.0 thousand). This change was largely the result of a drop in the number of second-hand machines sold. However, this drop was exceeded by an increase in the service business area due to a higher number of systems installed at customer locations. There were no Taxonomy-eligible activities at SUSS that covered internal demand. SUSS did not issue any environmentally sustainable bonds or debt securities in the reporting year to finance Taxonomy-aligned economic activities.

CapEx and OpEx

The proportions presented in the following relate to expenditures arising from the acquisition of products from Taxonomy-aligned economic activities. The analysis did not identify any expenditures or investments related to the climate change mitigation goal.

Taxonomy-eligible operating expenses (OpEx) accounted for 0.7 percent of total operating expenses in 2024. This operating expenditure corresponds to various activities from the climate delegated act (see table). Additions to property, plant, and equipment and leasing expenses (vehicle fleet), intangible assets, and capitalized research and development costs were used to identify the Taxonomy-eligible portion of total CapEx. Additions and investments in buildings, particularly in production cleanrooms, play a significant role here. Taxonomy-eligible investments accounted for 4.0 percent of total investments in the Company in the 2024 financial year.  This percentage decreased compared with that of the previous year, as no amounts from the building leasing business were included in accordance with IFRS 16.

For future CapEx plans, please see the ESRS E1-1 16 c chapter in the Group Sustainability Statement. The planned CapEx is subject to assessments and changes.

Background Information on the CapEx KPI

The denominator of the CapEx KPI includes additions to tangible assets and immaterial assets during the reporting period. The sum of this expenditure formed the denominator of the KPI and was € 392.5 thousand in the reporting year (previous year: € 3,219.0 thousand). SUSS followed a CapEx plan in the reporting year.

Background Information on the OpEx KPI

The denominator of the OpEx KPI includes direct, non-capitalized costs associated with research and development, building renovations, short-term leasing, maintenance and repair, and all other direct expenditure related to the daily maintenance of tangible assets by the Company or third parties. The denominator for the OpEx KPI is € 276.9 thousand (previous year: € 279.7 thousand).

Future CapEx and OpEx plan

The future CapEx plan calls for capital expenditure for an energy source transition as well as expansion of the e-charging station infrastructure. The future OpEx plan applies to the installation, maintenance, and repair of energy efficiency equipment as well as actions to improve the overall energy efficiency of buildings.

Resource allocation	(Actual)	(Plan)
	2024	2025−2027	2028−2030
Capital expenditure
Photovoltaic system		350,000 €
Energy source transition		450,000 €	200,000 €
Infrastructure for e-charging stations		100,000 €
Operating expenses
Energy-related actions for buildings and technology	158,000 €	600,000 €	600,000 €

Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – Sales

	2024
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)		Absolute sales (3)		Share of sales 4) 4 ( 2 0 2		mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	Biological 0) diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	Biological 6) diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 sales, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
A. Taxonomy-eligible activities
A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned)
Sales of environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)		0,0	0,0%														0,0%
of which enabling activities		0,0	0,0%														0,0%	E
of which transitional activities		0,0	0,0%														0,0%		T
A.2 Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (non-Taxonomy aligned activities)
				Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL
Repair, refurbishment, and remanufacturing	CE 5.1	21,235.8	4.8%	N / EL	N / EL	N / EL	N / EL	EL	N / EL								4.8%
Sale of second-hand goods	CE 5.4	1,141.0	0.3%	N / EL	N / EL	N / EL	N / EL	EL	N / EL								1.4%

Continuation on the next page

Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – Sales

		2024
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)	Absolute sales (3)	Share of sales 4) 4 ( 2 0 2	mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	Biological 0) diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	Biological 6) diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 sales, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
Sales of Taxonomy-eligible, but not environmentally sustainable, activities (non-Taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)		22,376.8	5.0%	N	N	N	N	N / EL	N								6.2%
Sales of Taxonomy-eligible activities Total (A.1 + A.2)		22,376.8	5.0%														6.2%
B. Non-Taxonomy-eligible activities
Sales of non-Taxonomy-eligible activities (B)		423,770.2	95.0%
Total (A + B)		446,147.0	100%

Y – Yes, Taxonomy-eligible and Taxonomy-aligned activity that is consistent with the relevant environmental objective; N – No, Taxonomy-eligible activity, but not Taxonomy-aligned with the relevant environmental objective;

N / EL – "Not eligible," non-Taxonomy-eligible activity for the respective environmental objective

Share of sales / total sales	CCM	CCA	WTR	CE	PPC	BIO
Taxonomy-aligned per objective	%	%	%	%	%	%
Taxonomy-eligible per objective	%	%	%	%	%	%

Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – CapEx

		2024				Criteria for a Significant Contribution						DNSH-Criteria ("Do no significant harm")
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)	CapEx (3)	CapEx 4) 4 ( 2 0 Share of 2	mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	Biological 0) diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	Biological 6) diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 CapEx, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
A. Taxonomy-eligible activities
A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned)
CapEx environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)		0,0	0,0%														0,0%
of which enabling activities		0,0	0,0%														0,0%	E
of which transitional activities		0,0	0,0%														0,0%		T
A.2 Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (non-Taxonomy aligned activities)
				Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL
Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars, and light commercial vehicles	CCM 6.5	102.2	1.0%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								6.5%
Installation, maintenance, and repair of energy efficiency equipment	CCM 7.3	256.0	2.6%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								0.6%

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Taxonomy-eligible per objective % % % % % %

Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – CapEx

		2024			Criteria for a Significant Contribution							DNSH-Criteria ("Do no significant harm")
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)	CapEx (3)	CapEx 4) 4 ( 2 0 Share of 2	mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	Biological 0) diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	Biological 6) diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 CapEx, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
Installation, maintenance, and repair of charging stations for electric vehicles in buildings	CCM 7.4	5.7	0.0%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								0.0%
Installation, maintenance, and repair for measuring, regulation, and controlling energy performance of buildings	CCM 7.5	28.6	0.3%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								0.1%
CapEx Taxonomy-eligible, but not en vironmentally sustainable, activities (non-Taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)		392.5	4.0%	N	N	N	N	N / EL	N								26.2%
CapEx Taxonomy-eligible activities Total (A.1 + A.2)		392.5	4.0%														26.2%
B. Non-Taxonomy-eligible activities
CapEx non-Taxonomy-eligible activities (B)		9,414.6	96.0%
Total (A + B)		9,807.1	100%
Y – Yes, Taxonomy-eligible and Taxonomy-aligned activity that is consistent with the relevant environmental objective; N – No, Taxonomy-eligible activity, but not Taxonomy-aligned with the relevant environmental objective; N / EL – "Not eligible," non-Taxonomy-eligible activity for the respective environmental objective									CapEx share / total CapEx		Taxonomy-aligned per objective		CCM CCA %	WTR % %	CE %	PPC %	BIO %

Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – OpEx

		2024			Criteria for a Significant Contribution							DNSH-Criteria ("Do no significant harm")
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)	OpEx (3)	OpEx 4) 4 ( 2 Share of 0 2	mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	Biological 0) diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	Biological 6) diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 OpEx, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
A. Taxonomy-eligible activities
A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned)
OpEx environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) (A.1)		0.0	0.0%														0.0%
of which enabling activities		0.0	0.0%														0.0%	E
of which transitional activities		0.0	0.0%														0.0%		T
A.2 Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (non-Taxonomy aligned activities)
				Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL
Operation of personal mobility devices, cycle logistics	CCM 6.4	119.4	0.3%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								4.8%
Installation, maintenance, and repair of energy efficiency equipment	CCM 7.3	83.1	0.2%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N								1.4%

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Metrics Based on EU Taxonomy – OpEx

		2024				Criteria for a Significant Contribution						DNSH-Criteria ("Do no significant harm")
Economic activities (1)	Code(s) (2)	OpEx (3)	OpEx 4) 4 ( 2 Share of 0 2	mate change mitigation (5) Cli	mate change adaptation (6) Cli	Water (7)	Pollution (8)	Circular my (9) econo	0) Biological diversity (1	mate change 1) mitigation (1 Cli	mate change 2) adaptation (1 Cli	3) Water (1	4) Pollution (1	Circular 5) my t (1 econo	6) Biological diversity (1	m 7) mu protection (1 Mini	Share of my-aligned 8) 3 (1 2 0 OpEx, 2 Taxono	Category of enabling activity 9) (1	Category of transitional activity 0) (2
		in € thousand	%	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y; N; N / EL	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	Y/N	%	E	T
Installation, maintenance, and repair of instruments and devices for mea suring, regulating, and controlling en ergy performance of buildings	CCM 7.5	74.4	0.2%	N / EL	N	N	N	N	N
OpEx Taxonomy-eligible, but not envi ronmentally sustainable, activities (non-Taxonomy-aligned activities) (A.2)		276.9	0.7%	N	N	N	N	N / EL	N								6.2%
OpEx Taxonomy-eligible activities Total (A.1 + A.2)		276.9	0.7%														6.2%
B. Non-Taxonomy-eligible activities
OpEx non-Taxonomy-eligible activities (B)		41,166.4	99.3%
Total (A + B)		41,443.3	100%

Y – Yes, Taxonomy-eligible and Taxonomy-aligned activity that is consistent with the relevant environmental objective;

N – No, Taxonomy-eligible activity, but not Taxonomy-aligned with the relevant environmental objective;

N / EL – "Not eligible," non-Taxonomy-eligible activity for the respective environmental objective

OpEx share / total OpEx	CCM	CCA	WTR	CE	PPC	BIO
Taxonomy-aligned per objective	%	%	%	%	%	%
Taxonomy-eligible per objective	%	%	%	%	%	%

Social ESRS S1 Own Workforce Strategy

In the years to come, we will focus on developing an organization in Germany, at our international companies, and particularly at the production site in Taiwan, which is already making a significant contribution to value creation at the Company. The aim is to develop a corporate culture in which employees feel like they are part of a diverse organization that spans country borders. SUSS is interested in establishing and practicing a corporate culture throughout all of its companies worldwide in which employees view themselves as part of a team, respect and embrace diversity, and work together to achieve business objectives. And in a highly competitive employment market, the Company also aims to promote long-term loyalty to the Company and has already invested in the SUSS-specific qualifications and development of its employees.

Four material social topics were identified through the materiality assessment described in the ESRS 2 section and received a great deal of attention in the reporting year:

• 1. Employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction
• 1. Occupational health and safety
• 1. Training and further education
• 1. Diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, and non-discrimination

During the 2024 reporting period, structures were adapted in line with growth, roles were further differentiated, and employment relations were diversified – hybrid, multinational, and cross-functional – throughout the organization. We are well aware that this process will only be successful if all SUSS employees work together to create the necessary framework – on the basis of well-founded expertise and many years of experience – are willing to acquire new skills and abilities, and have a psychologically safe space in which to promote innovation and develop a positive culture for learning from mistakes, which will ultimately lead to new knowledge and increased personal and organizational growth.

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-2: Interests and views of stakeholders

(ESRS S1 12 related to ESRS 2 SMB-3) The Company's own workforce is an important group of concerned stakeholders, which is why it is important to the Company management to include the perspectives of employees in the development of our organization – both informally and through formal employee representatives. The ESRS S1-8 section provides more detailed information about employee representatives. SUSS understands "own workforce" to mean employees who are employed by the SUSS Group as well as temporary workers from third-party companies who temporarily work for SUSS or its subsidiaries and complete tasks that would otherwise be completed by SUSS employees.

SUSS is committed to respecting the rights of all employees and promoting a responsible work environment. In accordance with international standards and the principles of human rights, we do not tolerate any form of forced labor, slave labor, or child labor in our operations or anywhere in the supply chain. We are actively committed to protecting all employees from exploitation. Any violations of these principles are taken seriously and punished accordingly.

Our company is committed to respecting and protecting human rights. Forced labor of any kind is strictly rejected in our operations and throughout the supply chain. We ensure that all employees are employed voluntarily and that no persons are forced to work against their will by state authorities, organizations, or illegal associations.

SUSS offers enabling technologies and occupies specialty markets in the global semiconductor industry. As a solution provider, we support our customers in the production of large series, in the production of small quantities, and in laboratory applications. Our largest market is the advanced backend of the semiconductor industry. Further information about the corporate strategy and business model are available in the "Basics of the Group" section of this condensed Management Report.

This competitive, fast-paced environment is dominated by internationality and innovations, which is why the Company's own workforce needs to be able to operate in a way that is both innovative and flexible, interact with their colleagues and customers from different countries and cultures, and adapt to rapid change in the semiconductor industry. This requires a high degree of employee motivation and dedication, especially considering the Company's current challenging growth trajectory.

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-3: Material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model (ESRS S1 13 a; b related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) As described in the previous section, SUSS's own workforce needs to respond to a whole host of challenges associated with the current phase of growth and the global semiconductor equipment business. Through the materiality assessment, we have identified material employee-related topics at the Company, the impacts they have on the Company's own workforce, and the associated risks and opportunities. Beginning with the ESRS S1 16 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2 section, we take a more detailed look at the four identified material topics and the associated impacts, risks, and opportunities.

Overview of the material topics along with their impacts, risks, and opportunities

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction	Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on physical / mental health.	(Potential) negative impact	Within the company
	Flexible and individualised working models (part-time, home office, flexitime) contribute to employee satisfaction and attractiveness as an employer.	(Potential) positive Impact	Within the company
	Employee satisfaction has a positive effect on work behaviours (e.g. efficiency, fewer errors, innovation).	Opportunity
	Too few applications for vacancies at the relevant locations Garching (high competition for employees) and Sternenfels (not a 'metropolis') can be an obstacle to growth / increased sales	Opportunity
	A shortage of skilled labour can have a dampening effect on sales and earnings growth as demand continues to rise.	Risk	Within the company
Training & education	Lack of know-how on the part of employees due to insufficient resources in the training centre. This lack of knowledge leads, for example, to excessive demands and demotivation.	Negative impact	Within the company
	Highly trained personnel increase productivity.	Opportunity
	Highly trained personnel offer growth potential and new sales channels.	Opportunity
	Training of in-house junior staff reduces the need for external specialists.	Opportunity
Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrim ination	Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orienta tion, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted / discriminated against / discrimi nated against.	(Potential) negative impact	Within the company
Occupational health & safety	Unsafe working conditions can lead to injuries / work accidents	(Potential) negative impact	Within the company

(ESRS S1 13 a related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) The identified impacts, risks, and opportunities are not the result of the Company's policy. The risk of injury in production is based on the business model. Corporate policy has been adapted for a better response especially to challenges in personnel recruitment.

(ESRS S1 14 a–e related to ESRS 2 SBM-2) The SUSS Group primarily employs permanent staff but also has some temporary employment relationships. We also employ (especially in Germany) non-employees (so-called temporary workers) who are employed by third-party companies in order to increase production capacities at the last minute or for a short period of time. SUSS understands "own workforce" to mean employees who are employed by the SUSS Group as well as temporary workers from third-party companies who temporarily work for us or our subsidiaries and complete tasks that would otherwise be completed by SUSS employees. The Company's own workforce does not include any other people, companies, and / or service providers, such as freelancers and other self-employed people who provide SUSS with services. They are not included in this report, as we have not identified any activities for this group of people at the Company associated with material impacts, risks, or opportunities for these people and the Company. Correspondingly, we differentiate hereafter between "employees" (SUSS Group employees) and "non-employees" (temporary workers).

(ESRS S1 14 b related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) The four material negative impacts mentioned above apply to the Company as a whole as well as all employees of the Company's own workforce. They are generally applicable and not specific to SUSS. No region or activity has been identified that would be affected to a high degree by one or more negative impacts.

(ESRS S1 14 c related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) The impacts, risks, and opportunities mentioned above apply to the Company's own workforce to varying degrees. When it comes to the Company's own workforce, there's an increased risk for temporary workers that the employment contract (between SUSS and the third-party company) will be terminated prematurely or not extended – for example, due to excess capacity. In turn, temporary workers may benefit from the last-minute creation of new positions and medium to long-term employment with SUSS when there are changes in capacity.

(ESRS S1 14 e related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) SUSS has not identified any material impacts on its own workforce resulting from transition plans to reduce negative impacts on the environment and establish eco-friendlier, climate-neutral activities.

(ESRS S1 14 f; g related to ESRS 2 SBM-2) In the countries in which SUSS maintains production facilities (Germany and Taiwan), there is no increased risk of forced or child labor. Our equipment is also primarily produced in cleanrooms. Extensive technical training is required for activities in production and does not allow for forced or child labor. It is also our strict policy (see Code of Conduct) not to tolerate child or forced labor at the Company.

(ESRS S1 15 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2) As previously stated, the four material negative impacts apply to all employees of the Company's own workforce. Employees are affected equally by all four potentially negative impacts. Non-employees generally only work at the Company for a limited period of time and are therefore not significantly affected by potentially negative impacts. Only the negative impact "Unsafe working conditions can lead to injuries / workplace accidents" applies equally to employees and non-employees who work in production.

(ESRS S1 16 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2) The material risks and opportunities apply to all employees of the Company's own workforce. The specific opportunities that come from training your own junior staff are relevant to young employees in particular. The opportunity "Highly trained staff increases productivity and offers growth potential and new sales channels" is of particular importance for employees and non-employees in production.

We have not identified any material impacts on the Company's own workforce or any other employees resulting from transition plans to reduce negative impacts on the environment and achieve eco-friendlier, climate-neutral operations.

Employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction – overview of impacts, risks, opportunities Impacts: Flexible and individual working hours such as part-time,

remote work, and flexitime contribute to employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness

Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on physical and mental health.

It is our opinion that the opportunities and risks mentioned below affect the Company's own workforce as a whole equally. There is no specific group of people who would especially benefit from the opportunities or be significantly affected by the risks.

Risks: Low employee satisfaction can represent an obstacle to growth targets – for example, because vacancies are not filled promptly or with ideal candidates. A shortage of skilled workers can also have a dampening effect on sales and earnings growth if demand continues to rise.

Opportunities: High employee satisfaction promotes efficiency at the workplace and can help decrease the amount of mistakes made by employees.

Further information about this topic is available beginning with the ESRS S1-5 47 a–c section of this report.

Training and further education – overview of impacts, risks, opportunities

Impacts: Many (especially technical) activities at SUSS require a high degree of special expertise. If the Company fails to sufficiently train employees according to their responsibilities due to insufficient resources at the training center, this can have negative impacts on employees, which can lead to mental overload or demotivation and ultimately represents a negative impact for the Company.

The opportunities mentioned below are relevant to employees in the production environment and the R&D departments in particular. Most of the employees in these areas work in Germany at the Garching and Sternenfels sites and internationally at our production site in Taiwan, as well as in the US.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: Highly trained employees tend to be very productive, which is a great benefit to the Company and allows SUSS to fully exploit growth potential. This could potentially even result in new sales channels. The Company can recruit future managers from within its own ranks, which is yet another opportunity for both the employees and the Company. This is a wonderful opportunity, especially considering the shortage of skilled workers.

Further information about this topic is available beginning with the ESRS S1-5 47 a-c section of this report.

Diversity and Inclusion, Equal Opportunities, Non-Discrimination – Overview of Impacts, Risks, Opportunities

Impacts: Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted or feel disadvantaged / discriminated against.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: The materiality assessment did not identify any material opportunities in this area.

Further information about this topic is available beginning with the ESRS S1-13 83 a, b section of this report.

Occupational Health and Safety: Overview of Impacts, Risks, Opportunities

Impacts: Unsafe working conditions can lead to injuries and workplace accidents for employees.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: The materiality assessment did not identify any material opportunities in this area.

Further information about this topic is available beginning in the ESRS S1-17 104 a, b section of this report.

Management of impacts, risks, and opportunities

Disclosure ESRS S1-1: Policies related to own workforce

(ESRS S1-1 19) The Company has implemented a variety of policies, internal guidelines, and legal standards for managing collaboration between all of the interest groups and the Company's own workforce at all of its locations worldwide. They apply to the Company's own workforce as a whole. SUSS's internal guidelines and policies are accessible online to every employee around the world and are provided to employees via local self-service portals when they join the organization.

The Company has a comprehensive Social Policy that reflects the topics material to SUSS based on the ESRS: training and further education; diversity and inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination; occupational health and safety; and employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness. Should any of the provisions of these guidelines contradict national laws, the laws in question take precedence. All employees are required to learn about and observe these guidelines. A whistleblower policy accessible to all employees via the intranet stipulates how to deal with reports submitted (confidentially) via the whistleblower hotline.

Strategy Policy / Description
1. Policy	Social Policy
2. Objectives and content	The social policy relates to the topics of employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction, training and development, diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination and occupational health and safety, which are important to SUSS. SUSS is committed to respecting the rights of all employees and promoting a responsible working environment.
	Target: – Organises cooperation and development opportunities for employees – Orientation framework for employee behaviour – Promoting diversity and equal opportunities – Specification of targets and measures in the key topics
3. References to significant impacts, risks or opportunities	IThe content of the social policy specifically addresses the four key topics and describes the opportunities, risks and impacts on the company and its own employees and defines measures and targets for these four topics.
4. Monitoring process	The VP Global Human Resources ensures that the strategic objectives of this social policy are translated into concrete measures and operational plans and monitors implementation.
5. Scope of the policy	The policy is binding for SUSS MicroTec SE and all its subsidiaries worldwide.
6. Accountable level for the policy	Operational responsibility for compliance with and implementation of the Social Policy lies with the VP Global Human Resources.
7. Reference to standards	Third-party interests were included as part of the materiality analysis, which is decisive for the content of the social policy.
8. Availability of the policy for stakeholders	The policy is made available to all employees to ensure that the guidelines and objectives are implemented in all areas of SUSS.

There is also the Code of Conduct, an inclusion policy, company agreements at the SUSS subsidiaries, and instructions on occupational health and safety, which are also accessible on the Company intranet.

(ESRS S1-1 20 a) The SUSS Code of Conduct explicitly addresses the topics of human rights, forced labor, and child labor, as well as human trafficking and forced prostitution. It describes the values we share at the Company and how we intend to work with each other and business partners. Values like transparency, honesty, and integrity as well as the personal responsibility of every single one of us are particularly important to us. This Code of Conduct was adopted as part of the Group-wide compliance program in order to address legal and ethical challenges encountered in day-to-day work, to create clarity, and thus to further strengthen trust in the performance and integrity of the SUSS Group. The Code of Conduct applies equally to all of the sites around the world and all of the employees in the Company's own workforce.

(ESRS S1-1 20 b; c) Employees can also use the ESRS S1-2 processes on engagement with the Company's own workforce as well as processes and channels related to impacts in order to address and discuss human rights issues with the Company and then correct them.

(ESRS S1-1 21; 22) As published in the Code of Conduct, SUSS accepts internationally recognized human rights and supports adherence to these. Material frameworks that guide us in this regard are the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy of the International Labour Organization (ILO). We are actively committed to protecting all employees from exploitation.

SUSS operates around the world with its subsidiaries and maintains sites in a wide range of countries. However, our equipment is manufactured at three key sites in Garching and Sternenfels, Germany, and Hsinchu, Taiwan. Due to the legal provisions and their implementation and monitoring, we have not identified any risk of human rights violations, human trafficking, child labor, or forced labor laws at these three sites. However, should a human rights violation ever occur, the Company will do everything in its power to hold the people responsible accountable, get to the bottom of the incident, and adjust the framework conditions to such a degree that this type of incident cannot occur again at the Company.

Diversity and inclusion, equal opportunity, non-discrimina-

tion – We consider legally compliant conduct, respectful interaction with one another, equal opportunities, and employee diversity at the Company to be fundamental requirements for maintaining competitiveness and sustainable corporate success. As a global company, we cannot and do not want to differentiate between age, gender, origin and religion, for example, when selecting our employees. The same applies to opportunities for further development and remuneration within the company; here, too, only personal suitability and qualifications play a role.

(ESRS S1-1 23) Depending on the type of workplace, there are a variety of occupational health and safety guidelines in place at the Company. Upon joining the Company, new employees promptly receive an initial, general occupational health and safety briefing provided by our occupational health and safety specialist. There are special occupational health and safety guidelines and training courses on specific work environments for production employees – especially those that work in cleanrooms, use chemicals, or operate electrical equipment.

(ESRS S1-1 24 a) Eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion are part of the corporate strategy we embrace each and every day. SUSS observes the principle of equal treatment and bases its hiring, wages, promotions, and training opportunities on personal abilities and suitability – regardless of age, gender, and other social categories. However, the number of female college graduates and technical specialists is still comparably low, especially in the technological environment, meaning there are naturally many more male than female applicants who apply for technical positions and thus more male employees. Rather than explicitly desired by the Company, this is a consequence of qualified workers available in the market.

(ESRS S1-1 24 b) The Code of Conduct explicitly lists the following aspects of discrimination: different ethical background, culture, religion, age, political, social, or union activity, disability, skin color, sexual orientation, sexual identity, or sexual expression, world view, or gender.

(ESRS S1-1 24 c) The Company does not have any specific political obligations in reference to inclusion or advancement measures that benefit certain groups of people. The legal provisions specific to the individual countries in which SUSS maintains subsidiaries apply.

• Germany: General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG): The objective of the law is to prevent or eliminate disadvantages on the basis of race or ethical background, gender, religion, worldview, disability, age, or sexual identity. Also applicable in Germany, the Second Leadership Positions Act (FüPoG II) aims to increase the percentage of women in management positions and establish binding guidelines for business and public service.
• USA: Civil Rights Act: The provisions of the Civil Rights Acts prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender and race when it comes to hiring, advancement, and termination. SUSS is also subject to a variety of regulations specific to 13 different states in the US.
• • China: the PRC Labour Law, the PRC Employment Promotion Law, the Regulation on the Employment of the Disabled, and Women's Protection Law
• Taiwan: Employment Service Act: The Taiwanese antidiscrimination law prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants or employees on the basis of ethnicity, religion, membership in a political party, origin, birthplace, gender, sexual orientation, age, or marital status. If discriminated against on the basis of their nationality, ethnicity, skin color, status, or birthplace, anyone who resides in the Taiwan region can lodge a complaint with the responsible authorities about the violation of their rights.

(ESRS S1-1 24 d) The Company promotes employee awareness and offers regular employee training to prevent and fight discrimination. Mandatory management training courses familiarize our managers with aspects of diversity and non-discrimination.

Disclosure ESRS S1-2: Processes for engaging with own workforce and workers' representatives about impacts

(ESRS S1-2 27 a; b) SUSS promotes an open and honest feedback culture in a myriad of ways. A variety of direct and indirect formats are available to employees for both personal and anonymous feedback. Direct formats include annual performance reviews with supervisors and quarterly all-hands meetings with the Management Board. Employees can submit feedback indirectly through the Works Councils or pulse checks. The Company's own workforce and any other stakeholders can submit a report to the Company using the whistleblower hotline. These anonymous reports are processed and tracked confidentially by the Compliance Officer. If necessary, appropriate actions can be initiated and implemented in coordination with the Management Board. The views of our own employees are incorporated into decisions or activities at various points in order to manage the (potential) impacts. See also actions in the "Overview of the material actions related to the impacts in the material area of employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction" section and ESRS S1-1 19 et seqq.

Cooperation with the elected Works Councils: The SUSS MicroTec SE Management Boards and Works Councils get together for consultations twice a year. These meetings focus on topics like successful collaboration and employee satisfaction. Topics like strategic company development are also discussed, providing an opportunity for employee representatives to effectively explain strategic decisions and boost the motivation to work together to achieve great things. There are also monthly meetings between the Works Councils and the Managing Directors of the German subsidiaries. These meetings are held on a quarterly basis in the Netherlands.

Between these routine meetings, there are also regular (monthly) meetings between the Works Council, the Management Boards of the individual companies, and the "HR Business Partner & Administration" department, which provide the opportunity to respond promptly to employee requirements and discuss the department's upcoming projects.

The Works Council is also available to employees who are interested in discussing their concerns and suggestions for improving the organization with the committee. They can decide with their elected representatives whether to express their concerns to the SUSS management personally or anonymously.

Collaboration between the employee representatives in the Netherlands and local management is subject to similar principles and processes.

• All-hands meeting: Once a quarter, the Management Board invites all of the employees around the world to the so-called all-hands meeting – to provide information about the Company's current situation and developments planned for the future as well as answer any questions the employees might have. These meetings are held virtually, providing employees who might be on a business trip or working remotely with the opportunity to take part in this accessible format.
• Annual employee reviews: Even if the annual employee review focuses on the employees, their personal performance in the previous reporting period, and future development opportunities, these meetings also give employees the opportunity to provide feedback on their managers, the Company's general development, and the corporate culture. The SUSS "Training and Further Education" function – in the future, "Learning & Development" – is responsible for annual employee reviews, which also includes training courses on conducting constructive feedback meetings for all managers. Through preparation, managers learn how to encourage employees to provide honest feedback and accept it themselves as a development opportunity.
• Touchpoint: With so-called touchpoint conversations, the HR Business Partner unit has initially established a feedback format at the German sites for the probation period. In addition to the two performance-related probation period meetings between managers and employees, a responsible HR Business Partner also invites new employees to a review of the onboarding phase. In this format, we actively ask for feedback from our new colleagues and thus, as a company, obtain valuable insights into development potential. The format has proven its worth at the German companies and is also being rolled out at all international companies as part of process harmonization.
• Pulse check: In addition to the three standard questions always included, this survey focuses on individual aspects that have proven to be essential topics. To enable comparison, the three standard questions are always the same on an international level. The survey is conducted at all SUSS companies at the same time. During the 2024 financial year, we added an employee survey to the pulse checks with which we ask our employees around the world about the current mood concerning a whole host of topics. Introduced in 2024, the new Employee Engagement Score is determined on the basis of the pulse check.

(ESRS S1-2 27 c) Operations are largely the responsibility of Vice President Global Human Resources.

(ESRS S1-2 27 d) Aside from the Code of Conduct, which applies to all employees, the Company does not currently have any other global agreements with employee representatives on respecting human rights in its own workforce.

(ESRS S1-2 27 e) It is our opinion that the actions and formats listed under 27 (b) are sufficient and effective, enabling the incorporation of the views and opinions of the Company's own workforce into the management's decisions. A global employee survey conducted in 2024 is just one of multiple tools for evaluating the effectiveness of actions.

(ESRS S1-2 28; 29) The rehabilitation and involvement of people with disabilities is important to the Company. We have established the Representative for Severely Disabled Employees position, which is legally required for companies of our size in Germany. Every employee has access to the Representative for Severely Disabled Employees. In dialogue with the Representative for Severely Disabled Employees, these employees can share their views with the Company. The Company has not yet taken any other steps to gain more insight into the views of the people in the Company's own workforce who are most vulnerable to negative impacts in the form of discrimination and / or could be marginalized (e.g., women, migrants, people with disabilities).

Disclosure ESRS S1-3: Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for own workforce to raise concerns

(ESRS S1-3 32 a) All of the formats of stakeholder and employee co-determination already described make it possible to express praise, concerns, and criticism directly, anonymously, and confidentially. We have defined company-wide guidelines for dealing with reports submitted using the whistleblower hotline, which are accessible to staff on the intranet. To ensure confidentiality and the anonymity of the individual person submitting a report via the whistleblower hotline, the Company uses a third-party software system, with data stored on the third-party system rather than on SUSS IT systems.

Even reports submitted to the Works Council are handled confidentially for as long as the situation allows. For situations that call for strict confidentiality, the Works Councils pass on only the facts without naming the person about whom the report was initiated.

These forms of remediation are suitable and effective when it comes to counteracting material negative impacts on the Company's own workforce.

(ESRS S1-3 32 b) The following channels are available to employees:

• Local Works Councils and elected employee representatives: Employees have the option to voice their concerns to the elected representatives confidentially and request anonymous processing. There is also a mailbox at the Sternenfels and Garching sites where employees can submit anonymous reports to the Works Council.
• The Company's own management: SUSS's view on leadership allows employees to share critical feedback and concerns with their managers in various ways, including during routine employee reviews.
• HR Business Partner: The role of the HR Business Partner is to act as a sparring partner and provide support for both managers and employees. Employees are therefore expressly invited to consult their responsible HR Business Partner anytime they have concerns, are looking for support for specific issues, or find themselves in a situation of conflict between management and a team member or between employees.
• Whistleblower hotline: Located on the intranet, a whistleblower portal is easy to find and provides all employees with the opportunity to consult the responsible compliance management position without fear of retaliation. Further details are also available in the ESRS G1-1 section.
• Reporting excessive workloads: With this standardized tool for reporting excessive workloads, the SUSS Works Council has created a transparent process that allows all employees to address potential cases of excessive workload – whether temporary or structural – and, with the management and HR, look for solutions to improve the specific work situation. We as a company also view this tool as an important source of constructive employee feedback.
• Workplace reintegration management: If an employee misses work for a longer period of time due to illness, HR will initiate the workplace reintegration management process mandated by law for the employee in question. In addition to developing and implementing specific actions in collaboration with the employee in this process, SUSS also receives valuable feedback on working conditions that can have a negative impact on our employees, as well as on the effectiveness of the (individual) actions developed to mitigate or eliminate these types of negative impacts.
• Exit interviews: Like the onboarding process, the offboarding process is structured and standardized. Every employee who chooses to leave the Company is invited by the HR Business Partner responsible for their business unit to take part in an exit interview, offering an opportunity to take a look back at the employment period and provide detailed feedback on the corporate culture, management, and working procedures.

(ESRS S1-3 32 c) The described procedures make it possible to document employee feedback and evaluate it accordingly. SUSS's preferred approach is always open dialogue with the Company or the corresponding company representatives.

(ESRS S1-3 32 d) The Company encourages employees to speak openly with the Company and within the Company's own workforce. The culture of open communication is exemplified by the Management Board and supported in different formats, which are implemented by the various departments. Employees are informed of these formats in the usual structures and forums of internal communication. Accessible to all employees online, the whistleblower hotline is an important tool that allows individual employees to voice their concerns.

(ESRS S1-3 32 e) Reports can be submitted via different channels at the Company and are pursued in the corresponding departments – if necessary, in collaboration with the Management Board – and, if necessary, processed in collaboration with the corresponding stakeholders, with suitable actions for remediation identified together.

(ESRS S1-3 33) The Company protects individual people from retaliation. We have established this requirement in the whistleblower policy and the Code of Conduct and stand behind it. The whistleblower policy, which is accessible to all employees, and the Code of Conduct describe how the Company ensures confidentiality for any reports submitted and protects the whistleblower from retaliation.

Disclosure ESRS S1-4: Taking action on material impacts on own workforce, and approaches to managing material risks and pursuing material opportunities related to own workforce, and effectiveness of these actions

(ESRS S1-4 37 related to ESRS 2 MDR-A) The Company has not developed any special action plans, but views the four material topics, their objectives, and the actions introduced as essential to finding the right new employees, motivating existing employees, keeping them at the Company, and protecting their health – especially in light of the shortage of skilled workers and the Company's ambitious growth objectives. We also view an attractive work environment shaped by equal opportunities as a way to ensure a personnel structure that is qualitatively and quantitatively competitive over the long term.

(ESRS S1-4 38 a–c) In reference to material impacts related to its own workforce, the Company introduced a variety of actions to mitigate potentially negative impacts and exploit potentially positive impacts.

The material actions that the Company has established to exploit potentially positive impacts and counteract negative impacts on the Company's own workforce are described in detail for the material topic, beginning with the ESRS S1-16 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2 section.

The purpose of all the actions as a whole is to manage impacts on the Company and its own workforce. The Company would like to benefit from potentially positive impacts and aims to minimize potentially negative impacts with these listed actions. Especially in Human Resources, the strategic focus on the material topics mentioned has resulted in a restructuring and reinforcement. In Germany, the former Human Resources Departments at the Sternenfels and Garching sites were consistently merged together and have been a single entity since November 2023. The objective is to transform HR into a "People & Culture" department. This change should clearly demonstrate that the department offers a strategic support function for the management and all of the employees. At the same time, a great deal of effort is being made in the area of internationalization in order to consolidate international collaboration and make process comparison as efficient and successful as possible.

The Business Partner & Administration units have been reinforced. A "Learning & Development" unit has also been established, as has a dedicated "Recruiting" unit with team leads who will be in charge of the strategic focus. During the reporting period, the team grew from 11 to 17 employees, which represents a growth of 54 percent.

A variety of metrics and parameters will be evaluated to monitor whether impacts (positive and negative) have actually occurred. These indicators also reveal whether the actions taken tend to work. In addition to many soft factors, other indicators include cultural development, alignment of processes with the international companies, the intensity of development, and the number of personnel development actions taken.

(ESRS S1-4 38 d) The materiality assessment on which this report is based was conducted at the end of 2023. The Company has not taken any (comparable) measurements to determine whether the actions listed below have had a notable effect. The Company is not currently monitoring the effectiveness of the actions. If any figures for comparing the associated actions exist in the future, they will be used to monitor effectiveness.

(ESRS S1-4 39) After the materiality assessment at the end of 2023, the actions viewed as necessary and appropriate by the Company were defined to manage the negative and positive impacts. This step was coordinated with the specialists of various departments who were also involved in the materiality assessment. Action planning and implementation were then coordinated with the Management Board, with actual implementation beginning thereafter. Some of the aforementioned actions were initiated and established independently of the 2023 materiality assessment, as implementation will take longer in many cases – for example, the gradual increase of the budget for further education.

(ESRS S1-4 40) In reference to risks and opportunities related to its own workforce, the Company introduced a variety of actions to mitigate risks and exploit opportunities.

The material actions that the Company has established to mitigate risks and exploit opportunities are described in detail for the material topic, beginning with the ESRS S1-16 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2 section.

The purpose of all the actions as a whole is to manage risks and opportunities for the Company and its own workforce. To ensure the effectiveness of actions, objectives are considered in connection with ESRS 2 MDR-T.

(ESRS S1-4 41) From the Company's point of view, the actions initiated by SUSS to achieve the objectives do not have any material negative impacts on the Company's own workforce or its own business activities. In fact, the actions should increase employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness, promote health, and prevent discrimination. This, in turn, provides opportunities to streamline working procedures, increase productivity, and exploit growth potential, all of which benefit the business activities. The Company maintains regular and open dialogue with employee representatives as well as direct contact with employees through all-hands meetings, with the aim of ensuring that the Company's own business activities do not have any material negative impacts on its own workforce – or the Company is promptly informed of potential negative impacts.

(ESRS S1-4 43) There is no dedicated budget for managing material impacts. Depending on the material impact, the financial requirements and the amount of time needed to implement the actions can vary widely. When it comes to implementing actions, managers work closely with the Management Board.

The Company has not taken any special actions to mitigate the negative impacts of the transition to an eco-friendlier, climate-neutral economy on its own workforce because, according to the facts as they are known today and based on company planning, there should be no direct negative impacts on the Company's own workforce.

Disclosure ESRS S1-5: Targets related to managing material negative impacts, advancing positive impacts, and managing material risks and opportunities

(ESRS S1-5 44) In order to manage and cope with the potential impacts, risks, and opportunities associated with our own workforce, we collect metrics in the four material topic areas, along with their corresponding objectives. The individual objectives in the four material topics are described beginning with the ESRS S1-5 46 section and attributed here to the corresponding potentially positive and negative impacts, which they should strengthen and promote or mitigate. The same applies to the objectives that should help exploit opportunities as well as the objectives that should help the Company minimize risks. With the exception of the women's quota, which needs to be achieved by June 30, 2027, these objectives apply to the current reporting year.

Metrics on the established objectives are being collected and analyzed in order to measure progress in dealing with material negative impacts and promoting positive impacts on the Company's own workforce. Metrics on the women's quota, the number of violations registered, the number of work-related accidents, and the turnover rate have been collected for several years. The Employee Engagement Score is a tool for measuring employee satisfaction and is calculated on a quarterly basis.

The materiality assessment, which serves as the basis for this report, was conducted at the end of 2023, which is why there are not yet any comparison values for some of the individual parameters and target values that make it possible to measure progress over the period of at least two years. The first useful statements on the development of parameters and on the achievement of objectives will be available at the end of the 2025 financial year, once the comparable metrics from 2024 and 2025 are available.

(ESRS S1-5 46) The targets for the four material topics are:

• Employer attractiveness & employee satisfaction
• Turnover rate (annual survey) ≤ 8 percent 1
• Employee Engagement Score (calculated quarterly) ≥ 23 percent
• Occupational health and safety:
• Global rate of reportable workplace accidents (annual survey) ≤ 3.7 accidents
• Training and further education: an objective has not yet been defined
• Diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, and non-discrimination:
• Number of reported violations (annual survey) = no reported violations
• Women's quota: We are aiming for a proportion of women in management roles at SUSS MicroTec SE of 36 percent in the first and second management levels below the Management Board (this target is initially set for June 30, 2027)

As mentioned, these objectives apply to the current reporting year, with the exception of the women's quota.

(ESRS 1-5 47) There are no special procedures for defining the aforementioned objectives related to material topics and their potential impacts, risks, and opportunities. The objectives mentioned above were derived from the material topics and developed in close coordination with the Management Board during and after the materiality assessment. The Company's own workforce was not involved directly in defining the objectives, targets, and actions, but indirectly through the materiality assessment with the representatives and managers of various departments.

Objective achievement is monitored and analyzed once a year (on December 31) on the basis of whether the corresponding targets have been achieved. The Employee Engagement Score is calculated on a quarterly basis. It is our opinion that reliable findings and conclusions of whether and how the actions have affected the individual objectives and the corresponding targets, either positively or negatively, will only be possible after several years of monitoring.

On the following pages, we take a more detailed look at the four material topics and their impacts, risks, and opportunities associated with the Company's own workforce. We also describe the actions taken and objectives established in the individual topic areas and delve deeper into the associated metrics collected for the Company's own workforce.

Employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction

Strategy

SUSS's capital is largely based on the expertise of its employees. We are committed to high employee satisfaction with an appropriate salary structure, flexible working models (e.g., remote work, part-time arrangements), and a healthy and attractive work environment. Work-life balance plays a major role in recruiting well-qualified employees of all ages and social backgrounds to the Company and retaining them in the long term through a high level of satisfaction.

Since 2023, we have regularly and systematically recorded the satisfaction of our employees in order to continuously improve our working conditions and respond to the needs of our workforce.

A variety of actions and policies that are described in the SUSS Social Policy are used to manage impacts, risks, and opportunities resulting from the employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction topic, which is defined as material.

We work in flat hierarchies with short reporting lines and offer every employee the opportunity to develop according to their own skills and to take on responsibility. Competition with other

1 The targeted fluctuation rate of 8.0% or less was defined before the introduction of the CSRD and applies only to Germany.

potential employers is high, especially in Garching, due to its close proximity to Munich. Even at the Sternenfels site, which is not located in close proximity to a big city, it is all the more important to hold on to good employees with high satisfaction and acquire new ones with a positive signaling effect. This also applies to international sites, especially in Asia.

Overview of Own Workforce

SUSS operates in different countries around the world, with its production and administration activities focused in Germany. There is also a production site in Taiwan, which is becoming more and more important. The sites in the other countries tend to be sales and service subsidiaries. As of the reporting date, December 31, 2024, the Company's own workforce (see the ESRS S1 related to ESRS 2 SMB-3 13 1 b section for the definition) was 1,673 employees (headcount).

Impacts, risks, and opportunities

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) positive and negative impacts as well as opportunities and risks:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Employer attractiveness, employee satisfaction	Flexible and individualised working models (part-time, home office, flexitime) contribute to employee satisfaction and attractiveness as an employer.	(Potential) Positive Impact	Within the company
	Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on physical / mental health.	(Potential) Negative impact	Within the company
	Employee satisfaction has a positive effect on work behaviours (e.g. efficiency, fewer errors, innovation).	Opportunity
	Too few applications for vacancies at the relevant locations Garching (high competition for employees) and Sternenfels (not a 'metropolis') can be an obstacle to growth / increased sales	Opportunity
	A shortage of skilled labour can have a dampening effect on sales and earnings growth as demand continues to rise.	Risk

Impacts: Employer attractiveness and, in particular, employee satisfaction have a direct impact on well-being and thus indirectly affect employee work behavior. Because employees spend many hours at the workplace and dedicate themselves to the Company, high employee satisfaction has a positive impact on each and every employee. With flexible and individual working models such as part-time, remote work, and flexitime, the Company allows employees in Germany to pursue a position that aligns with their current personal circumstances. At present, there are no comparable rules at other sites. Remote work, flexitime, and part-time work are options to some degree at international sites but are rarely taken advantage of by employees. There are no standardized rules but rather individual agreements with supervisors.

Low satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on physical and mental health. And a lasting shortage of skilled workers can have a negative impact on growth targets. The topic of physical and mental health has become more and more important in the business world in recent years. Even SUSS is informed on the topic. However, there are no indications at present of actual material impacts on employee health (compare with development of the sick rate or the turnover rate).

Risks: Low employee satisfaction can represent an obstacle to growth targets – for example, because vacancies are not filled promptly or with ideal candidates. A shortage of skilled workers can also have a dampening effect on sales and earnings growth if demand continues to rise.

Opportunities: High employee satisfaction promotes efficiency at the workplace and can help decrease the amount of mistakes made by employees. It is also to be expected that satisfied employees will be more committed to innovation.

Actions for managing impacts, risks, and opportunities

In order to manage impacts, risks, and opportunities in the area of employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness, the Company has implemented a variety of actions – primarily in Germany to start with – which are described in greater detail after the following overview.

• Corporate culture, open and transparent communication
• OneSUSS (development of a global corporate culture)
• Transparent communication (all-hands meetings, SUSS)
• Manager training courses
• Feedback and recognition systems (employee surveys, feedback talks, pulse checks, touchpoint conversations)
• Cooperation with the elected Works Councils
• Social dialogue, freedom of association, the existence of Works Councils, and the rights of workers to information, consultation, and co-determination / collective bargaining coverage
• Work-life balance:
• Flexible working hours (full-time or part-time based on individual requirements)
• Hybrid / remote work models (working from home up to twelve working days a month – available in Germany)
• Secure employment and adequate wages
• Most of the employment contracts offered are permanent
• Use and, where possible, hiring of temporary workers
• Evaluation of the salary structure through benchmarks for example, for new hires
• Continued payment of wages if a child gets sick, in accordance with legal provisions in Germany
• Fixed salary plus, variable salary components, and / or additional benefits based on position profile and local practices
• Acquiring and retaining highly qualified employees
• Employee recommendation programs
• Regularly visiting job fairs
• Collaboration with research institutes and universities

Corporate culture, open and transparent communication

SUSS considers an tractive employer to be an organization that practices a corporate culture with the flattest hierarchies possible and is open to development and change. Anonymous employee surveys conducted on a quarterly basis at all locations worldwide and direct meeting formats between managers and their teams or individual employees are important sources of employee feedback on where the organization stands when it comes to achieving its own targets.

The management culture plays a key role in SUSS's attractiveness as an employer. Every manager takes part in tailored leadership training courses when they assume a management position for the first time or join the Company in a management role – regardless of the management level – which not only provides all employees in a management position with the confidence they need to operate in line with company values at all times but also creates a powerful management network for sharing ideas and obtaining peer group feedback on a regular basis. The training course takes a total of 64 hours and is complemented by follow-up training courses to ensure ongoing development at all times. The management training courses were launched in Germany in 2023. The gradual rollout of the identical program on an international basis kicked off in 2024 and will continue in 2025.

SUSS is interested in creating a work environment with open and transparent communication at the Company. A wide range of direct and indirect forms of communication are available to employees for both personal and anonymous feedback. The views of the Company's own workforce are incorporated into decision-making or activities at various points. The Works Council also offers all employees (in Germany) the opportunity to discuss their concerns and suggestions for improving the organization with the committee. Employees can decide with their elected representatives whether to express their concerns to the SUSS management personally or anonymously. Collaboration between employee representatives at the sites in Taiwan and the Netherlands and the local management follows the same rules.

Initiated by the Management Board, an "all-hands meeting" is held once a quarter with all of the employees worldwide in order to promptly provide them with a full picture of the current course of business. Employees have the opportunity to address the Management Board directly with any questions or concerns they may have. These meetings are held virtually, providing employees who might be on a business trip or working remotely with the opportunity to take part in this format.

Employee reviews are held once a year with the supervisor to measure customer satisfaction in the Company's own workforce on a regular basis and, for example, provide an opportunity for the manager and employee to discuss potential development options and provide each other with direct feedback (does not apply to temporary workers). Through preparation, managers learn how to encourage employees to provide honest feedback and view the annual employee review as a development opportunity.

So-called touchpoint conversations have also been established for employees during their probation period – for now, only at the two German sites. In addition to the two performance-related probation period meetings between managers and employees, the responsible HR Business Partner also invites new employees to a review of the onboarding phase. In this format, we actively ask for feedback from our new colleagues and thus, as a company, obtain valuable insights into our development potential. The format has proven its worth at the German companies and is also being rolled out at all international companies as part of process harmonization.

Pulse checks are another strategic tool for measuring / boosting employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction. In addition to the three standardized questions always included, this survey also focuses on individual aspects that have proven to be essential topics. To enable comparability, the standard questions are consistent on an international basis, while the additional questions can be adapted to the specific countries. The survey is conducted globally at all SUSS companies at the same time.

Work-life balance

Where possible, both flexible working hours and hybrid in-person / remote working models provide SUSS employees with the opportunity to balance their career and private lives. The two company agreements – "remote working" and "working times and working time account" – define the framework at the two German sites:

Based on a 40-hour week, employees (in Germany) can choose when to begin and end their workday as long as they comply with the core working hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (or 1:00 p.m. on Fridays). This flexitime agreement is linked to a working time account, through which employees can independently accumulate a positive or negative balance of up to 16 hours. In addition to flexitime, employees whose job description allows have the option to work up to twelve days a month remotely or from home, which requires general coordination with the team and manager. Here, too, SUSS expects employees to assume responsibility for themselves.

There are similar rules at the international sites based on local customs and work culture. For example, Taiwan offers a flexitime model with core working times but no working time accounts. In principle, working from home is an option at international sites, but employees rarely take advantage of it. There are no standardized rules but rather individual agreements with supervisors.

Flexitime rules and rules for working remotely / from home should help SUSS employees achieve a healthy work-life balance, which is important for maintaining physical and mental health and general performance. This is basically possible for more than half of the jobs in Germany and has become an integral part of our work organization.

We offer our employees parental leave and support in caring for close relatives within the framework of social and legal requirements. We also offer a variety of working time models to give employees as much flexibility as possible. SUSS provides all employees – including managers – with the option to work parttime, which is why we, as an employer, enable employees, wherever possible, to adopt the part-time model that works for them in terms of total hours and distribution of weekly working times. General flextime and remote work rules apply in these cases, too.

For SUSS, a healthy work-life balance means that all employees, regardless of gender, can care for someone in their family if they need to, which is why we allow all employees to work part-time. Even in Taiwan, we guarantee that our employees can take advantage of paid and unpaid parental leave in accordance with local laws. In Taiwan, there is no comparable claim to time for family care or paid leave to look after sick children.

Legal provisions vary from one country to the next. In the Netherlands and at our other sites around the world, for example, regulations are not as extensive as they are in Germany. However, they are possible in every country based on the corresponding customs and legal provisions.

The aforementioned guidelines pertaining to work-life balance were very much focused on Germany in the 2024 reporting year. With the restructuring of the Human Resources department, which has already kicked off, the aforementioned topics will also be addressed internationally and implemented on a gradual basis in the future.

Secure employment and adequate wages

It's important to SUSS at all of the locations worldwide to provide employees with the peace of mind that comes with job security. Without existential fear, they can focus on contributing their knowledge and dedication to continuously developing SUSS. That is why most of the employment contracts we offer in the individual business units are permanent from the first day.

In addition to the core workforce, SUSS also employs temporary staff at individual sites, usually to cover an order-related increase in work but also as part of the recruiting strategy to promptly fill vacancies. Particularly in these cases, it is important to us to offer employees a permanent employment contract directly with SUSS after their temporary assignment, in consultation with the temp agency. In individual cases, SUSS employs so-called non-employees, as defined in the ESRS, also referred to colloquially as freelancers or consultants. No staff is employed at any of the sites worldwide whose contracts do not explicitly specify the scope of the work to be performed (so-called capacity-oriented, variable working time), which is why this group will not be considered, presented, or mentioned throughout the rest of this report. Remuneration that is considered to be fair for the work performed also contributes to employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness. This perception grows significantly if the remuneration structure follows transparent rules.

Beyond these minimum standards, SUSS also follows a remuneration strategy that allows us to acquire and retain highly qualified specialists for the Company. Regularly conducted benchmarks of specialized service providers and consulting companies help us establish market-appropriate remuneration principles. There is a reference salary structure for each of our sites based on comparison with the existing workforce's remuneration and ad hoc benchmarks, such as the online platform "Compensation Partner" for Germany. New employees are categorized according to this structure. This form of categorization does not take gender or origin into account. The fixed monthly salaries of all employees at the German sites are usually adjusted by a percentage on an annual basis, with the involvement of the Works Council. Basic salaries are also adjusted by a percentage at the Taiwan site and the rest of the companies. Variable salary components represent another key factor for ensuring adequate wages at SUSS and allow the Company to manage expectations and the corresponding position profiles accordingly. In addition to the agreed remuneration, SUSS also offers a whole host of benefits, which may differ from one country to the next but are accessible to all employees at each of the sites. For example, the German sites offer a cafeteria and beverages or lunch delivery subsidized by the Company, "Jobrad" company bicycle leasing, discounted gym membership, and, from the fifth year with the Company, an additional company pension plan financed exclusively by the employer.

Acquiring and retaining highly qualified employees

Recruiting and retaining highly qualified employees plays an important role in the technologically demanding environment in which SUSS operates, which is why "Training and Further Education" was identified as its own material topic and is part of the personnel strategy derived from the corporate strategy. SUSS was represented at different job and university fairs in 2024. The Company has consolidated its university marketing in recent years: close collaboration with universities (e.g., Technical University of Munich, Munich University of Applied Sciences, universities of applied sciences in Pforzheim) and research institutes (e.g., Karlsruhe Institute of Technology).

For example, the Company has introduced every manager of the team lead level and higher with a brief profile since 2024 once they assume the role. Employee anniversaries of ten years or more are announced. The announcement of new employees is also being expanded to all new staff around the world. These actions should help people who already work for SUSS identify with the Company and, as often as possible, encourage acquaintances and family members to apply to the Company.

The current status of employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness is monitored through various exchange and feedback formats such as collaboration with the Works Councils, all-hands meetings, annual employee reviews, and employee satisfaction surveys.

Overview of the material actions related to the impacts in the material area of employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction

We have established the following actions to exploit potentially positive impacts resulting from the material topic "Flexible and individual working models (e.g., part-time, working from home, flexitime) contribute to employee satisfaction and employer attractiveness":

• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid / remote work models
• Continued payment of wages if a child gets sick

The Company has taken the following actions to counteract the potentially negative impacts resulting from the material topic "Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on mental health":

• Cooperation with the elected Works Councils
• Feedback and recognition systems (employee surveys, feedback talks)

• Transparent communication (all-hands meetings once a quarter, SUSS intranet as internal communication platform)

Overview of the material actions related to the opportunities and risks in the material area of employer attractiveness and employee satisfaction

We have established the following actions, which align with the actions on managing impacts in this area, in order to exploit the opportunity provided by the material topic "Employee satisfaction has a positive impact on work behavior (e.g., efficiency, fewer mistakes, innovation)":

• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid / remote work models
• Continued payment of wages if a child gets sick
• Transparent communication

We have established the following measures to counteract the two risks resulting from the material topic "Too few applications for vacancies at the relevant locations – Garching (high competition for employees) and Sternenfels (not a 'big city') – can be an obstacle to growth / sales growth" and "A shortage of skilled workers can have a dampening effect on sales and earnings growth if demand continues to rise":

• Most of the employment contracts offered are permanent
• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid / remote work models
• Continued payment of wages if a child gets sick
• Use and, where possible, hiring of temporary workers
• Employee recommendation programs
• Fixed salary plus, variable salary components, and / or additional benefits based on position profile and local practices
• Evaluation of the salary structure through benchmarks for example, for new hires
• Social dialogue, freedom of association, the existence of Works Councils, and the rights of workers to information, consultation, and co-determination / collective bargaining coverage

Metrics and targets

We use the following metrics to measure the effectiveness of the policies and actions described thus far for establishing our perception as an attractive employer among employees, potential applicants, and any other stakeholders:

approval rate of at least 23 percent. The rate in the fourth quarter of the 2024 reporting year was 38 percent.

Disclosure ESRS S1-6: Characteristics of the

undertaking's employees

(ESRS S1-6 50 a; b) We describe below the material characteristics of non-employee workers in the undertaking's own workforce.

Key Indicators	Managing the impact of opportunities and risks	Target (cumulative across all locations)	2024
Staff turnover rate 1	Monitoring the risks: "Too few applications for vacancies at the relevant locations in Garching (high competition for employees) and Sternenfels (not a 'metropolis') can be an obstacle to growth / increased sales" "Low employee satisfaction can lead to demotivation and have a negative impact on mental health"	≤ 8,0% 2	13,0%
Employee Engagement Score (based on Puls Checks)	Monitoring opportunities: "Flexible and individualised working models (part-time, home office, flexitime) contribute to employee satisfaction and attractiveness as an employer" "Employee satisfaction has a positive effect on work behaviours (e.g. efficiency, fewer errors, innovation)"	≥ 23,0%	38,0%

1 The staff turnover rate in accordance with the CSRD is calculated by dividing the number of salaried employees (incl. hours worked, temporary staff, trainees, interns and other fixed-term employees) who left the company during the reporting period (resignation, dismissal, retirement, death) by the total number of salaried employees. The calculation does not include 149 employees who left the company due to the deconsolidation of SUSS MicroOptics in January 2024.

2 The target fluctuation rate ≤ 8% was set before the introduction of the CSRD and refers to the definition of the fluctuation rate according to SUSS MicroTec and differs from the CSRD definition: Insert SUSS definition

The turnover rate is another important indicator of employee satisfaction. Our aim is to remain below a rate of 8.0 percent in Germany. The global turnover rate (calculated in accordance with CSRD requirements) was 13.0 percent in 2024. The turnover rate in Germany was 9.6 percent in 2024 (previous year: 9.5 percent) and thus, once again, just over the target.

Conducted at all of the companies worldwide on a quarterly basis, pulse checks ask employees a variety of questions, including how likely they would be to recommend SUSS as an employer to family members and acquaintances. The question is answered using a five-level scale. SUSS treats the two highest rating levels above the middle value as approval. Our aim is to achieve an The next table presents information on the number of employees by region and gender. The total number of employees as of December 31, 2024, was 1,577 people.

Information S1-6 Characteristics of the undertaking's employees	2024
By geography	Anzahl
EMEA	978
Americas	81
APAC	518
By gender
Male	1,288
Female	289
others	0
Not indicated	0
Total number of employees	1,577
By Country 1
Germany	937
Taiwan	385
USA	81
China	69

The country breakdown only takes countries into account that have more than 50 employees and account for more than 10 percent of the total workforce.

	2024
Employees by type of contract	Female	Male	Others	Not specified	Total
Number of employees in countries with more than 50 employees
Germany	197	740	0	0	937
Taiwan	66	319	0	0	385
USA	11	70	0	0	81
China	11	58	0	0	69
Average number of employees in countries with more than 50 employees 1
Germany	188	696	0	0	883
Taiwan	55	262	0	0	316
USA	10	65	0	0	75
China	12	57	0	0	68
Number of employees	289	1,288	0	0	1,577
Average number of employees	272	1,173	0	0	1,445
Number of permanent employees	266	1,189	0	0	1,455
Number of temporary employees	99	23	0	0	122
Number of employees without guaranteed working hours	12	26	0	0	38
Number of full-time employees	1,162	208	0	0	1,370
Number of part-time employees	126	81	0	0	207

1 Only disclosed for countries with more than 50 employees

1 Calculated as the average number of employees as at 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2024

	2024
Employees by type of contract	Germany	Taiwan	China	USA
Number of employees	937	385	69	81
Number of permanent employees	849	385	42	75
Number of temporary employees	88	0	27	6
Number of employees without guaranteed working hours	30	0	0	8
Number of full-time employees	742	385	69	75
Number of part-time employees	195	0	0	6

(ESRS S1-6 50 c)

	2024
Total number of employees who left the company in 2024 (ESRS S1-6 50 c)	Number	Staff turnover rate1
Employees who have left the company during the reporting period	205	13,0%

1 The employee turnover rate in accordance with the CSRD is calculated by dividing the number of salaried employees (incl. hours worked, temporary staff, trainees, interns and other fixed-term employees) who left the company during the reporting period (resignation, dismissal, retirement, death) by the total number of salaried employees. The calculation does not include 149 employees who left the company due to the deconsolidation of SUSS MicroOptics in January 2024.

(ESRS S1-6 50 d i) The staff numbers provided in the report are indicated as a headcount.

(ESRS S1-6 50 d ii) The S1-6 disclosures are reporting date disclosures as of December 31, 2024.

(ESRS S1-6 50 f) As of the reporting date, December 31, 2024, the Company's own workforce (see the ESRS S1 13 a; b related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 section) was 1,673 employees (headcount). This number deviates from that in the Management Report because, in accordance with the German Commercial Code (HGB), trainees and employees of third-party companies (temporary staff) may not be included in the Management Report, yet we still need to include them in our own workforce for the purpose of ESRS reporting.

Disclosure ESRS S1-7: Characteristics of non-employee workers in the undertaking's own workforce

(ESRS S1-7 55 a) We have a very small number of non-employees, measured on the basis of the Group's total workforce. Details about this and the exact numbers are available in the "Employer Attractiveness and Employer Satisfaction" section. Due to the low number and thus the limited impact on the company's business activities, we will not provide a detailed description of the characteristics.

Temporary employees who work with us are fully integrated into the Company. They participate in the onboarding program and are part of the local companies.

Non-employee employees	2024
Total number of non-employees Employees within own workforce worldwide 1	96

1 the figure only includes temporary workers.

(ESRS S1-7 55 b) This refers to the number of people as of the reporting date, December 31, 2024.

(ESRS S1-7 55 c) Self-employed staff were not included among non-employees, as the data was incomplete as of December 31, 2024. There were no noteworthy fluctuations associated with the temporary workers considered. In principle, SUSS offers temporary workers the opportunity to enter into a permanent employment relationship with the Company, provided the orders position is sufficient, and they have the necessary qualifications.

Various systems were used to collect data on non-employees. At the German sites, all the data are collected and evaluated using the SAP system.

Disclosure ESRS S1-8: Collective bargaining coverage and social dialogue

(ESRS S1-8 58) There's a connection to a collective bargaining agreement at our subsidiary in the Netherlands and, historically, for five employees in Germany. However, this is not the case at any of the other companies.

Elected Works Councils, Representatives for Severely Disabled Employees, and youth representatives work at the German sites in Garching, Oberschleissheim, and Sternenfels. The number of members in the committees is based on the German Works Constitution Act. Also in line with the German Works Constitution Act, the Works Councils have formed a General Works Council. There are a variety of institutionalized formats of exchange and co-determination between the Works Councils and the Management Board.

So-called labor management conferences have been established at the Company in Taiwan in line with the Labour Standard Act Taiwan. This format works much like the Works Councils in Germany. Management representatives confer with elected employee representatives on questions related to work organization and working conditions and develop joint solutions.

There is also a Works Council in the Netherlands, which, due to the size of the Company, does not have the same level of authority but is still an important conversation partner for the management when it comes to estimating the impacts of strategic decisions on the employees and, where necessary, making corrections.

Due to the limited number of employees at all of the other SUSS companies, there are no other institutionalized forms of co-determination.

The following table provides information about collective bargaining coverage and social dialogue.

(ESRS S1-8 60) The following table presents collective bargaining coverage inside SUSS.

Collective bargaining coverage	2024
Share of all employees covered by collective Bargaining Coverage	2,6%1
Of which in the European Economic Area (EWR)	0,5%
Collective bargaining agreement (metal and electrical industry)	0,5%
Thereof in Germany 2	0,5%

1 only the 36 employees in the Netherlands and (for historical reasons) five employees in Germany are covered by a collective labour agreement in the EEA

2 all other locations in the EEA have fewer than 50 employees

(ESRS S1-8 63 a) The following table describes collective bargaining coverage for the employees of the SUSS Group.

	Collective Bargaining Coverage	Social dialogue
	Employees – EEA	Employees – Non-EEA	Workplace representation (EEA only)
Coverage Rate
0−19%	Germany	Taiwan, USA, China
20−39%
40−59%
60−79%
80−100%	Netherlands		Germany

	2024
Percentage of employees covered by workers' representatives	100%
Thereof in Germany 1	100%

1 all other locations in the EEA have fewer than 50 employees

(ESRS S1-8 63 b) SUSS MicroTec SE employees are represented by a Societas Europaea (SE) works council.

Disclosure ESRS S1-9: Diversity metrics

(ESRS S1-9 66) For diversity metrics, please see the "Diversity and inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination" section.

Disclosure ESRS S1-10: Adequate wages

(ESRS S1-10 69) With the exception of Singapore, statutory minimum wages or comparable regulations apply at all SUSS sites worldwide – a minimum safeguard for employees fully upheld by SUSS. There is no statutory minimum wage in Singapore. SUSS ensures adequate payment of all employees, even in Singapore. SUSS has eight employees in Singapore. The average wages of these people are much higher than the comparable minimum wage in Germany and are therefore considered to be appropriate by the Company.

Disclosure ESRS S1-11: Social protection

(ESRS S1-11 74) At all of its companies, SUSS observes legal regulations on minimum social protection for its employees when it comes to illness, unemployment, workplace accidents and disability, parental leave, and retirement. Due to statutory requirements or internal company rules, all company employees enjoy social protection in terms of the following life events:

• Illness;
• Unemployment from the point at which the worker can no longer provide the Company with their labor;
• Workplace accidents and acquired disability;
• Parental leave;
• Retirement.

The scope of the legal protection from the aforementioned life events can differ from one country to the next.

	2024
	Countries
Number of employees who are covered by so cial protection	1,5711
Countries that do not grant social protection for 2
Sickness	1
Unemployment	1
Employment injury and acquired disability	1
Parental leave	1
Retirement	1

1 In the US, temporary employees (6 employees) are not entitled to social protection

2 in US only temporary employees are not covered

Disclosure ESRS S1-15: Work-life balance metrics

(ESRS S1-15 93) The following table indicates the extent to which SUSS employees were entitled to family-related leave and took advantage of it during the reporting period.

	2024
Percentage of employees entitled to take family-related leave 1	94.5%
Employees that took family-related leave (Number)	56
thereof male	78.6%
thereof female	21.4%
thereof others	0%
thereof not indicated	0%

1 Leave for family reasons includes maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave and leave for carers granted under national law or collective agreements.

Disclosure ESRS S1-16: Remuneration metrics (pay gap and total remuneration)

Below, SUSS presents the pay gap between its female and male employees as a percentage.

(ESRS S1-16 97 a; b) The following table presents the gender pay gap and the ratio of total annual remuneration for the highest-paid individual to the median total annual employee remuneration.

	2024
Gender pay gap 1	10.9%
Annual total remuneration of the highest paid individual to the median of the annual total re muneration of all employees	19.3 times

1 Calculated using the formula (average gross hourly earnings of male employees – average gross hourly earnings of female employees) / average gross hourly earnings of male employees x 100

We publish on an annual basis further information on remuneration, especially that of the management and governance bodies, in accordance with Section 162 of the German Stock Corporation Law (AktG), which is published on the website www.suss.com under "Investor Relations" in the "Corporate Governance" subsection. There you will also find information about the ratio of the remuneration of the management bodies to the average remuneration of employees.

Disclosure ESRS S1-17: Incidents, complaints, and severe human rights impacts

(ESRS S1-17 103 a–c) In the following table, SUSS provides the number of work-related incidents and complaints, the serious human rights impacts within its own workforce, and all the associated material fines, sanctions, and compensation for the reporting period.

	2024
Cases of discrimination reported in the reporting period 1	0
of which number of complaints via internal re porting channels	0
of which number of complaints via national contact points	0
Total of significant fines, sanctions and compen sation payments	0

1 Including harassment

No fines, sanctions, or compensation for damages related to the described incidents were paid in the 2024 reporting year.

(ESRS S1-17 104) The following table indicates which serious human rights incidents – for example, in the form of forced labor, human trafficking, and child labor – were identified at the Company and the amount of sanctions imposed due to violations of that kind.

	2024
Number of severe human rights incidents connected to the undertaking's workforce in the reporting period	0
of which violated the United Nations Guiding Princi ples on Business and Human Rights, the ILO Decla ration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work or the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises	0
Total significant fines, sanctions and compensation payments for human rights incidents involving em ployees in the reporting period (in €)	0

No human rights violations were reported in the SUSS Group during the reporting year. No fines were issued due to human rights incidents.

Occupational health and safety

Strategy

Well thought-out and sustainable personnel development and a health-promoting workplace design are prerequisites for retaining our employees in the long term and attracting new talent. The health and safety of our employees at the workplace are a top priority for SUSS. We create a safe and healthy work environment for our entire workforce to protect each individual from physical and psychological harm.

More than half of our employees work in the areas of production and technology. Working in cleanrooms and handling electricity and chemicals, for example in the application laboratories, can pose risks to employees' health if handled incorrectly, which must be kept to a minimum. As an international production company, SUSS strives for high standards regarding occupational safety and endeavors to bring the number and severity of workplace accidents to zero. This is why training courses and safety instruction sessions are held regularly to protect health and prevent injuries and accidents, in particular to ensure the proper handling of hazardous substances. At all SUSS sites, employees undergo mandatory training on occupational health and safety during onboarding.

At SUSS, a healthy work environment also extends to a good worklife balance. The management is aware that employee performance can only be maintained if there are sufficient regeneration phases, which is why we in Germany grant 30 days of annual leave – based on a five-day week – from the start of employment. Working together, the Works Council, the HR Business Partner, and the managers do what they can to ensure that employees make full use of this leave entitlement. All of the employees at the international companies are also entitled to annual leave that exceeds the local statutory minimum requirements.

Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) negative impact:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Occupational health & safety	Unsafe working condi tions can lead to inju ries / work accidents	(Potential) negative impact	Within the company

Impacts: A healthy and safe workplace is the foundation for an efficient and motivated work environment and has direct impacts on the employees. Unsafe working conditions can lead to employee injury and workplace accidents, which can have a negative impact on health. This, in turn, has a negative effect on the Company, as the employees could potentially be out for a longer period of time.

The Company's own workforce, which works in the cleanrooms and application laboratories is most vulnerable to these potentially negative impacts, as working with electricity and chemicals in these environments represents high risk potential for employee health.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: The materiality assessment did not identify any material opportunities in this area.

Actions for Managing Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

The prevention of workplace accidents is actively supported at SUSS by organizational measures, some of which go beyond the high legal requirements. Employees in the areas of production, logistics and application are exposed to greater risks than other employees. An occupational health service, clear processes and the continuous recording and analysis of workplace accidents are intended to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

Special manuals and policies define basic rules for behavior in cleanrooms and application laboratories (apply to production sites in Germany and Taiwan) and must be used by employees who work in the cleanroom environment. The internal management system (IMS) manual is another key component for informing employees and preventing accidents. The manual describes the IMS for quality, workplace safety, environment, and energy at SUSS. An accredited certifier (ISO 9001, 14001) monitors IMS functionality on an annual basis and certifies it in a defined cycle.

In May 2024, we hired a dedicated, certified electrician for multiple sites who plays a central role in workplace safety when it comes to the use of electrical equipment and devices. This electrician is in charge of employee safety. Their responsibilities include risk assessments, training courses, and instructions, and ensuring and monitoring the applicable requirements. In addition, another specialist has been hired to focus on workplace safety.

Regular management training courses also teach managers how to maintain the physical and mental health of their employees in the work process. This includes relevant workplace equipment, encouraging staff to take advantage of the health checks offered and assume responsibility for maintaining their own health and creating a work atmosphere in which employees have the ability to reach their full potential and work together to achieve company goals in an environment of mutual respect.

In addition, employees at all SUSS sites undergo mandatory training on occupational health and safety during the onboarding process. SUSS also offers additional measures for general healthcare at a variety of sites. The Company financially supports gym membership and provides free vision tests, subsidized computer glasses, and the flu vaccine at the Garching and Sternenfels sites in Germany. In Taiwan, employees can take advantage of a free general health checkup once a year, and we established continuous medical care for employees there in 2024.

(ESRS S1-14 88)

Overview of the material actions related to the impacts in the material area of occupational health and safety. The Company has taken the following actions to counteract the potentially negative effects resulting from the material topic "Unsafe working conditions can lead to injury / workplace accidents":

• Increasing investment in healthcare and training courses on workplace safety
• Training on general workplace safety for all new employees
• Training and instruction for managers on maintaining physical and mental health in the work process
• Permanent medical care in Taiwan since 2024

Actions related to opportunities and risks in the material area of occupational health and safety:

The materiality assessment did not reveal any material opportunities or risks in this area.

Metrics and targets

We currently use the following metrics to measure the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety policies and actions described thus far:

Key Indicators	Managing the impact of opportuni ties and risks	Target (cumulative across all locations)	2024
Accident frequency 1		≤ 3.7	0.96

1 Calculated as the number of accidents at work in the company's own workforce / hours worked * one million; *Definition of accidents at work: Accidents at work must be reported in the event of accidents at work (including commuting, travelling to work-related external activities) that result in insured employees being killed or injured in such a way that they are unable to work for more than three days.

We measure the success of our diverse range of actions in terms of the rate of workplace accidents. The statements on accident frequency made in the 2023 non-financial statement refer only to Germany, while the value for 2024 refers to all of the sites worldwide. Our aim is to bring the number and severity of workplace accidents to zero.

Disclosure ESRS S1-14: Health and safety metrics

SUSS's internal management system for health and safety covers 100 percent of all SUSS employees.

Disclosure S1-14 Health and safety

	2024
Percentage of people in its own workforce who are covered by the undertaking's health and safety management system based on legal requirements and / or recognised standards or guidelines	100%
The number of fatalities as a result of work-related injuries	0
The number of fatalities as a result of work-related ill health	0
Number of recordable work-related accidents	3
Rate of recordable work-related accidents	0.96
Number of cases of recordable work-related ill health (salaried employees only)	0
Number of days lost to work-related injuries (salaried employees only)	40.5
Fatalities from work-related accidents (salaried employees only)	0
Work-related fatalities from ill health (salaried employees only)	1

1 Definition of an accident at work: Accidents at work must be reported in the event of accidents at work (including commuting, travelling to work-related external activities) that result in the death or injury of insured employees and render them unfit for work for more than 3 days.

2 Calculated as number of accidents at work / hours worked (own workforce) x 1 million

Training and further education

Strategy

As an equipment provider in a technologically highly specialized market segment, we are always searching the limited market of suitably qualified people for employees who will help us shape growth in the coming years and continue to carry and develop the Company's expertise in the future. This makes it all the more important to train employees within the company and to enable them to further develop their skills.

Training our own employees through training and study programs is extremely important in view of the growing shortage of skilled workers. In addition, talent can be developed specifically with regard to the requirements of SUSS. Continuous training of the workforce is important in order to keep pace with the innovation trend in the industry.

According to our materiality assessment, a lack of employee expertise due to insufficient resources at the training center or this lack of knowledge can, for example, lead to mental overload and demotivation. Flat hierarchies with short reporting lines play a major role here, too, and offer every employee the opportunity to develop according to their own goals and skills and to take on responsibility.

We have grown strongly in recent years and continue to pursue an ambitious growth strategy. For us as a global supplier to leading semiconductor companies, there are great opportunities in many areas such as digitalization, mobility, and energy efficiency. We can only take advantage of these opportunities if we can attract motivated employees with the appropriate qualifications. With this approach and well-trained staff, we plan to take full advantage of the opportunity to drive the positive growth revealed by the materiality assessment.

We intend to continue to develop and promote our employees by continuously improving our training and continuing education opportunities. Training our own employees through training and study programs is extremely important in view of the growing shortage of skilled workers. In addition, talent can be developed specifically with regard to the requirements of SUSS. Continuous training of the workforce is important in order to keep pace with the innovation trend in the industry.

Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) negative impact:

Description	IRO	Value Chain
Lack of know-how on the part of employees due to insufficient resources in the training centre. This lack of knowledge leads, for example, to excessive demands and demotivation.	(Potential) negative impact	Within the company
Highly trained personnel increase productivity.	Opportunity	Within the company
Highly trained personnel offer growth potential and new sales channels.	Opportunity	Within the company
Training of in-house junior staff reduces the need for external specialists.	Opportunity	Within the company

Impacts: Many (especially technical) activities at SUSS require a high degree of special expertise. If the Company fails to sufficiently train employees according to their responsibilities due to insufficient resources at the training center, this can have negative impacts on employees, which can lead to mental overload or demotivation, and ultimately represents a negative impact for the Company. With too few employees fully trained, growth targets may be impossible to achieve.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: Highly trained employees are highly motivated and tend to be very productive, which is a great benefit to the Company and allows SUSS to fully exploit growth potential. This could potentially even result in new sales channels. The Company can recruit future managers from within its own ranks, which is yet another opportunity for both the employees and the Company. This is a wonderful opportunity, especially considering the shortage of skilled workers.

Actions for Managing Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

SUSS has acknowledged the strategic significance of training and further education by making it its own independent unit, initially in HR in Germany. In the future, the unit will help relevant HR functions at international sites develop systematic management of further education. We significantly expanded the "Learning & Development" unit in 2024. The strategic approach will be further promoted in 2025 and, in that context, objectives will be defined and additional measures developed. The budget for training and further education (in Germany) was gradually increased, emphasizing the Company's clear focus on the topic of training and further education. An additional three employees were also hired in this area in 2024, which represents significant growth in this function compared to 2023.

SUSS employees receive career development support in the form of annual employee reviews, the purpose of which is to focus on the employee's career path and planning and, on that basis, identify targeted qualification needs. In the future, the annual employee review will be systematized and standardized throughout the Company, allowing employees at all of the companies to pursue careers at any of the sites and thus expanding the shared basis of knowledge worldwide. New managers are required to take part in management training when they assume their first management position and a mandatory four-module management training course has been introduced.

We offer at least 13 apprenticeship positions in Germany every year to secure a supply of young new specialists for the Company. In addition, the Company employs and supports four students in the dual course of study to promote company loyalty among specialists as early as possible. This also includes boosting university marketing. We work closely with universities (e.g., Technical University of Munich, Munich University of Applied Sciences, universities of applied sciences in Pforzheim) and research institutes (e.g., Karlsruhe Institute of Technology).

New employees undergo company-specific training through the onboarding process. Depending on the training objective and level of knowledge, SUSS uses a variety of learning methods and tools to continuously train these employees, including the Company's own in-person training courses, such as the four-module training course for managers tailored to the Company's requirements, different mandatory e-learning courses (compliance, IT security, and data protection), and a learning management system (LMS) launched on October 1, 2024.

We offer IPMA certification through external providers. Six employees completed the Level D certification in 2024, and another five were preparing for certification as of the reporting date. As a result, more than 18 employees are now certified in accordance with the IPMA Standard. IPMA certification is a standard certificate for project managers.

Overview of the Material Actions Related to the Impacts in the Material Area of Training and Further Education

The Company has taken the following actions to counteract the potentially negative effects resulting from the material topic "Lack of employee expertise due to insufficient resources at the training center":

• Expansion of SUSS's in-house technology-focused training center
• Staff increase in the area of training and further education
• Increasing the budget for training and further education

Highly trained personnel offer growth potential and new sales channels. Training your own junior staff reduces the need for external specialists. The Company has taken the following actions, some of which overlap with the aforementioned actions in the area of impacts, to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the material topics "Highly trained staff increases productivity":

• Increasing the budget for training and further education
• Using various approaches to vocational training and further education
• 37 apprenticeship positions (mechatronics engineers, microsystem technologists, industrial managers)
• Four dual course students
• Mandatory participation in the management training course with the first management role
• Introduction of a mandatory four-module training course for managers
• Expansion of the online range of training courses

Metrics and Targets

There are currently no objectives for the material topic of training and further education. We significantly expanded the "Learning & Development" unit in 2024. The strategic approach will be further promoted in 2025 and, in that context, objectives will be defined and additional measures developed.

Disclosure ESRS S1-13: Training and skills development metrics

We have repeatedly invested in further education of the workforce at SUSS in recent years. As previously described, we established a team in Germany in 2024 to restructure and gradually develop the learning unit.

Disclosure S1-13 Training and skills development (ESRS S1-13 83)

2024
Number	in %
1,485	94.2%
276	95.5%
1,209	93.9%
0	0%
0	0%
0 1
21.5
19.4
22.0
0
0

1 There is no global target per employee

There is no globally defined number of performance reviews per employee at the Company. However, the Company is making an effort to ensure that every employee receives feedback on their performance once a year as part of the annual employee review with the manager.

Diversity and Inclusion, Equal Opportunities, Non-Discrimination

Strategy

We consider legally compliant conduct, respectful interaction with one another and equal opportunities and diversity of employees within the company to be fundamental prerequisites for maintaining competitiveness and sustainable corporate success. As a global company, we cannot afford and do not plan to differentiate between factors such as age, gender, origin, or religion when selecting our employees. The same applies to opportunities for further development and remuneration within the company; here, too, only personal suitability and qualifications play a role.

Core aspects of the strategic company approach in terms of diversity and inclusion, equal opportunities, and non-discrimination are the acceptance of all people and a transparent remuneration system. SUSS has implemented an inclusion agreement specifically to counteract potential discrimination against employees with disabilities, for example. Inclusion in society and the world of work, equal opportunities, the self-determined participation of persons with disabilities in work life, and mutual respect in collaboration are special requirements for SUSS. This includes promoting training and employment as well as a collegial work environment across all levels of the Company. That is why the inclusion of persons with disabilities should be given special consideration in the development of work processes and conditions at SUSS.

The Management Board also provides a diversity concept that is updated annually and published in the Corporate Governance Declaration for the Management Board, the Supervisory Board, and the two upper management levels below the Management Board. In addition, SUSS is legally required to set gender-specific targets for these levels and to report annually on their achievement. Additional internal policies include the Code of Conduct, which is published on the website and describes and addresses the way in which we perceive ourselves in our dealings with each other. The Company-wide obligation to observe the Code of Conduct should manage and thus prevent – or even largely minimize – negative impacts and risks in the area of diversity and inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination for the Company's own workforce.

In addition, we promote equal opportunities and do not discriminate in the hiring and promotion of employees. A component of our corporate strategy is to work with individuals of different ethnic backgrounds, cultures, religions, and ages without regard to political, social, or union activity, disability, skin color, sexual orientation, sexual identity, or sexual expression, world view, or gender. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment (verbal, in social networks, physical, or sexual), bullying, or other personal attacks on individuals on the basis of these characteristics. Any regulations or policies, such as employee manuals in place at the subsidiaries, also apply.

Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) negative impact:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Diversity & inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination	Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted / discriminated against / discriminated against.	(Potenital) negative impact	Within the company

Impacts: Any incidents of discrimination or inequality that did occur would have immediate impacts on the affected employees. In particular, employees with different backgrounds in terms of gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, or nationality may feel disadvantaged or discriminated against. Discrimination is a violation of the human rights of the person affected. Discrimination not only diminishes the motivation of those employees directly affected but also that of the employees who observe such behavior. That, in turn, can have negative impacts on the Company.

To ensure successful organization development and market positioning over the long term, SUSS, as an international organization, needs to integrate as many different experiences, mentalities, and behavioral patterns as possible into the overall organization and the different teams. For this reason, we attach great importance to a balanced gender ratio throughout the organization as a whole and in the different career groups when recruiting specialists and managers.

Risks: The materiality assessment did not identify any material risks in this area.

Opportunities: The materiality assessment did not identify any material opportunities in this area.

Actions for Managing Impacts, Risks, and Opportunities

As described in the "adequate wages" section, employees are categorized according to wage brackets based on the position and differentiation within the bracket on the basis of career experience and special knowledge, with the characteristic of gender fully disregarded. The Works Councils are responsible for monitoring compliance with these remuneration principles on an annual basis. If there is ever any need to take action, the wages will be adjusted accordingly.

All employees are familiarized with the Code of Conduct, which regulates the way in which we perceive ourselves in our dealings with each other, during the onboarding process and participate in globally applicable compliance training courses (e-learning) to learn the importance of acting in accordance with these principles. The Code of Conduct has been translated into four different languages that are material to SUSS, providing all employees with inclusive access to the text. A description of what happens if the Code of Conduct has been violated, including naming the manager responsible for the process, is accessible to all employees in the local employee self-service (ESS) system and on the intranet and is provided to employees during the onboarding process. All employees can therefore see where to find help or escalate the process if they observe such behavior.

Our company is actively committed to including people with disabilities and aims to create a working environment that promotes diversity and ensures equal opportunities. We recognize that people with disabilities make valuable contributions to the world of work and have a responsibility as a group of companies to break down barriers and enable integration into and participation in our working environment.

We ensure that all employees – whether they have physical or any other limitations – have access to the tools and supporting technologies they need to complete their work. According to the inclusion agreement, these forms of assistance must correspond to the specific needs of the employees with severe disabilities. Our recruitment processes are designed to actively integrate people with disabilities into our talented teams. We work closely with the Inclusion Officer and the Representative for Severely Disabled Employees, who specialize in the employment of people with disabilities. Especially in Germany, where these committees have existed for some years now, this is a valuable contribution. We regularly analyze our progress in the integration of people with disabilities. Employee feedback is a great help to us, as are the committees.

To systematically promote young female talent in our technology-driven environment, we have been taking part in Girls' Day in Germany for several years now. The Company also provides support for women pursuing leadership roles internally.

There have not yet been any applicants or employees at SUSS who identify as "nonbinary." Nonetheless, all instances in the Company are focused on ensuring that every employee at SUSS feels valued and respected.

Overview of the material actions related to the impacts in the material area of diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination

The Company has taken the following actions to counteract the potentially negative impacts resulting from the material topic "Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted or feel disadvantaged / discriminated against":

• Participating in Girls' Day in Germany
• When looking to fill vacant positions with suitable employees, we make an effort to ensure a balanced gender ratio in the team in question
• The recruitment process is designed to actively integrate people with disabilities into talented teams
• Employees with limitations / disabilities are provided with access to the tools and supporting technologies they need

Overview of the material actions related to opportunities and risks in the material area of diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination

The materiality assessment did not reveal any material opportunities or risks in this area.

Metrics and targets

We currently use the following metrics to measure the effective-

ness of the policies and actions described thus far related to di-

versity and inclusion, equal opportunities, non-discrimination:

Key Indicators	Managing the impact of opportunities and risks	Target	2024	2023
Women's quota for the first and second management levels at SUSS MicroTec SE	Managing the impact: "Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted / discrimi nated against / discriminated against"	1st level: 36.0% 2nd level: 36.0%	40.0% 50.0%	46.2% 42.9%
incidents reported worldwide per year	Managing the impact: "Employees with different backgrounds (gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) do not feel accepted / discrimi nated against / discriminated against"	0	0	0

• Women's quota: Women will constitute 36 percent of the first and second management 1 evels below the Management Board (this target initially applies until June 30, 2027)
• It is also our goal to prevent / avoid all forms of discrimination and thus achieve a measurable figure of "zero" reported incidents per year worldwide.

1 No target has yet been defined for the global workforce. For the percentage of women in the first management level (from a Group-wide perspective), see the information under S1-9 Diversity.

Risks and Opportunities

SUSS has not yet established any objectives related to additional diversity characteristics, such as achieving a quota of employees with cognitive or physical limitations or the percentage of academic and non-academic professional qualifications among employees, but will take a closer look at this topic in the 2025 financial year.

The age structure is another important dimension. On the one hand, we rely on young, well-qualified employees to shape the Company's future. On the other, the many years of career experience of older employees is an important foundation. That is why a mixed-age structure is important to us. However, we have not established any specific target quotas.

Angabe ESRS S1-9: Diversitätsparameter

The following table provides information about the gender ratio at the senior management level in the SUSS Group

	2024
	Absolute	in %
Employees at the top management level	17	100%
thereof female	6	35.3%
thereof male	11	64.7%
thereof others	0	0
thereof not indicated	0	0
Employees by age group
thereof < 30 years	293	18.6%
thereof 30-50 years	879	55.7%
thereof > 50 years	405	25.7%

(ESRS S1-9 66)

Definition of the top management level: The top management level at the Company includes all managers worldwide who report directly to one of the three members of the Management Board.

Disclosure ESRS S1-12: Persons with disabilities

The following table provides information about the percentage of employees with disabilities at SUSS.

(ESRS S1-12 79)

	2024
	Number	in %
Employees with disabilities (or equal status) 1	31	2.0%

1 In some countries in which SUSS operates sites, no statement may be made in this regard due to data protection regulations.

The inclusion policy already described in this report applies to the Company's own workforce in Germany at the companies SUSS MicroTec SE, SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, and SUSS MicroTec ReMan GmbH. The following groups of people are affected:

• Severely disabled / equivalent employees (section 151 SGB IX)
• Disabled employees and trainees (sections 2 and 155 SGB IX)
• Employees in medical or vocational rehabilitation
• Employees with health impairments (long-term illness, frequent short-term illness, chronic illness, addiction, learning disability, mobility issues)
• Employees with partial reduced earning capacity (EU pension)
• Employees who are no longer eligible for benefits

Further information is available in the inclusion policy.

ESRS S2 Workers in the value chain (basic human rights requirements, responsible supply chain) Strategy

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-2: Interests and views of stakeholders

(ESRS S2 9 related to ESRS 2 SBM-2 43) SUSS is committed to ensuring safe working conditions in the value chain, respectful and dignified treatment of workers, and eco-friendly, ethical business operations based on integrity. These principles are defined in the Business Partner Code of Conduct and our corporate philosophy.

SUSS demands that all of its business partners, including suppliers, contractors, and service providers, comply with the standards and principles set out in the Code of Conduct in the value chain. There is a particular focus on making sure that business partners respect human rights and ensure safe working conditions and fair wages. SUSS also expects its business partners to require their own business partners to fulfill the standards defined in the Code of Conduct, thus ensuring compliance with the principles throughout the entire supply chain.

The principles defined in the Code of Conduct on respecting the workforce and human rights are taken into account in SUSS's decision-making process and play a role in both the selection of suppliers and risk management. The Company will determine how to promote closer collaboration and regular dialogue with workers and business partners in the value chain in the 2025 financial year. Our aim is to better understand the interests, views, and concerns of the workers in our value chain and incorporate them into our decision-making process.

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-3: Material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model

(ESRS S2 10 related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 48) The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following negative and positive impacts:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Human rights, Responsible supply chain	The human rights of workers at SUSS suppliers are violated (with the possible consequence of physical / psychological impairments).	Negative impact	At the supplier
Human rights, Responsible supply chain	We reduce the likelihood of human rights violations or environmental damage through our Supplier Code of Conduct and (possible) control measures such as supplier surveys and audits.	Positive impact	At the supplier

(ESRS S2 10 a related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 48) The actual or po-

tential impacts are not the result of the Company's business model or policy. Our business model was not adapted as a result of actual or potential impacts. SUSS has developed a Code of Conduct for suppliers that serves as the foundation for collaboration. Development of the Business Partner Code of Conduct represents an adjustment to the corporate strategy in terms of interaction with suppliers on the basis of actual and potential impacts.

(ESRS S2 11 a; c; d related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 11) The ESRS 2

disclosure takes value chain workers who could be affected by material impacts into account. Worker groups at the different sites and throughout the value chain will be identified and categorized in the coming year.

significant impacts Impact disclosures Category Types of workers Impacts Type Description of impact Workers who work for SUSS in the upstream value chain Direct suppliers of SUSS The human rights of workers at SUSS suppliers are violated (with the possible consequence of physical / psychological impairments). Negativ Context indication: Widespread negative impacts on workers in the value chain in the contexts in which the company operates or has sourcing or other business relationships. Workers who work Persons involved in the We reduce the likelihood of human rights violations or environmental damage through our Supplier Code of Conduct Business operation: Communication of the

and (possible) control measures such as supplier surveys and audits. Positiv

(ESRS S2 11 b) The geographical location of suppliers is evaluated on the basis of information provided by a credit insurer and with the aid of a risk barometer. No significant risks related to child labor were identified in direct connection with our value chain.

extraction of raw materials

(ESRS S2 11 e related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 48) The materiality assessment did not reveal any material risks or opportunities connected to the impacts on value chain workers. No dependencies that could have material impacts were identified.

(ESRS S2 12 related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 48) In our analysis, we did not identify any types of value chain workers in our analysis that are or could be especially vulnerable to negative impacts.

Code of Conduct and implementation of accompanying prevention measures

In 2023, SUSS reviewed the materiality assessment in accordance with ESRS 2 IRO-1 by evaluating the previous assessments and the requirements with the responsible division heads. No material changes were identified, and all relevant topics were confirmed and documented.

Workers in the value chain who are affected by

for SUSS in the upstream value chain In the reporting year, SUSS conducted its first comprehensive site assessment and abstract risk analysis for all of the primary suppliers to identify potential human rights and environmental risks as well as manage (potentially) negative impacts on value chain workers.

An assessment of the impact throughout the value chain is planned for the next financial year to systematically identify employee groups vulnerable to higher risk.

An overview of the value chain workers affected by the impacts is available under ESRS 2 SBM-3 11

(ESRS S2 13 related to ESRS 2 SBM-3) As stated under datapoint ESRS 2 SBM-3 11 material positive and negative impacts were identified in the reporting year, but no material opportunities or risks. The opportunities and risks were continuously monitored in risk management. A key focus of the current business year is to identify potentially vulnerable worker groups throughout the value chain. Further information is available in the ESRS S2-5 section.

Management of impacts, risks, and opportunities

Disclosure ESRS S2-1: Policies related to value chain workers as per ESRS 2 MDR-P (ESRS S2-1 16; 17 a; b; 18) The following table provides an overview of information on the policies we use to manage material impacts, risks, and opportunities. We also describe which processes we use to monitor compliance in our value chain.

Strategien	Policy / Beschreibung
1. Policy	Business Partner Code of Conduct
2. Objectives and content	In the Business Partner Code of Conduct, SUSS documents its expectations of suppliers with regard to – Commitment to safe working conditions: SUSS demands respectful and safe working conditions from its business partners. – Compliance with the law: Business partners must comply with all relevant laws and regulations and encourage their own partners to comply with the principles of this Code. – Human rights and working conditions: Respect for human rights, including labour rights. – Prohibition of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking. – Ensuring fair working conditions and appropriate remuneration. – Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheitsschutz gewährleisten. – Environmental protection: Minimisation of environmental impact and economical use of resources. Compliance with all relevant environmental laws, including the handling of hazardous substances. Careful handling of conflict minerals and application of due diligence. – Ethical business behaviour: Elimination of bribery, corruption and fraud. – Legal compliance: Ensuring confidentiality and compliance with anti-money laundering laws. – Transparency and integrity: Adherence to the highest standards of transparency and honesty in all business interactions. – Compliance and audits: SUSS reserves the right to verify compliance with the Code through audits. Violations must be remedied immediately, otherwise the business relationship may be terminated. – Consequences of violations and non-compliance: In the event of serious violations, SUSS reserves the right to terminate the business relationship.
3. Monitoring process	SUSS conducts reviews and audits to ensure compliance with the Business Partner Code of Conduct. This process includes documenting the results, communicating violations and organising training for employees and business partners.
4. Scope of the policy	The policy applies to all upstream and downstream value chains, including raw material procurement, production, distribution and disposal. Geographical areas: The policy applies globally in all countries in which SUSS operates or does business. The policy applies to employees, suppliers, customers, local communities and other relevant stakeholders involved in the value chain.
5. Stakeholder involvement	When developing and defining the Business Partner Code of Conduct, the Purchasing department took into account the perspectives of key stakeholders through dialogue meetings to ensure that the Code meets the expectations and requirements of the relevant interest groups.
6. Accountable level for the policy	The legal department is responsible for the policy.
7. Reference to standards	UN Charter of Human Rights, ILO core labour standards, ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 50001 (energy management).
8. Availability of the policy for stakeholders	Business partners receive the Code of Conduct for Business Partners and a self-assessment document during the onboarding process. Our principles in this regard can be found in our Code of Conduct for Business Partners, which can be viewed by all interested parties on our website at www.suss.com in the 'Company' section and the 'Sustainability' section under 'Report ing / Downloads'.

(ESRS S2-1 17 c) SUSS introduces remediation suitable for the situation to correct any impacts on human rights. If any serious human rights violations are identified in the supply chain, they may lead to termination of business relationships within the scope of what is possible legally and contractually. A risk management process is being developed in the following reporting year that contains standardized remediation.

(ESRS S2-1 19) Our Business Partner Code of Conduct complies with relevant internationally recognized instruments.

No violations of the UNGPs on Business and Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, or the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises were identified in reference to value chain workers during the reporting period.

Disclosure ESRS S2-2: Processes for engaging with value chain workers about impacts

(ESRS S2-2 22; 24) The only engagement with value chain workers in the reporting year was indirect through their representatives at the Company. For the coming financial year, we are planning to establish a software-supported process in strategic purchasing to enable detailed engagement with value chain workers, with a focus on specific groups that could be especially vulnerable to negative impacts.

The Vice President Global Procurement was incorporated through the stakeholder dialogue as a credible representative to take into account the perspectives of supply chain workers during the reporting year. He is responsible for ensuring engagement with value chain workers and integration of the results. The suppliers' perspectives were also taken into account through the use of industry-wide studies and reports on typical supplier challenges and requirements. This information has helped us better understand potentially negative impacts and adapt actions accordingly.

As the general process is being developed, SUSS encourages all partners to consistently observe the behavior guidelines outlined in the Business Partner Code of Conduct. Based on international agreements such as the ILO core labor standards, the Code serves as a foundation for sustainable business practices – however, there are no global agreements with international trade union confederations.

Disclosure ESRS S2-3: Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for value chain workers to raise concerns

(ESRS S2-3 27) We were not notified of any material negative impacts during the reporting period. If SUSS were made aware of any relevant impacts, we would take part in the remediation within a reasonable scope based on the specific case following an evaluation.

If any material negative impacts on value chain workers were identified, SUSS would systematically implement remediation measures based on international standards. SUSS publishes central contact data that enable direct contact with the Company. In addition, all stakeholders, including workers in our value chain, have access to a confidential and anonymous whilstleblower system. Information about the whistleblower system is publicly accessible on the Company website www.suss.com and, if necessary, can be passed on through the suppliers in the supply chain.

There were no indications of material negative impacts on value chain workers in the reporting period, and the initial risk analysis did not reveal any material human rights risks for supply chain workers. For this reason, no remediation was necessary, making it impossible to evaluate effectiveness. Should an incident occur or a relevant report be received in the future, the effectiveness of the system will be ensured through careful monitoring and evaluation of the facts.

(ESRS S2-3 28) The SUSS compliance team is responsible for evaluating and confidentially processing incoming reports while ensuring whistleblower protection. For the purpose of protecting the people who could be affected by a report, we would like to point out that unfounded suspicions could have serious consequences. That is why we ask you to use the whistleblower system responsibly. A detailed description of the whistleblower process is available in the ESRS G1-1 section. The whistleblower system is introduced in the Code of Conduct to ensure that all stakeholders are informed of the available channels. Further information about this system is available on the Company website www.suss.com under "Investor Relations" in the "Corporate Governance" subsection.

SUSS has not yet conducted a systematic evaluation of whether value chain employees have access to structures or processes that they trust to raise and resolve their concerns. The plan is to develop mechanisms in the coming year that enable this kind of evaluation.

Disclosure ESRS S2-4: Taking action on material impacts on value chain workers, and approaches to managing material risks and pursuing material opportunities related to value chain workers, and effectiveness of those actions and approaches as per MDR-A

(ESRS S2-4 32 a related to ESRS 2 31 MDR-A) At the end of 2023, SUSS began carrying out a comprehensive analysis of supply chain-related risks. On this basis, the Company examined country- and sector-specific risks relating to compliance with human rights, labor rights, and environmental protection by the primary suppliers in 2024. This should further increase transparency in the sustainability performance of SUSS's suppliers and enable targeted management of risks and opportunities regarding supply chain sustainability. Suitable actions were defined on the basis of the findings. By using the Business Partner Code of Conduct, conducting risk analyses, and implementing control measures such as supplier surveys and audits, SUSS can reduce the likelihood of human rights violations and environmental damage.

1. Scope of actions

Every business partner must agree to the SUSS Code of Conduct.

1. Time horizon and description of the actions

The purchasing department is responsible for the actions and their implementation.

Measure	Description of measures	Progress status	Target year
Code of conduct agreement with existing suppliers	Contacting existing suppliers to obtain confirmation of the Code of Conduct.	58% of our purchasing volume (product-related) is covered by the application of our Code of Conduct or by confirmation that a comparable code is applied.	2024
Inclusion of sustainability criteria in the supplier selection process	The following criteria are checked: – Compliance with the Code of Conduct – SO 14001 (environmental management system) certification – Appointment of a sustainability manager	The measure is in progress and will be implemented in 2025.	2025
Conducting audits on human rights and environmental protection	SUSS audits are used to check compliance with standards and guidelines to ensure that all business partners fulfill their obligations with regard to human rights and environmental protection.	In the reporting year, 14 audits were carried out at suppliers.	2024
Abstract risk analysis: location, sourcing, sustainability, human rights	SUSS carries out a risk analysis to identify potential risks. Criteria such as geographical location, dependence on a supplier, acceptance of the code f conduct and creditworthiness (Kreditreform) are evaluated.	The abstract risk analysis in the supply chain took place for the first time in the reporting year. The focus was primarily on the suppliers with the highest sales.	2024

(ESRS S2-4 32 b; c; 36) Based on all of the information available

to us, we do not believe that any serious human rights violations or incidents related to our upstream and downstream value chain occurred during the reporting year. Aside from the mechanisms and actions described, no initiatives were implemented to reduce potentially negative impacts on the human rights of the suppliers' employees.

(ESRS S2-4 32 d) Because no reports were received and therefore no actions taken during the reporting year, the effectiveness of the actions cannot be evaluated.

(ESRS S2-4 33) SUSS conducted its first risk analysis of suppliers in 2024, which was evaluated on the basis of various risks. Employees who are or can be in regular contact with value chain employees undergo training and thus develop the knowledge and experience they need to recognize potentially negative impacts early on.

SUSS employees are encouraged to report identified or suspected potentially negative impacts on value chain employees. SUSS collects and compiles incoming reports and tips and then considers the data available to determine an appropriate incident-related response to the reports.

The Company is currently in the evaluation phase of developing suitable processes for systematically developing and implementing the required, appropriate actions in response to actual or potentially material negative impacts on value chain workers.

In 2025, we are planning to reevaluate the actions to ensure a responsible supply chain in line with the materiality assessment and make any necessary adjustments. The idea is to identify any potentially positive and negative impacts, risks, and opportunities that may have gone undetected due to a lack of analysis experience and give greater consideration to suitable remediation.

(ESRS S2-4 34 a) The risks and opportunities identified through the materiality assessment were categorized as nonmaterial but will still be observed in Company-wide risk management. Because the risks do not exceed the defined threshold for damages and probability of occurrence, no actions were initiated to avoid risks.

(ESRS S2-4 34 b) There were no material opportunities related to value-chain employees identified.

(ESRS S2-4 35) Structured analysis of how the practices could lead to negative impacts on value chain employees was not evaluated. This aspect will be incorporated into the risk management process in the following year.

(ESRS S2-4 37) The established objectives for the assessment of action effectiveness are outlined in the ESRS S2-5 disclosure and take ESRS 2 MDR-T into account.

(ESRS S2-4 38) The Company trains employees in vulnerable areas, such as the purchasing department, on implementing audits and risk analyses. SUSS is also planning to introduce a software tool in 2025 to improve analysis of potential risks and the management of material impacts.

Metrics and Targets

Disclosure ESRS S2-5: Targets related to managing material impacts, advancing positive impacts, and managing material risks and opportunities

(ESRS S2-5 39 related to ESRS 2 MDR-T) The following table presents time-specific and results-oriented objectives that existed in the reporting year and could reduce negative impacts on value chain workers and promote positive impacts.

Sustainability matter (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 c)	Baseline value (base year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 d)	Target level (target year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 b; e)	Milestone (interim target year) (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 e)	Methodologies and significant assumptions used to define targets (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 f)	Trends or significant changes towards achieving the target (ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 j)
Code of Conduct accepted by suppliers	36,0% (2022)	> 65,0% (2024)	58,0% (2024)	There are no assumptions for the definition of targets and the calcula tion of supplier coverage through measures.	+22 percentage points compared to the base year

Explanation of the methods and assumptions for defining objectives:

There are no assumptions for defining the targets and calculating the coverage of suppliers by actions. The objective is formulated as a relative objective that refers to the total number of suppliers. In other words, progress and results are compared directly with the actual total number of suppliers.

(ESRS S2-5 42 a; b) We explain below how we established the objective and how we took the interests of the supply chain workers into account.

• Coverage of purchasing volume by Business Partner Code Of Conduct

Coverage measures the percentage of the total purchasing volume attributed to suppliers that have signed and accepted the binding Business Partner Code of Conduct and are thus committed to complying with it.

(ESRS S2-5 42 c) Expanding analysis in 2025 will help us to improve engagement with value chain workers. Because they were not incorporated into objective definition or the process of monitoring objectives this year, credible representatives presented their perspective and carried out the objective definition process.

ESRS G1 Business conduct (basic requirements related to legal compliance and information security)

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 GOV-1: The role of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

(GOV-1 5 a related to ESRS 2 GOV-1) Supplemental to the information disclosed in ESRS 2 GOV-1 on management and governance bodies in reference to their role in defining and monitoring the corporate strategy, which also has an impact on business conduct, we explain in the following what role the management and supervisory bodies assume in defining business conduct. The role of management and governance bodies is defined through legal provisions, the articles of incorporation, and the Company rules of procedure of the Management Board and Supervisory Board. The SUSS MicroTec SE statue and the Company rules of procedure for the Management Board and Supervisory Board are published on the Company website www.suss.com under "Investor Relations" in the "Corporate Governance" subsection.

SUSS has a dual management and control structure consisting of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. The Management Board manages the Company at its own discretion and in the interest of the shareholders, which means it needs to balance a variety of different interests. On this basis, the Management Board formulates policy, from which it derives business conduct for operationalizing this policy for implementation – in other words, translating it into actions, guidelines, and initiatives.

The Management Board defines the fundamentals of business conduct and corporate strategy, coordinates business conduct with the Supervisory Board, and ensures its implementation. It regularly informs the Supervisory Board of progress in implementing the corporate strategy.

The Supervisory Board has established a schedule of responsibilities for the Management Board, from which the Management Board members' business units are derived. The members of the Management Board implement business conduct in their business units and inform the Chairman of key developments.

The Chairman of the Board maintains close contact with the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and regularly informs him of key developments in the implementation of the corporate strategy and business conduct in the reports stipulated by the rules of procedure and as required by the situation.

The Supervisory Board monitors and advises the Management Board with regard to Company management. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board maintains regular contact with the Chairman of the Management Board and discusses with him all aspects of corporate strategy and business conduct. When assessing

business conduct and corporate strategy, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board also considers developments at comparable companies in the industry.

Any material changes to business policy by the Management Board require the approval of the Supervisory Board.

(GOV-1 5 b related to ESRS 2 GOV-1) The knowledge of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies in reference to aspects of business conduct is indicated in the ESRS SBM-2 disclosure requirements. When appointing members of the Management Board, the Supervisory Board ensures that candidates have the knowledge they need for the areas associated with the Management Board position. As experienced managers, all members of the Management Board have extensive experience in the areas for which they are responsible and in which they define business conduct.

In addition to the disclosures required by the ESRS, the Supervisory Board is also subject to the so-called requirements profile, which specifies the requirements made of the Supervisory Board members as well as the knowledge and abilities that the Supervisory Board must possess in order to monitor the Company and advise the Management Board in its efforts to define business conduct. Factors evaluated in the qualification matrix include:

• Experience in the semiconductor market and semiconductor equipment market from a customer and technology perspective
• International leadership and customer experience with a focus on the primary sales markets of SUSS in Asia
• Experience in strategy development, execution, and the resulting transformation processes in rapidly changing markets
• Operations: profound expertise in production, supply chains, and quality management in the international machinery and plant engineering business
• Human Resources: experience and expertise in international human resources planning and leadership, talent management, and organizational development
• Experience in objective definition and implementation in the area of environmental issues – in particular, greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and circular economy – in products and processes, and in proven knowledge of the corresponding standards (environment)
• Experience in objective definition and implementation in social and sociopolitical issues – in particular, employee satisfaction and employer branding (social)

The individual and complementary levels of knowledge of the Supervisory Board members form the foundation for ensuring the reliable monitoring and advising of the Management Board in all aspects of business conduct. The requirements profile for the Supervisory Board is published on the website www.suss.com under "Investor Relations" in the "Corporate Governance" subsection. The Corporate Governance Declaration can be found at the same location and reports extensively on the Supervisory Board's qualifications.

Management of impacts, risks, and opportunities

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 IRO-1: Description of the processes to identify and assess material impacts, risks, and opportunities

(IRO-1 6 related to ESRS 2 IRO-1) For us as an international company, compliance with guidelines and laws forms the foundation of our business activities. SUSS identifies and evaluates material impacts, risks, and opportunities in a comprehensive process based on operating activities, the business model, and the entire value chain, all the while taking into account the concerns and expectations of important stakeholders such as current and potential capital providers and other financial actors, suppliers, customers, and employees. As described in ESRS 2 SBM-2 and SBM S-2, we work closely and maintain regular dialogue with external stakeholders to also ensure integration of their requirements into the process.

The materiality evaluation conducted as part of the materiality assessment described in IRO-2 revealed the following (potentially) negative impact:

Topic	Description	IRO	Value Chain
Legal conformity, compliance, IT security	Cyber attack, data loss or data blocking, loss of confidential data	(Potential) negative impact	Company, employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders
	The material (potentially) negative impact refers to cyberattack,
data loss or locking, and loss of confidential data.
	For our Company, IT security is of the utmost importance and
material, as it helps protect key data and systems from cyberat
tacks. In the digitally connected world of today, attacks like these
can have serious consequences, from financial losses to reputa
tional damage.

This (potentially) negative impact applies to the entire value chain.

Disclosure ESRS G1-1: Corporate culture and business conduct policies as per ESRS 2 MDR-P (ESRS G1-1 7 related to ESRS 2 MDR-P)

Strategien	Policy / Beschreibung
1. Policy:	Code of Conduct of SUSS MicroTec SE
2. Objectives and content	– The aim of the SUSS Code of Conduct is to ensure ethical behaviour, transparency and integrity throughout the company. The Code of Conduct defines binding minimum standards that all employees worldwide must comply with in order to guarantee legal requirements, fair business practices and the protection of the company's reputation. This includes avoiding con flicts of interest, complying with the law and treating each other and business partners with respect. – Main content: – Ethical behaviour and integrity: Ensuring transparency, honesty and personal responsibility in all business activities. – Compliance with legal regulations: All employees are obliged to strictly comply with national and international laws and regulations, even if this leads to economic disadvantages. – Avoid conflicts of interest: Avoiding situations in which personal, economic or financial interests could influence decisions within the company. – Mutual respect and equal rights: Promote equal opportunities, respect human rights, reject discrimination and promote diversity and inclusion. – Fairness towards business partners: Relationships with customers, suppliers and authorities are based on quality, reliability, objective criteria and strict compliance with laws and ethical standards. – Environmental protection and occupational safety: protecting the environment, integrating ecological aspects into business activities and ensuring health and safety in the workplace. – Combating corruption and competition: Clear guidelines for combating corruption, for fair competition and for compliance with antitrust law in order to avoid unethical business practices. – Protection of company assets and intellectual property: careful handling of company assets such as knowledge and intellectual property as well as protection of confidential information. – Data protection: Strict compliance with data protection laws and protection of personal data of employees, customers and business partners. – Reporting violations: Employees can report potential violations anonymously and without negative consequences in order to ensure legal and ethical standards. – Disclosure and communication: Careful and transparent communication in reports and publications, particularly with regard to financial and legal information.
3. Monitoring process	Report violations of legal or ethical guidelines anonymously or to superiors or the legal department. Whistleblowers are protected from negative consequences. The Management Board monitors compliance and reports to the Supervisory Board to ensure that all relevant regulations and ethical standards are adhered to.
4. Scope of the policy	The policy applies to all business activities of SUSS along the entire value chain, including upstream and downstream processes, as well as to all geographical regions. Affected stakehold ers are employees, investors and authorities who must comply with ethical standards and legal requirements.

Strategien	Policy / Beschreibung
5. Stakeholder involvement	In addition to the interests of our shareholders, we take into account the interests of our customers, employees, suppliers, lenders and other stakeholders
6. Accountable level for the policy	The Management Board bears overall responsibility for compliance and the compliance management system. The Supervisory Board, in turn, monitors the appropriateness and effective ness of the system set up by the Executive Board. The CMS is implemented by the central compliance organisation, which is managed by the centrally established Compliance Officer function. The Compliance Officer reports directly to the Executive Board. The Compliance Officer is advised and supported in the implementation of necessary compliance activities by the Compliance Committee, which meets regularly.
7. Reference to standards	• United Nations Charter of Human Rights (UN) • the core labour standards of the International Labour Organizations (ILO)
8. Availability of the policy for stakeholders	Our principles in this regard can be found in our Code of Conduct, which can be viewed by all stakeholders on our website at www.suss.com in the section "Company", subsection "Sustainability" under "Reporting/Downloads."

(ESRS G1-1 9) The reputation of SUSS in the business world is shaped to a large extent by how we conduct ourselves in business life. We firmly believe that ethical and economic values are mutually dependent and that participants in the business world must strive to treat each other fairly and act within the framework of established standards.

• Development of the corporate culture: The corporate culture is developed by clearly defining basic values and standards of conduct in the Code of Conduct. Managers play a key role by acting as role models and ensuring that the principles of the code are applied in each and every work process. SUSS company guidelines provide clear requirements for fighting corruption and bribery. The Company relies on transparent business practices and expects its employees to fulfill the highest ethical standards. The existing guidelines are based on internationally recognized standards for fighting corruption – in particular, the principles of transparency, integrity, and fair competition stipulated by the UN. SUSS plans to further consolidate its compliance standards with expansion of the guidelines in 2025.

• Further development of the corporate culture: The corporate culture is continuously expanded, taking into account feedback provided by internal and external stakeholders. SUSS promotes an open "speak-up culture" that, for example, encourages employees to voice concerns and address critical issues.
• Promoting the corporate culture: The corporate culture is fostered with a wide array of actions, including training courses on compliance and ethical behavior, programs

dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion, and support for employees who do volunteer work.

• Evaluation of the corporate culture: The corporate culture is evaluated on the basis of systematic monitoring and analyses – for example, in the form of internal audits, employee surveys, and reports on reported violations.

(ESRS G1-1 10 a) Our employees worldwide and / or third parties (e.g., suppliers) can report potential compliance violations using the following channels:

• Confidential whistleblower hotline (by phone or email)
• Anonymous whistleblower tool: https://suss.grc-cloud. de / Meldung
• Report processing and investigation process:

Indications of compliance incidents are investigated in a defined and objective process. All reported violations are systematically investigated as part of the CMS and penalized where appropriate and necessary. We take all reports made in good faith seriously and conduct a detailed investigation of any actual misconduct.

After receiving a report, the Compliance Officer or a legal / compliance employee promptly assesses the plausibility of the report (substantiation). Receipt of the report is documented, and whistleblowers receive confirmation of receipt no later than seven business days after submission. When the whistleblower tool is used, receipt is confirmed anonymously in the tool.

Those affected have the opportunity to respond as soon as possible and are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The Compliance Officer or a legal / compliance employee maintains contact with the whistleblower and may request additional information.

The Compliance Officer will conduct an initial assessment based on risk and then introduce suitable follow-up measures. The confidentiality offered is maintained throughout the entire process. Information pertaining to the reported issue is shared in accordance with a strict "need-to-know principle." If required by the issue, the relevant works council committee is informed immediately. Communication with the whistleblower is always anonymous in the whistleblower tool.

(ESRS G1-1 10 c) To protect whistleblowers from retaliation and harassment in the workplace, reports are processed in anonymized and, if at all possible, generalized form. The whistleblower will face no disciplinary action as a result of reporting, provided they have not misused the whistleblower system. Steps are also taken to protect whistleblowers from negative impacts such as mobbing, public humiliation, or any other forms of retaliation. We determine on a case-by-case basis which investigative measures are suitable, necessary, and appropriate.

We have defined Company-wide guidelines for dealing with reports submitted using the whistleblower hotline. These guidelines are accessible to the Company's employees via the intranet. SUSS employees undergo annual compliance training courses that also cover whistleblowing.

(ESRS G1-1 10 e) All consequences need to be appropriate given the circumstances, meaning every follow-up measure should be suitable and necessary. Such measures can include initiating an internal investigation, referral to a different Company function, closing the case due to a lack of proof, or the required referral to an authority for further investigation. The whistleblower will receive a response with an explanation no later than three months after submission of the report. This type of response may not be possible in exceptional cases – for example, if this may compromise ongoing internal investigations or breach the rights of the people affected.

(ESRS G1-1 10 f) SUSS business activities and production processes are primarily technological and industrial in nature and have no direct connection to the use of animals or animal testing. As a result, animal welfare does not play a central role in the Company's business practices or value chain.

Instead, the Company focuses on issues such as environmental protection, occupational health and safety, and compliance with human rights, which are directly related to its processes and products.

(ESRS G1-1 10 g) The SUSS training policy on business ethics includes annual compliance training, which addresses topics such as dealing with corruption and bribery. These training courses are intended for all Company employees and are offered as e-learning modules. The training content covers all relevant compliance issues and is available in five different languages, ensuring maximum reach and coverage.

(ESRS G1-1 10 h) The functions most susceptible to corruption and bribery are sales, purchasing, management and executives, and project management functions that can be affected by the awarding of contracts and the selection of partners and subcontractors.

Disclosure ESRS G1-2: Management of relationships with suppliers (ESRS G1-2 14) Policy to prevent late payments

The Company maintains clear and contractually agreed payment policies, system-supported invoice processing, and transparent communication when payments are late. However, there is no

systematic prioritization of SMEs. (ESRS G1-2 15 a) Respect for global human rights is of great

importance for SUSS, and we consider this to be essential for

successful business activities. We recognize universally applicable human rights based on the UN Human Rights Charter and assume responsibility within our Company and along our supply chain. In our collaboration with suppliers, we ensure that no human rights are violated or forms of modern slavery such as child labor or human trafficking are permitted. We explicitly expect our direct suppliers (tier 1) to perform their own due diligence in turn on their direct suppliers (tier 2). We are registered with the RBA (Respon-

sible Business Alliance, non-member status).

(ESRS G1-2 15 b) When it comes to selecting new suppliers, the following sustainability criteria are currently assessed:

• Compliance with the Code of Conduct
• ISO 14001 (environmental management system) certification
• Appointment of a sustainability manager

An assessment of criteria integration into the supplier selection process is planned for 2025.

Initial audits are carried out for potentially critical new suppliers and their creditworthiness and compliance are verified before any orders are issued. In this way, SUSS could potentially have a positive impact on reducing human rights violations and environmental damage.

SUSS requires its primary suppliers to accept the Business Partner Code of Conduct or confirm that a comparable code is in use. This should cover at least 65 percent of product-related purchasing volume. In addition, 14 supplier audits were conducted in the 2024 financial year.

Disclosure ESRS G1-3: Prevention and detection of corruption and bribery

(ESRS G1-3 18 a) Our objectives are zero tolerance for corruption and bribery, upholding human rights, and avoiding violations of rules and laws, the basis for which is acceptance of our Code of Conduct by all employees of the SUSS Group around the world. In addition, the Company has installed a corporate governance system that is being continuously refined. The structure of the system has been set out in a compliance management policy. In this context, a globally valid whistleblower policy was also drawn up in German and English. Available in five different languages, the Code of Conduct covers how to deal with corruption and bribery. Employees undergo training in compliance e-learning courses (including corruption and bribery) once a year. The Code of Conduct, which defines the associated guidelines, is accessible to all employees and can be viewed on the Company's website www.suss.com in the "Investor Relations" section under "Corporate Governance."

Employees with management positions are expected to act as role models and ensure that the Company principles are communicated and observed. They are also the first point of contact for employees with legal or ethical questions, which ensures that the relevant guidelines are not only accessible but also understood, including their impacts on daily activities.

(ESRS G1-3 18 b) The Management Board assumes full responsibility for compliance and the compliance management system (CMS). The Supervisory Board assesses the adequacy and effectiveness of the system set up by the Management Board. Managed by the centrally established Compliance Officer function, the central compliance organization is responsible for implementing the CMS. The Compliance Officer reports directly to the Management Board. The Compliance Committee, which meets regularly, supports the Compliance Officer when it comes to offering advice and implementing the necessary compliance actions.

SUSS regularly conducts compliance risk assessments. A specific group of employees around the world conducts a risk assessment (including corruption and bribery risks) with a focus on their local area of activity. The risk assessment takes the form of personal meetings and / or questionnaires. An external law firm assists with the risk assessment and can help evaluate the results of the risk analysis.

A variety of protection mechanisms have been introduced:

The two-person rule is usually applied, which means each document is generally signed by two authorized people. Approval processes are subject to certain approval levels based on defined value thresholds.

(ESRS G1-3 19) SUSS has introduced processes for preventing, uncovering, and dealing with allegations of corruption and bribery. Although the Company's Code of Conduct does not explicitly refer to ongoing updates, it reflects the Company's efforts to comply with current legal requirements and cultural values. The Company continuously evaluates and improves its practices to ensure they conform with developing regulatory and ethical standards. In addition, SUSS plans to expand its anti-corruption actions in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption by 2025 and thus further consolidate its compliance framework.

(ESRS G1-3 20) The Code of Conduct is made accessible to all employees, including members of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies, and is a component of the compliance e-learning program. All employees are required to complete this course and accept the Code of Conduct in the program. All other stakeholders can access the Code of Conduct on the website www.suss.com in the section "Company", subsection "Sustainability" under "Reporting / Downloads."

(ESRS G1-3 21 a) Responsible for planning, developing, and implementing compliance training courses for the staff, the Compliance Officer clarifies compliance expectations at SUSS, monitors participation, and ensures compliance with legal and GCGC requirements. The Compliance Officer / Compliance department is supported by other departments as required / depending on the situation and can call in external experts such as lawyers.

The training schedule includes e-learning for all of the staff around the world. Additional e-learning courses for specific target groups will be rolled out in 2025.

The Code of Conduct is made available to all employees through e-learning courses and must be accepted by all employees.

The following table provides facts about the training courses throughout the year.

Description	Employees worldwide
Coverage of training courses
Total number of people trained	1.457
Percentage of functions exposed to risk covered by training programmes	100%
Training method and duration
E-Learning	1 hour
Frequency
How often is training required?	yearly
Topics covered
Definition of corruption	Covered
Bribery and corruption	Covered
Typical offences of corruption	Covered
Unauthorised advantages	Covered

At the end of the year, the training completion rate for all employees was 98 percent.

The training programs cover all employees. Risky functions will be presented separately in the coming reporting year.

(ESRS G1-3 21 c) All members of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies are required to take part in training courses on fighting corruption and bribery.

Description	Organs 1
Coverage of training courses
Total number of people trained	7
Percentage of functions exposed to risk covered by training programmes	100%
Training method and duration
E-Learning	1 hour
Frequency
How often is training required?	yearly
Topics covered
Definition of corruption	Covered
Bribery and corruption	Covered
Typical offences of corruption	Covered
Unauthorised advantages	Covered

1 Administrative, management and supervisory bodies.

Metrics and targets

Disclosure ESRS G1-4: Incidents of corruption or bribery

(ESRS G1-4 24 a) No violations of the Code of Conduct were reported in 2024. No incidents associated with human rights, fraud, corruption, or bribery or violations of anti-trust or competition law were reported in 2024. No new policies or actions for fighting corruption and bribery were adopted in 2024 due to ongoing evaluation of existing processes and guidelines. However, SUSS plans to adopt and implement relevant policies in line with the UN Convention against Corruption in 2025.

Incidents of corruption or bribery	2024
Number of convictions against corruption and bribery regulations	0
Amount of fines for violations of corruption and bribery regulations	0 EUR

(ESRS G1-4 24 b) SUSS conducts training courses on fighting corruption and bribery on an annual basis. Detailed information can be found in the G1-3 sections.

Disclosure ESRS G1-5: Political influence and lobbying activities

(ESRS G1-5 29 a) As a medium-sized enterprise, SUSS considers itself to be well-connected with the communities at its locations. The Management Board represents the Company externally and in its dealings with political stakeholders. If the Management Board allows other SUSS representatives or external parties to represent the Company's interests, these must inform the Board directly of any steps taken and results achieved.

(ESRS G1-5 29 b) During the reporting period, SUSS did not make any financial or in-kind contributions to political parties, political organizations, or domestic or foreign governments, either directly or indirectly.

(ESRS G1-5 29 c) During the reporting period, SUSS did not exert any political influence or participate in any lobbying activities.

(ESRS G1-5 29 d) In the reporting year, SUSS was not registered in the European Union's or the German government's Transparency Register.

(ESRS G1-5 30) No members of the Management Board or Supervisory Board held a comparable position in public administration (including regulators) in the two years preceding their appointment.

Disclosure ESRS G1-6: Payment practices

(ESRS G1-6 33 a) In the reporting year, the average time it took SUSS to pay an invoice from the date on which calculation of the contractual or statutory term of payment began was 26.5 days.

(ESRS G1-6 33 b) The standard payment terms for products are 60 days net or 14 days with a 3 percent discount. The standard payment terms were applied to 16.0 percent of all payments. Standard payment terms did not differentiate between supplier categories in the 2024 financial year. Standard payment terms were defined on the basis of conventional industry practices and are described in detail in the General Terms and Conditions of Purchase. Any other payment terms are agreed individually with suppliers.

(ESRS G1-6 33 c) There were no legal proceedings outstanding for late payment as of the reporting date, December 31, 2024.

(ESRS G1-6 33 d) To calculate the information required under Point a), we used the average time it took (in days) to process / pay invoices issued between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024. Rather than a representative sample, we used the entire database for this period to ensure an accurate picture of the payment terms.

Customer satisfaction and product quality

In addition to the topics and disclosure requirements defined in the generic ESRS standards, we at SUSS identified customer satisfaction and product quality as material issues in the double materiality assessment. The following disclosures are based on the disclosure requirements of ESRS 2.

Governance

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 GOV-1 The role of the administrative, management, and supervisory bodies

Because we are a production company, the quality of our products and customer relationships play an essential role in the business success of SUSS. In the Management Board, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) is in charge of product development, production, and quality management, with a focus on tasks that are associated with production and ensuring product quality and thus also contribute significantly to customer satisfaction.

In order processing, quality gates are used to monitor processes and thus ensure that product quality remains consistently high and that the equipment can be used in accordance with the contractually agreed performance metrics.

Sales assumes full responsibility for customer satisfaction. In account management, account managers are in charge of customer support and accept suggestions and feedback.

After delivery, customer service is in charge of implementing the agreed performance metrics at the customer's location and thus contributes to customer satisfaction. Sales and customer service are responsible for managing customer relationships, with the aim of strengthening them and ensuring customer satisfaction over the long term, as well as systematically integrating feedback about product quality into Company processes.

Strategy

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-1 Strategy, business model, and value chain

The company's customer relationships, some of which have existed for several decades, connect SUSS directly with the production processes of the leading chip manufacturers in the semiconductor industry and position the equipment in international cutting-edge research in the field of semiconductor development. In this environment, exceptional product quality is not only a distinguishing feature but also a guarantee of long-term customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction and product quality are therefore closely interconnected for SUSS and represent strategic components for success. For this reason, these topics are examined together below.

By focusing on innovative solutions and high quality standards, SUSS can boost customer trust in the Company's reliability and innovative capacity, which is reflected directly in stable customer loyalty and a positive impact on the business model as a whole.

The SUSS customer structure has already been presented in the condensed Management Report in the "Basics of the Group" section. SUSS equipment targets a variety of submarkets in which the SUSS market position can differ dramatically. For example, SUSS is an undisputed market leader in the field of photomask cleaning. In other markets, SUSS is on par with other competitors or is a challenger. In all of these scenarios, a good customer relationship is relevant for Company success. Accordingly, customers are the most important business partners.

SUSS promotes integrity, open communication, and reliability in an effort to earn customer trust and ensure customer loyalty and success over the long term. Long-standing, cooperative partnerships have been established with suppliers to guarantee that all products are delivered on time and in top quality. To ensure specific yet standardized processes in production, SUSS defines quality characteristics such as performance criteria and safety features and verifies compliance. Motivated, well-trained employees are a central component of the quality strategy and play a key role in ensuring product quality. The SUSS company's objective is to deliver first-class product and service quality by using state-of-the-art technologies, stringent quality controls, and optimized production processes. Ongoing optimization programs and international certifications such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 confirm the commitment to maximum standards and consolidate customer trust and the Company's reputation. Internal audits are conducted as part of the ongoing improvements, with implementation of individual processes assessed on the basis of process performance.

Customer satisfaction and product quality have an impact on the SUSS value chain as a whole and play a key role, particularly in the downstream value chain in the form of product use. This also extends to the sales approach, with the sale of equipment increasingly accompanied by service and maintenance components.

ESRS 2 provides an in-depth description of the disclosures required in ESRS 2, especially those for describing the most important product and service groups, the markets, the customer groups, the number of employees, and the legal frameworks (ESRS 2 SBM-1 40 a i–iv).

Interests and views of stakeholders

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-2 Interests and views of stakeholders

The views of stakeholders – especially those of the customers – are of the utmost importance for the SUSS strategy and business model. The expectations, interests, and views of relevant stakeholders have been identified and evaluated through the integrated management system and targeted stakeholder surveys. These surveys serve as a proxy for analysis of the downstream value chain and offer valuable insights into the material issues of our interest groups. Ongoing dialogue with customers plays a key role in increasing customer satisfaction over the long term and systematically optimizing the product range.

The most important stakeholder group connected to product quality and customer satisfaction is the customers, which primarily consist of companies in the semiconductor industry and research institutes. These customers are relevant to the market position and innovation development at the Company. Their demands and feedback are continuously incorporated into strategic planning and process optimization.

Customers are actively and continuously engaged with, as they are considered to be one of the central stakeholder groups. These include both international companies in the semiconductor industry and research institutes that use SUSS products and services in their processes. Customer engagement is also structured and organized through various actions and implemented at local sales and service subsidiaries. Some of the most important tools are customer surveys, such as the European Customer Service Satisfaction Survey 2024, personal meetings across different levels, and workshops. The purpose of customer integration is to identify specific requirements and expectations early on and address them in a targeted manner. In particular, this includes improving product quality, increasing customer satisfaction, and further developing products. These actions are designed to boost customer loyalty over the long term and ensure the competitiveness of SUSS. The results of engagement are systematically evaluated, with improvement measures introduced where necessary.

Management of impacts, risks, and opportunities

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-3 Material impacts, risks, and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model

Through the materiality assessment, we have identified the following impacts, risks, and opportunities.

Description	IRO	Region
Insufficient quality / reliability / perfor mance of our systems (especially with regard to the promised quality) leads to dissatisfaction among our customers.	negative impact	With the customer
Non-competitive delivery times or failure to meet promised delivery dates lead to dissatisfaction	negative impact	With the customer
The fulfilment of customer expecta tions with regard to the quality / reli ability / performance of a system ensures a high level of customer satisfaction and loyalty.	positive impact	With the customer

Stakeholder surveys in sales and product management were used to identify positive and negative impacts and serve as a proxy for the downstream value chains.

The integrated management system is used to continuously monitor and evaluate the potential impacts, risks, and opportunities associated with customer satisfaction and product quality.

Customer satisfaction and the quality of our products are key aspects for long-term growth and success at SUSS. Because these two issues are inextricably linked, we always observe them together. Satisfied customers contribute significantly to business development, while high product quality is crucial for differentiation from competitors. That is why we view this topic as material.

Policies related to customer satisfaction and product quality

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 MDR-P Existing policies related to customer satisfaction and product quality

(ESRS 2 MDR-P 65 a–c; f) SUSS uses an integrated management system (IMS) manual that combines processes in the areas of quality, environment, health, and safety.

Strategies Policy / Explanation
1. Policy	Manual for the integrated management system (IMS)
2. Objectives and content	The handbook serves as a central reference for all employees and helps to ensure that legal requirements, regulatory requirements and customer requirements are systematically fulfilled. It also supports continuous improvements in all areas of the company and promotes a sustainable and efficient way of working. It also supports continuous improvements in all areas of the company and promotes a sustainable and efficient way of working. Objective: The aim is to provide a standardised structure for the integrated management system that covers both quality and environmental requirements in accordance with the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. The document serves as a rulebook and reference work for all employees, supports the implementation of internal and external audits and ensures that the relevant processes, responsibilities and measures for continuous improvement are clearly defined and comprehensible.
3. References to significant impacts, risks or opportunities	By implementing this manual, SUSS mitigates the following significant effects: – Negative impact: Insufficient quality / reliability / performance of our systems (especially with regard to the promised quality) leads to dissatisfaction among our customers. – Negative impact: Non-competitive delivery times or non-compliance with promised delivery dates lead to dissatisfaction. By implementing this manual, SUSS increases the following significant effects: – Positive impact: The fulfilment of customer expectations in terms of quality / reliability / performance of a system ensures high customer satisfaction and loyalty.
4. Monitoring process	Monitoring of the IMS is ensured by annual external TÜV audits as part of the ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications as well as ongoing internal quality management audits. The focus here is on central business processes such as purchasing, facility management, production and logistics, which are checked for compliance with SUSS quality requirements and analysed for optimisa tion potential.
5. Scope of the policy	These guidelines apply to all SUSS locations, business units and processes worldwide. They combine processes that are essential for the company. The standardised structure combines quality requirements (focus: ISO 9001) and environmental requirements (focus: ISO 14001) in a central overarching system. External partners and suppliers are excluded, but should be obliged to comply with comparable standards as part of our supplier management.
6. Accountable level for the policy	The responsibilities in integrated management, the definition of the environment of our activities, overarching objectives and the control of the management system are tasks of the top management of SUSS. It can be expanded by other management levels and ensures that the responsibilities and authorisations for relevant roles within the SUSS Group are assigned, communicated and understood.
7. Reference to standards	– ISO 9001-Certification – ISO 14001-Certification
8. Stakeholder involvement	The perspectives of key stakeholders are taken into account through direct involvement in the development of the manual. Employees receive regular training and customers are involved through close collaboration and continuous dialogue on product quality, including their involvement through agent interviews with Senior Vice President Global Sales and Senior Vice Presi dent segment ABS. Suppliers must fulfil sustainable and ethical standards.
9. Availability of the policy for stakeholders	The handbook is made available to all employees in the Intranet to ensure that the guidelines and objectives are implemented in all areas of SUSS.

Actions

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 MDR-A Actions and

resources related to customer satisfaction and

product quality

(ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 a; c; d) SUSS has

implemented a whole host of actions to ensure high customer

satisfaction and product quality.

Operational targets	Measures 2024	Status	Expected Results
Prevention of complaints	Implementation of proactive quality controls and targeted customer communication.	Ongoing	Customer surveys and complaint channels enable us to obtain regular feedback and respond to potential problems at an early stage.
Increasing customer satisfaction and improving the service offering (adapted to customer needs)	Development of improvement measures based on the results of customer surveys (e.g. European Customer Service Satisfaction Survey 2023)	Ongoing	Solving communication problems and better synchronization with local sales staff
Prevention of errors in production	Implementation of systematic checks such as regular maintenance of machines and tools as well as ongoing instruction of employees.	Ongoing	Improving production quality and efficiency
Extending the service life of products	Use of high-quality materials. Continuous optimization of production processes.	Ongoing	Products are more robust, which leads to fewer complaints.
Ensuring quality standards at suppliers	Ensuring that suppliers comply with the specified quality standards in accordance with the framework agreement. The framework agreement stipulates that suppliers must implement a quality management system (ideally ISO 9001 certification) or at least comply with the require ments of ISO 9001. If no such system exists, the supplier must submit a plan to achieve this certification in the short to medium term. In addition, proof of ISO 14001 certification (environ mental management system) is required, or the supplier must complete an ESH (Environment, Safety, Health) questionnaire.	Ongoing	Increasing supplier quality through regular checks and evaluations.
Improvement of product and service information	Continuous review of product and service information to ensure that it meets customer needs and is precisely formulated.	Ongoing	Prevention of design faults by identifying and eliminating potential weak points as early as the development phase.
Optimization of the supply chain through supplier evaluations	Annual evaluation of suppliers as part of the Supplier Evaluation System based on five central criteria (technology, delivery time, costs, quality, strategic performance).	Ongoing	Improving supplier performance

(ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 b) With the excep-

tion of the "Optimization of the supply chain through supplier evaluations" objective, the aforementioned objectives in (ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 a) apply to the full downstream value chain and the customer interest group. In addition to customers, the "Optimization of the supply chain through supplier evaluations" objective also applies to the supplier interest group and the upstream value chain.

(ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-A 69) There were no significant operating expenses (OpEx) or capital expenditure (CapEx) connected with the implementation of the actions set out in disclosure ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-A 68 a; c during the reporting period.

Disclosure related to ESRS 2 MDR-T Objectives related to customer satisfaction and product quality

(ESRS 1 AR 2 b related to ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 a–f; j)

The following objectives were defined to improve customer satisfaction and product quality.

Material topic	Operational target	Baseline value (Base yea)	Targetvalue (Target year)	Milestones (Year)	Method & assump tion for defining the objectives	Performance achieved in the previous periods
Product quality and customer satisfaction	Target 1: Increase customer satisfaction with service operations	No reference value as annual target	80,0% (2024)	84,8 (2024)	Benchmark analysis	Target value exceeded by 4.8 percentage points

There are no assumptions for defining the objective and calculating customer satisfaction with service calls. The objective is formulated as a relative objective that refers to the total number of customers surveyed in connection with service calls.

(ESRS 2 MDR-T 80 h) The objective was defined on the basis of the results of the materiality assessment. The materiality assessment was carried out on the basis of dialog with stakeholders (see section ESRS 2 SBM-2).

Annex

Annex I: Datapoints that could not be collected in the reporting year

The following table indicates which datapoints could not yet be collected or were not applicable to SUSS in the 2024 reporting year.

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS 2 BP-2 17	Use of phase-in provisions in accordance with Appendix C of ESRS 1	Due to its number of employees, SUSS does not make use of phase-in provisions and therefore does not need to provide any further information in this regard.
ESRS E1-1	16f Disclosure of significant CapEx amounts invested during the reporting period related to coal, oil and gas-related economic activities; 16g Disclosure on whether or not the undertaking is excluded from the EU Paris-aligned Benchmarks	There are no coal-related, oil-related or gas-related economic activities at SUSS
ESRS E1-7	GHG removals and GHG mitigation projects financed through carbon credits	The disclosure requirements for E1-7 are not relevant for SUSS in the 2024 financial year, as SUSS does not finance any carbon credits
ESRS E1-8	Internal carbon pricing	The disclosure requirements for E1-8 are not relevant for SUSS in the 2024 financial year, as SUSS has not implemented any internal carbon pricing systems
ESRS E1-9	Anticipated financial effects from material physical and transition risks and potential climate-related opportunities	SUSS makes use of the transitional periods according to which these disclosure require ments can be waived in the first reporting year.
ESRS E5-3	Targets related to resource use and circular economy	SUSS has not defined any targets for 2024 in connection with the use of resources.
ESRS E5-5	36a The expected durability of the products placed on the market by the undertaking, in relation to the industry average for each product group;	SUSS is not aware of the industry average durability of the products sold by SUSS.
ESRS S1-7	Characteristics of non-employees in the undertaking's own workforce	SUSS has a very small number of non-employee staff in relation to the total workforce. Details on this and the exact figures can be found in the Employer attractiveness section. The ratio of non-employees across all companies worldwide amounted to 6.1% in 2024. In view of this low figure and therefore also the low impact on the company's business activities, SUSS does not provide a more detailed description of the characteristics.

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS S2-2	22e Where applicable, how the undertaking assesses the effectiveness of its engagement with workers in the value chain, including, where relevant, any agreements or outcomes that result.	The effectiveness of cooperation with workers in the value chain is not currently being eviewed.
ESRS S2-2	23; 24 The undertaking shall disclose the steps it takes to gain insight into the perspectives of workers that may be particularly vulnerable to impacts and / or marginalised (for example, women workers, migrant workers, workers with disabilities).	SUSS does not currently have a process for involving workers in the value chain about the (potential) positive and negative effects. In the 2025 financial year, SUSS will evaluate the framework in which procedures for involving the workforce in the value chain could be established.

Annex II: Datapoints that were not relevant in the reporting year

The following table indicates which datapoints were not relevant

in the 2024 reporting year.

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS 2 SBM-1	40b Breakdown of total revenue, as included in its financial statements, by significant ESRS sectors.	For the ESRS 2 SBM-1, the phase-in regulation applies until initial application. The delegated act has been postponed to 2026.
ESRS E1-5	38 Undertaking with operations in high climate impact sectors shall further disaggregate their total energy consumption from fossil sources by: fuel consumption from coal and coal prod ucts; crude oil and petroleum products; natural gas; other fossil sources; consumption of pur chased or acquired electricity, heat, steam, or cooling from fossil sources;	SUSS is not active in climate-intensive sectors and therefore does not provide any informa tion on paragraph ESRS E1-5 38
ESRS E1-5	39 The undertaking shall disaggregate and disclose separately its non-renewable energy production and renewable energy production	SUSS did not generate any energy in 2024
ESRS E1-5	40 Information on the energy intensity (total energy consumption per net revenue) associated with activities in high climate impact sectors.	SUSS is not active in sectors with a high climate impact
ESRS E1-5	41 Disclosure on energy intensity shall only be derived from the total energy consumption and net revenue from activities in high climate impact sectors.	SUSS is not active in sectors with a high climate impact

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS E1-5	42 The undertaking shall specify the high climate impact sectors that are used to determine the energy intensity	SUSS is not active in sectors with a high climate impact
ESRS E1-5	43 Disclose the reconciliation to the relevant line item or notes in the financial statements of the net revenue amount from activities in high climate impact sectors	SUSS is not active in sectors with a high climate impact
ESRS E1-6	44 AR 42c Effects of significant events and changes in circumstances (relevant to its GHG emissions) that occur between the reporting dates of the entities in its value chain and the date of the undertaking's general purpose financial statements	For SUSS, there are no other periods between the reporting dates of the companies in the SUSS value chain and the date of the financial statements of SUSS
ESRS E1-6	48 AR 43c Disclose biogenic emissions of CO2 from the combustion or bio-degradation of biomass separately from the Scope 1 GHG emissions	There are no biogenic CO2 emissions from the combustion or biodegradation of biomass at SUSS
ESRS E1-6	49 AR 45e Biogenic emissions of CO2 carbon from the combustion or biodegradation of bio mass separately from the Scope 2 GHG emissions	There are no biogenic CO2 emissions from the combustion or biodegradation of biomass at SUSS
ESRS E1-6	51 AR 46j Biogenic CO2 emissions from the combustion or biodegradation of biomass that arise in the value chain and are not included in Scope 3 GHG emissions	There are no biogenic CO2 emissions from the combustion or biodegradation of biomass at SUSS
ESRS E1-7	56 Greenhouse gases and projects to reduce greenhouse gases, financed via CO2 credits	The disclosure requirements for E1-7 Removal of greenhouse gases and projects to reduce greenhouse gases financed through carbon credits are not relevant for SUSS in the 2024 fi nancial year, as SUSS does not finance carbon credits. Accordingly, no further explanations are provided here.
ESRS E1-8	62 Internal CO2 pricing	The disclosure requirements for E1-8 Internal carbon pricing are not relevant for SUSS in the 2024 financial year, as SUSS has not implemented any internal carbon pricing systems. Accordingly, no further explanations are provided here.
ESRS E1-9	64 Expected financial effects of significant physical and transition risks and potential climate-related opportunities	With reference to Appendix C of ESRS 1, SUSS makes use of the transitional rules and does not yet report on the disclosure requirements according to E1-9 in the first reporting year 2024.
ESRS S1 SBM-3	14 f Operations at significant risk of incidents of forced labour or compulsory labour	There is no significant risk of forced or compulsory labor at the SUSS sites
ESRS S1 SBM-3	14 g Operations at significant risk of incidents of child labour	There is no significant risk of child labor at the SUSS sites

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS S1 SBM-3	15 Disclose whether and how it has developed an understanding of how people with particular characteristics, those working in particular contexts, or those undertaking particular activities may be at greater risk of harm.	The potential negative impacts do not relate to specific groups of people (see materiality analysis)
ESRS S1 SBM-3	16 Disclose which of its material risks and opportunities arising from impacts and dependen cies on people in its own workforce relate to specific groups of people rather than to all of its own workforce	The risks and opportunities do not relate to specific groups of people (see materiality analysis)
ESRS S1-7	55 The undertaking shall describe key characteristics of non-employees in its own workforce. 57 For estimates, describe the basis of preparation of this estimation.	We have a very small number of non-employee staff in relation to the Group's total workforce. Details on this and the exact figures can be found in the Employer attractiveness section. The ratio of non-employees across all companies worldwide amounted to 6.1% in 2024. In view of this low figure and therefore also the low impact on the company's business activities, we do not provide a more detailed description of the characteristics.
ESRS S1-8	63b Disclosure of any agreement with its employees for representation by a European Works Council (EWC), a Societas Europaea (SE) Works Council, or a Societas Cooperativa Europaea (SCE) Works Council.	There is no such agreement.
ESRS S1-10	70 Countries and percentage of employees concerned with not being paid an adequate wage	SUSS employees in all countries receive the appropriate wage
ESRS S1-11	75 Disclose the countries where employees do not have social protection with regard to sick ness; unemployment starting from when the own worker is working for the undertaking; em ployment injury and acquired disability; parental leave; and retirement and for each of those countries the types of employees who do not have social protection	All SUSS employees have social security cover
ESRS S2-3	29 If the undertaking cannot disclose the processes it has in place to provide for or cooperate in the remediation of negative impacts on value chain workers because it has not adopted a chan nel for raising concerns and / or does not support the availability of such a channel in the work place of value chain workers, it shall disclose this to be the case.	Not relevant because SUSS provides this information
ESRS S2-4	36 Disclose whether severe human rights issues and incidents connected to its upstream and downstream value chain have been reported and, if applicable, disclose these	There are no serious human rights violations and incidents in connection with the upstream and downstream value chain
ESRS G1-1	10b Where the undertaking has no policies on anti- corruption or anti- bribery consistent with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, it shall state this and whether it has plans to implement them and the timetable for implementation	There are anti-corruption and anti-bribery guidelines that are in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption

Chapter	Disclosure requirements	Explanation
ESRS G1-1	10d If there are no policies on the protection of whistle-blowers, the undertaking shall state this and whether it has plans to implement them and the timetable for implementation	There are guidelines for the protection of whistleblowers
ESRS G1-1	10f Whether the undertaking has in place policies with respect to animal welfare	There are no points of contact with animal welfare in the business operations
ESRS G1-5	29b Financial or in-kind political contributions 29c Lobbying activities and the undertaking's main positions including explanations on how this interacts with its material impacts, risks and opportunities identified in its materiality as sessment	SUSS does not make any political contributions in the form of, for example, donations to political parties or interest groups

Annex III: Disclosure ESRS 2 IRO-2 (56)

The disclosures related to ESRS 2 IRO-2 (56) are made in the

following table.

Datapoints that derive from other EU legislation	Disclosures	Page
ESRS 2 BP-1	General basis for preparation of the sustainability statement	53
ESRS 2 BP-2	Disclosures in relation to specific circumstances	56
ESRS 2 GOV-1	The role of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies	60
ESRS 2 GOV-2	Information provided to and sustainability matters addressed by the undertaking's administrative, management and supervisory bodies	63
ESRS 2 GOV-3	Integration of sustainability-related performance in incentive schemes	65
ESRS 2 GOV-4	Statement on due diligence	69
ESRS 2 GOV-5	Risk management and internal controls over sustainability reporting	69
ESRS 2 SBM-1	Strategy, business model and value chain	71
ESRS 2 SBM-2	Interests and views of stakeholders	74

Continuation on the next page

Datapoints that derive from other EU legislation	Disclosures
ESRS 2 SBM-3	Material impacts, risks and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model	75
ESRS 2 IRO-1	Description of the process to identify and assess material impacts, risks and opportunities	79
ESRS 2 IRO-2	Disclosure Requirements in ESRS covered by the undertaking's sustainability statement	82
ESRS 2 MDR-P	Policies adopted to manage material sustainability matters	82
ESRS 2 MDR-A	Actions and resources in relation to material sustainability matters	83
ESRS 2 MDR-M	Metrics in relation to material sustainability matters	87
ESRS 2 MDR-T	Tracking effectiveness of policies and actions through targets	90
Disclosure related to ESRS 2 GOV-3	Integration of sustainability-related performance in incentive schemes	92
ESRS E1-1	Transition plan for climate change mitigation	93
Disclosure related to ESRS 2 SBM-3	Material impacts, risks and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model	95
Disclosure related to ESRS 2 IRO-1	Description of the processes to identify and assess material climate-related impacts, risks and opportunities	98
ESRS E1-2	Policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation	99
ESRS E1-3	Actions and resources in relation to climate change policies	101
ESRS E1-4	Targets related to climate change mitigation and adaptation	103
ESRS E1-5	Energy consumption and mix	105
ESRS E1-6	Gross Scopes 1, 2, 3 and Total GHG emissions	106
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 IRO-1	Description of the processes to identify and assess material resource use and circular economy-related impacts, risks and opportunities	110
ESRS E5-1	Policies related to resource use and circular economy	111

Datapoints that derive from other EU legislation	Disclosures	Page
ESRS E5-2	Actions and resources related to resource use and circular economy	112
ESRS E5-3	Targets related to resource use and circular economy	112
ESRS E5-4	Resource inflows	113
ESRS E5-5	Resource outflows	113
ESRS E5-6	Anticipated financial effects from material resource use and circular economy-related risks and opportunities	114
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 SBM-2	Interests and views of stakeholders	127
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 SBM-3	Material impacts, risks and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model	128
ESRS S1-1	Policies related to own workforce	131
ESRS S1-2	Processes for engaging with own workforce and workers' representatives about impacts	134
ESRS S1-3	Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for own workforce to raise concerns	136
ESRS S1-4	Taking action on material impacts on own workforce, and approaches to managing material risks and pursuing material opportunities related to own workforce, and effectiveness of those actions	137
ESRS S1-5	Targets related to managing material negative impacts, advancing positive impacts, and managing material risks and opportunities	139
ESRS S1-6	Characteristics of the undertaking's employees	147
ESRS S1-7	Characteristics of non-employees in the undertaking's own workforce	149
ESRS S1-8	Collective bargaining coverage and social dialogue	150
ESRS S1-9	Diversity metrics	151, 163
ESRS S1-10	Adequate wages	151
ESRS S1-11	Social protection	151
ESRS S1-12	Persons with disabilities	163

Continuation on the next page

Datapoints that derive from other EU legislation	Disclosures	Page
ESRS S1-13	Training and skills development metrics	159
ESRS S1-14	Health and safety metrics	155
ESRS S1-15	Work-life balance metrics	152
ESRS S1-16	Remuneration metrics (pay gap and total remuneration)	152
ESRS S1-17	Incidents, complaints and severe human rights impacts	152
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 SBM-2	Interests and views of stakeholders	164
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 SBM-3	Material impacts, risks and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model	164
ESRS S2-1	Policies related to value chain workers	166
ESRS S2-2	Processes for engaging with value chain workers about impacts	168
ESRS S2-3	Processes to remediate negative impacts and channels for value chain workers to raise concerns	168
ESRS S2-4	Taking action on material impacts on value chain workers, and approaches to managing material risks and pursuing material opportunities related to value chain workers, and effectiveness of those actions	169
ESRS S2-5	Targets related to managing material negative impacts, advancing positive impacts, and managing material risks and opportunities	171
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 GOV-1	The role of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies	172
Disclosure Requirement related to ESRS 2 IRO-1	Description of the processes to identify and assess material impacts, risks and opportunities	173
ESRS G1-1	Business conduct policies and corporate culture	175
ESRS G1-2	Management of relationships with suppliers	178
ESRS G1-3	Prevention and detection of corruption and bribery	178
ESRS G1-4	Incidents of corruption or bribery	180
ESRS G1-5	Political influence and lobbying activities	181

Datapoints that derive from other EU legislation	Disclosures
ESRS G1-6	Payment practices	181
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 GOV-1 The role of the administrative, management and supervisory bodies	182
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 SBM-1 Strategy, business model and value chain	182
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 SBM-2 Interests and views of stakeholders	183
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 SBM-3 Material impacts, risks and opportunities and their interaction with strategy and business model	184
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 MDR-P Policies adopted to manage customer satisfaction and product quality	184
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 MDR-A Actions and resources in relation to customer satisfaction and product quality	186
Entity-specific disclosures	ESRS 2 MDR-T Targets in relation to customer satisfaction and product quality	187

Annex IV: Disclosure ESRS 2 (56) EU Datapoint Index

List of datapoints in cross-cutting and topical standards that

derive from other EU legislation

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS 2 GOV-1 Gender diversity in governance bodies paragraph 21(d)	Indicator Nr. 13 in Appendix 1 Table 1		Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816 (5 ), Appendix II		Yes	61
ESRS 2 GOV-1 Percentage of governance body members that are independent, paragraph 21(e)			Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Yes	61
ESRS 2 GOV-4 Due diligence declaration paragraph 30	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix 1 Table 3				Yes	69
ESRS 2 SBM-1 Participation in fossil fuel activi ties paragraph 40(d)(i)	Indicator Nr. 4 Table 1 in Appendix 1	Article 449a of Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Im plementing Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453 (6 ), Table 1: Qualita tive disclosures on environmen tal risks, and Table 2: Qualitative disclosures on social risks	Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Not material
ESRS 2 SBM-1 Participation in activities related to the manufacture of chemicals paragraph 40(d)(ii)	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix 1 Table 2		Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Not material
ESRS 2 SBM-1 Participation in activities related to controversial weapons Paragraph 40(d)(iii)	Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix 1 Table 1		Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818 (7 ), Article 12(1) Dele gated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Not material
ESRS 2 SBM-1 Participation in activities related to the cultivation and production of tobacco Paragraph 40(d)(iv)			Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Article 12(1) Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Not material

Continuation on the next page

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS E1-1 Transition plan to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 Paragraph 14				Regulation (EU) 2021 / 1119, Article 2(1)	Yes	93
ESRS E1-1 Entities excluded from the Paris-aligned benchmarks paragraph 16(g)		Article 449a Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Imple menting Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, template 1: Banking book – transition risk related to climate change: credit quality of exposures by sector, issue and residual maturity	Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Article 12(1)(d) to (g) and Article 12(2)		Not material
ESRS E1-4 GHG emission reduction targets paragraph 34	Indicator Nr. 4 in Appendix 1 Table 2	Article 449a Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Imple menting Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, template 3: Banking book – transition risk related to climate change: alignment pa rameters	Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Article 6		Yes	103
ESRS E1-5 Energy consumption and energy mix paragraph 37	Indicator Nr. 5 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Yes	105
ESRS E1-5 Energy intensity related to activities in climate-intensive sectors paragraphs 40 to 43	Indicator Nr. 6 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Not material
ESRS E1-6 Gross GHG emissions in Scope 1, 2 and 3 categories and total GHG emissions Paragraph 44	Indicatoren Nr. 1 und 2 in Appendix 1 Table 1	Article 449a Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Imple menting Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, template 1: Banking book – transition risk related to climate change: credit quality of exposures by sector, issue and residual maturity	Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Article 5(1), Article 6 and Article 8(1)		Yes	106

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS E1-6 Intensity of gross GHG emissions Paragraphs 53 to 55	Indicator Nr. 3 Table 1 in Appendix 1	Article 449a of Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Im plementing Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, template 3: Banking book – transition risk related to climate change: alignment pa rameters	Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Article 8(1)		Yes	106
ESRS E1-7 Reduction of greenhouse gases and CO2 credits Paragraph 56				Regulation (EU) 2021 / 1119, Article 2(1)	Not material
ESRS E1-9 Exposure of the benchmark portfolio to climate-related physical risks Paragraph 66			Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818, Appendix II Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Not material
ESRS E1-9 Breakdown of cash amounts by acute and chronic physical risk paragraph 66(a) ESRS E1-9Location of significant assets with material physical risk paragraph 66(c).		Article 449a of Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Im plementing Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, paragraphs 46 and 47; template 5: Banking book – Physical risk related to climate change: exposures with physical risk.			Not material
ESRS E1-9 Aufschlüsselungen des Buchwerts seiner Immobilien nach Energieeffizienzklassen Absatz 67 Buchstabe c.		Article 449a of Regulation (EU) No 575 / 2013; Commission Im plementing Regulation (EU) 2022 / 2453, paragraph 34; Tem plate 2: Banking book – Transi tion risk related to climate change: Loans collateralised by real estate – Energy efficiency of collateral			Not material

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS E1-9 Degree of exposure of the portfolio to climate-related opportunities Paragraph 69			Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1818, Appendix II		Not material
ESRS E2-4 Quantity of each pollutant listed in Annex II to the E-PRTR Regulation (European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register) emitted to air, water and land, paragraph 28	Indicator Nr. 8 in Appendix 1 Table 1 Indicator Nr. 2 in Appendix 1 Table 2 Indicator Nr. 1 in Appendix 1 Table 2 Indicator Nr. 3 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E3-1 Wasser- und Meeresressourcen Absatz 9	Indicator Nr. 7 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E3-1 Specific strategy Approach 13	Indicator Nr. 8 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E3-1 Sustainable oceans and seas Paragraph 14	Indicator Nr. 12 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E3-4 Total volume of water recycled and reused paragraph 28 (c )	Indicator Nr. 6,2 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E3-4 Total water consumption in m3 per net revenue from own activities Paragraph 29	Indicator Nr. 6,1 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS 2 – IRO-1 – E4 paragraph 16 (a) (i)	Indicator Nr. 7 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Not material
ESRS 2 – IRO-1 – E4 paragraph 16 letter b	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS 2 – IRO-1 – E4 paragraph 16 letter c	Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E4-2 Sustainable practices or policies relating to land use and agriculture Paragraph 24(b)	Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E4-2 Sustainable ocean / marine practices or policies Paragraph 24(c).	Indicator Nr. 12 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E4-2 Strategies to combat deforestation Paragraph 24(d)	Indicator Nr. 15 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS E5-5 Non-recycled waste Paragraph 37(d)	Indicator Nr. 13 in Appendix 1 Table 2				Not material
ESRS E5-5 Hazardous and radioactive waste paragraph 39	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Not material
ESRS 2 SBM3 – S1 Risk of forced labour paragraph 14(f)	Indicator Nr. 13 in Appendix I Table 3				Not material
ESRS 2 SBM3 – S1 Risk of child labour paragraph 14(g)	Indicator Nr. 12 in Appendix I Table 3				Not material
ESRS S1-1 Commitments in the area of human rights policy paragraph 20	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix I Table 3 und Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix I Table 1				Yes	132
ESRS S1-1 Due diligence requirements in rela tion to matters covered by the International Labour Organization Core Conventions 1 to 8, paragraph 21			Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Yes	132
ESRS S1-1 Procedures and measures to combat trafficking in human beings paragraph 22	Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	132
ESRS S1-1 Strategy or management system for the prevention of occupational accidents paragraph 23	Indicator Nr. 1 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	133
ESRS S1-3 Handling of complaints Paragraph 32 c	Indicator Nr. 5 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	137
ESRS S1-14 Number of fatalities and number and rate of occupational accidents paragraph 88 letters b and c	Indicator Nr. 2 in Appendix I Table 3		Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Yes	155
ESRS S1-14 Number of days lost due to injury, accident, death or illness paragraph 88 letter e	Indicator Nr. 3 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	155

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS S1-16 Unadjusted gender pay gap paragraph 97 a	Indicator Nr. 12 in Appendix I Table 1		Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Yes	152
ESRS S1-16 Excessive remuneration of mem bers of governing bodies paragraph 97 letter b	Indicator Nr. 8 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	152
ESRS S1-17 Cases of discrimination Paragraph 103 Letter a	Indicator Nr. 7 in Appendix I Table 3				Yes	152
ESRS S1-17 Non-compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines Paragraph 104 a	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix I Table 1 und Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix I Table 3		Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818 Article 12(1)		Not material
ESRS 2 SBM3 – S2 Significant risk of incidents of child labour or forced labour in the value chain Paragraph 11 b	Indicatoren Nr. 12 und 13 in Appendix I Table 3				Not material
ESRS S2-1 Commitments in the area of human rights policy paragraph 17	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix 1 Table 3 und Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Yes	167
ESRS S2-1 Strategies related to labour in the value chain paragraph 18	Indicatoren Nr. 11 und 4 in Appendix 1 Table 3				Yes	166
ESRS S2-1 Non-compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines Paragraph 19	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix 1 Table 1		Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818 Article 12(1)		Not material
ESRS S2-1 Due diligence requirements for issues covered by the International Labour Organization Core Conventions 1 to 8, paragraph 19			Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II		Yes	168

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS S2-4 Problems and incidents related to human rights in the upstream and downstream value chain Paragraph 36	Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix 1 Table 3				Not material
ESRS S3-1 Commitments in the area of human rights Paragraph 16	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix 1 Table 3 und Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Not material
ESRS S3-1 Non-compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines Paragraph 17	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix 1 Table 1		Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818 Article 12(1)		Not material
ESRS S3-4 Problems and incidents related to human rights Paragraph 36	Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix 1 Table 3				Not material
ESRS S4-1 Strategies related to consumers and end-users paragraph 16	Indicator Nr. 9 in Appendix 1 Table 3 und Indicator Nr. 11 in Appendix 1 Table 1				Not material
ESRS S4-1 Non-compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines Paragraph 17	Indicator Nr. 10 in Appendix 1 Table 1		Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II Delegat ed Regulation (EU) 2020 / 1818 Article 12(1)	ESRS S4-1 Non-compliance with the United Nations Guid ing Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines Paragraph 17	Not material
ESRS S4-4 Problems and incidents related to human rights Paragraph 35	Indicator Nr. 14 in Appendix 1 Table 3			ESRS S4-4 Human rights issues and incidents para graph 35	Not material
ESRS G1-1 United Nations Convention against Corruption paragraph 10 b	Indicator Nr. 15 in Appendix 1 Table 3			ESRS G1-1 United Nations Convention against Corruption paragraph 10 b	Not material
ESRS G1-1 Protection of whistleblowers Paragraph 10 d	Indicator Nr. 6 in Appendix 1 Table 3			ESRS G1-1 Protection of whis tleblowers Paragraph 10 d	Not material

Disclosure obligation data point	SFDR reference (1)	Pillar 3 reference (2)	Benchmark prescription reference (3)	EU climate law reference (4)	Materiality	Page
ESRS G1-4 Fines for non-compliance with anti-corruption and bribery regulations Paragraph 24 a	Indicator Nr. 17 in Appendix 1 Table 3		Commission Delegated Regula tion (EU) 2020 / 1816, Appendix II	ESRS G1-4Monetary sanctions for non-compliance with anti-corruption and bribery regulations Paragraph 24 a	Yes	180
ESRS G1-4 Standards on anti-corruption and bribery paragraph 24 b	Indicator Nr. 16 in Appendix 1 Table 3				Yes	181

(1) Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability-related disclosures in the financial services sector (Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation) (OJ L 317, 9.12.2019, p. 1).

(2) Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 (Capital Requirements Regulation "CRR") (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 1).

(3) Regulation (EU) 2016/1011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on indexes used as benchmarks in financial instruments and financial contracts or to measure the performance of investment funds and amending Directives 2008/48 / EC and 2014/17 / EU and Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (OJ L 171, 29.6.2016, p. 1).

(4) Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 ("European Climate Law") (OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1).

(5) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1816 of 17 July 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the explanation in the benchmark statement of how environmental, social, and governance factors are reflected in each benchmark provided and published (OJ L 406, 3.12.2020, p. 1).

(6) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2453 of 30 November 2022 amending the implementing technical standards laid down in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/637 as regards the disclosure of environmental, social, and governance risks (OJ L 324, 19.12.2022, p.1.).

(7) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1818 of 17 July 2020 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards minimum standards for EU Climate Transition Benchmarks and EU Paris-aligned Benchmarks (OJ L 406, 3.12.2020, p. 17).

Opportunities and Risk Report of SUSS Group

The goal of our opportunity and risk management is to sustainably maintain and increase the enterprise value of SUSS in the long term. Our corporate goals include early and successful detection of opportunities, identification and suitable assessment of risks, and provision of an appropriate response. The various opportunities for our Group stem from technology leadership in our businesses, our broad range of products and solutions for the semiconductor equipment industry, operational improvements in production, partnerships with international customers and research institutes, and our global positioning. We define opportunities and risks as follows:

• Opportunities are possible future developments or events that can lead to a forecast or target deviation that is positive for the Group over the short, medium, or long term.
• Risks are possible future developments or events that can lead to a forecast or target deviation that is negative for the Group over the short, medium, or long term.

The analysis and assessment of opportunities and risks for the Group is the subject of continuous deliberations by the Management Board and the operative management team. With management that is opportunity oriented as well as risk-conscious, the Company's fundamental goal is not to avoid all potential risks. Instead, we aim to achieve a balanced ratio of risk avoidance, risk reduction, and the controlled acceptance of risk. An awareness of risks should not interfere with the ability to identify opportunities and use them to increase the value of the Company and the value it has for its shareholders.

Opportunities for the Group

SUSS's global business activities in a dynamic market environment are continually generating new opportunities that can support and advance our targeted growth. Therefore, the recognition and exploitation of these opportunities are among the key components of our corporate strategy. SUSS is represented in all relevant markets by its production, sales, and service subsidiaries and also works with external trade partners. Our innovation, growing markets, international presence, and strong focus on service offer us opportunities to acquire new customers worldwide, enter into new cooperative agreements, and participate in the growth of industrial markets in major and emerging economies.

SUSS develops and produces equipment and process solutions for micropattern applications for the semiconductor industry – this is an area in which we have over 75 years of experience. The Company's portfolio includes a broad range of products and solutions for lithography and bonding in the backend of semiconductor manufacturing as well as for the production and cleaning of photomasks that support frontend processes. From the production of memory and AI chips to the manufacture of cameras for cell phones and tire pressure sensors, SUSS solutions are used in a wide range of production processes for both everyday consumer and industrial applications. These strengths give us the opportunity to carry out promising development projects and embark on auspicious collaborations. Our goal is to constantly optimize the product range and refine applications and technologies. We maintain numerous development partnerships with research institutes and industry partners. Partnerships with research institutes offer huge potential for SUSS in particular because they usually work very closely with our customers.

Apart from developing its own technologies, SUSS also sees opportunities to expand the Company through the acquisition of new business areas and technologies. We keep a close eye on developments in the industry and explore opportunities to acquire businesses or parts of businesses that are a good fit with our Company and our products.

Market and strategic corporate opportunities

The rapid expansion of infrastructure for artificial intelligence (AI) applications, unlimited mobility, modern data centers to provide cloud services, autonomous driving, e-mobility, and Industry 4.0 – none of this is possible without high-performance semiconductors. The production of these microchips is technically demanding and involves several complex processing steps, known as micropatterning, for which chip manufacturers require corresponding process solutions. We develop tailored process solutions for our customers that involve the construction of complex systems. The markets we serve in the semiconductor equipment industry are undergoing a process of continuous change that is influenced by the nature of data processing, information and communication technology, and the rapid developments in the automotive sector.

More recently, we have benefited from investments in the expansion of infrastructure to produce microchips for AI applications. This is where our temporary bonding solutions and our UV projection scanner are used by leading manufacturers of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips and in the leading packaging process for AI chip modules. After the initial wave of orders in 2023 and 2024, we anticipate further investments from our customers in the future, which we expect to happen in stages. The market potential for the coming years is currently difficult to estimate and largely depends on the further adaptation of AI applications in everyday life and in the professional environment.

Another opportunity lies in the field of what is known as compound semiconductors made of silicon carbide (SiC), which are used, for example, in power electronics for applications in electric cars or inverters for wind turbines and solar power systems. Our temporary bonding solutions are used in the production of 200 mm diameter SiC wafers and are set to do well in the future if our customer increases production capacity for this process or other SiC manufacturers also switch their processes to 200 mm wafers.

Besides these two application-specific opportunities, we firmly expect to win customers for our hybrid bonding solutions. By the end of this decade, our hybrid bonding solutions could contribute a significant share of sales in the Bonding Systems product line. Our partnership with a bonding specialist will enable us to offer our customers a fully integrated solution. In this context, we combine our partner's high-precision chip placement technology and the established expertise of SUSS in surface cleaning and activation in a single cluster. We have also developed our own solution for wafer-to-wafer hybrid bonding as well as a combined solution that unites wafer-to-wafer and chip-to-wafer hybrid bonding in a single system in order to offer our customers the widest range of heterogeneous integration applications.

In our Coating Systems product line, we are currently the only supplier capable of providing customers with three coating methods from a single source: spin coating, spray coating, and inkjet. The inkjet printing process significantly reduces the consumption of process materials and improves our customers' environmental footprint. Economically, the technology enables our customers to operate existing processes more cost-effectively and to establish new process combinations. Our new JETxSM24 inkjet printer, for instance, features innovative printheads that can achieve material savings of up to 80 percent compared to conventional methods. By adapting to new size standards in the circuit board industry, we believe that our solution is ideally suited to address additional markets and support our customers in solving future process requirements.

Meanwhile, in the Photomask Solutions segment, we are working intensively to solidify our leading position in photomask cleaning by developing new system generations for high-end and mid-end applications. We also target to transfer our expertise in photomask cleaning to the as-yet untapped wafer cleaning market. We are developing a highly sustainable solution that will reduce or ideally replace the hazardous chemicals that have been used up to now to remove organic polymer materials. This aims to improve the environmental compatibility of our customers' production processes while significantly reducing their costs. A pilot system has been installed at our application center in Sternenfels. The next milestone we are striving towards is the development and completion of the first system that takes the requirements of our production customers into account. The total potential market for wafer cleaning in MEMS applications is expected to grow by an average of 10 percent annually to USD 350 million by 2030.

In order to perceive developments in the markets early on, direct and regular contact with partners, customers, and potential new customers is very important to us. We are therefore represented at all relevant fairs and technology forums of the international semiconductor industry in Asia, North America, and Europe. We use these platforms to present the latest technologies of our various product lines and to identify technological advances and new developments at an early stage.

Operational opportunities

In addition to the strategic and market opportunities presented, a wide range of opportunities arise in our operating business that will help us to progress as a company and, in particular, to improve our profitability in the long term.

SUSS maintains a centralized R&D organization. The experts deal with software, platforms and systems, modules, and system architecture across all product lines. One of the primary objectives of this approach is to increase modularization and thus the commonalities of our systems. This allows us to improve production efficiency, facilitate the integration of external production partners, and thus increase the overall scalability of our business. This platform-based approach has been used for the development of new tool generations since 2023. The pilot project comprises the development of the next imaging solutions, that is, the next generation of mask aligners and UV projection scanners, which are set to be launched in 2026. All in all, however, it will take up to ten years to achieve a consistent modularization of the portfolio because it would not make economic sense to redesign solutions that are already established on the market.

Using a platform approach, we are working intensively to identify strategic suppliers and manufacturing service providers in Europe and Asia and to commission them with the production of modules that can be integrated into our equipment. This will increase our production capacity and enhance our flexibility in the face of fluctuations in demand typical of the industry.

Driven by major investments in infrastructure to produce AI chips, there is very high demand for our solutions for temporary bonding, debonding, and cleaning, as well as for the UV projection scanner. To meet this high demand, but also to pave the way for future growth, we decided in 2024 to relocate to a larger production site in Zhubei, Taiwan, in 2025. At the new location, we have taken a long-term lease on a multistory building that will enable us to double our local production capacity as compared to our existing site in Hsinchu, Taiwan. In addition to this project, we are constantly evaluating the possibility of increasing our production and research and development capacities. Our decision regarding the new location in Zhubei does not preclude further expansion of our activities in Europe and especially in Germany.

An additional measure to increase the profitability of SUSS in the long term is to continue to focus on its product portfolio. We offer manual, semi-automated, and automated solutions within our product lines, that is, Photomask Solutions, Imaging Systems, Coating Systems, and Bonding Systems. This allows us to reach a wide range of customers – including large high-volume chip manufacturers, small series producers, research institutes, and universities. We are prioritizing our portfolio and focusing increasingly on systems that are produced in higher volumes. The first systems with low strategic relevance were removed from our solutions portfolio in 2024.

In addition, we have decided to discontinue our used equipment business with effect from July 31, 2025. This means that in the future, we will be focusing on the development and production of new, innovative solutions for the semiconductor industry.

Employee-related opportunities

We regard ourselves as a medium-sized enterprise operating on a global scale. In spite of the size of our Company, we have flat hierarchies and enable our employees to maintain direct communication channels and quick decision-making processes in all matters. We believe that our structures, combined with our international alignment, make SUSS an attractive employer. We will maintain our existing strategy of retaining long-term employees. Our Employee Engagement Score, which we describe in the "Corporate Management" section, is a tool we use to measure employee satisfaction and to enable us to respond to changes. While the shortage of skilled workers is becoming increasingly noticeable at the Garching and Sternenfels locations, we are confident that our competitive remuneration, interesting work, appreciation-based corporate culture and attractive workplace conditions will enable us to continue to fill our vacancies with qualified and motivated employees in the future. We significantly expanded our recruiting activities in 2024.

Our remuneration system includes variable remuneration for some of our employees, especially executives, the amount of which depends on the extent to which targets are achieved. The targets are redefined each year and are based on financial and nonfinancial key figures. In addition, personal goals that are aligned with the Company's overall goals are agreed with employees. By integrating corporate objectives into individual employee remuneration, we create a financial incentive to actively contribute to the achievement of the objectives. In doing so, we stand a better chance of achieving our sales and earnings targets, as well as our nonfinancial targets. Furthermore, defining personal targets for executives allows us to step up the implementation of strategic projects critical for success in a variety of areas.

As a global technology company, SUSS relies on its employees to advance new product developments in a targeted manner so that we can meet the needs of our customers. We cultivate a culture of innovation within the Company and offer incentives to promote it. If an employee's invention is relevant to SUSS, the Company pays the inventor an equitable amount as part of the transfer of rights. Once a patent has been granted and we utilize the invention, we pay the inventor's fee in accordance with the statutory provisions. Our international presence allows us to find and recruit the best-qualified candidates for SUSS worldwide.

Risk management Fundamental principles of risk management

SUSS has a risk management system (RMS) in place that includes a compliance management system (CMS) and an internal control system (ICS). The SUSS Group's business activities and risk position were taken into account in the design and implementation of the RMS and the ICS. The systems are updated regularly, optimized, and adapted to reflect changes if necessary. The adequacy and effectiveness of the implemented control systems are regularly assessed by the Management Board, the Audit Committee, and the Supervisory Board.

The Management Board has established the four management systems, which are described in the following sections, and reviews them regularly. The tools used for this purpose comprise internal monitoring, reviews by Internal Audit and/or external auditors, and findings from audit procedures conducted by the the auditor of the financial statements with regard to the RMS and the accounting-related ICS. The Management Board and the Audit Committee receive regular reports on the findings of these audits. As of the reporting date, considering the scope of business activities and the Company's risk situation, there are no indications in any material respects that the governance systems referred to above are, as a whole, inappropriate or ineffective.

This notwithstanding, there are limitations to the effectiveness of any risk management and control system. No system, even one that has been judged to be appropriate and effective, can guarantee that all risks that occur will be detected in advance or that every possible violation of the process is ruled out under all circumstances.

The Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE also regularly addresses the corporate governance systems established by the Management Board and reviews their appropriateness and effectiveness.

In the following, we outline the risk management system, the compliance management system (CMS), the internal control system (ICS), and the internal audit system (IAS) in place at SUSS.

Description and essential characteristics of the Group-wide Risk Management System (RMS)

The RMS is a component of corporate management that recognizes and controls risks while fulfilling legal requirements. The RMS implemented by SUSS is based on the internationally recognized COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission) model. The scope of consolidation for risk reporting purposes corresponds to the Group's scope of consolidation. In addition to risk management, the RMS also encompasses the CMS. In addition to short-term and operating risks, risk management at SUSS covers long-term and strategic developments that may have a negative impact on business development. This also includes ESG risks, that is, risks related to environmental, social, and governance matters.

The organization of risk management is geared toward the functional and hierarchical structure of the Group. The Risk Management Officer reports directly to the Group's Chief Financial Officer and provides the Management Board with a quarterly update on the risk situation. Any newly identified and existing risks are discussed each quarter at the meetings of the Risk Management Committee, which was established for this purpose. This includes a review to ensure that all relevant risks are recorded and that suitable countermeasures are defined. The Risk Management Committee is made up of the senior executives responsible for business and functional areas as well as the Management Board. One of the Committee's tasks is to discuss and review the risks and countermeasures identified by the risk officers. As a rule, the results are presented to the Audit Committee and the Supervisory Board each quarter, but once a year at a minimum.

The auditors check the early risk detection system that has been set up as part of the annual audit. They report on the audit and the findings to the Management Board and the Supervisory Board.

SUSS's RMS was last reviewed with the support of external experts in 2023. Among other things, the structure of the system, risk identification, and risk assessment were examined. The external audit confirmed that the implemented RMS complies with regulatory requirements. Similarly, suggestions and proposals for further development were also identified, which we adopted, tailored to our organization, and implemented accordingly.

The Group's quality management is an important element of early detection. The large production sites in Germany are certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001, which confirms reliable, process-oriented, and system-oriented quality management. Clearly structured and unambiguously documented processes within the framework of quality management ensure transparency and have become, for most production clients, a prerequisite for the successful marketing of our equipment and solutions.

Risk identification

Within the framework of a structured process, all risks identified by those responsible for risk are recorded and evaluated quarterly. The Risk Management Officer supports those responsible for risk in this process. The identified and assessed risks are managed using special software. The Risk Management Officer processes the relevant information. Material risks, trends in risk development, measures and their impact, and current issues are discussed and critically assessed at the regular quarterly meetings of the Risk Management Committee. The results of the overall process are approved by the Risk Management Committee. Risk reports in which the risks are presented are then prepared.

Risks that suddenly arise are also required to be reported immediately to the line manager, to the Group's central risk management, and subsequently to the Management Board.

Workshops are organized for all risk managers in the Group, focusing primarily on future developments alongside discussions of past events. Moreover, the workshops serve to ensure that uniform evaluation principles are maintained throughout the Group, which is particularly important for new employees who are involved in risk management as risk officers.

Risk assessment

Risks are initially assessed by indicating the maximum estimated loss amount if no countermeasures are taken. On this basis, the risk value is determined by including a probability of occurrence, with the risks being assessed using a simple distribution or a triangular distribution. For each risk, one or more countermeasures are defined as part of the (net) risk assessment and entered into the software. The effects of the measure are considered, and all risks are presented with a net value. The indication of the risk value pertains to the next 12 or 24 months in each case.

Using a risk matrix, the identified risks are categorized into three different levels of risk severity, with due consideration given to both the potential loss amount and the probability of occurrence. The defined risk categories (level of impact) are revised as necessary. After the final adjustment, risks starting at a loss amount of € 20 million – as measured by the impact on earnings and/or level of liquidity outflow – are deemed to be "a going concern risk."

The combination of the probability of occurrence and the level of impact determines which risk categories are regarded as material from the Group's perspective. A distinction is made between low risk, medium risk, and high risk.

This risk assessment method categorizes only medium and high risks as material.

Risk assessment

		Likelihood
		Very low	Low	Medium	High	Very high
Amount of damage		0% to ≤ 5%	< 5% to ≤ 10%	< 10% to ≤ 50%	< 25% to ≤ 50%	< 50% to ≤ 100%
Existential	> € 20 million
Critical	> € 5 million to ≤ € 20 million
Serious	> € 2.5 million to ≤ € 5 million
Marginal	> € 0.5 milion to ≤ € 2.5 million
Negligible	€ 0 to ≤ € 0.5 million

Low Medium High

Risk management

Depending on the type of risk and the amount of the assessment, measures for avoiding and mitigating risk are taken on a tiered basis. In doing so, risk management is always geared toward the principles of opportunity-based handling of risks, as set out above.

Risks are avoided, and countermeasures are organized consistently. The parties responsible for risk and the reporting units are obligated to develop and implement strategies for preventing known risks. Should their expertise not suffice to implement these, they must request assistance from higher management levels.

Global activities in the field of high technology lead to general and specific risks for the Company. The Management Board has taken appropriate measures for the purpose of monitoring risks in order to identify developments that could threaten the continued existence of the SUSS Group early on.

Description and essential characteristics of the Compliance Management System (CMS)

SUSS has laid the foundation for compliance with legal provisions and self-imposed standards of conduct by implementing a Group-wide CMS. The goal of the CMS is to systematically prevent violations within the Group, to detect them if they occur, and to sanction any identified breaches accordingly.

The CMS is based on our compliance principles, which have been implemented throughout the Group. These include, in particular, regulations on equal treatment and protection (e.g. occupational safety, responsibility within the supply chain), respect and integrity (e.g. anti-corruption, fair competition, foreign trade law), transparency and reliability (e.g. reporting and communication, proper accounting, data protection), and environmental and social responsibility.

The Management Board checks the CMS for completeness and relevance as part of regular risk reviews. The compliance risk analysis, which was repeated in 2024, also examined whether there was a specific need to further develop the CMS and, if so, what form this should take. In 2024, the risk analysis was conducted with the help of internal resources and supported by an external service provider. The recommendations made on the basis of the risk analysis are consistently taken into account and implemented as part of the internal planning for the ongoing development of the CMS.

The CMS is implemented by the central compliance organization, which is managed by the central Compliance Officer function. The Compliance Officer reports directly to the Management Board. The compliance organization also includes a Compliance Committee, which is made up of relevant key roles and provides a platform for discussing compliance issues across all functions with a view to developing various aspects of the system, such as policy updates.

Employees and external third parties can use an IT-based whistleblower system and other reporting channels to provide information about legal violations within the Company and do so anonymously if they so choose. Reports of compliance incidents are investigated in a predefined, objective process. All reported violations are systematically investigated as part of the CMS and penalized where appropriate and necessary.

Our compliance principles are taught in mandatory training sessions around the world.

Description of the essential characteristics of the Internal Control System (ICS)

The purpose of the ICS is to ensure proper conduct of business activities, transparent financial reporting, and compliance with legal, regulatory, and internal requirements. To achieve this goal, potential risks are identified and assessed, and internal controls are introduced if deemed necessary.

Our ICS includes regulations, measures, and procedures that ensure the reliabiliy of financial reporting and operational processes. In addition to the SUSS Group's accounting manual, there are a number of guidelines and work procedures for operational segments that define individual process steps, roles, responsibilities, and controls. As many manual controls as possible are being converted to system-based controls to minimize risk. The ICS in place at SUSS is expanded and developed continuously.

The ICS is based on the COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission) framework. This is where controls are documented for each process in specific risk control matrices within the area of application. The ICS has been combined with risk management under a single function since spring 2024. The ICS is reviewed through validation by the ICS manager and as part of the individual audits by Internal Audit.

Description of the key features of the accounting-related Internal Control and Risk Management System in accordance with sections 289 (4) and 315 (4) of the German Commercial Code (HGB)

The accounting-related risk management system is designed to minimize the risk of false statements in external financial reporting, that is, in the consolidated financial statements, the annual financial statements, and the condensed management report. It serves as the first step toward the identification, evaluation, and subsequent restriction and review of known risks in the accounting process that could undermine the compliance of the consolidated financial statements, the annual financial statements, and the management report with regulations. The purpose of the accounting-related ICS is to ensure with sufficient certainty that the annual and consolidated financial statements and the management report conform to regulations despite identified risks in financial and nonfinancial reporting.

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements is supported by uniform, standardized reporting and consolidation software that includes extensive inspection and validation routines. Accordingly, the accounting-related ICS and RMS envisages preventive checks as well as retrospective detection. This includes IT-based and manual reviews in the form of regular sampling-based and plausibility checks, various risk, process, and content-related checks in the Company's segments, the establishment of functional separations and predefined approval processes, the consistent implementation of the principle of dual control for all key accounting-related processes, and strictly controlled access rules for our IT systems in order to prevent unauthorized access to accounting-related data.

The suitability of the risk early identification system is reviewed at the end of the year by the auditor during the audit. In addition, selected accounting-related internal controls are tested, and their effectiveness is assessed. In addition, checks of accountingrelated aspects of the IT systems in use are carried out.

SUSS MicroTec SE employs a Group-wide accounting manual to ensure that accounting principles are applied consistently. The accounting manual is based on IFRS financial reporting standards and is the basis for the accounting process at all Group companies. Transparent and structured guidelines for all employees are intended to reduce the risk of inconsistent accounting practices within the Group. The subsidiaries are subject to certain mandatory guidelines regarding reporting and the scope of disclosure. The central Finance and Controlling departments monitor compliance with reporting obligations and deadlines.

Accounting at the subsidiaries is performed locally and supported by external accounting and tax advisory firms. The accuracy and reliability of the individual financial statements submitted by the subsidiaries are reviewed at the Group level. The data processing systems employed are protected from misuse through appropriate authentication principles and access restrictions. Authorizations are reviewed regularly and updated if necessary.

The Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE is responsible for the establishment and effective maintenance of suitable controls over financial reporting. At the end of each financial year, the Management Board evaluates the appropriateness and effectiveness of the internal control system. The Management Board has no reason to believe that the internal control and risk management system is inappropriate or ineffective with regard to the accounting process.

The Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE also regularly addresses the accounting-related ICS and RMS established by the Management Board and assesses their appropriateness and effectiveness as part of the structural and functional review.

Description of the essential characteristics of the Internal Audit System (IAS)

The function of Internal Audit at SUSS MicroTec SE is to provide independent and objective auditing and consulting services aimed at creating added value and improving business processes.

Internal Audit helps SUSS to achieve its objectives by utilizing a systematic and disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of controls and internal processes.

The IAS is based on the IPPF (International Professional Practices Framework of the Institute of Internal Auditors) standards and the DIIR (Deutsches Institut für Interne Revision) standards.

The audit plans are prepared on the basis of a risk-based approach. When conducting the audits, external service providers are called in to provide support as needed, such as if special expertise or language skills are required. In the past financial year, audits were carried out on various subsidiaries and individual Group-internal processes. In addition, follow-up audits were performed to ensure that findings from previous audits had been addressed. Internal audit findings are regularly reported to the full Board of Management and to the Audit Committee, which in turn informs the Supervisory Board.

Risks for the Group

The risks relevant to the Group were continuously analyzed and updated in the 2024 financial year. Group risks are assigned to four main risk categories, which integrate ESG risks into the system. Since several ESG-relevant issues overlap with other identified risks, risks that also represent ESG risks were additionally labeled as "ESG" to provide a quick overview of all ESG-relevant risks. A sub-category "sustainability risks" has been included within the strategic risks because some ESG risks are strategic in nature. The four overreaching categories include:

• Strategic risks
• Operating risks
• Financial risks
• Legal risks, compliance risks, social risks, and governance risks

Strategic risks

Strategic risk categories include the competitive environment as well as risks arising from the customer structure and the cyclical nature of the market. We also consider sustainability risks, economic and geopolitical risks, and pandemic risks and their impacts.

Risks from the competitive environment

Every company is affected by external factors. These include factors such as international competition and competitive conditions. New or changed developments in SUSS's core markets may lead to an adjustment of our corporate strategy. In 2024, there were no specific risks arising from the competitive environment that could have a significant impact on our business. We continuously monitor competitive, market, and industry information to recognize changes in the competitive environment early on and react accordingly.

Our customers' ordering behavior and the associated high order intake in the 2024 financial year have once again demonstrated that we continue to hold a technologically leading position and can hold our own against the competition. Nevertheless, we will work on optimizing our cost structure to ensure our competitiveness in the face of increasing competition from Asia.

The Advanced Backend Solutions segment generated more than 70 percent of Group sales in the 2024 financial year and is also expected to contribute approximately the same share of Group sales in 2025. As of December 31, 2024, SUSS has reported goodwill of approximately € 18.6 million, which is attributable to the Advanced Backend Solutions segment. If business development in this segment deteriorates significantly and has a correspondingly negative effect on the development of future cash flows, it may be necessary to recognize impairment losses on goodwill. However, we see no signs of impairment based on current planning.

Risks from the customer structure

SUSS is represented worldwide, has a broad customer base, and offered its customers five different product lines in 2024, which can be used in different process steps in semiconductor manufacturing. This means that we are not dependent on individual markets or individual customers. Economic downturns in a region or sector can thus be at least partially compensated for. The announced and subsidized investment programs in the USA and Europe contribute to further reducing the potential dependence on individual markets. By combining production at a small number of locations and enabling employees to work on the production of various system types, SUSS is in a position to react immediately to market conditions in the event of major economic upheaval and to adapt its organization and cost structures within a reasonable period of time.

Changes in the customer structure could impact our strategy and our business. Our production capacities are primarily intended for our key customers and, as such, are only partially available to other customers. However, if these capacities were not fully utilized by our customers, there would be a risk that free capacities could not be used for other customers in the short or medium term. This results in a potential risk of lost earnings and idle capacity costs that cannot be covered. We minimize risk by regularly exchanging information with select key customers about their equipment needs.

SUSS has only a few customers in certain markets. A reduction in orders from existing customers could prevent further expansion of the business in these specific markets and lead to a loss of market share.

Sector and market-specific risks (Cyclical nature of the market)

Rapid changes in short- and medium-term market development are among the greatest risks for SUSS. The semiconductor industry is characterized by strong market cycles. A significant slump in the semiconductor market as a whole would lead to correspondingly lower sales for SUSS and have an adverse effect on the Company's earnings. In 2024, we once again slightly exceeded the previous year's record order intake. The high utilization of production capacities on individual production lines can give rise to the risk of not being able to process orders promptly with the capacities available. As part of our internal departmental planning, we endeavor to identify capacity bottlenecks at an early stage so that we can adjust our organizational and personnel structure in a timely manner. In this connection, we aim to cover future capacity requirements by integrating external production partners to a greater extent, thus enabling us to respond more flexibly to market fluctuations. When developing new solutions, we enter into supply contracts with key suppliers to ensure that we can deliver on our commitments.

Sustainability risks

Sustainability risks stemming from environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) events can adversely impact our business activities in the future. Complying with the growing number of ESG requirements arising from the regulatory environment, investors, and customers could result in additional costs. A growing number of regulatory requirements and achieving SUSS's own defined sustainability and climate change mitigation goals may be associated with additional uncertainty. The risks resulting from climate change could also impact our company in the long term. Increasing heat or storms in particular can lead to higher building maintenance costs. We regularly conduct energy audits at our production sites to determine how buildings can be adapted to cope with extreme weather conditions.

Economic and geopolitical risks

As an international company selling its products worldwide, we are exposed to economic and geopolitical risks that could affect our business. All of our international business activities typically entail a large number of general market risks that depend on overall economic developments, social and geopolitical factors, and regulatory frameworks. Macroeconomic developments – such as an economic slowdown in individual regions or exchange rate fluctuations – may adversely affect our customers' readiness to invest or result in delays in their purchasing decisions.

Geopolitical tensions in the form of localized military conflicts or economic sanctions imposed unilaterally or reciprocally may adversely affect SUSS's performance. In particular, the intensification of existing tensions between major international stakeholders may have negative consequences. At present, there is an increased risk of reciprocal economic sanctions and widespread significant market and stock market downturns. Given the significant contributions that China and Taiwan make to our sales, these risks could affect us.

We monitor geopolitical developments closely and are assisted by external partners in identifying the impact of current developments on SUSS's business. In addition, SUSS pursues the strategic goal of producing its systems in such a way that they are not affected by current and foreseeable sanctions, export regulations, or changing regulations.

Risks that may result from pandemics

As the COVID-19 pandemic specifically has shown in recent years, pandemics can have a huge impact on business activities. The risks associated with the outbreak of pandemics, in particular the unexpected closure of our sites and supply chain disruptions and delays, can have a significant impact on our business activities. We cannot foresee the outbreak of further pandemics that would impact our business. However, there were no specific associated risks in the 2024 financial year.

Operating risks

In addition to production and quality risks, the operating risk categories considered also include supply chain and purchasing risks. Development-specific risks, risks in sales and service, employee-specific risks, environmental, safety and health risks, information technology risks, and natural risks are included in this.

Production and quality risks

SUSS products are regularly analyzed, controlled, and optimized using a comprehensive risk and quality management system. Nonetheless, due to the growing complexity of the equipment, there is a risk of quality shortcomings only being identified at the commissioning and process qualification stages. Liability risk for SUSS may increase given the use of the products in the manufacturing environment of companies with rising demands on product quality. In addition to other types of insurance, SUSS also has product liability insurance for the Group, which limits the potential risk. The suitability of these insurance policies, which also protect the Group companies, is reviewed regularly in cooperation with a reputable insurance broker with respect to the covered risks and coverage amounts and modified if necessary. In addition, we also endeavor to include the limitations of liability in contracts with all contractual partners.

We minimize the permanent risk of production downtime due to technical disruptions by performing regular preventive maintenance and servicing measures.

Risks in the supply chain and in purchasing

A reliable and effective supply chain for materials, components, and parts is essential for our production. Supply bottlenecks and capacity limitations in the supply chain could not only lead to production bottlenecks and delivery delays but also result in additional costs.

SUSS continues to depend on a limited number of key suppliers for a small number of individual components. To further reduce this risk, strategic purchasing was expanded to develop alternative supply sources together with our engineering experts.

In recent years, events such as military and political (trade) disputes, pandemics, and other contingencies have given rise to supply bottlenecks in the procurement of materials in general and of individual specific components. Our supply chains for certain products continued to be affected in 2024 but to a much lesser extent than in previous years. In 2025, the risk remains that systems cannot be delivered within the contractually agreed deadlines because of missing components, which can lead to a delay or even the loss of sales. SUSS currently estimates the risk as low overall, given the countermeasures it has adopted. An abrupt change in the geopolitical environment could have the potential to alter the risk assessment significantly.

Development-specific risks

SUSS's business model is based on a strong culture of innovation and a leading position among its competitors in terms of technology. As a manufacturer of specialized equipment, SUSS delivers customer-specific solutions and conducts its product policies according to the rapidly changing conditions in the semiconductor equipment market. Nevertheless, there is a risk that our technical developments could deviate from the preferences of the markets and our customers in isolated cases. In cases such as these, there would be a risk that the customers in question would take their business elsewhere and purchase alternative technical solutions from our competitors. We make numerous detailed improvements to existing technologies and are constantly developing new technologies for our product lines.

Our employees not only focus on customized solutions but also engage in ongoing long-term development projects. The goal is to anticipate future market developments so that SUSS products will continue to satisfy the technical requirements in the future. The risk exists that individual development projects might not lead to the desired result or that the results do not correspond to market expectations. In such cases, there is a risk that SUSS would be temporarily unable to offer innovative products to the target market. The affected customers might turn away from our products and seek alternatives in the market. In the last financial year, we focused on projects that we believed would be well received by our customers. SUSS is in regular and close contact with its key customers and aligns its development strategy with their technological requirements.

If the assessment of the technical development proves to be wrong and the new developments do not meet the expectations of our customers, SUSS would have utilized funds and employees in the area of research and development in an unprofitable manner. Accordingly, this would have a negative impact on the results for the affected product line. Overall, however, this risk is not viewed as a going concern risk for SUSS.

There is also the risk that we might not recognize or implement technical innovations in time. In such cases, we see a risk that SUSS could lose its leading market position in individual areas and experience a long-term decline in sales.

In the Photomask Solutions segment, we are faced with the challenge of meeting the increasingly diverse requirements of the semiconductor industry. Processes must be established to fulfill the complex structures and photomask materials of EUV lithography. In developed areas such as AI and IOT applications (artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things), it is necessary to offer conventional technologies at lower costs and with future expansion options. We also assume that our unique water-based cleaning technology, which we have developed for our photomask cleaner, can also be used as a sustainable technology for other applications. Our goal is to develop and manufacture products that meet these various technological requirements. To achieve this goal, we must strengthen our own internal structure and also rely on cooperation with external partners.

Risks in sales and service

There is a risk that SUSS may not be able to pass on increases in component or labor costs to customers or implement price increases. We try to pass on at least some of the cost increases to our customers and adjust the prices of our products regularly. Our freedom to increase sales prices for our equipment depends on the market positioning of each of our product lines and the intensity of competition in each submarket. In segments where we are not the leading supplier, there is a risk that we may only be able to raise our prices by a disproportionately small amount in some circumstances, meaning that cost increases are not offset in full. In addition, price increases do not have an immediate effect because the higher prices are not recognized until the equipment is delivered, which is usually several months after the order is placed.

The above-average order book and the resulting high utilization of our production capacities mean that delivery times can be longer than twelve months in some cases. As a result, some orders may not make it onto the schedule to ship out for another year or more. Orders may thus be lost if a competitor promises to deliver sooner.

The risks to sales and how to respond to them differ for our two segments. In the Advanced Backend Solutions segment, we respond to risks in sales and service by maintaining close contact with our most important customers and targeting a diversified customer base. SUSS has only limited opportunities to establish a diversified customer base in the area of solutions in the Photomask Solutions segment, which serves a highly specialized and consolidated market. For this reason, we regularly engage in discussions with key customers and other market participants in order to mitigate sales risks.

Employee-specific risks

In some areas, the Company benefits to a large extent from the knowledge of individual employees, particularly in research and development and in applications. New developments and the refinement of existing technologies are only possible with a sufficient number of qualified and experienced employees. Moreover, a lack of employees, or a lack of sufficiently qualified employees, in the area of production may have a negative impact on delivery times and quality. Non-availability of these employees in these areas is a related risk. The intensifying skilled labor shortage currently prevailing in Germany is also noticeable at our Garching and Sternenfels sites. To be able to attract a sufficient number of qualified and experienced employees, it is crucial for SUSS to be a highly attractive employer. In addition, it is necessary to allow for more time to fill vacancies, which may result in shortages within departments and the need for other staff to cover positions. We develop measures and steps to ensure structured succession planning for employees with specific types of expertise. We also work continuously to improve our recruitment processes in order to acquire new employees for our Company.

Environmental, safety, and health risks

Risks of potential environmental and safety incidents, as well as potential violations of environmental, health, and safety regulations, can have a wide variety of consequences for our business activities. Employee absences due to illness or accidents could lead to disruptions of operations, among other things.

We have implemented processes and regularly perform appropriate measures such as health and safety training to ensure compliance with the applicable regulations when conducting our business activities. Certain risks are covered by insurance, the amount of which we believe is reasonable and customary in the industry. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that violations of applicable official regulations may be caused either by us or by third parties or that major accidents may occur.

Information security and technology risks

Risks associated with information security and technology include general risks to the IT infrastructure, data integrity, access controls, and the risk of an uncontrolled or unlawful leak of data and information. We fundamentally view our IT infrastructure as well constructed and are of the opinion that we have taken adequate precautions to prevent data manipulation, data loss, and data misuse. Furthermore, we routinely invest in new hardware and software in order to minimize the likelihood that IT systems and software solutions will fail. Using virus scanners and antivirus software programs that are continually updated, we protect our IT systems from unauthorized access and damage. We continued to expand our collaboration with our external partners in 2024 to make sure that we are always informed on the global IT security situation and current threats. We also performed an intensive audit of our IT security and implemented recommended measures to reduce the risk of an attack and its potential impact. Nevertheless, we cannot rule out the possibility of data manipulation, data loss, leakage of information, or data misuse in isolated cases. It is also conceivable that new viruses, ransomware, and trojans that are not detected by our security programs could penetrate our IT systems. The problem is exacerbated by the increasing use of mobile devices, such as laptops and smartphones, that access our corporate network. It is also made worse by the increasing number of employees working from home. In addition, the link-up between our foreign sites and our central corporate network requires particular security precautions in order to prevent unauthorized external access. In order to minimize the risk of unauthorized access to our corporate network, Groupwide guidelines for mobile device usage have been established. In addition, we regularly provide our employees with training and raise their awareness of how they should handle Company information and be alert to potential threats and cyber risks.

Risk of disruptions to operations

There is a risk of disruption to operations. In the event of a disruption to operations due to major damage caused by fire or water, SUSS faces the risk of customers turning to competitors because of postponed delivery dates or an inability to deliver. This may result in lost order entries and a decline in sales. Direct damages to buildings and loss of earnings due to a disruption in operations are covered by corresponding insurance policies. We also perform regular safety inspections. Since SUSS has several locations that can make up for production capacity shortfalls if necessary, the probability of such losses is considered low.

Natural disasters may also occur unexpectedly at any time and affect our Company's operations. Natural hazards, such as earthquakes in the Asian region, where many of our customers are based and where we also have production, sales, and service centers, are beyond our control. We can reduce the effects of natural disasters by planning ahead and investing in earthquake-resistant buildings, for example. We have identified the potential risks and have taken countermeasures to mitigate the potential damage.

Financial risks

The financial risk categories covered include credit risk, currency risk, inflation risk, liquidity risk, and market price risk in connection with the valuation of financial instruments.

Credit risks

The SUSS Group is exposed to credit risk primarily through receivables from customers, banks, and affiliated companies. In order to limit credit risks, we conduct a risk-oriented credit assessment when selecting our business partners. External credit ratings, payment histories, and internal assessment methods are used for this purpose. In addition, there is a Group-wide policy on the subject of credit assessment. This policy defines which payment terms and payment guarantees should be agreed for the Company's individual sales units, in each case taking customer-specific and country-specific factors into account. To reduce the risk of non-payment, orders from customers located in "risk countries" may, therefore, only be accepted against adequate prepayments, a bank guarantee, or a letter of credit.

In the field of finance, credit risks arise primarily from the investment of liquid assets and the use of financial instruments. In order to minimize the risk of defaults and possible losses on investments, investments and financial transactions are conducted exclusively with banks that have excellent credit ratings and are regularly reviewed and evaluated by rating agencies.

The SUSS Group estimates the risk as low overall, given the probability of occurrence and the countermeasures it has adopted. Thanks to the control mechanisms implemented and the broadly diversified client structure, there are no significant cluster risks.

Currency risks

In general, fluctuations in the currency market can have both a positive and a negative impact on SUSS's sales and earnings. Changes in the value of the euro, particularly against the US dollar, can influence sales and achievable margins. An appreciation of the euro against the US dollar would have rather negative effects, while a devaluation would result in positive effects for SUSS as it currently has more inflows than outflows in US dollars.

SUSS executes transactions only to a very limited extent in Asian currencies (Japanese yen, Taiwanese dollar, Singapore dollar, South Korean won, and Chinese renminbi). However, the Group subsidiaries located in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and China have euro- and US dollar-denominated receivables from customers and other SUSS companies. Depending on the size and due date, significant currency losses can arise for the Group in the valuation of these receivables in the respective currency.

In the ordinary course of business, SUSS is exposed to foreign currency risks as a result of its international orientation. Currency hedging is carried out on the basis of existing foreign currency orders. Incoming and outgoing payment flows, which arise primarily from foreign currency orders of raw materials and supplies, are deducted from the foreign currency amount to be hedged. This primarily affects customers or suppliers in US dollar currency areas that purchase products from or sell products to SUSS companies in the eurozone. Potential risks arise from the fluctuation of the currency exchange rates and the creditworthiness of the contractual partners. Having adopted countermeasures, SUSS assesses the risk from currency risks as low.

Inflation risks

Inflation risks stem from the possibility that rising prices could adversely affect SUSS's cost structures and margins. In particular, the costs of raw materials, energy, and staffing could be pushed up by persistent inflation, with a negative impact on profitability.

We monitor inflation trends in the relevant markets continuously and endeavor to adjust our pricing strategies and our financing and investment decisions accordingly in order to mitigate the effects of inflation.

Liquidity risks

We define liquidity risk as the risk that the SUSS Group will be unable to fulfill current and future payment obligations as they fall due. For this reason, a key purpose of liquidity management is to ensure that payments that fall due can be settled at any time. Management continuously monitors the risk of liquidity bottlenecks by means of liquidity planning. In addition, bank credit lines are available, in particular an unutilized syndicated revolving credit line in the amount of € 24.0 million, which runs until 2026.

The financing of non-current assets with matching maturity is ensured with shareholders' equity and by taking out long-term loans.

With our existing liquid funds and available credit lines, SUSS's financing is secure for the foreseeable future and will facilitate future growth.

We therefore assess any potential liquidity risk as very low. Further details about the Company's liquidity situation can be found in Note (25).

Market price risks

Market price risks stem from fluctuations in market prices, in particular interest rates. A sharp increase in interest rates could have a negative impact on the SUSS Group's earnings. The syndicated loan agreement concluded in October 2019 includes a variable interest rate for the drawn-down loan amounts. This variable interest rate corresponds to Euribor plus a margin that depends on the debt ratio. A commitment fee is payable on the portion of the credit line that is not utilized.

The concluded KfW development loans bear a fixed interest rate.

SUSS assesses interest rate risk as low. In order to optimize its investments, the Group regularly compares the conditions offered by different banks in order to take advantage of the best market conditions and to optimize the raising of capital. In the process, we also take into account the creditworthiness and flexibility of the banks in order to maximize the profitability of our investments.

Legal risks, compliance risks, social risks, and governance risks

This risk category includes risks from changes in laws and regulations (including sustainability regulations), compliance risks, and risks from infringements of intellectual property rights. Risks from export controls and trade sanctions are also included.

Risks from changes in laws and regulations (Including sustainability regulations)

Political decisions, new laws, and other regulations in the countries in which SUSS operates may also negatively impact our business. This includes tax legislation in respective countries, export restrictions, trade disputes between certain countries, and tightened policies in the areas of product liability, competition law, work safety, and patent and trademark law.

Compliance risks

Compliance risks can result from the collective or individual misconduct of employees, executives, or management. This could result in SUSS facing legal, financial, or even criminal charges. Should SUSS be found to have engaged in unethical behavior, this could result in the loss of orders or the termination of customer relationships. There are currently no known cases that indicate a risk. SUSS has an effective CMS in place with goals that include ensuring sustainable and lawful conduct by its managers and employees. To prevent this risk, regular, IT-based compliance training is provided. The compliance training courses cover the comprehensive training program that SUSS provides for its employees. This includes training on IT security, as well as on the Code of Conduct and internal company principles and policies. Consequently, compliance training helps to prevent IT incidents and legal violations.

Risks from infringements of intellectual property rights

Like many other companies in the semiconductor industry, we could also be affected by risks as a result of possible infringements of intellectual property rights. However, there were no incidents in the past financial year.

Risks from export controls and trade sanctions

SUSS is an international company operating in countries that may be subject to various forms of trade restrictions. Export controls and trade sanctions against certain countries in which we operate could affect our business in these countries or indirectly in other countries.

For example, the United States adopted new export rules in 2024. Based on the information currently available, this does not have a material impact on SUSS. In view of the pace of geopolitical developments, changes can be expected at any time.

Overall assessment

No risks that could endanger the Group's continued existence were identified within the SUSS Group in the 2024 financial year. The continued existence of the Group was not endangered from a material assets and liquidity point of view.

The ten most significant risks for the SUSS Group are presented in the following table. The risks are rated according to their probability of occurrence as well as potential financial impact (measured by the amount of the potential outflow of liquidity) and presented as net risks (considering the defined measures).

Top 10 Risks

Risk	Category	Probability of occurrence	Loss amount	Overall assessment
IT outage	Operating risk	Low	Critical	Medium
Currency risks	Financial risk	Medium	Serious	Medium
Business disruption due to fire	Operating risk	Very low	Critical	Medium
Business disruption due to water	Operating risk	Low	Negligible	Low
Business disruption due to natural disaster	Operating risk	Low	Negligible	Low
General liability risk	Operating risk	Very low	Negligible	Low
Business disruption due to supply technology outage (heating, energy supply)	Operating risk	Very low	Negligible	Low
Production downtime in cleanrooms due to technical faults	Operating risk	Very low	Negligible	Low
Key supplier risk	Strategic risk	Very low	Negligible	Low
General supplier default risk	Operating risk	Very low	Negligible	Low

Events after the Reporting Date

In January 2025, SUSS announced that it would be discontinuing its used machine business with effect from July 31, 2025. Expenses of € 2.9 million were recognized under the cost of sales item in the annual financial statements for the 2024 financial year, due primarily to the write-down of inventories that are no longer expected to be used.

Forecast Report

In its January 2025 forecast, the International Monetary Fund expects the global economy to grow by 3.3 percent as measured according to GDP in 2025. The outlook is positively supported by the further decline in inflation and a drop in energy prices. However, geopolitical tensions and ongoing economic and political instability in Asia and Europe are weighing on the outlook for global growth. Accordingly, global economic performance is expected to be mixed in 2025. In 2025, the IMF expects growth

of 5.1 percent in Asia (Emerging and Developing Asia), a region that is particularly important for SUSS. In China, growth is expected to weaken by 0.2 percentage points and stand at 4.6 percent in 2025. Growth in the US is expected to fall from 2.8 percent in 2024 to 2.7 percent. The IMF expects GDP in the eurozone to increase by 0.2 percentage points to 1.0 percent in 2025, up from 0.8 percent in 2024.

Aside from global economic developments, SUSS's business performance is primarily influenced by trends in the semiconductor industry and semiconductor production. In the following, we will explore various factors that we consider to be essential for the future business development of the Company.

Industry-specific conditions Development of the market for semiconductors and semiconductor equipment

Growth rates for the semiconductor market and for the market for semiconductor equipment may vary. When assessing the growth of the equipment industry, it is important to note that efficiency gains, increases in throughput and yields, and the trend toward larger wafer diameters may cause the industry to diverge from the overall semiconductor market. This also applies to the development of new processes and applications, as well as to the expansion of regional manufacturing capacities.

Gartner's industry experts expect the semiconductor industry to continue to grow in the coming years. Accordingly, the significant growth in market volume is expected to continue in 2025. Gartner expects an increase of 13.8 percent, resulting in a total volume of USD 716.7 billion. The expected growth is primarily due to the planned investment in storage elements. The most important market segment within the semiconductor industry is expected to grow by 20.5 percent in 2025.

The positive outlook for the development of the semiconductor market is also having a positive impact on the semiconductor equipment market. SEMI, the industry association, expects the market to grow by 7.6 percent to reach USD 121.4 billion in 2025. Factors driving this trend include ongoing investments in established technology nodes, strong growth in the backend of semiconductor manufacturing, and sustained strong demand from China. In particular, the increasing complexity of semiconductors used in AI applications and the growing demand for semiconductors in end devices and in the automotive sector are expected to be the main drivers of this development.

Outlook for sales development in the semiconductor market in USD billion

Outlook for sales development in the semiconductor equipment market in USD billion

Outlook for sales development of the wafer fab equipment market in USD billion

0 200 400 600 800 1000 Source: Gartner, October 28, 2024

The suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

0 30 60 90 120 150 Source: SEMI, December 8, 2024

The suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

0 30 60 90 120 150 Source: SEMI, December 8, 2024

The suffix "e" after a year indicates an expected / estimated value

SEMI experts expect the wafer fab equipment submarket, a particularly important one for us, to grow by 6.7 percent to USD 107.6 billion in 2025. While investments in established technology nodes in the foundry and logic segment are expected to grow by 2.8 percent in the coming year, SEMI expects the memory applications segment (DRAM) to record very strong growth of 47.8 percent, driven in particular by high-bandwidth memory chips (HBM) for AI applications.

Experts at Bloomberg Intelligence estimate that the AI-driven growth trend for HBM memory storage will continue in the years ahead. The HBM market is expected to grow to USD 130 billion by 2033, which corresponds to an annualized growth rate of around 42 percent. Key drivers will be technical steps, such as the transition from HBM3E to HBM4 in the second half of 2025 and early 2026 and the transition to HBM5 at the end of the 2020s. The development of the HBM market will also entail ongoing investments in the production infrastructure. This development is relevant for both segments at SUSS. While the Photomask Solutions segment, with its solutions for the production and cleaning of photomasks, is benefiting from a general increase in the number of wafers processed at the frontend, demand for temporary bonding solutions in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment is expected to remain generally stable in the medium term. We expect that from the HBM5 generation at the latest, when hybrid bonding is likely to replace the thermal compression bonding (TCB) used to date for stacking as many as 20 memory layers, we will also be able to position our solution for chip-to-wafer hybrid bonding.

Another indicator of the trends in the semiconductor equipment market and the demand for systems is the development of the wafer volume utilized in the semiconductor production process. SEMI expects the number of what are known as wafer starts to increase by 6.6 percent to 33.6 million wafers per month in 2025. Growth will be particularly strong in the area of the most advanced technology nodes of less than 7 nanometers, at around 16 percent, due primarily to the further growth in manufacturing capacity for high-performance computers.

SUSS's solutions focus on individual process steps in the semiconductor industry, which in themselves can represent distinct market segments. Beyond the period of firmly agreed orders, the market data for our relevant submarkets often exhibit a considerable degree of uncertainty, in addition to difficulties in the methodical allocation of our segments and product lines. A change in our customers' priorities may lead to a change in market momentum. For this reason, along with the general indicators of market development, our order book is the most important basis for forecasting expected development.

Statement on the projected development of the Group – Forecast for 2025

SUSS ended the 2024 financial year with an order book worth € 428.4 million as of December 31, 2024. We expect to execute the vast majority of this order book in financial year 2025. Our current production capacities for solutions in the Photomask Solutions segment are therefore running at almost full capacity. Additional orders we receive this year are not expected to result in delivery and the recognition of sales until 2026. The order book for solutions in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment as of December 31, 2024, will ensure full production capacity utilization until well into the third quarter of 2025. A number of orders for solutions for the Bonding, Imaging, and Coating Systems product

lines that we receive in the first half of 2025 may still be processed this year due to throughput times being reduced to a normal level.

All in all, we expect to see strong demand for our products and services from customers in our relevant markets in 2025. In the Advanced Backend Solutions segment, we expect the order situation for our backend lithography business, that is, for the Imaging and Coating Systems product lines, to improve in comparison to 2024. We have already seen a trend reversal in our coating solutions in the second half of 2024, marked, for example, by rising demand from OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Tests) customers. We expect this improvement in our order situation to continue in 2025. We also expect a higher order intake for our imaging solutions, in particular for the UV projection scanner, which is used in the leading packaging process for AI chip modules. After two exceptionally strong years, which benefited from the initial capacity build-up for semiconductors used in AI applications, we expect a slight decline in order intake for our bonding solutions compared to the previous year. Our memory chip and packaging customers have ordered large numbers of tools over the past year and a half in order to keep up with the high market demand. A further increase in demand from suppliers of AI chip modules seems likely to generate follow-up orders for our Company, although not on the same scale as in the past two years. We expect order intake to remain stable across all product lines compared to the previous year because of the positive trend in demand for our imaging and coating solutions and the expected drop in order intake for bonding solutions will more or less balance each other out.

We do not expect to achieve the high order intake of € 123.5 million recorded in the Photomask Solutions segment in 2024 in the 2025 financial year. The reason for this is that demand from China is returning to normal levels after we benefited enormously from investments in local Chinese semiconductor manufacturing capacity in recent years. Additional impetus from the market launch of our new high-end cleaning solution MaskTrack Smart and a cleaner for mid-end applications, scheduled for 2026, is not expected until the end of financial year 2025 at the earliest.

The supply chain situation improved significantly in 2023 and 2024. The situation remains challenging for specific components and modules for systems that are currently in high demand. In particular, the planned growth of the UV projection scanner in 2025 is a challenge for our suppliers, who, like us, will need to increase their capacities in order to meet ambitious delivery schedules. Further factors of uncertainty are the prompt filling of vacant positions, especially at our manufacturing sites in Sternenfels, Germany, and Hsinchu, Taiwan, and the expected increases in material prices and wages due to inflation. From a global point of view, the possibility of further geopolitical escalations, especially in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and an escalating trade war resulting from the imposition of higher import tariffs and export restrictions are a source of additional uncertainty.

Provided that the situation in the world economy in general and the semiconductor and semiconductor equipment markets in particular does not deteriorate unexpectedly, we expect sales to be in the range of € 470 to € 510 million for the full year of 2025. The midpoint of this range would translate into a growth rate of around 10 percent. Achieving this target depends on sustained positive customer demand in order to fully utilize production capacities. This sales forecast does not take into account any major project delays or order cancellations by our customers, which we currently do not expect, nor does it take into account any tightening of trade sanctions, such as new tariffs and other regulations that could make it more difficult to export our systems to key sales markets.

We expect the gross profit margin to move sideways in the 2025 financial year. The product and customer mix that contributed to the significantly higher gross profit margin in 2024 is likely to be similar in the 2025 financial year. In contrast, positive volume effects will be offset by one-time expenses for the set-up of the new production site in Zhubei, Taiwan. Taking all factors into account, we expect the gross profit margin in the 2025 financial year to range between 39 percent and 41 percent.

We expect earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to be positively influenced by the higher level of sales and the associated economies of scale. Simultaneously, our growth transformation efforts will have a stronger impact in the 2025 financial year. Whereas we expect research and development expenditure and sales costs to rise in proportion to the growth in sales, we expect administrative costs to increase at a disproportionate rate. The main drivers are IT projects, such as preparations for the changeover of the ERP system and the implementation of a new consolidation and reporting solution, ESG projects, and increased expenditure on recruitment and the workforce. Overall, we expect the EBIT margin to range between 15 and 17 percent.

Forecast 2025
Performance indicators	Forecast 2025	Results for 2024
Sales	€ 470 to 510 million	€ 446.1 million
Gross profit margin	39 to 41%	40.0%
EBIT margin	15 to 17%	16.8%

The Advanced Backend Solutions segment will continue to account for the largest share of Group sales in the 2025 financial year. We expect to be able to process the order book worth € 271.7 million as of December 31, 2024, and several orders that we receive from our customers in the first half of 2025 during the 2025 financial year. This results in an expected sales growth in the mid-single-digit percentage range, on the basis of € 314.7 million in 2024. Due to a slight change in the product and customer mix and higher expenditure for research and development, sales, and administration, we expect a slight decline in both the gross profit margin (2024: 42.2 percent) and the EBIT margin (2024: 19.2 percent). In the Photomask Solutions segment, the high order book of € 156.7 million as of December 31, 2024, most of which we intend to execute in the 2025 financial year, will ensure a high degree of visibility and the prospect of achieving growth in sales of 10 to 20 percent compared to the previous year's figure of € 131.4 million. We believe that a slight improvement in the gross profit margin (2024: 36.1 percent) and EBIT margin (2024: 20.7 percent) is likely based on the higher sales volume and an improvement in the product and customer mix.

Given that the parent company SUSS MicroTec SE's net income for the 2024 financial year was extraordinarily high due to the gain of € 54.5 million on the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., the Management Board expects a significantly lower net income for SUSS MicroTec SE in the 2025 financial year than in the previous year despite the generally positive outlook for the SUSS Group.

Expected development of performance indicators

The success and future development of SUSS should not only be reflected in financial performance indicators but also achieved in a sustainable manner. For this reason, we also include nonfinancial performance indicators in the control system.

Development of non-financial performance indicators

Performance indicators	Expected develop ment in 2025	Results for 2024
Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2e emissions (market-based) (in tons of CO2e)	1,880 to 1,900	1,491
Employee Engagement Score (in %)	50%	38%
Completed compliance training (in %)	100%	98%

CO₂e emission equivalents are a measure of how successful we are in making SUSS production more climate-friendly and in contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases. In terms of its total emissions, SUSS is a low-volume emitter. However, we are firmly convinced that even modest contributions and our ongoing commitment are essential to improving our performance with regard to sustainability. The increase in CO2e emissions is mainly due to the growth achieved by our site in Taiwan. In addition, it is not expected that the demand for electricity at the new site will be fully covered by renewable energy sources in 2025.

CO₂e emission equivalents are a measure of how successful we are in making SUSS production more climate-friendly and in contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gases. In terms of its total emissions, SUSS is a low-volume emitter. However, we are firmly convinced that even modest contributions and our ongoing commitment are essential to improving our performance with regard to sustainability. The increase in CO2e emissions is mainly due to the growth achieved by our site in Taiwan. In addition, it is not expected that the demand for electricity at the new site will be fully covered by renewable energy sources in 2025.

Good corporate governance means that SUSS and all of its employees act in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal Company policies such as the Code of Conduct. This starts with our training courses, in which we ensure that our employees are familiar with all compliance requirements. We have again set ourselves the target of training all employees in the year ahead.

Forward-looking statements

This Report contains forward-looking statements and forecasts on the SUSS Group, its subsidiaries, and economic and political conditions that could affect SUSS's business performance. All estimates, including forecasts, are based on assumptions that we have made on the basis of the information available to us at the present time. Actual business performance may deviate from our expectations if these assumptions prove to be incorrect or only partially correct or if additional risks, uncertainties, or other developments occur. Therefore, no guarantee can be provided for the statements and forecasts.

Garching, Germany, March 18, 2025

Signed

Burkhardt Frick

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Dr. Thomas Rohe

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Consolidated Financial Statements (IRFS)

Consolidated Statement of Income (IFRS)	232
Statement of Comprehensive Income (IFRS)	233
Consolidated Balance Sheet (IFRS)	234
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (IFRS)	236
Consolidated Statement of Changes in
Shareholders' Equity (IFRS)	238
Fixed Assets Movement Schedule	239
Segment Reporting (IFRS)	243
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
According to IFRS for 2024	246
Comments on the IFRS Consolidated Statement of Income	262
Explanations on the Assets Side	270
Explanations on the Equity and Liabilities Side	274
Financial Instruments	296
Other Disclosures	301
Responsibility Statement by the Legal Representatives	308
Audit Certificate of the Independent Auditor	309
Independent Auditor's Report	317

231

Consolidated Statement of Income (IFRS)

for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024

in € thousand	Note	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Sales	(4)	446,147	304,262
Cost of sales	(5)	−267,799	−200,370
Gross profit		178,348	103,892
Selling costs		−27,496	−21,374
Research and development costs	(11)	−40,057	−31,309
Administration costs		−34,018	−24,197
Other operating income	(6)	4,493	7,311
Other operating expenses	(7)	−6,141	−6,537
Net income from operations (EBIT)		75,129	27,786
Financial income		3,216	955
Financial expenses		−466	−418
Financial result	(8)	2,750	537
Profit / loss before taxes (continuing operations)		77,879	28,323
Income taxes	(9)	−25,821	−10,988
Profit / loss (continuing operations)		52,058	17,335
Profit / loss (discontinued operations)	(3)	58,285	−12,638

in € thousand	Note	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Net profit		110,343	4,697
Thereof equity holders of SUSS MicroTec SE		110,343	4,697
Thereof non-controlling interests		0	0
Earnings per share continuing operations (basic) in €	(10)	2.72	0.91
Earnings per share continuing operations (diluted) in €		2.72	0.91

Statement of Comprehensive Income (IFRS)

for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024

in € thousand	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Net profit	110,343	4,697
Items that are not reclassified to profit and loss
Remeasurements of defined benefit pension plans	1,213	−1,534
Deferred taxes	−90	173
Other income after tax for items that are not reclassified as an expense or income	1,123	−1,361
Items that are reclassified in later periods
Foreign currency adjustment
gains and losses arising in the current period	1,436	−626
less transfers to the income statement	−4,518	0
Foreign currency adjustment total	−3,082	−626
Other income after tax for items that are reclassified as an expense or income in later periods	−3,082	−626
Total income and expenses recognized in equity (after taxes)	−1,959	−1,987
Total income and expenses reported in the reporting period	108,384	2,710
Thereof equity holders of SUSS MicroTec SE	108,384	2,710
Thereof non-controlling interests	0	0

Consolidated Balance Sheet (IFRS)

as at December 31, 2024

Assets
in € thousand	Note	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
Non-current assets
Intangible assets	(12)	4,616	5,499
Goodwill	(13)	18,631	18,494
Tangible assets	(14)	33,815	31,129
Other assets	(15)	845	511
Deferred tax assets	(9)	697	684
Non-current assets		58,604	56,317
Current assets
Inventories	(16)	213,971	166,708
Trade receivables	(17)	14,861	17,685
Contract assets	(18)	58,890	35,238
Other financial assets	(19)	1,204	1,009
Securities	(33)	0	9,895
Current tax assets	(20)	67	123

Total assets		500,873	369,732
Current assets		442,269	313,415
Assets held for sale	(3)	0	33,864
Other assets	(22)	17,037	10,779
Cash and cash equivalents	(21)	136,239	38,114
in € thousand	Note	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
Assets

Consolidated Balance Sheet (IFRS)

as at December 31, 2024

Liabilities & shareholders' equity

in € thousand	Note	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
Equity
Subscribed capital	(23)	19,116	19,116
Reserves	(23)	262,411	157,323
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(23)	−1,781	178
Equity		279,746	176,617
Total equity attributable to shareholders of SUSS MicroTec SE		279,746	176,617
Non-current liabilities
Pension plans and similar commitments	(24)	1,800	1,584
Provisions	(25)	3,911	1,675
Financial debt	(27)	4,063	5,313
Financial debt from lease obligations	(27)	5,708	6,267
Other financial liabilities	(26)	1,467	332
Contract liabilities 1	(30)	820	342
Deferred tax liabilities	(9)	20,847	11,207
Non-current liabilities		38,616	26,720

Liabilities & shareholders' equity
in € thousand	Note	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
Current liabilities
Provisions	(28)	4,225	7,347
Tax liabilities	(32)	20,578	11,825
Financial debt	(27)	1,266	1,249
Financial debt from lease obligations	(27)	2,258	2,349
Other financial liabilities	(29)	18,078	9,420
Trade payables		31,546	27,110
Contract liabilities 1	(30)	99,443	88,702
Other liabilities 1	(31)	5,117	5,405
Liabilities in connection with assets held for sale	(3)	0	12,988
Current liabilities		182,511	166,395
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity		500,873	369,732

1 Previous year values adjusted see Notes letter D) Change of presentation

235

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (IFRS)

for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024

in € thousand	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Net profit	110,343	4,697
Adjustments to reconcile net income / (loss) to operating cash flows
Income / (loss) from discontinued operations (net of taxes)	−58,285	12,638
Amortization of intangible assets	1,601	1,521
Depreciation of tangible assets	6,220	5,344
Profit or loss on disposal of intangible and tangible assets	172	147
Change of reserves on inventories	8,229	5,364
Change of reserves for bad debts	37	−1,361
Other non-cash effective income and expenses	1,053	−1,697
Change in inventories	−55,547	−29,446
Change in contract assets	−23,618	2,634
Change in trade receivables	2,778	−2,422
Change in other assets	−6,787	−3,647
Change in pension provisions	229	−94
Change in trade payables	4,451	1,686
Change in contract liabilities 1	10,743	9,605

in € thousand	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Change in other liabilities and other provisions 1	12,902	1,706
Change in tax assets and tax liabilities	18,040	5,810
Cash flow from operating activities – continuing operations	32,561	12,485
Cash flow from operating activities – discontinued operations	929	−8,697
Cash flow from operating activities – total	33,490	3,788
Disbursements for other tangible assets	−6,846	−3,353
Disbursements for intangible assets	−718	−1,250
Cash outflows due to investments within short-term commercial paper	0	−9,895
Cash income due to investments within short-term commercial paper	9,895	9,943
Cash flow from investing activities – continuing operations	2,331	−4,555
Cash flow from investing activities – discontinued operations	69,522	−3,627
Cash flow from investing activities – total	71,853	−8,182
Repayment of bank loans	−1,250	−1,250
Repayment of leasing liabilities	−2,844	−2,194

1 Previous year values adjusted see Notes letter D) Change of presentation

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (IFRS)

for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024

in € thousand	01/01/2024– 12/31/2024	01/01/2023– 12/31/2023
Change in other financial debt	17	23
Dividends paid	−3,823	−3,823
Cash flow from financing activities – continuing operations	−7,900	−7,244
Cash flow from financing activities – discontinued operations	0	−773
Cash flow from financing activities	−7,900	−8,017
Adjustments to funds caused by exchange-rate fluctuations	39	−196
Change in cash and cash equivalents	97,482	−12,607
Funds at beginning of the year	38,757	51,364
Funds at end of the period	136,239	38,757
(thereof cash and cash equivalents from discontinued operations)	0	642
Cash flow from operating activities (continuing operations) including:
Interest paid during the period	249	174
Interest received during the period	3,209	910
Taxes paid during the period	7,105	5,136

Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity (IFRS)

for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2024

			Earnings reserve	Accumulated other comprehensive income
in € thousand	Subscribed capital	Additional paid-in capital		Remeasurement of defined benefit plans	Deferred taxes	Foreign currency adjustments	Total equity attributable to shareholders of SUSS MicroTec SE
As of January 1, 2023	19,116	55,822	100,628	−1,744	465	3,443	177,730
Net income	–	–	4,697	–	–	–	4,697
Total income and expenses recognized in equity	–	–	–	−1,534	173	−626	−1,987
Total comprehensive income	–	–	4,697	−1,534	173	−626	2,710
Dividends paid	–	–	−3,823	–	–	–	−3,823
As of December 31, 2023	19,116	55,822	101,502	−3,278	638	2,817	176,617
As of January 1, 2024	19,116	55,822	101,502	−3,278	638	2,817	176,617
Net income	–	–	110,343	–	–	–	110,343
Total income and expenses recognized in equity 1	–	–	–	1,213	−90	−3,082	−1,959
Total comprehensive income	–	–	110,343	1,213	−90	−3,082	108,384
Dividends paid	–	–	−3,823	–	–	–	−3,823
Effect from divestment of a subsidiary	–	–	−1,432	–	–	–	−1,432
As of December 31, 2024	19,116	55,822	206,590	−2,065	548	−265	279,746

1 Includes a reclassification effect of € 1,432 thousand from the sale of a subsidiary

Fixed Assets Movement Schedule 2024

	Acquisition and Manufacturing Costs							Accumulated Depreciation						Net Book Value
in € thousand	01/01/2024	Currency difference	Additions	Additions due to business combinations	Disposals	12/31/2024	01/01/2024	Currency difference	Additions	Reclassifi cations	Disposals	12/31/2024	12/31/2023	12/31/2024
I. Intangible Assets
1. Concessions, industrial and similar rights and assets, and licences in such rights and assets	18,926	23	718	–	–	19,667	13,733	23	1,566	–	–	15,322	5,193	4,345
2. Development Costs	29,479	54	–	–	–	29,533	29,479	54	–	–	–	29,533	–	–
3. Other intangible assets	1,395	–	–	–	–	1,395	1,089	–	35	–	–	1,124	306	271
	49,800	77	718	–	–	50,595	44,301	77	1,601	–	–	45,979	5,499	4,616
II. Goodwill	32,907	137	–	–	–	33,044	14,413	–	–	–	–	14,413	18,494	18,631
III. Tangible Assets
1. Properties, buildings, fixtures	23,007	11	865	–	–	23,883	7,540	8	955	–	–	8,503	15,467	15,380
2. Technical equipment and machinery	8,571	–	2,232	55	–	10,858	4,901	3	992	–	–	5,896	3,670	4,962
3. Other equipment, office, and plant furnishings	15,683	1	3,481	−55	431	18,679	12,350	7	1,412	–	430	13,339	3,333	5,340

Fixed Assets Movement Schedule 2024

	Acquisition and Manufacturing Costs						Accumulated Depreciation						Net Book Value
in € thousand	01/01/2024	Currency difference	Additions	Additions due to business combinations	Disposals	12/31/2024	01/01/2024	Currency difference	Additions	Reclassifi cations	Disposals	12/31/2024	12/31/2023	12/31/2024
4. Vehicles	473	1	–	–	–	474	364	2	16	–	–	382	109	92
5. Equipment under construction	–	–	268	–	–	268	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	268
6. Capitalized lease assets
Technical equipment and machinery	315	20	–	–	–	335	315	20	–	–	–	335	–	–
Vehicle fleet	25	−1	–	–	−2	26	27	−1	–	–	–	26	−2	–
7. Right-of-use assets	15,920	32	2,243	–	1,122	17,073	7,368	39	2,845	–	952	9,300	8,552	7,773
	63,994	64	9,089	–	1,551	71,596	32,865	78	6,220	–	1,382	37,781	31,129	33,815
IV. Financial Assets
Other financial assets	2,120	–	–	–	2,120	–	2,120	–	–	–	2,120	–	–	–
	2,120	–	–	–	2,120	–	2,120	–	–	–	2,120	–	–	–
	148,821	278	9,807	–	3,671	155,235	93,699	155	7,821	–	3,502	98,173	55,122	57,062

Fixed Assets Movement Schedule 2023

	Acquisition and Manufacturing Costs									Accumulated Depreciation						Net Book Value
in € thousand	01/01/2023	Currency differ ence	Addi tions	Additions due to business combina tions	Reclassifi cations	Dis posals	12/31/2023	01/01/2023	Currency differ ence	Addi tions	Additions due to business combina tions	Reclassifi cations	Dis posals	12/31/2023	12/31/2022	12/31/2023
I. Intangible Assets
1. Concessions, industrial and similar rights and assets, and licences in such rights and assets	18,279	19	1,285	−664	7	–	18,926	12,753	5	1,486	511	–	–	13,733	5,526	5,193
2. Development Costs	29,511	−32	–	–	–	–	29,479	29,511	−32	–	–	–	–	29,479	–	–
3. Other intangible assets	1,395	–	–	–	–	–	1,395	1,046	8	35	–	–	–	1,089	349	306
	49,185	−13	1,285	−664	7	–	49,800	43,310	−19	1,521	511	–	–	44,301	5,875	5,499
II. Goodwill	32,987	−80	–	–	–	–	32,907	14,413	–	–	–	–	–	14,413	18,574	18,494
III. Tangible Assets
1. Properties, buildings, fixtures	22,025	−7	920	–	69	–	23,007	6,654	−2	888	–	–	–	7,540	15,371	15,467
2. Technical equipment and machinery	34,702	1,688	1,300	−29,974	1,401	546	8,571	19,367	965	1,004	16,081	–	354	4,901	15,335	3,670

Fixed Assets Movement Schedule 2023

	Acquisition and Manufacturing Costs								Accumulated Depreciation						Net Book Value
in € thousand	01/01/2023	Currency differ ence	Addi tions	Additions due to business combina tions	Reclassifi cations	Dis posals	12/31/2023	01/01/2023	Currency differ ence	Addi tions	Additions due to business combina tions	Reclassifi cations	Dis posals	12/31/2023	12/31/2022	12/31/2023
3. Other equipment, office, and plant furnishings	15,383	−63	1,684	−784	−261	276	15,683	11,868	−32	1,256	474	–	268	12,350	3,515	3,333
4. Vehicles	400	−4	77	–	–	–	473	356	−5	13	–	–	–	364	44	109
5. Equipment under construction	2,469	145	2,963	−4,328	−1,216	33	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2,469	–
6. Capitalized lease assets
Technical equipment and machinery	327	−12	–	–	–	–	315	327	−12	–	–	–	–	315	–	–
Vehicle fleet	28	−1		−2	–	–	25	30	−3	–	–	–	–	27	−2	−2
7. Right-of-use assets	19,669	79	4,065	−7,310	–	583	15,920	7,532	−50	2,183	1,755	–	542	7,368	12,137	8,552
	95,003	1,825	11,009	−42,398	−7	1,438	63,994	46,134	861	5,344	18,310	–	1,164	32,865	48,869	31,129
IV. Financial Assets
Other financial assets	2,120	–	–	–	–	–	2,120	2,120	–	–	–	–	–	2,120	–	–
	2,120	–	–	–	–	–	2,120	2,120	–	–	–	–	–	2,120	–	–
	179,295	1,732	12,294	−43,062	–	1,438	148,821	105,977	842	6,865	18,821	–	1,164	93,699	73,318	55,122

Segment Reporting (IFRS)

Segment reporting is part of the Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Segment information by business segment

		Advanced Backend Solutions		Photomask Solutions		MicroOptics 1		Central Group Functions		Consolidation Effects		Total
in € thousand	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023
External Sales	314,730	214,500	131,413	89,676	1,329	22,943	4	86	–	–	447,476	327,205
Internal Sales	–	226	–	–	–	1,766	–	–	–	−1,992	–	–
Total Sales	314,730	214,726	131,413	89,676	1,329	24,709	4	86	–	−1,992	447,476	327,205
Gross profit	132,842	77,782	47,430	26,547	−55	2,631	−1,924	−838	–	–	178,293	106,122
Gross profit margin	42.2%	36.2%	36.1%	29.6%	−4.1%	10.6%	–	–	–	–	39.8%	32.4%
Other segment expenses / income (net)	−72,300	−57,718	−20,216	−14,193	−270	−11,093	48,303	−7,052	–	–	−44,483	−90,056
thereof intersegment cost allocation (net)	−11,528	−10,540	−4,164	−3,514	–	−759	15,692	14,813	–	–	–	–
thereof central services of SUSS MicroTec SE	−11,528	−10,504	−4,164	−3,514	–	−1,153	15,692	15,171	–	–	–	–
Result per segment (EBIT)	60,542	20,064	27,214	12,354	−325	−8,462	46,379	−7,890	–	–	133,810	16,066
EBIT margin	19.2%	9.3%	20.7%	13.8%	−24.5%	−34.2%					29.9%	4.9%
Income before taxes	60,493	20,000	27,209	12,349	−325	−8,520	49,183	−7,283	–	–	136,560	16,546
Significant non-cash items	−10,770	−2,442	1,999	−1,558	–	4,414	373	22	–	–	−8,398	436

1 Discontinued activities

Continuation on the next page

Segment Reporting (IFRS)

Continuation

Segment information by business segment

	Advanced Backend Solutions		Photomask Solutions		MicroOptics 1		Central Group Functions		Consolidation Effects		Total
in € thousand	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023
Segment assets	248,972	189,348	78,483	67,906	–	31,855	17,329	34,963	–	−16,948	344,784	307,124
thereof goodwill	18,631	18,494	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	18,631	18,494
Unallocated assets											156,089	62,608
Total assets											500,873	369,732
Segment liabilities 2	−98,627	−66,883	−42,640	−56,958	–	−19,987	−5,917	−4,790	–	16,948	−147,184	−131,670
Unallocated liabilities											−73,943	−61,445
Total liabilities											−221,127	−193,115
Depreciation and amortization	4,044	4,205	1,864	840	–	2,486	1,913	1,817	–	–	7,821	9,348
thereof scheduled	3,965	4,205	1,864	840	–	2,486	1,913	1,817	–	–	7,742	9,348
thereof impairment loss	79	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	79	–
Capital expenditure	5,122	2,449	1,586	758	–	3,629	856	1,394	–	–	7,564	8,230
Employees as of December 31	1,178	941	267	220	–	138	53	46	–	–	1,498	1,345

1 Discontinued operations

2 Previous year values adjusted see Notes letter D) Change of presentation

Segment Reporting (IFRS)

Segment information by region 1

		Sales	Capital expenditure		Assets (without Goodwill)
in € thousand	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023	12M / 2024	12M / 2023
EMEA	31,118	69,745	5,810	7,055	296,692	262,249
North-America	26,064	45,914	30	27	4,912	2,698
Asia and Pacific	390,294	211,546	1,724	1,148	29,853	21,597
Consolidation effects					−5,304	2,086
Total	447,476	327,205	7,564	8,230	326,153	288,630

1 including discontinued activities

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements According to IFRS for 2024

of SUSS MicroTec SE for the 2024 Fiscal Year

(1) Description of business activity

SUSS MicroTec SE (the "Company"), domiciled at Schleissheimer Str. 90, 85748 Garching, near Munich, Germany (District Court of Munich, HRB 235132), and its subsidiaries constitute an international Group (hereinafter: "the Group") that develops, manufactures, and distributes products using microelectromechanical systems and microelectronics. Production is spread across facilities in Garching and Sternenfels in Germany, Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and Hsinchu in Taiwan.

The Company's products are distributed by the production sites themselves directly and also through distribution companies in the USA, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, China, and Korea. In countries in which the Group does not have offices of its own, distribution is organized through trade representatives.

At the Annual General Meeting of SUSS MicroTec SE on June 11, 2024, the shareholders resolved with 100 percent approval to amend Section 1 (1) of the Articles of Incorporation and to change the name of the Group holding company from SÜSS MicroTec SE to SUSS MicroTec SE.

(2) Summary of significant accounting policies

A) Basis of presentation

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Interpretations of the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) approved and published by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), which are mandatory in the European Union.

The Company is a Societas Europaea or European company (SE) and is subject to German law. Under the provisions of the German Commercial Code (Handelsgesetzbuch, HGB), the Company is required to prepare consolidated financial statements in accordance with the accounting regulations of Section 315e HGB because SUSS MicroTec SE is a capital market-oriented company. The Group Management Report has been prepared in accordance with Section 315 HGB. The statement of income has been prepared using the cost of sales method.

The consolidated financial statements were prepared on the basis of historical acquisition and production costs, with the exception of certain financial instruments that were recognized at fair value on the balance sheet date. A corresponding explanation is made as part of the respective accounting and valuation principles. The requirements of the IFRS have been met in full and lead to the presentation of a true and fair view of the net assets, financial position and results of operations of the SUSS Group. The consolidated financial statements were prepared on the basis of the going concern assumption.

The consolidated financial statements and the Group Management Report for the year ending on December 31, 2024, will be submitted to and published in the Federal Gazette.

B) Standards and interpretations that have been applied for the first time

In the 2024 financial year, SUSS MicroTec SE also applied the following new standards and amendments to existing standards, to the extent applicable, for the first time:

Amendments to standards without material impacts

Amendments to standards	Mandatory application
IFRS 16	Amendments to IFRS 16: Leases: Lease liability in a sale and leaseback transaction
IAS 1	Amendment to IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements: Classification of Liabilities as Non-current or Current	01/01/2024
IAS 7	Amendments to IAS 7 Cash Flow Statements, IFRS 7 Financial Instruments – Disclosures: "Supplier Financing Arrangements"	01/01/2024
IAS 21	Amendments to IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates: Lack of Exchangeability of a Foreign Currency	01/01/2024

C) Published standards and interpretations that have not been applied prior to the mandatory applicable date

The IASB has issued the following amendments to standards, the application of which is not yet mandatory for the 2024 financial year and some of which have not yet been adopted into European law.

Accounting standards that have been published but not yet applied

Amendments to standards / new standards		Mandatory appli cation	Expected impact
IAS 21	Amendments to IAS 21 "Lack of Exchangeability of a Foreign Currency"	01/01/2025	No material impact expected
IFRS 9 and IFRS 7	Amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7 Amendments to the Classification and Measurement of Financial Instruments	01/01/2026 1	No material impact expected
IFRS 18	Presentation and disclosures in the financial statements	01/01/2027 1	See the following information
IFRS 19	Subsidiaries without Public Accountability: Disclosures	01/01/2027 1	No material impact expected

1 The EU endorsement process is still pending.

The initial application of these amended standards and interpretations is not expected to result in any material impact on the consolidated financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE.

IFRS 18 replaces IAS 1, although many of the requirements of IAS 1 have been carried forward unchanged and supplemented by new requirements. In addition, a number of paragraphs in IAS 1, IAS 8, and IFRS 7 have been shifted. The IASB has also made a number of minor amendments to IAS 7 and IAS 33.

IFRS 18 in particular introduces the following new requirements:

• Presentation of specific categories and defined subtotals in the statement of income
• Disclosure of key performance indicators defined by management (management performance measures or MPMs) in the Notes
• Compliance with new guidelines on grouping information in IFRS financial statements (aggregation and disaggregation)

Based on the information currently available, SUSS MicroTec SE assumes that the application of the new standard will have an impact on its consolidated financial statements, in particular on the presentation of the statement of income. An analysis of the impact is still ongoing.

D) Change in the presentation of previous year's figures

These financial statements contain changes to the reported figures as compared to previous reporting dates. An error in the collection of data in the calculation of current and non-current liabilities resulted in contract liabilities being incorrectly recognized as other liabilities. The figures for the comparison period have been adjusted accordingly.

The adjustment relates to the presentation in the statement of financial position, statement of cash flows, and segment reporting only and has no impact on shareholders' equity, the statement of income, or earnings per share (neither diluted nor basic).

The following table shows the effects of the adjustment on the consolidated statement of financial position:

Liabilities in € thousand	2023 As reported	Reclassifi cations	2023 Adjusted
Non-current liabilities	0	+342	342
Contract liabilities	0	+342	342
Current liabilities	94,449	−342	94,107
Contract liabilities	87,038	+1,664	88,702
Other liabilities 1	7,411	−2,006	5,405
Total assets	369,732	0	369,732

1 Liabilities for payments in kind

E) Significant accounting and valuation methods

Taking into consideration the quality criteria of the accounting and the applicable IFRS, the consolidated financial statements fulfill the principles of true and fair view and of fair presentation. In preparing the consolidated financial statements according to IFRS, the following accounting policies were primarily applied.

Goodwill

Under IFRS 3, derivative goodwill is not subject to amortization but is instead tested once a year for impairment. This test is also carried out if events or circumstances occur that may indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the level of the cash-generating unit or group of cash-generating units to which the goodwill was allocated. Goodwill reported in the statement of financial position is tested at the level of the Advanced Backend Solutions segment.

In an impairment test, the carrying amounts of the cash-generating unit or group of cash-generating units are compared with their individual recoverable amounts, that is, with the higher of fair value less cost of disposal and value in use. These amounts are generally based on discounted cash flows (discounted cash flow calculation).

An impairment loss is recognized if the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit or group of cash-generating units is less than its carrying amount. This is first allocated to the carrying amount of the allocated goodwill and subsequently on a pro-rata basis to the other assets based on the carrying amounts of each asset in proportion to the total carrying amount of the assets within the cash-generating unit or group of cash-generating units.

Any impairment of goodwill is recognized directly in the statement of income. Impairment losses recognized for goodwill may not be reversed in future periods.

Other intangible assets

Purchased and internally generated intangible assets are capitalized pursuant to IAS 38 if it is probable that a future economic benefit will flow from the use of the asset and the costs of the asset can be determined reliably. They are recognized at cost and amortized normally using the straight-line method over their useful life, which is a maximum of ten years.

Development costs in connection with product development are capitalized as cost of sales if the expense can be attributed clearly and if technical feasibility and successful marketing are assured. It must, moreover, be sufficiently probable that the development activity will indeed generate a future economic benefit. The capitalized development performances comprise all costs that are directly attributable to the development process, including overheads relating to development. Capitalized development costs are amortized normally using the straight-line method from the commencement of production over the expected product life cycle, which is generally three to five years.

There are no other intangible assets with an indeterminate useful life in the SUSS MicroTec Group.

Tangible assets

Tangible assets are recognized at acquisition or production cost and depreciated on a straight-line basis over their expected useful life. The depreciation periods for the principal categories of assets are given below:

Buildings, fixtures	10–40 years
Technical equipment and machinery	4–10 years
Other equipment, office, and plant furnishings	3–7 years
Vehicles	5 years

When assets are disposed of, the related historical costs and accumulated depreciation are derecognized, and the difference in revenue from the sale is recognized as other operating expense or income.

The Group recognizes right-of-use assets separately under tangible assets in accordance with IFRS 16. The right of use is measured upon conclusion of the lease agreement at cost, reflecting the present value of the anticipated lease payments. Amortization of right-of-use assets is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease unless the useful life of the leased asset is shorter. If the lease agreement contains sufficiently certain purchase options, the right of use is amortized over the economic useful life of the underlying asset.

In compliance with the rules of IAS 16, there was no revaluation of tangible assets.

Impairment of intangible assets and depreciation of tangible assets

SUSS tests tangible assets and other intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Where there are such indications, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of any impairment loss. If the recoverable amount for the individual asset cannot be estimated, the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset is allocated is estimated. If the estimated recoverable amount of an asset or a cash-generating unit is less than the carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset or cash-generating unit is written down to the recoverable amount. The impairment loss is recognized in profit or loss.

Given that the determination of the recoverable amount is associated with estimates, it may have a significant influence on the values in question and ultimately on the amount of any impairment.

Leases

A lease is established on the basis of an agreement that entitles the holder to control the use of an identified asset for a certain period of time in return for the payment of a fee.

The Group's lease agreements include office space and production areas, IT equipment, and passenger vehicles. The term of the lease agreements ranges from three to twelve years. Some have the option to extend the lease agreements after this period. Individual lease agreements provide for additional lease payments based on the change in the local price indexes.

SUSS recognizes right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for leases with a term of more than twelve months, provided the underlying asset is not of low value. Lease payments for short-term leases and leases of low-value assets are recognized as an expense over the term of the lease. In the 2024 financial year, leasing expenses for short-term leases and leases of low-value assets amounted to € 1.041 thousand (previous year: € 819 thousand).

Options to extend the lease are included in the term of the lease if there is reasonable certainty that they will be made use of.

The right of use is measured upon conclusion of the lease agreement at cost, reflecting the present value of the anticipated lease payments. Subsequently, the right of use is depreciated on a straight-line basis as of the date the leased object is made available until the end of the leasing period.

The lease liabilities are recognized when the agreement is concluded at the present value of the lease payments that have still not been made as of the provision date. The subsequent measurement of the lease liability is done at its amortized carrying amount using the effective interest method. The lease liability is remeasured if the future lease payments change due to a change in the index or (interest) rate.

Inventories

Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and / or their net realizable value. The net realizable value is the sales proceeds that can probably be obtained less the costs likely to be incurred prior to sale. Inventory risks arising from decreased marketability and technical risks are accommodated by appropriate value adjustments.

The costs of conversion of work in progress and finished goods include direct material and production costs as well as attributable material and production overhead costs.

If the reasons that led to a value adjustment of the inventories cease to be applicable, a reversal is made.

Financial instruments

Financial instruments are contractual relationships that lead to a financial asset for one party and to a financial debt or an equity instrument for the other. Financial instruments are recognized as soon as SUSS becomes a contractual party to the financial instrument. Debt instruments that are held for the purpose of collecting contractual cash flows and whose contractual features give rise on specified dates to cash flows that solely constitute the payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding are measured at amortized cost.

Financial assets

Receivables, other financial assets, and contract assets

Trade receivables and contract assets are recognized at the time the contractual performance obligation is fulfilled. All other financial assets and liabilities are initially recognized on the trading date on which the Company becomes a contractual party in accordance with the contractual provisions.

Trade receivables without significant financial components are measured upon initial recognition at the transaction price and in the subsequent periods at amortized cost. Contract assets involve claims of the Group for consideration for services that have been completed but not yet invoiced as of the reporting date.

On initial recognition, contractual assets are measured at 96 percent of the transaction price, which is usually attributable to the performance obligation "production and delivery of the machine." Customer down payments received are subtracted from this amount. Contract assets are reclassified to trade receivables as soon as the "installation and initial customer training" performance obligation, which usually accounts for 4 percent of the transaction price, has been satisfied, and the rights become unconditional (see E Sales Recognition).

All other financial assets are measured upon initial recognition at fair value. Measurement in the subsequent periods – according to the type of financial asset – is either with or without effect on profit or loss. Receivables become due promptly in accordance with the usual customer payment agreements. Provided that down payment agreements with customers exist, receivables are immediately settled by offsetting them with down payments received.

Debt instruments that are not measured at fair value in profit or loss are measured on initial recognition, taking into account any expected future impairments. For trade receivables and contract assets, the impairment requirement is determined at all times on the basis of the losses expected over the entire term. For all other instruments, impairments are determined on the basis of expected losses over the entire term only if the credit risk has increased significantly since their initial recognition. In all other respects, impairments are only determined based on the expected losses that would result from a loss event occurring within twelve months of the reporting date. In this case, loss events that may occur more than twelve months after the reporting date are not taken into account.

To determine a future need for the impairment of financial assets, SUSS applies models that are generally based on historical probabilities of default and are supplemented by relevant future parameters.

The impairments take adequate account of the expected future default risks; specific defaults lead to the derecognition of the receivables concerned. Financial assets are grouped on the basis of similar default risk characteristics and jointly tested for impairment and where necessary, written down.

Financial assets are subject to default risks, which are taken into account by recognizing a loss that has already occurred by recognizing an impairment loss. The default risk of receivables and contract assets is accounted for by creating individual value adjustments and portfolio-based value adjustments.

Specifically, a risk provision is recognized for these financial assets in the amount of the expected loss in accordance with Group-wide standards. This measure is then used to determine the actual individual value adjustments for the losses that have occurred. The potential need for a value adjustment is assumed not only if various circumstances exist, such as a payment delay over a certain period of time or a final payment default (e.g., through insolvency), but also for receivables that are not past due.

In order to determine portfolio-based value adjustments, both insignificant receivables and significant individual receivables without any indication of impairment are combined into homogeneous portfolios based on comparable credit risk characteristics and divided into risk classes. In order to determine the impairment amount, average historical default probabilities are considered along with forward-looking parameters of the respective portfolio.

Securities

A distinction should be made as to whether securities are to be classified as "debt instruments" or as "equity instruments." The measurement of a financial asset determines its categorization at the time of acquisition and depends on the respective cash flow criterion and the business model criterion. Depending on their classification, securities are measured at amortized cost or fair value. In accordance with the categorization in IFRS 9, measurement effects resulting from measurement at fair value are to be recognized either in other comprehensive income or in the financial result through profit or loss (see Note (33) Additional information on financial instruments).

Cash, cash equivalents, and time deposits

Cash equivalents comprise cash and financial assets that can be converted into cash at any time, as well as short-dated time deposits with a maximum term of three months. Cash, cash equivalents, and time deposits are measured at amortized cost (see Note (33) financial instruments by category).

Pension plans and similar commitments

Provisions for pension plans and similar commitments are recognized pursuant to IAS 19 "Employee Benefits."

Defined contribution plans generally do not lead to the formation of provisions since the Company's obligation is restricted to the payment of contributions to retirement / pension funds. Premium payments to retirement / pension funds are recognized as an expense in the period in which they are accrued.

With defined-benefit plans, the Company's obligation consists of ensuring promised benefits to active and former employees. Defined benefit plans generally do not lead to the formation of pension provisions.

The net liability from defined benefit plans (the cash value of the defined-benefit obligation less the value of plan assets) is calculated based on the projected unit credit method. Future salary increases and other increases in benefits are taken into consideration. The measurement of the pension obligations is on the basis of pension reports using the assets existing to cover these obligations (at the fair value of plan assets). The effects from the remeasurement of the net liability (actuarial gains and losses, income from plan assets, and changes in the effect of the upper limit on assets) are recognized in full in accumulated other comprehensive income. In case of future changes to the plan, the unrecognized prior service cost is recognized immediately in profit and loss.

Provisions

Provisions are formed under IAS 37 when there is an obligation to outside parties whose fulfillment is likely to be demanded and if the probable amount of the necessary provision can be estimated reliably. They are measured at the expected settlement amount. Non-current provisions are recognized on the basis of corresponding interest rates at their discounted settlement amount as of the reporting date.

Financial debt

Financial debt comprises bank borrowings and liabilities from rent and lease agreements. Bank borrowings are allocated to the category "Financial liabilities" and measured at amortized cost. Liabilities that result from rent and lease agreements are measured and recognized in accordance with IFRS 16.

Other financial liabilities

Other financial liabilities are measured at amortized cost.

Trade payables

Trade payables are allocated to the category "Financial liabilities" and measured at amortized cost.

Contract liabilities

Contract liabilities relate to advance payments received from customers for contracts concluded in accordance with IFRS 15 and performance commitments under contractual agreements with customers that have not yet been fulfilled. They are measured at amortized cost. Upon settlement of a performance obligation in accordance with IFRS 15, it is subtracted from the associated contract assets or offset with trade receivables.

Sales recognition

Sales are recognized in accordance with IFRS 15 if the conditions are met for recognizing them. Using a principles-based, five-step model, an assessment is made regarding in what amount and at what time or over what period sales are recognized.

The following separable performance obligations were identified for the sale of machines, for which sales are recognized separately in each case:

• Production and delivery of the tool
• Installation of the tool and initial training of the customer on the tool (including the warranty)
• Training of employees on the tool
• Warranty that exceeds the legal scope
• Maintenance and service of the tool
• Delivery of replacement parts
• Implementation of upgrades to the tool

For each identified performance obligation, an assessment is made whether the performance of service occurs over time or at a point in time. Sales are recognized if control over the good or service has been transferred to the customer.

For the production and delivery of the tool on the one hand and the installation or initial training on the tool on the other hand, sales are recognized in each case at the point in time when control is transferred to the customer. In this context, the point in time of delivery or the transfer of risk to the customer is crucial for the performance obligation "production and delivery of the tool." Upon conclusion of "bill and hold" agreements, the transfer of risk occurs when the tool is stored at the customer's request in a place of their choosing, and the risk of accidental destruction is transferred to the customer. For the performance obligation "installation of the tool / initial training of the customer," a transfer of control occurs at the point in time when the installation has been completed and the tool has been accepted by the customer. 96 percent of the amount of the order normally accrues to the "production and delivery of the tool" performance obligation; 4 percent of the amount of the order is normally allocated to the "installation of the tool / initial training of the customer" performance obligation. Sales recognition at the point in time of the transfer of control occurs in the corresponding amount.

Sales from services are recognized when the service has been rendered or, in the case of service contracts, proportionately over time. In the case of spare part sales, sales are recognized on delivery.

Under the terms of payment, SUSS does not grant any discounts, credits, or other sales incentives. There is no general right of return or right to cancel the order free of charge. As a rule, the payment terms for advance payments and customer invoices are shortterm, and contracts do not include a financing component.

Cost of sales

Cost of sales comprises the manufacturing and procurement expenses attributable to sales for products sold and spare part, as well as expenses for services. In addition to the materials and manufacturing costs that can be allocated directly, this item also includes overhead costs such as depreciation and amortization of production facilities and intangible assets, as well as value adjustments on inventories.

Research and development costs

Expenses for research and expenses for development work that cannot be capitalized are recognized as an expense when they are incurred.

Other operating expenses and income

The other operating expenses and income are classified under the operating income and allocated to the appropriate period. This also applies to expenses and income from foreign currency translation.

Deferred taxes

In accordance with IAS 12 "Income Taxes," deferred tax assets and liabilities are formed on all temporary differences between the fiscal measurement bases of the assets and debts and their recognized values in the IFRS consolidated statement of financial position as well as on tax loss carryforwards. The deferred taxes are computed on the basis of tax rates that apply or are expected to apply at the time of realization in light of the present legal situation in the relevant countries. Deferred tax assets on temporary differences or on loss carryforwards are recognized only if it can be reasonably expected that they will be realized in the near future. Furthermore, deferred tax liabilities are not recognized if the temporary difference arises from goodwill.

Deferred taxes are measured using tax rates that are expected to be applied to temporary differences as soon as they reverse, namely using tax rates that are valid or have been announced on the reporting date. This also applies to the future expected use of remaining tax loss deductions. As a result, the amount of recognized deferred taxes reflects any possible uncertainty inherent in income taxes.

Treatment of subsidies

Under IAS 20 "Accounting for Government Grants," public subsidies are only recognized if there is sufficient certainty that the attached conditions will be fulfilled and the subsidies granted. They are recognized in profit and loss, generally in the periods in which the expenses that are to be met by the subsidies are incurred.

Subsidies relating to investments that can be capitalized are recognized under liabilities as other financial liabilities and released proportionately over the useful life of the funded investments.

Foreign currency valuation

Transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of a business unit are recognized in the functional currency at the mean spot exchange rate on the date of initial recognition. At the end of the reporting period, the Company measures monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies in the functional currency at the mean spot exchange rate applicable at that time. Gains and losses from these foreign currency valuations are recognized in profit or loss.

Earnings per share (EPS)

Basic earnings per share are calculated by dividing the profit from continuing operations, the profit from discontinued operations, and / or consolidated net income for the year attributable to the shareholders of SUSS MicroTec SE by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the financial year. Diluted earnings per share are calculated on the assumption that all potentially dilutive securities and share-based payment plans are converted or exercised.

Segment reporting

The segment reporting of the SUSS Group is aligned with the internal organizational and reporting structure in accordance with the management approach.

The data used to determine the internal control parameters is derived from the consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. The segment key figures include intragroup lease transactions that are also reported in the consolidated financial statements as operating leases following the initial application of IFRS 16 on January 1, 2019.

Discontinued operations and non-current assets held for sale

Discontinued operations are reported as soon as a part of the Company is classified as being held for sale or has already been disposed of and the part of the Company constitutes a separate major line of business or geographical area of operations and is part of a coordinated overall plan for disposal.

SUSS classifies an individual non-current asset (or disposal group) as being held for sale if its carrying amount will be recovered principally through a sale transaction rather than through continuing use. Assets classified as being held for sale are no longer amortized.

Discontinued operations are reported separately from continuing operations in the statement of income and in the consolidated statement of cash flows; previous years are presented on a comparative basis.

Disclosures in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements other than in Note (3) Discontinued operations refer to continuing operations or assets not held for sale and related liabilities. The non-current asset held for sale or the disposal group is measured at the lower of carrying amount or fair value minus the costs of disposal. The determination of fair value less costs of disposal involves estimates and assumptions that may be subject to uncertainty.

F) Use of estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS requires estimates and assumptions that affect the presentation of assets and debts, the disclosures of contingent liabilities at the reporting date, and the presentation of income and expenses. The estimates and respective underlying assumptions are constantly monitored. In individual cases, the actual values may deviate from the assumptions and estimates made. Estimates and assumptions that have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements are required in particular in the following cases.

Recoverability of goodwill

SUSS MicroTec SE tests goodwill for possible impairment at least once per year. The determination of the recoverable amount of a cash-generating unit or group of cash-generating units to which goodwill has been allocated requires estimates by management. The operating segments are defined as cash-generating units in the Group. The recoverable amount is the higher of the fair value, less costs to sell, and the value in use. The Company generally determines these figures using measurement methods based on discounted cash flows. Cash flows are derived from Group planning for a detailed planning period of five years (Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy pursuant to IFRS 13). For cash flow forecasts beyond the period of detailed planning, suitable forecasts from the semiconductor sub-supplier industry are used to check the plausibility of our own estimates. The average annual sales growth over the five-year period for the Advanced Backend Solutions segments, to which the recognized goodwill is allocated, is 8.79 percent (previous year: 11.65 percent). Here, the growth rates used are checked against external market forecasts. At the end of the five-year planning horizon, an annual sales growth rate of 1.5 percent is assumed for the subsequent years. The forecast net cash flows are discounted using the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of 13.69 percent (previous year: 12.04 percent). The result of this valuation depends largely on the discount rates and growth rates applied. The underlying method may have a considerable influence on the values in question and, ultimately, on the amount of any possible impairment of goodwill.

Trade receivables

Trade receivables included overdue receivables. The Group assesses the recoverability of these receivables on the basis of past experience and the assessment of individual receivables based on the creditworthiness of the respective customer and current economic developments. This shows if there is no significantly higher default risk, even in the case of receivables that are overdue. The Company bases the determination of impairments on receivables on expected losses. Based on historical estimates, a value adjustment of 0.5 percent was made for overdue amounts of up to half a year.

As of December 31, 2024, the total adjustment on trade receivables was € 747 thousand (previous year: € 589 thousand).

The specific value adjustments are determined according to the following principles:

Receivables overdue since	% of the value adjustment to be recognized
> 180 days and ≤ 270 days	10%
> 270 days and ≤ 360 days	25%
> 360 days and ≤ 720 days	50%
> 720 days	100%

Pension plans and similar commitments

Commitments for pensions and associated expenses and income are determined in accordance with actuarial measurements. These measurements are based on key premises, including discount factors, the expected yield from plan assets, salary trends, and life expectancies. The assumed discount factors reflect the interest rates obtained as of the reporting date for high-quality, fixed-interest investments with corresponding terms.

On account of fluctuations in the market and economic situation, the underlying assumptions may deviate from the actual development, with material effects on pension obligations.

Income taxes

The recognition and measurement of current and deferred tax assets and liabilities depend on estimates regarding uncertainty surrounding taxes and future business developments. This encompasses both the interpretation of existing tax regulations and a review of the recoverability of deferred tax assets. Where there are sufficient indications that an adjustment is necessary, the estimates are updated accordingly.

Provisions

The determination of provisions for contractually agreed guarantees and warranty claims is associated to a considerable extent with estimates. Where the Company derives these provisions from historical guarantee and warranty cases, a decline in the sales volume reduces such provisions correspondingly, and vice versa. Non-current provisions, which are based on the measurement of the multi-year remuneration components of the members of the Management Board, are subject to planning and forecasting assumptions for future financial years, which are derived on the basis of current expectations and simulations. This includes, in particular, future developments in financial and non-financial performance criteria and forecasting share price developments (see Note (25) Additional information on financial instruments).

Other financial liabilities

Other financial liabilities are capitalized at their settlement amount. They are derecognized when the contract liabilities have been met or rescinded or have expired. Depending on the contents of the contractual agreements, estimates are necessary in order to determine the likely settlement amount.

G) Consolidation Consolidation principles

The consolidated financial statements include SUSS MicroTec SE and all active companies over which, independent of the level of its participatory investment, the proprietary company can exercise control (i.e., the control principle). Control exists if SUSS MicroTec SE has the power to participate in positive and negative variable returns of a company and can influence these returns through its discretionary power. In cases where the majority of voting rights are held, it is assumed that it exercises control. A subsidiary is included in the consolidated financial statements as of the date on which the Company assumes control over the subsidiary until such date as control by the Company ends.

Receivables and liabilities, as well as income and expenses incurred between the companies included in the consolidated financial statements, are eliminated, along with intragroup profits and losses. Within the scope of capital consolidation, the shares of the subsidiaries attributable to the Group are offset against the corresponding shareholders' equity.

Translation of financial statements in foreign currency

The reporting currency of the Group is the euro, which is also the functional currency of the parent company. All figures are stated in euro thousand unless otherwise stated. The assets and liabilities of subsidiaries that do not have the euro as their functional currency are translated at the respective closing rates, while items in the statement of income are translated at average rates.

Equity components are translated at historical exchange rates as of the dates of their respective additions from a Group perspective. The resulting differences from translation at closing rates are shown as a separate component of equity (i.e., under accumulated other comprehensive income). Currency translation differences recognized in shareholders' equity while the company is part of the Group are recognized in other operating expenses or income when Group companies leave the scope of consolidation.

The exchange rates of major currencies to the euro changed as follows:

Disclosures on the Scope of Consolidation

Compared to the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2023, the scope of consolidation changed as a result of the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. (see Note (3) Discontinued operations). HUGLE Lithography Inc., San Jose, USA, which was not previously included in the scope of consolidation due to its insignificance, was dissolved as of December 30, 2024.

The following subsidiaries and investments of SUSS MicroTec SE (Group parent company) are included in the consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2024, (disclosure of capital and net income of the individual companies in accordance with local law in the reporting currency euro).

	2024		2023
	Balance sheet	P&L	Balance sheet	P&L
€ 1 vs 1 USD	1.041	1.083	1.108	1.082
€ 1 vs 1 JPY	163.232	163.297	156.784	152.349
€ 1 vs 1 GBP	0.830	0.847	0.869	0.870
€ 1 vs 1 CHF	0.935	0.931	0.927	0.973
€ 1 vs 1 TWD	34.063	34.657	33.920	33.665
€ 1 vs 1 SGD	1.419	1.446	1.461	1.452
€ 1 vs 1 CNY	7.637	7.792	7.885	7.673
€ 1 vs 1 KRW	1,518.195	1,472.286	1,431.660	1,413.879

Company / based in	Subscribed capital reporting currency 3	Subsidiary	Share capital reporting currency 3	Net profit reporting currency 3	Consolidation
SUSS MicroTec SE, Garching, Germany 1	19.115.538.00	Holding	174.865.829.30	67.190.454.09	Full
SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, Sternenfels, Germany 2	4.000.000.00	100%	62.535.008.94	43.808.532.69	Full
SUSS MicroTec Photomask Equipment Beteiligungs-GmbH, Sternenfels, Germany	25.000.00	100%	20.307.76	1.587.75	Full
SUSS MicroTec Ltd., Market Rasen, United Kingdom	12.046.02	100%	577.355.82	208.365.50	Full
SUSS MicroTec KK, Yokohama, Japan	183.788.06	100%	−3.392.834.55	1.129.535.82	Full
SUSS MicroTec S.A.S., Pierre Bénite, France	114.750.00	100%	814.905.88	688.679.67	Full
SUSS MicroTec Inc., Corona, USA	4.031.506.65	100%	8.370.872.12	−4.247.138.49	Full
SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Company Ltd., Hsinchu, Taiwan	146.785.76	100%	12.145.543.86	3.812.708.62	Full
SUSS MicroTec Company Ltd., Shanghai, China	216.764.22	100%	19.304.579.85	3.226.871.23	Full
SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany 2	25.564.59	100%	−3.776.364.75	−3.982.236.81	Full
SUSS MicroTec (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Singapore	17.621.15	100%	3.262.786.95	−224.162.38	Full
SUSS MicroTec Korea Co. Ltd., Hwaseong City, South Korea	32.933.74	100%	2.654.226.57	115.806.88	Full
SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V., Netherlands	10.00	100%	−7.629.287.82	−3.500.874.88	Full

1 Equity and net income before profit and loss transfer agreement with SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH and before profit allocation of SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG

2 Equity and net income before profit and loss transfer agreement with SUSS MicroTec SE and before the profit allocation to SUSS MicroTec SE

3 Companies in foreign currencies were translated at the exchange rate on December 31, 2024, for better comparability.

The closing date of the financial statements of all the companies included is December 31 of the year in question.

Among the domestic subsidiaries within the legal form of a corporation, SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany, fulfills the conditions for exemption pursuant to Section 264 (3) HGB. All exemption rules were applied.

SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, which has the legal form of a partnership, fulfills the conditions for exemption pursuant to Section 264b HGB. All exemption rules were applied.

SUSS MicroTec SE prepares consolidated financial statements pursuant to IFRS in accordance with Section 315e HGB for the largest and smallest group of companies. These consolidated financial statements and the combined Group management report for the 2024 financial year are published in the Federal Gazette.

(3) Discontinued operations

In 2023, the decision was made to no longer include the third cash-generating segment MicroOptics as part of SUSS's core business due to low synergies with our semiconductor equipment segments and to sell it. As of September 30, 2023, the MicroOptics segment met the criteria for recognition as a discontinued operation in accordance with IFRS 5. The subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. was sold to Focuslight Technologies (HK) Investment Management Co. Ltd. on January 15, 2024, and the company was deconsolidated as of this date. As in the previous year, all expenses and income of SUSS MicroOptics S.A. were reported separately in the statement of income in the current reporting period, and the cash flows were reported separately in the statement of cash flows up to the date of its deconsolidation. Upon sale and / or deconsolidation, the assets and liabilities that were previously reported separately in the statement of financial position were derecognized.

The following table shows the assets and liabilities of SUSS MicroOptics S.A., which is classified as a discontinued operation, at the time of its deconsolidation:

in € thousand	01/15/2024
Intangible assets	117
Tangible assets	21,641
Inventories (net)	6,397
Trade receivables	3,088
Cash and cash equivalents	1,571
Other current assets	1,037
Total assets disposed of	33,851
Pension plans and similar commitments	4,661
Financial debt from lease obligations IFRS 16 (non-current)	3,962
Other liabilities	235
Other non-current provisions	583
Financial debt from lease obligations IFRS 16 (current)	769
Other financial liabilities	1,488
Trade payables	1,520
Other current liabilities	218
Total liabilities disposed of	13,436
Net assets disposed of	20,415
Accumulated other comprehensive income	−4,518
Divesting costs	112
Gain on disposal	59,006
Sale price	75,015

A purchase price of € 58.1 million was realized for the acquisition of all shares in SUSS MicroOptics S.A. In addition, the intragroup financing of € 16.9 million was repaid. The completion of the transaction therefore resulted in a total cash inflow of € 75.0 million. The gain on disposal is included in the result from discontinued operations (after tax).

The results of discontinued operations up to the date of the sale

are as follows:

Accumulated other comprehensive income in the 2024 financial year included € 4,518 thousand from foreign currency effects. In the previous year, € 1,979 thousand was taken into account from foreign currency and pension effects.

in € thousand	01/01/2024 –01/15/2024	01/01/2023 –12/31/2023
Sales	1,329	22,943
Other income	0	474
Expenses 1	−1,654	−35,194
Operating result from discontinued operations (before taxes)	−325	−11,777
Income taxes	0	−861
Operating result from discontinued operations (after taxes)	−325	−12,638
Result on disposal from discontinued operations (after taxes)	59,006	0
Income taxes	−396	0
Result on disposal from discontinued operations (after taxes)	58,610	0
Earnings from discontinued operations (after taxes)	58,285	−12,638

1 Expenses in the 2023 financial year already include the costs of the sale of € 4.4 million

Comments on the IFRS Consolidated Statement of Income

All figures are in € thousand unless otherwise stated.

(4) Sales

Sales was composed as follows:

2023
255,063
31,260
15,588
2,351
304,262

Sales in the 2024 financial year was broken down by segment as

follows (see Note (38) Segment Reporting).

in € thousand	Advanced Backend Solutions	Photomask Solutions	Central Group Functions	2024 Total
Machinery and equipment	275,210	114,692	0	389,902
Spare parts and upgrades	26,848	8,114	0	34,962
Services	12,629	8,607	0	21,236
Other sales	43	0	4	47
Total sales	314,730	131,413	4	446,147

The regional distribution of sales in the 2024 financial year was

as follows:

Advanced Backend Solutions	Solutions	Central Group Functions	2024 Total
25,991	5,127	0	31,118
24,090	1,974	0	26,064
264,649	124,312	4	388,965
314,730	131,413	4	446,147
			Photomask

in € thousand	Advanced Backend Solutions	Photomask Solutions	Central Group Functions	2023 Total
Machinery and equipment	178,448	76,615	0	255,063
Spare parts and upgrades	25,024	6,221	16	31,260
Services	8,747	6,840	0	15,588
Other sales	2,281	0	69	2,351
Total sales	214,500	89,676	85	304,262

The regional distribution of sales in the 2023 financial year was

as follows:

in € thousand	Advanced Backend Solutions	Photomask Solutions	Central Group Functions	2023 Total
EMEA	49,681	6,871	0	56,552
North America	36,387	8,763	0	45,150
Asia-Pacific	128,432	74,042	85	202,560
Total sales	214,500	89,676	85	304,262

Contract Balances

The following table provides information on receivables, contract

assets, and liabilities from contracts with customers.

in € thousand	12/31/2024	12/31/2023
Contract Balances
Trade Receivables	14,861	17,685
Contract Assets	58,890	35,238
Contract Liabilities (current) 1	−99,443	−88,702
Contract Liabilities (non-current) 1	−820	−342

1 The comparative figures were adjusted following the correction of an error.

The contract assets involve claims of the Group for consideration for services from machine orders that have been rendered but not yet invoiced as of the reporting date. The contract assets are reclassified to trade receivables when the rights become unconditional. As a rule, this occurs when SUSS issues a final invoice to the customer.

Contract assets developed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Opening balance of contract assets as of January 1	35,238	37,880
Additions	192,092	143,545
Disposals (reclassification to trade receivables)	−168,440	−146,187
Closing balance of contract assets as of December 31	58,890	35,238

Contract liabilities relate to advance payments received from customers for the construction of machines, deferred revenue due to delayed customer installations, and services performed in connection with machine orders that have not yet been invoiced. Upon delivery or acceptance and associated sales recognition, the contract liabilities are offset against the contract assets or receivables that arise.

Non-current contract liabilities developed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023 1
Opening balance of contract liabilities as of January 1	342	225
Additions	478	117
Disposals	0	0
Closing balance of contract assets as of December 31	820	342

1 The comparative figures were adjusted following the correction of an error.

Current contract liabilities developed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023 1
Opening balance of contract liabilities as of January 1	88,702	79,535
Additions	347,131	242,024
Reclassification to liabilities in association with assets held for sale	0	−303
Disposals	−336,390	232,554
Closing balance of contract assets as of December 31	99,443	88,702

1 The comparative figures were adjusted following the correction of an error.

The amount of € 88,702 thousand that was disclosed under current contract liabilities as of the previous year's reporting date was largely recognized as sales in the 2024 financial year. This includes € 707 thousand in deferred revenue due to delayed customer installations (previous year: € 451 thousand).

The order book as of December 31, 2024, amounts to € 428,391 thousand (previous year: € 452,528 thousand). SUSS assumes that the vast majority of the order book will lead to sales in the 2025 financial year.

(5) Cost of Sales

The cost of sales for the financial year includes a one-off effect from a special write-down on the inventories of SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany, in the amount of € 2,866 thousand. This results from the decision to discontinue the used machine business with effect from July 31, 2025.

The Group also recognized impairments of € 4,108 thousand on evaluation assets. These are systems that are made available to customers for a defined period (evaluation phase) so that they can be adapted to their specific process requirements.

In addition, impairments of € 4,207 thousand (previous year: € 3,410 thousand) were recognized on assets for demonstration purposes. The systems for demonstration purposes are used as development or demonstration machines and are subject to normal wear and tear, which is accounted for by means of appropriate write-downs.

The remaining impairments primarily involve materials and supplies.

Of the total impairments amounting to € 12,405 thousand (previous year: € 6,929 thousand), € 11,295 thousand (previous year: € 5,149 thousand) was attributable to inventories in the Advanced Backend Solutions segment, and € 1,110 thousand (previous year: € 1,780 thousand) to inventories in the Photomask Solutions segment.

(6) Other Operating Income

Other operating income was comprised as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Foreign currency gains	3,084	5,951
Employee leasing	356	123
Subsidies / reimbursements	354	211
Company cars	305	435
Income from recharges	144	0
Insurance claims	4	388
Income from the reversal of other provisions	3	0
Income from sale of assets	1	84
Others	241	119
Other operating income	4,493	7,311

(7) Other Operating Expenses

Other operating expenses were comprised as follows:

2024	2023
4,054	5,022
1,667	1,188
154	285
35	0
27	32
1	0
203	10
6,141	6,537

The foreign currency gains arose primarily from the valuation of foreign currency balance sheet accounts in US dollars, Taiwan dollars, and Swiss francs as of the reporting date.

Foreign currency losses arose primarily from the valuation of the US dollar and Taiwan-dollar-denominated balance sheet accounts as of the reporting date.

(8) Financial Result

The financial result is composed of interest expenses and interest income as well as other financial expenses and other financial income. Financial income of € 3,216 thousand (previous year: € 955 thousand) resulted primarily from interest income for money market investments and securities. The financial expenses were comprised as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Interest on bank loans	156	172
Interest on lease liabilities	200	142
Commissions on bank guarantees	72	102
Other interest and financial expenses	38	2
Financial expenses	466	418

Interest on liabilities to banks includes € 61 thousand (previous year: € 73 thousand) attributable to two loans granted as part of a KfW funding program (loan balance as of December 31, 2024: € 5,313 thousand). Bank interest of approximately € 51 thousand (previous year: € 66 thousand) is attributable to the provision of the syndicated loan, which comprises a credit line of € 40 million (see Note (27) Financial debt to banks).

(9) Income Taxes

taxes were as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Current tax expense	16,167	10,264
Deferred tax income (−) / expense	9,654	724
thereof on temporary differences	9,626	90
Total expense	25,821	10,988

The tax expense and its breakdown into current and deferred

The following table shows a reconciliation between the anticipated tax expenses in the respective financial year and the disclosed tax expense. The following tax rates were used as a basis:

Expected tax rate	2024	2023
Corporate income tax rate	15.00%	15.00%
Solidarity surcharge	5.50%	5.50%
Trade income tax rate	12.43%	12.43%
Composite tax rate	28.25%	28.25%

Reconciliation:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Earnings before tax	77,879	28,323
Expected income taxes	22,001	8,001
Different foreign tax rates	−72	−92
Minimum taxation	0	0
Trade income additions and deductions	10	−1
Other non-deductible expenses	468	481
Foreign taxes	−95	−95
Deferred taxes on consolidation measures	0	79
Tax expenses from previous years	134	435
Non-activation / value adjustment on deferred taxes	2,626	2.079
Use of value-adjusted loss carryforwards	−295	−37
Others	1,044	138
Effective income taxes	25,821	10,988

The reconciliation of expected and effective income taxes amounts to a total of € 3,820 thousand (previous year: € 2,987 thousand). Effective income taxes from continuing operations in the amount of € 25,821 thousand and from discontinued operations in the amount of € 396 thousand came to a total of € 26,217 thousand. The discontinued operations relate to the disposal of SUSS MicroOptics S.A. In this case, 5 percent of the gain on the disposal is deemed to be expenditure that does not qualify for deduction as operating expenses (Sections 8b (2), (3) of the German Corporation Tax Act [KStG). Also, the gain on the disposal is not subject to trade income tax.

No tax deferral was recorded on non-distributed profits from subsidiaries.

Deferred taxes were calculated as follows:

in € thousand		Assets		Liabilities	Temp. differences
	2024	2023	2024	2023	2024	2023
Other liabilities	675	809	−11	0	122	309
Pension plans and similar commitments	560	482	0	0	−78	351
Trade Receivables	0	0	17,892	9,922	7,970	−897
Customer deposits	0	0	37,219	30,198	7,020	5,288
Non-current provisions	59	27	152	3	116	139
Intangible assets	1,076	1,382	289	347	249	691
Other current assets	0	0	0	0	0	1
Goodwill	0	0	2,064	2,064	0	0
Inventories	35,326	29,574	10	10	−5,752	−5,259
Tangible assets	33	2	570	578	−39	−540
Others	64	59	22	0	17	5
Loss carryforwards	264	264	0	0	0	0
Offsetting	−37,360	−31,915	−37,360	−31,915	0	0
Total	697	684	20,847	11,207	9,626	90

The Group has tax loss carryforwards of € 101,807 thousand (previous year: € 73,538 thousand). Of this amount, a total of € 21,026 thousand will have lapsed by December 31, 2035. Loss carryforwards of € 80,781 thousand can be used indefinitely.

The Group has tax loss carryforwards of € 101,807 thousand (previous year: € 73,538 thousand). Of this amount, a total of € 21,026 thousand will have lapsed by December 31, 2035. Loss carryforwards of € 80,781 thousand can be used indefinitely. The total amount includes loss carryforwards of € 81,212 thousand relating to SUSS MicroTec Inc. in the amount of € 58,954 thousand and SUSS MicroTec Netherlands B.V. in the amount of € 22,258 thousand. To date, SUSS has not assumed that it will be in a position to use these loss carryforwards in the foreseeable future, which is why no deferred tax assets have been recognized. The loss carryforwards also include trade income tax loss carryforwards of SUSS MicroTec SE in the amount of € 19,950 thousand.

Deferred tax assets on current trade income tax losses of € 912 thousand in the reporting year were also no longer recognized.

These loss carryforwards may still be used for tax purposes subject to the restrictions of Section 10a of the German Trade Tax Act (GewStG) and on the basis of national tax laws.

No deferred tax assets were recognized for loss carryforwards of € 85,060 thousand (previous year: € 78,541 thousand) and temporary differences of € 1,708 thousand (previous year: € 1,849 thousand).

In accordance with IAS 12.74 et seq., deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities must be offset if, first, there is an offsetting arrangement under civil law and, second, the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities relate to income taxes imposed by the same tax authority.

The tax effect on other comprehensive income without an impact on profit and loss in 2024 consists of tax income of € 117 thousand (previous year: € 173 thousand) and results from the measurement of defined benefit pension plans.

As of December 31, 2024, deferred tax assets and liabilities of € 37,368 thousand (previous year: € 32,008 thousand) were offset.

(10) Earnings per Share

The following table shows the calculation of both the basic and diluted earnings per share

(11) Additional disclosures on the IFRS Consolidated Statement of Income Expenditures for research and development

Research and development expenditures stood at € 40,057 in the past financial year (previous year: € 31,309 thousand). As in the previous year, no amortization of capitalized development costs is included in research and development expenses. Research and development expenses include public subsidies received in the amount of € 3 thousand (previous year: € 869 thousand).

		2024		2023
in € thousand	Total	Earnings per share in € (basic)	Total	Earnings per share in € (basic)
Earnings after taxes (continuing operations) Of which equity holders of SUSS MicroTec	52,058	2.72	17,335	0.91
Earnings after taxes (discontinued operations) Of which equity holders of SUSS MicroTec	58,285	3.05	−12,638	−0.66
Net profit / (loss) Of which equity holders of SUSS MicroTec	110,343	5.77	4,697	0.25
Weighted average number of outstanding shares	19,115,538		19,115,538

There were no dilution effects in the reporting period presented.

Personnel expenses

The SUSS Group's statement of income includes personnel expenses under the various items as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Wages and salaries	103,329	80,725
Social security expenses and expenses for benefits	10,894	9,063
Pension expenses	6,642	5,792
Personnel expenses	120,865	95,580

The social security charges and expenses for benefits primarily contain the employer's portions of social security insurance and contributions to the employer's liability insurance.

The expenditures for pension provisions include pension expenses from Company pension plans and employer contributions to the statutory retirement insurance.

Of the total personnel expenses of € 120,865 thousand (previous year: € 95,580 thousand), € 54,276 thousand (previous year: € 44,369 thousand) was attributable to the cost of sales, € 31,171 thousand (previous year: € 25,604 thousand) to research and development costs, € 18,008 thousand (previous year: € 14,595 thousand) to selling expenses, and € 17,411 thousand (previous year: € 11,553 thousand) to general administration expenses.

Cost of materials

The cost of materials in the 2024 financial year came to € 201,251 thousand (previous year: € 129,589 thousand).

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization were composed as follows:

In addition to the planned depreciation of tangible assets in the amount of € 6,141 thousand (previous year: € 5,344 thousand), an unplanned depreciation of € 79 thousand was recognized in the 2024 financial year for rights of use of SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany, due to the scheduled discontinuation of the business.

	2024			2023
in € thousand	planned depreciation and amortization	unplanned depreciation and amortization	Total depreciation and amortization	Total planned depreciation and amortization
Intangible assets	1,601	0	1,601	1,521
Tangible assets	6,141	79	6,220	5,344
Depreciation and amortization	7,742	79	7,821	6,865

In the 2024 financial year, concessions and industrial property rights and similar rights, as well as licenses to such rights and assets as well as other intangible assets, were amortized in the amount of € 1,601 thousand (previous year: € 1.521 thousand).

Explanations on the Assets Side

(12) Other intangible assets

As of the reporting date, patents, licenses, and similar rights in the amount of € 4,345 thousand (previous year: € 5,193 thousand) are disclosed under intangible assets. In addition to software licenses, this includes rights-of-use assets for a joint application center with our partner BRIDG in Kissimmee (USA), which have a carrying amount of € 1,620 thousand as of December 31, 2024. These right-of-use assets were initially measured at € 3,193 thousand and are being amortized over five years from the start of use.

(13) Goodwill

The goodwill presented as of the reporting date in the amount of € 18,631 thousand (previous year: € 18,494 thousand) is allocated in full to the Advanced Backend Solutions segment. A part of goodwill (USD 2,366 thousand) is denominated in US dollars and is therefore subject to currency fluctuations.

(14) Tangible Assets

The breakdown of tangible assets that is combined in the statement of financial position and their development in the reporting year are shown in the fixed assets movement schedule, which is a component part of these Notes.

Right-of-use assets for leased and rented assets have been disclosed under tangible assets; the carrying amount totaled € 7,773 thousand as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 8,552 thousand).

in € thousand	Total right-of use assets	thereof property, building and other fixtures	thereof other equipment, factory and office equipment
As of January 1, 2024	8,552	5,285	3,267
Additions to right-of use assets	2,243	1,419	824
Disposals of right-of use assets	−1,123	−804	−318
Depreciation for the financial year	−2,845	−1,748	−1,098
Disposal depreciation for wear and tear	952	804	148
Currency difference	−6	−6	0
As of December 31, 2024	7,773	4,950	2,823

As of December 31, 2024, properties with a carrying amount of € 8,248 thousand (previous year: € 8,442 thousand) were encumbered with a land charge to secure bank loans (see Note (27) Financial Debt to Banks). Following repayment of the loan, this will be carried forward as an owner's land charge.

(15) Other (Non-current) Assets

Other non-current assets include security deposits paid for rented office buildings.

in € thousand	2024	2023
Deposits	845	511
Other non-current assets	845	511

(16) Inventories

Inventories can be broken down as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Materials and supplies	94,435	87,529
Work in process	92,444	57,872
Finished goods	27,972	19,527
Systems for demonstration
purposes	38,743	33,174
Value adjustments	−39,623	−31,394
Inventory reserves	213,971	166,708

In the 2024 financial year, inventories of SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH, Oberschleissheim, Germany, were written down by € 2,866 thousand as a result of the scheduled discontinuation of the used machinery business. In addition, evaluation assets were value-adjusted by € 4,108 thousand (see Note (5) Cost of Sales).

Of the total inventories of € 213,971 thousand as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 166,708 thousand), € 59,416 thousand (previous year: € 52,696 thousand) are accounted for at net realizable value.

The amount of inventories that were recognized as an expense in the financial year totaled approximately € 228,736 thousand (previous year: € 173,074 thousand).

(17) Trade Receivables

Trade receivables are composed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Trade receivables (gross)	15,608	18,274
Value adjustments	−747	−589
Trade Receivables	14,861	17,685

Of the receivables not due, a percentage of 0.10 percent was value-adjusted.

by due date as follows:

in € thousand	Not due	overdue 1–180 days	overdue 181–360 days	overdue 361–720 days	overdue > 720 days	Total
Trade receivables (gross)	9,594	4,995	177	280	562	15,608
Value adjustments	−10	−25	−31	−120	−561	−747
Trade Receivables	9,584	4,970	146	160	1	14,861

The "overdue 181–360 days" tranche includes value adjustments in the amount of € 1 thousand for receivables overdue 181–270 days and € 30 thousand for receivables overdue 271–360 days.

In the previous year, trade receivables and related value adjustments by due date were as follows:

in € thousand	Not due	overdue 1–180 days	overdue 181–360 days	overdue 361–720 days	overdue > 720 days	Total
Trade receivables (gross)	11,475	5,075	1,072	508	144	18,274
Value adjustments	−11	−22	−156	−256	−144	−589
Trade Receivables	11,464	5,053	916	252	0	17,685

The "overdue 181–360 days" tranche includes value adjustments in the amount of € 53 thousand for receivables overdue 181–270 days and € 103 thousand for receivables overdue 271–360 days.

The following table shows the changes in the value adjustments on the stock of trade receivables.

in € thousand	2024	2023
Value adjustments at the beginning of the financial year	589	1,960
Payment receipts and reversals for receivables that had been written off	−166	−1,858
Additions	324	487
Value adjustments at the end of the financial year	747	589

The Group has inferred from empirical values that a low default risk exists and that it has not increased significantly since initial recognition.

18) Contract Assets

Contract assets are composed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Contract assets (gross)	58,920	35,257
Value adjustments	−30	−19
Contract assets	58,890	35,238

The contract assets of € 58,890 thousand (previous year: € 35,238 thousand) comprise claims by the Group for consideration for services from machine orders that have been completed but not yet invoiced as of the reporting date. The contract assets are reclassified to receivables when the rights become unconditional. As a rule, this occurs when SUSS issues a final invoice to the customer. It is expected that the recognized contractual obligations will be met within the next twelve months. A percentage of 0.05 percent of the contract assets was written down on the basis of past experience.

(19) Other financial assets

Other financial assets of € 1,204 thousand (previous year: € 1,009 thousand) mainly include supplier bonuses and requested subsidies.

(20) Tax refund claims

Current tax assets in the amount of € 67 thousand (previous year: € 123 thousand) relate to reimbursement claims by our subsidiary in Taiwan in the amount of € 63 thousand (previous year: € 123 thousand) and advance tax payments made by the companies in Germany in the amount of € 4 thousand.

(21) Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents amounting to € 136,239 thousand (previous year: € 38,114 thousand) consisted of cash in hand, cheques, and bank balances that are available within three months of the date of deposit. The year-on-year change is presented in the consolidated statement of cash flows.

(22) Other (current) assets

The following items are presented under other current assets:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Prepayments	7,452	4,010
VAT receivables	4,651	3,867
Deferred items	4,457	2,080
Bidding securities	130	146
Others	347	676
Other current assets	17,037	10,779

The prepaid expenses item includes prepayments for future expenses, such as licenses, maintenance contracts, and insurance premiums.

Explanations on the Equity and Liabilities Side

(23) Shareholders' equity Subscribed capital

The equity capital of SUSS MicroTec SE remained unchanged at € 19,115,538.00 as of the reporting date (divided into 19,115,538 registered and fully paid-in no-par-value shares, each with an imputed face value of € 1.00).

Each individual share carries one vote. The individual shares are not repayable and cannot be converted. Dividends may only be distributed from the distributable profits as recognized in the financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE prepared in accordance with commercial law.

The authorized capital as of the reporting date was € 2,500 thousand (previous year: € 2,500 thousand).

Reserves

The Group's reserves amounted to € 262,411 thousand as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 157,324 thousand), and increased primarily due to the exceptionally high consolidated net profit for the year. The Group's reserves were composed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Additional paid-in capital	55,822	55,822
Earnings reserves	206,590	101,502
Reserves	262,411	157,324

For presentation reasons, the earnings reserve and retained earnings items have been combined into the earnings reserves item for comparison with the previous year (see Statement of Changes in Equity). Earnings reserves amounted to € 202 thousand in the previous year, and retained earnings amounted to € 101,300 thousand.

Accumulated other comprehensive income

The development of accumulated other comprehensive income was as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Revaluation of defined benefit plans	−3,278	−1,744
Foreign currency adjustment	2,817	3,443
Tax effects
Revaluation of defined benefit plans	639	465
Status at the beginning of the period	177	2,164
Pre-tax changes
Revaluation of defined benefit plans	1,213	−56
Revaluation of defined benefit plans of discontinued operations	0	−1,478
Foreign currency adjustment	−1,902	−1,437
Foreign currency adjustments of discontinued operations	−1,180	811
Tax effects
Revaluation of defined benefit plans	−90	18
Revaluation of defined benefit plans of discontinued operations	0	156
Status at the end of the period	−1,781	177

Dividend

SUSS MicroTec SE resolved and disbursed the following dividends in the 2024 and 2023 financial years:

in € thousand	2024	2023
€ 0.20 per dividend-bearing share (previous year: € 0.20)	3,823	3,823

For the 2023 financial year, a dividend of € 0.20 per dividend-bearing share was resolved in the 2024 financial year; a total dividend of € 3,823 thousand was paid out accordingly.

The Management Board and Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE will propose a dividend of € 0.30 per dividend-bearing share to the Annual General Meeting for the 2024 financial year. This corresponds to a total dividend of € 5,735 thousand.

The development of total consolidated equity is presented in the consolidated statement of changes in equity.

Management of Equity

The SUSS Group's capital management aims to sustainably strengthen its equity base in order to ensure future growth and increase the value of the Company. The SUSS MicroTec Group's equity totaled € 279,746 thousand as of December 31, 2024 (previous year: € 176,617 thousand); this corresponds to an equity ratio of 55.9 percent (previous year: 47.7 percent).

ROCE (return on capital employed) is used to measure the return on capital employed. This key figure is calculated by dividing EBIT by capital employed, which represents the capital that is needed to operate the Company.

In order to maintain or adjust its capital structure, the Group can utilize all options, including those that a stock market listing of SUSS MicroTec SE entails.

The dividend policy adopted by SUSS MicroTec provides for shareholders to participate in the Company's success through a reliable and appropriate distribution and, at the same time, for the Company to have sufficient financial resources for its operations and for strategic investments, including any acquisitions, and to maintain an appropriate equity ratio of at least 40 percent. This policy specifies in principle that 20 to 40 percent of the Group's free cash flow shall be distributed as a dividend. The remaining profit shall be retained. This principle may be deviated from, in particular due to a negative overall economic development or if SUSS MicroTec SE does not have sufficient distributable earnings.

(24) Pension plans and similar commitments

The Company grants various benefits arrangements primarily covering old age, death, and invalidity. The plans vary depending on the legal, fiscal, and economic conditions in the various countries. As a rule, the benefits are calculated on the basis of the salaries and length of service of the insured employees.

A distinction is made between a defined benefit system and a defined contribution system. In the case of defined benefit commitments, the obligation of the Group consists in fulfilling the promised benefits to former employees, for which corresponding provisions are set up.

In the case of defined contribution plans, the Group does not enter into any further obligation apart from making contributions to special purpose funds. The contribution payments are charged against income; no provisions are set up. Pension obligations were composed as follows:

Calculated pension liability	1,800	1,584
Fair value of plan assets	0	0
Present value of provisions for pensions	1,800	1,584
in € thousand	2024	2023

Defined benefit plans

The Group maintains defined benefit pension plans in Germany and Japan.

The existing pension commitments in Germany comprise claims to old age, invalidity, and surviving dependents' pensions and are linked to annual salary or take the form of fixed commitments. Former members of management are eligible for these benefits. The main actuarial estimates for pension commitments in Germany are shown below:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Discount rate	3.21%	3.86%
Expected return on plan assets	0.00%	0.00%
Salary increase	0.00%	0.00%
Pension increase	2,00 %	2,00 %

Life expectancy according to tables by Heubeck, 2018 G

Salary-related increases have not been included since there are no longer any active claimants waiting under the German plans.

The subsidiary in Japan has a noncontributory unfunded defined benefit plan, under which certain employees receive a pension payment after leaving the Company. The level of the pension payment is determined by a set computation method providing for a benefit of 80 percent of the monthly salary per year of employment for each qualifying employee. Every employee qualifies after belonging to the Company for at least three years.

The principal actuarial estimates for pension commitments of the Japanese subsidiary are shown below:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Discount rate	1.30%	1.00%
Salary increase	0.00%	0.00%
Pension increase	0.00%	0.00%

The present values of the Group's defined benefit obligations and the fair values developed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Present values as of January 1	1,584	19,958
Service cost	24	23
Interest cost	47	43
Pension payments	−285	−226
Actuarial (−) gain / (+) loss due to changes in financial assumptions	68	−26
Actuarial (−) gain / (+) loss due to changes in demographic assumptions	0	0
Actuarial (−) gain / (+) loss due to experience adjustments	373	94
Reclassification of SUSS MicroOptics S.A.	0	−18,249
Foreign exchange fluctuations	−11	−33
Present values as of December 31	1,800	1,584

in € thousand	2024	2023
Plan assets as of January 1	0	14,926
Expected return on plan assets
Fund allocations paid
Actuarial (+) gain / (−) loss
Reclassification of SUSS MicroOptics S.A.		−14,926
Foreign exchange fluctuations
Plan assets as of December 31	0	0

Of the present value of the pension obligations, € 359 thousand (previous year: € 315 thousand) applies to pension claims financed by funds.

The pension expenses break down as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Service cost	24	23
Personnel expenses component	24	23
Interest cost	47	43
Actuarial (+) gains / (−) losses	29	11
Interest cost component	76	54

For 2025, the Group expects cash outflows totaling € 254 thousand (previous year: € 215 thousand) to meet pension obligations. The weighted average term of the obligations (duration) as of December 31, 2024, is 17.6 years (previous year: 12.9 years).

The following overview shows how the present value of all defined benefit obligations would be affected by changes in the essential actuarial assumptions:

Change in the present

value of all defined benefit obligations if …	2024	2023
Interest rates were 50 basis points lower	55	49
Interest rates were 50 basis points higher	−52	−46
Salary increases were 50 basis points lower	−24	−21
Salary increases were 50 basis points higher	22	19
Rate of pension increase were 0.50% lower	−35	−25
Rate of pension increase were 0.50% higher	36	26

Defined Contribution Plans

The Group has set up a defined contribution plan for its employees in the USA. All employees of SUSS MicroTec Inc., Corona, USA, who are aged 21 and over and work a minimum of 1,000 hours per year can benefit from the plan. All contributions are held in a trust fund. Qualifying employees obtain a non-forfeitable claim to benefits over a period of three to five years.

Both 401(k) plans offer employees the possibility of paying a certain portion of their annual remuneration into the 401(k) plan. The maximum possible amount is determined by the limit set by the American financial authorities, which amounted to USD 23,000.00 in 2024. Starting at age 50, employees can contribute an additional USD 7,500.00. The employer also makes contributions to the 401(k) plans. For each USD 1.00 the employee pays into the 401(k) plan, the employer contributes USD 1.00. The employer contributes up to a maximum of 4 percent of the employee's salary to the pension plan.

In the 2024 financial year, the expenses to the Group for the 401(k) plan came to USD 321 thousand (previous year: USD 268 thousand). Of this, USD 8 thousand consisted of contributions paid for a member of management.

Furthermore, in the reporting year employer contributions were paid into the statutory retirement insurance in the amount of € 6,346 thousand (previous year: € 5,544 thousand).

(25) (Non-current) Provisions

Non-current provisions include share-based payment transactions for the Management Board in the form of virtual shares with cash settlement in the following amounts:

12/31/2024	12/31/2023	12/31/2022
3,911	1,675	776
0	0	298
0	592	425
1,526	1,083	0
2,385	0	0
0	0	52

In the 2024 financial year, non-current provisions comprise remuneration components in the LTI for the 2023–2025 tranche and the 2024–2026 tranche. For the 2024 financial year, the 2022–2024 tranche is reported under other (non-current) financial liabilities.

As part of the remuneration system established in the 2021 financial year (Remuneration System 2021), the Company grants Dr. Bendele, Mr. Albrecht, and Dr. Rohe variable remuneration for the 2021 financial year (2021–2023 tranche) and the 2022 financial year (2022–2024 tranche) based on the Company's long-term performance, the calculation of which is directly linked to the Company's share price.

The remuneration system established in the 2022 financial year (Remuneration System 2022) applies for the 2023 financial year (2023–2025 tranche) and the 2024 financial year (2024–2026 tranche). As with the Remuneration System 2021, this new remuneration system grants the Management Board members Dr. Ballwießer, Mr. Frick, and Dr. Rohe variable remuneration based on the long-term development of the Company, the calculation of which is linked to the Company's share price.

Dr. Bendele was not included in the variable remuneration program of the 2023–2025 tranche because he stepped down from the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE on December 31, 2022.

Mr. Albrecht stepped down from the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec on April 30, 2023. He participates in the LTI of the 2023– 2025 tranche on a pro-rata basis. In contrast to the other members of the Management Board, his remuneration is still calculated on the basis of the Remuneration System 2021.

There are no differences between Remuneration System 2021 and Remuneration System 2022 in terms of how the relative total shareholder return / payout factor of the relative total shareholder return is calculated.

The Management Board members concerned are allocated (pro rata temporis) conditional virtual performance shares (VPS) of the Company. If a Management Board contract commences during the course of the year, the (pro rata temporis) allocation of the target amount and its conversion and granting into conditional performance shares takes place on the first day of the month or – if the contract commences during the month – after the start of the Management Board service contract ("issue date"). Starting on January 1 of the respective grant year, a three-year performance period follows, at the end of which the VPS are converted into final performance shares (virtual shares), taking into account overall target achievement. Immediately after the end of the (respective) performance period, the respective virtual shares are converted into cash remuneration. After a one-year lock-up period following the performance period, the cash remuneration is paid out following the approval of the consolidated financial statements for the financial year following the performance period. This means that the term of a tranche is four years in total. The tranche is paid out after the end of the fourth year, together with the beneficiary's regular salary statement for the calendar month following the approval of the consolidated financial statements for the fourth financial year. If the Management Board contract begins during the course of the year, payment is not made until the end of the four calendar years following the respective issue date of a tranche.

The number of VPS allocated is calculated by dividing the target amount specified in the respective service contract by the arithmetic mean of the share prices of SUSS MicroTec SE prior to the start of the performance period (ASP(A)). The vesting period corresponds to the first performance year (grant year). If the appointment to or removal from the Management Board takes place during the year in which the grant is made, the VPS are allocated pro rata temporis.

The performance period of the 2022–2024 tranche expires at the end of the 2024 financial year. To settle the 2022–2024 tranche, non-current financial liabilities are recognized as of December 31, 2024, which are then paid out after the one-year lock-up period has expired (see Note (26) Other Non-current Financial Liabilities).

The one-year lock-up period for the 2021–2023 tranche of the LTI program ends on December 31, 2024. The amount of the payout was already set as of December 31, 2023. The payment is expected to be made in April 2025 and is therefore to be recognized as a current financial liability as of December 31, 2024. (see Note (29) Other current financial liabilities).

(Pro Rata) Allocation of virtual performance shares

Tranche 2023−2025

Dr. Ballwießer joined the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE on July 1, 2023, and will therefore receive a pro rata allocation of VPS (around 50 percent) for the 2023 financial year. Mr. Burkhardt Frick has been a member of the Management Board since September 11, 2023, and will also receive a pro rata allocation of VPS (around 31 percent) for the 2023 financial year. Dr. Rohe was not appointed to or removed from the Management Board during the year. Mr. Albrecht left the Management Board on April 30, 2023, and will therefore receive a pro rata allocation of VPS (around 33 percent) for the 2023 financial year.

The arithmetic mean of the share prices of SUSS MicroTec SE before the beginning of the performance period on January 1, 2023 (ASP(A)), is determined as the average of the closing prices in XETRA trading of Deutsche Börse AG over the previous 60 trading days and amounts to € 13.53. The VPS are calculated based on the respective target amount and the (ASP(A)):

in € thousand	Tranche 2023–2025
	Target amount	VPS (shares)
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer 1	130	9,608
Burkhardt Frick 1	84	6,237
Dr. Thomas Rohe	260	19,217
Oliver Albrecht	34	2,525
Total	509	37,587

1 (Pro Rata) Allocation of Virtual Performance Shares – 2023–2025 Tranche

Tranche 2024–2026

Dr. Ballwießer, Mr. Frick, and Dr. Rohe were not appointed to or removed from the Management Board during the 2024 financial year.

The arithmetic mean of the share prices of SUSS MicroTec SE before the beginning of the performance period on January 1, 2024 (ASP(A)), is determined as the average of the closing prices in XETRA trading of Deutsche Börse AG over the previous 60 trading days and amounts to € 23.10. The VPS are calculated based on the respective target amount and the (ASP(A)):

	Tranche 2024–2026
in € thousand	Target amount	VPS (shares)
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer	260	11,255
Burkhardt Frick	275	11,906
Dr. Thomas Rohe	260	11,255
Total	795	34,416

Transfer of the financial performance criteria target achievement

The number of final performance shares is based on the number of VPS and is influenced by the extent to which defined performance criteria have been achieved. This is handled differently depending on the remuneration system.

For the LTI programs of the 2021–2023 tranche and the 2022– 2024 tranche (Remuneration System 2021), the number of final performance shares may increase or decrease based on two financial / non-market-related performance criteria – return on capital employed (ROCE), increase in sales – in relation to a target and a performance criterion based on the development of the share price – relative total shareholder return (TSR) compared to two peer groups.

• ROCE for the performance period is calculated as the equally weighted average of the actual ROCE values for the individual financial years in the performance period. The actual ROCE value for each financial year is calculated as the quotient of earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) as reported in the audited and approved consolidated financial statements of the Company, the average capital employed based on the Quarterly Reports, and the audited and approved consolidated financial statements in the respective financial year.
• Increase in sales refers to the increase in Group revenue within the performance period and is measured as the compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
• The relative total shareholder return (TSR) is determined as the TSR performance of SUSS compared to two peers: the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index as an international sector index and the DAXsector Technology Index as a German index with a technology focus (TSR outperformance).

In addition to the above-mentioned performance criteria, the Remuneration System 2022 also includes the non-financial performance criterion of sustainability targets (ESG criteria).

• The Supervisory Board sets the targets for the sustainability criterion for Management Board remuneration on the basis of SUSS's sustainability strategy. The extent to which these targets are achieved is assessed on the basis of a three-year period.
• ESG ratings from ISS, Sustainalytics, and EcoVadis or equivalent rating agencies are analyzed to evaluate the Company's sustainability performance.

The Supervisory Board has set target values (including threshold and cap values) for the financial performance criteria of ROCE and increase in sales. The target value set by the Supervisory Board is based on the return on capital employed expected on the basis of the business strategy or on strategically planned sales growth.

Due to the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. on January 15, 2024, adjustments were made to the target values (including threshold and cap values) for the LTI of the 2022–2024 and 2023–2025 tranches of the increase in sales and ROCE performance criteria.

The target value for the ROCE performance criterion (three-year average) is 22.00 percent for the 2022–2024 tranche, 23.00 percent for the 2023–2025 tranche, and 24.00 percent for the 2024– 2026 tranche. For the increase in sales performance criterion, the Supervisory Board increased the target value from 9.90 percent p.a. for the 2022–2024 tranche (% p.a. 2021 to 2024) to 10.09 percent p.a. for the 2023–2025 tranche (% p.a. 2022 to 2025). For the 2024–2026 tranche, the Supervisory Board has increased this to 13.93 percent p.a. (% p.a. 2023 to 2026).

The Supervisory Board determines whether both financial performance criteria have been met after approving the consolidated financial statements for the final year of the respective performance period. Target achievement for both financial performance criteria is determined by comparing the respective actual value achieved during the performance period with the defined target value.

For the two performance targets, ROCE and increase in sales, an expected (actual) target achievement was derived as part of the evaluation based on the Group's own planning over the performance period and preliminary actual figures. Accordingly, the expected (actual) target achievement for the 2023–2025 tranche is based on the two actual years of the performance period that have already expired and the remaining plan year of the performance period; the expected (actual) target achievement for the 2024–2026 tranche is based on one actual year of the performance period that has already expired and the remaining two plan years of the performance period.

The calculation for the 2022–2024 tranche is based on actual figures and does not include the key financial figures of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., which is classified as a discontinued operation and presented separately. Adjustments were made retrospectively to the 2022–2024 and 2023–2025 tranches as a result of the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. on December 31, 2023. The actual and planned development of sales and ROCE

• as well as
• the corresponding
• threshold values

were adjusted by SUSS MicroTec to reflect the sales and ROCE of SUSS MicroOptics S.A. The target for the corresponding component of the LTI and the extent to which this target was achieved were recalculated on this adjusted basis.

For the non-financial performance criterion of sustainability targets, the Supervisory Board defines sustainability targets for three financial years at its own discretion. These targets are derived from SUSS's sustainability strategy.

• The Supervisory Board defines a threshold and a cap value for quantitative ESG targets in addition to the target value. Target achievement is determined by comparing the actual value achieved in the performance period with the target value.
• Target achievement for qualitative ESG targets is assessed appropriately by the Supervisory Board after the end of the performance period at its own discretion. In doing so, the Supervisory Board can set target achievement at five levels. The corresponding payout factor can range from 0.00 percent (target missed) to 200.00 percent (target significantly exceeded).

Overview of the performance criteria ROCE, increase in sales and sustainability targets

Tranche 2023–2025

The expected (actual) target achievement for the ROCE performance criteria (3-year average) is 26.77 percent. The expected (actual) target achievement for the increase in sales performance criterion (% p.a. 2022–2025) is 23.73 percent p.a. The Supervisory Board classifies the performance criterion sustainability (qualitative) as "fully achieved."

	Tranche 2023–2025
	Threshold value	Target value	Cap value
ROCE (3-year average)
Target achievement	20.00%	23.00%	26.00%
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%
Increase in sales (% p.a. 2022–2025)
Target achievement	7.06%	10.09%	13.12 %
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%
Sustainability (qualitative)
Target achievement	Fallen short	Fully achieved	Significantly ex ceeded
Payout factor	0.00%	100.00%	200.00%

Target achievement is converted into a payout factor of between 0 percent and 200 percent for the three performance criteria using a bonus curve, taking into consideration the target, threshold, and cap values. The payout factor for the ROCE and for the increase in sales currently expected for the performance period is 200.00 percent, respectively. This is 100.00 percent for the sustainability targets.

Tranche 2024–2026

The expected (actual) target achievement for the ROCE performance criteria (3-year average) is 29.30 percent. The expected (actual) target achievement for the increase in sales performance criterion (% p.a. 2023–2026) is 17.46 percent p.a. The Supervisory Board classifies the performance criterion sustainability (qualitative) as "fully achieved."

Target achievement is converted into a payout factor of between 0 percent and 200 percent for the three performance criteria using a bonus curve, taking into consideration the target, threshold, and cap values. The payout factor for the ROCE and for the increase in sales currently expected for the performance period is 200.00 percent and 184.35 percent, respectively. This is 100.00 percent for the sustainability targets.

	Tranche 2024–2026
	Threshold value Target value		Cap value
ROCE (3-year average)
Target achievement	21.00%	24.00%	27.00%
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%
Increase in sales (% p.a. 2023–2026)
Target achievement	9.75%	13.93%	18.11%
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%
Sustainability targets (qualitative)
Target achievement	Fallen short	Fully achieved	Significantly ex ceeded
Payout factor	0.00%	100.00%	200.00%

Overview of the total shareholder return performance criterion

The calculation of target achievement for the relative TSR is based on SUSS's TSR outperformance as compared to the two benchmark indices. TSR outperformance corresponds to the difference between the TSR performance of SUSS MicroTec SE shares and the TSR performance of the respective index in percentage points. Target attainment is calculated using a bonus curve that transforms TSR outperformance into a payout factor:

• An identical TSR performance by SUSS and the respective benchmark index then results in a TSR outperformance of 0.00 percent and corresponds to a target achievement (payout factor) of 100.00 percent.
• With a TSR outperformance (or TSR underperformance) of −30% points, the payout factor is 30.00 percent. The −30.00 percent TSR outperformance (or TSR underperformance) of −30.00 percent also represents a threshold; below that, the payout factor is 0.00 percent.
• With a TSR outperformance of +30.00 percent points, the payout factor is 200.00 percent. The +30.00 percent TSR outperformance represents a cap / ceiling value; above that, the payout factor is also 200.00 percent.
• If the TSR outperformance is between −30.00 percent and 0.00 percent or between 0.00 percent and +30.00 percent, the payout factor is interpolated between the benchmarks.

The TSR outperformance for the 2023–2025 tranche and for the 2024–2026 tranche was determined using Monte Carlo simulations (number: 100,000). The simulation takes changes in the SUSS MicroTec SE share price and changes in the indexes into account. The changes are based on logarithmic growth processes with normal distribution, taking into account a correlation between the share and the respective index. Here, the trend (drift) is also taken into account in the amount of the risk-free interest rate.

The duration of the simulation for the 2023–2025 tranche is one year in total. It begins on the reporting date (December 31, 2024) and ends at the expiry of the performance period (December 31, 2025).

The duration of the simulation for the 2024–2026 tranche is two years in total. It begins on the reporting date (December 31, 2024) and ends at the expiry of the performance period (December 31, 2026).

Due to the non-linear relationship between TSR outperformance and payout factor, a payout factor must be determined for each simulation step. The average of all simulations then provides an expected value for the payoff factor.

Tranche 2023–2025

The following input parameters were included in the individual simulation steps in order to derive the respective payout factors:

Tranche 2023–2025

	SUSS share	DAXsector Technology Index	Philadelphia Semiconductor Index
Closing price as of December 31, 2024 (reporting date), in €	48.65	1,721.28	6,310.82
Closing price as of December 31, 2024 (including dividend), in €	49.21	1,721.28	6,310.82
Closing price on January 1, 2023, in €	15.18	1,726.35	3,314.89
Volatility (basis: daily adjusted returns of the last year (TSR))	5761%	34.75%	34.38%
Correlation (basis: daily adjusted returns of the last year (TSR))		38.09%	34.33%
Risk-free spot rate (Bundesbank, Svensson; 1 year, discrete)	2.32%	2.32%	2.32%

The closing price of the SUSS share as of December 31, 2024, amounting to € 48.65 is adjusted to reflect the reinvestment of the dividends of € 0.20 paid on June 5, 2023, and € 0.20 on June 14, 2024, since the start of the performance period on January 1, 2023, until the measurement date.

The payout factors determined based on the TSR outperformance versus the respective benchmark index are taken into account on an equally weighted basis when determining the final payout factor for the relative TSR. The expected final payout factor at the end of the performance period on December 31, 2025, is 175.29 percent.

Tranche 2024–2026

The following input parameters were included in the individual simulation steps in order to derive the respective payout factors:

Tranche 2024–2026

		DAXsector Tecnology	Philadelphia Semiconductor
	SUSS share	Index	Index
Closing price as of Dec. 31, 2024 (reporting date), in €	48.65	1,721.28	6,310.82
Closing price as of Dec. 31, 2024 (including dividend), in €	48.81	1,721.28	6,310.82
Closing price on January 1, 2024, in €	25.90	2,020.43	4,895.31
Volatility (basis: daily adjusted returns of the last year (TSR))	55.22%	30.57%	31.43%
Correlation (basis: daily adjusted returns of the last year (TSR))		37.17%	34.01%
Risk-free spot rate (Bundesbank, Svensson; 1 year, discrete)	2.05%	2.05%	2.05%

The closing price of the SUSS share on December 31, 2024, amounting to € 48.65 is adjusted for the reinvestment of the dividend of € 0.20 paid on June 14, 2024, from the start of the performance period on January 1, 2024, until the measurement date.

The payout factors determined based on the TSR outperformance versus the respective benchmark index are taken into account on an equally weighted basis when determining the final payout factor for the relative TSR. The expected final payout factor at the end of the performance period on December 31, 2026, is 139.52 percent.

Summary of the input parameters

Tranche 2023–2025

To determine the expected overall target achievement for the 2023–2025 tranche at the end of the performance period, the calculated expected payout factors of ROCE, sales growth, the sustainability target, and relative TSR are each multiplied by 1 / 4 and added together.

Tranche 2023–2025
ROCE	Sales growth	Sustainability target achievement	Relative TSR	Overall target achievement
200%	200%	100%	175%
25%	25%	25%	25%
50%	50%	25%	44%	169%

For Mr. Albrecht, the calculation of the expected overall target achievement for the 2023–2025 tranche at the end of the performance period in accordance with Remuneration System 2021 deviates from this. The calculated expected payout factors of ROCE, increase in sales growth, and relative TSR are each multiplied by 1 / 3 and added together.

	Tranche 2023–2025
	ROCE	Sales growth	Relative TSR	Overall target achievement
Payout factor	200%	200%	175%
Weighting	33%	33%	33%
Weighted payout factor	67%	67%	58%	192%

Tranche 2024–2026

To determine the expected overall target achievement for the 2024–2026 tranche at the end of the performance period, the calculated expected payout factors of ROCE, sales growth, the sustainability target, and relative TSR are each multiplied by 1 / 4 and added together.

	Tranche 2024–2026
	ROCE	Sales growth	Sustainability target achievement	Relative TSR	Overall target achievement
Payout factor	200%	184%	100%	140%
Weighting	25%	25%	25%	25%
Weighted payout factor	50%	46%	25%	39%	156%

Expected overall target achievement

The number of final performance shares will be determined after the end of the three-year performance period. For this purpose, the number of VPS conditionally granted at the beginning of the performance period is multiplied by the overall target achievement. Next, the resulting number of final performance shares is multiplied by SUSS' average share price at the end of the performance period (ASP(E)) to determine the payout amount (PA).

The ASP(E) corresponds to the arithmetic mean of the closing prices in XETRA trading of Deutsche Börse AG over the last 60 trading days before the end of the respective performance period. In the course of the valuations, the ASP(E) for the 2023–2025 and 2024–2026 tranches was determined on the basis of the closing price of € 48.65 as of December 31, 2024, used in the simulation model to determine the TSR outperformance. With regard to possible distributions, it was assumed that dividends would be paid out and that the present value of the dividends would correspond to 1 percent of the share price at the measurement date.

As a result, the expected ASP(E) for the 2023–2025 tranche amounts to € 48.16 as of December 31, 2025. For the 2024–2026 tranche, the expected ASP(E) as of December 31, 2026, is € 47.68.

The amount thereby designated for payment is not paid out until after a one-year lock-up period and the approval of the consolidated financial statements for the financial year following the performance period. As a result, the total inflow does not occur until four years after allocation at the earliest. The payout amount is capped at 300.00 percent of the respective target amount (LTI cap).

Based on the above simulation model, the share price (on average) "drifts" with the base interest rate from the measurement date onward. In this respect, the amount of the provision can be determined in a simplified manner, ignoring the corresponding compounding factors (drift of the share price, determination of ASP(E)) and discounting factors (discounting the amount paid out).

Tranche 2023–2025

The following table contains a summary of the material results as of the December 31, 2024, reporting date:

	Tranche 2023–2025
in € thousand	VPS (shares)	Overall target achievement	Final performance shares	ASP(E) in €	LTI cap = 300% x target amount	Provision
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer	9,608	169%	16,238	48.16	390	390
Burkhardt Frick	6,237	169%	10,540	48.16	253	253
Dr. Thomas Rohe	19,217	169%	32,476	48.16	780	780
Oliver Albrecht	2,525	192%	4,848	48.16	103	103
Total	37,587		64,102		1,526	1,526

Tranche 2024–2026

The following table contains a summary of the material results as of the December 31, 2024, reporting date:

in € thousand	Tranche 2024–2026
	VPS (shares)	Overall target achievement	Final performance shares	ASP(E) in €	LTI cap = 300% x target amount	Provision
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer	11,255	156%	17,558	47.68	780	780
Burkhardt Frick	11,905	156%	18,571	47.68	825	825
Dr. Thomas Rohe	11,255	156%	17,558	47.68	780	780
Total	34,416		53,688		2,385	2,385

(26) Other (Non-current) financial liabilities

The following items are presented under other non-current financial liabilities:

in € thousand	2024	2023
LTI tranche 2022–2024	1,253	0
LTI tranche 2021–2023	0	309
Other financial liabilities	214	23
Other (non-current) financial liabilities	1,467	332

Other financial obligations include deconstruction obligations in the amount of € 177 thousand (previous year: € 23 thousand).

The performance period of the 2022–2024 tranche concludes at the end of the 2024 financial year. The amounts for the LTI program will be finalized. These are recognized as non-current financial liabilities. The input parameters required to calculate the amounts to be paid out to the participating Management Board members are based on the principles already set out in Section A when determining the corresponding provisions (see Note (25) Non-current Provisions).

Non-current liabilities include share-based remuneration components for the members of the Management Board in the form of virtual shares with a cash settlement for the 2021–2023 tranche.

The amounts due under the LTI program are paid out after the one-year lock-up period. Tranche 2022–2024 is currently scheduled to be paid out in April 2026.

(Pro Rata) Allocation of virtual performance shares

Dr. Bendele was a member of the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE until October 16, 2022, and receives a pro rata temporis allocation of VPS (approx. 79 percent) for the 2022 financial year. Mr. Albrecht and Dr. Rohe were not appointed to or removed from the Management Board during the year.

The arithmetic mean of the share prices of SUSS MicroTec SE before the beginning of the performance period on January 1, 2022 (ASP(A)), is determined as the average of the closing prices in XETRA trading of Deutsche Börse AG over the previous 60 trading days and amounts to € 21.91. The VPS are calculated based on the respective target amount and the (ASP(A)):

	Tranche 2022–2024
in € thousand	Target amount VPS (shares)
Dr. Götz Bendele	192	8,781
Oliver Albrecht	103	4,678
Dr. Thomas Rohe	135	6,162
Total	430	19,621

Transfer of the financial performance criteria target achievement

The expected (actual) target achievement for the ROCE performance criterion (3-year average) is 25.97 percent The expected (actual) target achievement for the increase in sales performance criterion (3-year average) is 23.35 percent p.a..

Target achievement is converted into a payout factor of between 0.00 percent and 200.00 percent for each of the two performance criteria using a bonus curve, taking into consideration the target, threshold, and cap values. The resulting payout factor for ROCE and increase in sales is currently 200.00 percent in each case.

in € thousand	Threshold value	Target value	Cap value
ROCE (3-year average)
Target achievement	19.00%	22.00%	25.00%
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%
Increase in sales (% p.a. 2021–2024)
Target achievement	6.93%	9.90%	12.87%
Payout factor	50.00%	100.00%	200.00%

The following input parameters were used to calculate the relative TSR and determine the payout factors:

Tranche 2022–2024

	SUSS share	DAXsector Tecnology Index	Philadelphia Semiconductor Index
Closing price as of Dec. 31, 2024 (reporting date), in €	49.59	1,720.65	6,353.57
Closing price as of Dec. 31, 2024 (including dividend), in €	50.64	1,720.65	6,353.57
Closing price on Jan. 1, 2024, in €	20.81	2,186.00	4,730.58

TSR outperformance is determined on the basis of actual figures. The figure is expressed as a percentage and is arrived at by comparing the average closing price (arithmetic mean) of the last 30 trading days immediately prior to the start of the performance period with the average closing price of the last 30 trading days of the performance period.

The SUSS share had an average closing price of € 49.59 over the last 30 days of the performance period as of December 31, 2024. This was adjusted to reflect the reinvestment of the dividends of € 0.16 on June 3, 2022, € 0.20 on June 5, 2023, and € 0.20 on June 14, 2024, which had been paid between the start of the performance period for the 2022–2024 tranche on January 1, 2022, and the measurement date.

The payout factors determined based on the TSR outperformance versus the respective benchmark index are taken into account on an equally weighted basis when determining the final payout factor for the relative TSR. The final payout factor at the end of the performance period on December 31, 2024, is 200.00 percent.

To determine the expected overall target achievement for the 2022–2024 tranche at the end of the performance period, the calculated expected payout factors of ROCE, increase in sales, and relative TSR are each multiplied by 1 / 3 and added together.

Tranche 2022–2024

	ROCE	Sales growth	Relative TSR	Overall target achieve ment
Payout factor	200%	200%	200%
Weighting	33%	33%	33%
Weighted payout factor	67%	67%	67%	200%

The ASP(E) (arithmetic mean of closing prices in Deutsche Börse AG XETRA trading over the previous 60 trading days before the end of the respective performance period) for the 2022–2024 tranche as of December 31, 2024, is € 54.56.

		Tranche 2022–2024
in € thousand	VPS (shares)	Overall target achievement	Final performance shares	ASP(E) in €	Payout amount
Dr. Götz Bendele	8,781	200%	17,562	54.56	577
Oliver Albrecht	4,678	200%	9,356	54.56	308
Dr. Thomas Rohe	6,162	200%	12,323	54.56	405
Total	19,621		39,242		1,290

The LTI cap regulation will take effect for the 2022–2024 tranche.

The LTI amounts of the 2022–2024 tranche will be paid out after the approval of the consolidated financial statements for the financial year following the performance period. This is expected to occur in April 2026. The LTI amounts are recognized at fair value as of the measurement date and discounted using the oneyear base interest rate of 2.32 percent. The following non-current liabilities have been recognized on this basis:

	Tranche 2022–2024
in € thousand	Payout amount	One-year base interest rate	Liability as of 12/31/2024
Dr. Götz Bendele	577	2.32%	561
Oliver Albrecht	308	2.32%	299
Dr. Thomas Rohe	405	2.32%	394
Total	1,290		1,253

(27) Financial Debt

Financial debt to banks The maturity structure of bank borrowings as of December 31, 2024, and the previous year's reporting date was as follows:

December 31, 2024

in € thousand	Remaining term up to one year	Remaining term of more than one year up to five years	Remaining term of more than five years	Total
Loans payable	1,250	4,063	0	5,313
Current bank liabilities	16	0	0	16
Total	1,266	4,063	0	5,329

December 31, 2023

in € thousand	Remaining term up to one year	Remaining term of more than one year up to five years		Total
Loans payable	1,237	5,000	313	6,550
Current bank liabilities	12	0	0	12
Total	1,249	5,000	313	6,562

Bank borrowings were comprised as follows:

Loans payable	5,313	6,550
Accrued borrowing costs	0	−13
KfW development loan	5,313	6,563
in € thousand	2024	2023

In 2019, two KfW Development Bank loans were taken out for an amount of € 5,000 thousand each at IKB. These two loans were paid out in April 2019 and August 2019. They feature a term of 10 years and a fixed interest rate of 1.00 percent and had a payment-free grace period until June 30, 2021. Both loans are secured by land charges on the Company property in Garching.

SUSS MicroTec SE has a syndicated credit line in the amount of € 56.0 million, which can be used for guarantees in the amount of € 16.0 million and cash drawdowns in the amount of € 40.0 million. A partial amount totaling € 24.0 million can be utilized for revolving credit facilities. The remaining amount of € 16.0 million can be drawn down as an overdraft facility. The term of the syndicated loan agreement ends in October 2026. As of December 31, 2024, no amounts had been drawn down under the cash credit facility, as was also the case on the previous year's reporting date.

The interest rates for utilization of the credit line are variable and comprised of EURIBOR and a margin, the amount of which depends on the net debt ratio of the SUSS Group and the utilization rate of the credit line.

Commitment interest, calculated at a defined percentage of the margin, is charged on the unutilized portion of the credit line.

The syndicated loan agreement reserves a special termination right for the lending banks if the equity ratio of SUSS falls below 40.0 percent. Additional covenants were not stipulated.

The Group also has bilateral guarantee credit lines totaling € 20.0 million (previous year: € 13.0 million).

Only guarantee lines were utilized in 2024. These amounted to € 11.6 million on the reporting date (previous year: € 15.8 million).

The total credit and guarantee lines and their utilization have developed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Credit and guarantee line	76,000	69,000
Utilization in the form of guarantees	11,595	15,825
Available credit and guarantee lines	64,405	53,175

Financial debt from lease obligations

With the application of IFRS 16, liabilities are recognized for concluded rent and lease agreements in the amount of the present value of the lease obligations.

The maturity structure of non-discounted liabilities from lease obligations as of December 31, 2024, was as follows:

31. Dezember 2024

in € thousand	Remaining term up to one yea	Remaining term of more than one year up to five years	Remaining term of more than five years	Total
Liabilities from rent and lease agreements	2,558	6,023	0	8,582
Total	2,558	6,023	0	8,582

The maturity structure of non-discounted liabilities from lease obligations as of December 31, 2023, was as follows:

December 31, 2023

in € thousand	Remaining term up to one year	Remaining term of more than one year up to five years	Remaining term of more than five years	Total
Liabilities from rent and lease agreements	2,500	5,955	447	8,902
Total	2,500	5,955	447	8,902

The development of discounted lease liabilities is as follows:

in € thousand	2024
Non-discounted as of 01/01/2024	8,902
thereof interest	−286
Discounted as of 01/01/2024	8,616
Additions	2,246
Repayment	−2,847
Currency difference	−49
Reclassification to liabilities in association with assets held for sale	0
Financial debt from lease obligations as of 12/31/2024	7,966
thereof non-current	5,708
thereof current	2,258

A lease agreement for a new production site in Taiwan with a term of 20 years was concluded in December 2024. In accordance with IFRS 16, right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are not recognized in the statement of financial position until the commencement date, which is expected to be in the first quarter of 2025. Upon handover of the property, lease liabilities in the amount of approximately € 43 million will be recognized, offset by a right-of-use asset.

(28) (Current) Provisions

Current provisions were comprised as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Warranty provisions	3,241	2,284
Provisions for follow-up costs	448	670
Provisions for severance payments	0	6
Other provisions	536	4,387
Current provisions	4,225	7,347

The warranty provisions were set up in the amount of their probable utilization for statutory and contractually agreed guarantees and warranty claims of customers arising from deliveries of machines.

The provisions for follow-up costs were formed for any subsequent deliveries or retrofitting of missing components that are necessary in the course of installing the machine at the customer's site.

Other provisions include provisions for onerous contracts in the amount of € 311 thousand and other personnel costs in the amount of € 109 thousand.

Current provisions developed as follows:

in € thousand	As of 01/01/2024	Utilization	Reversal	Additions	As of 12/31/2024
Warranty provisions	2,284	−79	−29	1,065	3,241
Provisions for follow-up costs	670	−533	0	311	448
Severance payments	6	−6	0	0	0
Other provisions	4,387	−4,287	0	436	536
Current provisions	7,347	−4,905	−29	1,812	4,225

(29) Other (Current) financial liabilities

Other current financial liabilities break down as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Premiums and commissions	9,212	4,828
External services	3,194	2,122
Suppliers with debit balances	3,151	1,178
Outstanding wage and church tax	1,747	847
Supervisory Board remuneration	147	156
Others	627	289
Other (current) financial liabilities	18,078	9,420

In the current financial year, bonuses and commissions include the 2021–2023 LTI tranche in the amount of € 322 thousand, which was reported above under other (non-current) financial liabilities. LTI tranche 2021–2023 is currently scheduled to be paid out in April 2025.

(30) Contract liabilities

Contract liabilities in the amount of € 100,263 thousand (previous year: € 89,044 thousand) comprise prepayments received from customers for the construction of machines, deferred revenue due to delayed customer installations, and consideration for services from machine orders that have been completed but not yet invoiced, of which € 820 thousand (previous year: € 342 thousand) are recognized as non-current contract liabilities.

31) Other (Current) Liabilities

Other current liabilities break down as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Accrued personnel expenses	4,313	3,601
Liabilities for payments in kind 1	66	375
Value-added tax	65	103
Others	673	1,326
Other current liabilities	5,117	5,405

1 The comparative figures were adjusted following the correction of an error.

Accrued personnel expenses primarily comprise obligations for vacation arrears and credit accounts under the flexible hours scheme.

(32) Tax Liabilities

Tax liabilities were made up of domestic income taxes of € 19,395 thousand (previous year: € 11,502 thousand), and foreign income taxes of € 1.183 thousand (previous year: € 323 thousand).

Financial Instruments

(33) Financial instruments by category

Financial instruments generally comprise all economic transactions undertaken on a contractual basis that involve a claim to cash. They include original financial instruments such as trade receivables and payables, as well as financial receivables and liabilities. The estimated fair values of the financial instruments do not necessarily represent the values that the Company would realize in an actual transaction under present market conditions. The following section provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of financial instruments for the Company and supplies additional information on the statement of financial position items containing financial instruments. Further information on the risk management of financial instruments can be found in the Management Report in the "Opportunities and Risk Report" section.

The following table shows the carrying amounts of all categories of financial assets and liabilities:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Financial Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	136,239	38,114
Receivables and Financial Assets	74,955	53,932
Securities	0	9,895
	211,194	101,941
Financial Liabilities
Financial liabilities	64,386	52,040
	64,386	52,040

The table below presents the fair values and the carrying amounts

of the financial assets and liabilities.

		2024
in € thousand	Book value	Fair value	Measurement category according to IFRS 9	Hierarchy level fair value measurement
Financial Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	136,239	136,239	at amortized cost	–
Trade Receivables	14,861	14,861	at amortized cost	–
Contract Assets	58,890	58,890	at amortized cost	–
Other financial assets	1,204	1,204	at amortized cost	–
Securities	0	0	at amortized cost	–
Financial Liabilities
Trade payables	31,546	31,546	at amortized cost	–
Financial Debt	13,295	14,490
Bank borrowings	5,329	6,524	at amortized cost	Level 3
Lease liabilities	7,966	7,966	at amortized cost	–
Other financial liabilities	19,545	19,545	at amortized cost	-

		2023
in € thousand	Book value	Fair value	Measurement category according to IFRS 9	Hierarchy level fair value measurement
Financial Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	38,114	38,114	at amortized cost	–
Trade Receivables	17,685	17,685	at amortized cost	–
Contract Assets	35,238	35,238	at amortized cost	–
Other financial assets	1,009	1,009	at amortized cost	–
Securities	9,895	9,895	at amortized cost	–
Financial Liabilities
Trade payables	27,110	27,110	at amortized cost	–
Financial Debt	15,178	16,361
Bank borrowings	6,562	7,745	at amortized cost
Lease liabilities	8,616	8,616	at amortized cost	–
Other financial liabilities	9,752	9,752	at amortized cost	–

The securities recognized under financial assets in the previous year related entirely to bonds and were short-term.

For trade receivables, contract assets, and other financial assets, the book values represent the individual amount of maximum credit risk to which the Group is exposed on the reporting date.

The following methods and assumptions apply in determining the fair values:

Cash and cash equivalents

The credit risk associated with cash and cash equivalents measured at amortized cost is deemed insignificant due to the shortterm maturity, the credit rating of the business partners, and the applied credit limits. As a result, SUSS does not recognize any impairments for financial assets.

Receivables / Trade payables

On account of the short-term nature of the receivables and payables, the book values correspond approximately to the fair values of the instruments.

Other financial assets / liabilities

Because of the short-term nature of the assets and liabilities, the book values of the other financial assets and liabilities, which are measured at amortized cost, correspond roughly to their fair value.

Securities

Securities were measured at amortized cost due to the business model, as they are held solely for the purpose of collecting related contractual payments in accordance with IFRS 9 Category 1. The book values of the securities measured at amortized cost correspond approximately to the fair value owing to their shortterm nature. The book values of securities measured at amortized cost approximate fair value due to their short-term nature.

Liabilities to banks

The fair value of the financial liabilities with regard to bank borrowings was calculated by discounting the expected outflow of funds (non-observable inputs) at usual market interest rates for debt instruments with comparable conditions and residual terms.

The net gains and losses on financial instruments developed as

follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Financial assets measured at amortized cost	−167	1.226
Financial liabilities measured at amortized cost	−16	−152

Net gains or losses from loans and receivables contain changes in the value adjustments, foreign currency effects, gains and losses from retirements, and receipts of payments for loans and receivables that had been written off.

Financial Instruments

Purchase and sales obligations in foreign currencies arise from cross-border transactions between the SUSS companies and external customers or suppliers that are not based in the eurozone. This applies above all to customers or suppliers in countries using the US dollar and the Japanese yen that obtain from or sell products to SUSS companies in the euro currency area. The potential risks relate not only to fluctuations in exchange rates but also to the counterparty's credit risk, which is made up of various credit institutions. In the process, the creditworthiness and flexibility of the credit institutions are also taken into account.

As in the previous year, there were no open foreign currency forward transactions as of December 31, 2024. The sensitivity to exchange rates is determined by aggregating the foreign currency items of the operating activities as well as the hedging and financing activities of Group Treasury. Foreign currency risks are thus calculated on the basis of a simulation of a 10 percent devaluation of all foreign currencies vis-à-vis the euro. This simulated devaluation would have led to a reduction in the euro-equivalent value of € 5,708 thousand as of the reporting date (previous year: € 1,634 thousand) and a corresponding decrease in annual income.

The following tables show the composition of the SUSS Group's foreign currency exposure, and the effects on annual earnings of a 10 percent appreciation or depreciation of the euro as of the reporting date and the previous year's reporting date:

	2024
in € thousand	USD	JPY	CHF	Total
Cash and cash equivalents	5,225	1,600	0	6,825
Trade Receivables	1,133	2,002	0	3,135
Trade payables	−1,613	−71,122	0	−72,735
Net exposure	4,745	−67,520	0	−62,775
Effect on net income in the event of a 10% appreciation of the euro	−431	6,138	0	5,708
Effect on net income in the event of a 10% depreciation of the euro	527	−7,502	0	−6,976

	2023
in € thousand	USD	JPY	CHF 1	Total
Cash and cash equivalents	15,097	320	399	15,417
Trade Receivables	3,275	207	236	3,482
Trade payables	−1,007	70	−614	−937
Net exposure	17,365	597	21	17,962
Effect on net income in the event of a 10% appreciation of the euro	−1,579	−54	−2	−1,634
Effect on net income in the event of a 10% depreciation of the euro	1,929	66	2	1,997

1 Discontinued operations

Other Disclosures

(34) Leases

The Group leases all premises where foreign SUSS companies are located, as well as the premises of SUSS MicroTec REMAN GmbH (Oberschleissheim, Germany). The leased premises are used as offices, warehouses, and production areas. Each of the lease contracts is concluded according to local law, and they do not have any uniform structure. Some have agreements for lease increases or lease extension options, for example.

Particularly at sites where major installations have been performed (e.g., cleanrooms for production or applications), lease extension options that the Group can exercise are sought when the lease contracts are finalized. The rental agreements of SUSS MicroTec Shanghai were extended during the financial year.

The Group also leases IT hardware, in addition to Company vehicles in several countries in which it is represented by branches. The term of the lease usually runs for three or four years.

The total amount of cash outflows for leases in the financial year amounted to € 2,844 thousand (previous year: € 2,194 thousand).

(35) Related Parties

Related parties, as defined by IAS 24, include legal or natural persons and their family members who have the ability to exert influence on SUSS MicroTec SE and its subsidiaries or who are subject to control, joint control, or significant influence by SUSS MicroTec SE or its subsidiaries.

There were no transactions with related parties that fall under the definitions of IAS 24.9 in the 2024 financial year, with the exception of the disclosures on the remuneration of the corporate bodies. Details on the remuneration of the corporate bodies can be found in the Remuneration Report.

(36) Financial obligations and contingent liabilities

Other financial obligations and contingent liabilities were composed as follows:

in € thousand	2024	2023
Commitments	98,757	67,030
Total	98,757	67,030

Purchase contingencies commit the Group to purchase services or materials from third parties.

(37) Explanations on the consolidated statement of cash flows

In the consolidated statement of cash flows of the SUSS Group, a distinction is made in accordance with IAS 7 ("Statement of Cash Flows") between payment flows from operating activity and from investing and financing activity.

The item cash and cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows comprises all of the liquid funds shown in the statement of financial position, i.e., cash in hand, checks and deposits with banks, provided they are available within three months without significant fluctuations in value.

The cash flows from investing and financing activities are computed on the basis of payments. On the other hand, the cash flow from operating activities is derived indirectly from the net result for the year.

Under the indirect computation, effects due to currency translation are eliminated from the relevant changes in statement of financial position items. The changes in the relevant statement of financial position items can, therefore, not be reconciled with the corresponding figures on the basis of the consolidated statement of financial position.

Other non-cash effective transactions from continuing operations amounting to € 1,053 thousand in the past financial year resulted exclusively from currency effects.

Cash flow from investing activities amounted to € 71.9 million (previous year: € −8.2 million), of which € 69.5 million (previous year: € −3.6 million) was attributable to cash flow from investing activities of discontinued operations. This was shaped by the cash inflow of € 75.0 million from the sale of the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A., less the costs of sale incurred of € 3.9 million and the disposal of cash and cash equivalents in the amount of € 1,571 thousand.

Cash flow from financing activities related to continuing operations amounted to € −7,900 thousand. At € −1,250 thousand, it included the repayment of two loans taken out under a KFW subsidy program. Repayments of rent and lease obligations in accordance with IFRS 16 amounted to € −2,844 thousand. Furthermore, a dividend payment of € −3,823 thousand was effected in the financial year after a dividend of € 0.20 per dividend-bearing share was resolved for the 2023 financial year.

Fair value changes or exchange rate effects were not recognized in cash flow from financing activities either in 2024 or in the previous year.

(38) Segment Reporting Information about the segments

The activities of the SUSS Group are broken down by product line and region as part of segment reporting in accordance with the provisions of IFRS 8 ("Operating Segments"). This analysis is aligned with internal controlling and reporting to the Management Board and takes the different risk and earnings structures of the segments into consideration.

The activities of the SUSS Group were divided into the operating segments Advanced Backend Solutions and Photomask Solutions in the reporting year and in the previous year, 2023. The Central Group Functions segment encompasses additional activities of the Group and the non-allocable costs of the Central Group Functions.

In the Advanced Backend Solutions segment, SUSS develops, produces, and sells solutions in the following product lines: mask aligners and UV projection scanners (Imaging Systems), temporary and permanent bonders (Bonding Systems, and coaters and developers (Coating Systems). The majority of the Company's development work is based in Germany at the locations in Garching and Sternenfels. While all mask aligners are manufactured in Garching, the production of bonders, coaters, and developers is distributed between the production sites in Sternenfels and Hsinchu (Taiwan). UV projection scanners are manufactured in Hsinchu.

Substantial parts of the distribution organizations for the Advanced Backend Solutions segment are active in North America and Asia, with small units active in Europe. The Advanced Backend Solutions segment accounts for around 70 percent of the Group's total business and is represented in the advanced packaging, MEMS, and compound semiconductor markets.

The Photomask Solutions segment comprises the development, manufacture, and sale of the HMx, ASx, MaskTrack, and MaskTrack Pro product lines. The development and production of specialized systems for the cleaning and processing of photomasks for the semiconductor industry are conducted at the Sternenfels site.

The MicroOptics segment (discontinued operation) encompasses the production and sale of microlenses and highly specialized optics, which are manufactured for a wide range of industrial applications. These activities are bundled in SUSS MicroOptics S.A. in Hauterive, Switzerland, which was sold in January 2024.

The Central Group Functions segment includes all other activities and the costs of the central Group functions, most of which cannot be allocated at the segment level. The segment posted an EBIT of € 46.4 million in 2024 (previous year: € −7.9 million) and mainly included the extraordinary income from the sale of the MicroOptics segment concluded in January 2024.

In the 2024 financial year, costs in the form of management, marketing, and insurance allocations amounting to € 9.8 million (previous year: € 9.9 million) were charged to the operating segments.

Other comments on segment reporting

Data on the segments was collated using the accounting and measurement methods applied in the consolidated financial statements. Due to the division of the Group by product line across companies, there are no material inter-segment transactions. One exception is the reallocation of costs by SUSS MicroTec SE, recorded in the Central Group Functions segment, to the other segment for the performance of certain Group functions such as financing and strategic matters. These reallocated costs also include the expenses incurred by the holding company in connection with the introduction and operation of the Company-wide ERP platform.

In compliance with the requirements of IFRS 8 "Operating Segments," the segment reporting contains disclosure of the pre-tax result per segment. This enables the sum of the segment results to be reconciled with the overall consolidated result before tax. However, in the view of the Management Board, segment earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is the most relevant information to evaluate results compared to other companies in the industry.

In the 2024 financial year, there were no sales recorded with any customer that accounted for 10.0 percent of the Group's total sales.

Intersegment sales in the past financial year amounted to € 0 million (previous year: € 2.0 million).

As in the previous year, intersegment cost allocations were made in the 2024 financial year and are reported separately. The entire share of € 15.7 million (previous year: € 14.8 million) was accounted for by allocations from the central services of SUSS MicroTec SE, which are shown separately as a "thereof" note.

The main non-cash expenses and income comprise value adjustments on trade receivables and write-downs on inventories as well as additions to and reversals of provisions and other liabilities.

Segment assets represent the necessary operational assets of the individual segments. These comprise intangible assets (including goodwill), tangible assets, inventory reserves, and trade receivables.

The segment liabilities include the operating debts and provisions of the individual segments.

The investments relate to additions of both tangible and intangible assets.

For the geographic segment reporting, sales are segmented according to the location of the customers. In the past financial year, SUSS generated sales of € 17,399 thousand (previous year: € 41,413 thousand) in Germany.

The assets and investments were calculated on the basis of the location of the Group company concerned. The non-current assets of the Group are primarily comprised of intangible assets, goodwill, and tangible assets. Of the non-current assets, € 42,968 thousand (previous year: € 42,361 thousand) were attributable to companies in Germany; € 14,095 thousand (previous year: € 34,519 thousand) were attributable to foreign companies. In the past financial year, the SUSS Group's capital expenditure in Germany amounted to € 5,324 thousand (previous year: € 3,399 thousand).

Sales and the EBIT indicator are reconciled to EBT as reported in the statement of income below:

Reconciliation – sales

2024	2023
447,476	327,205
−1,329	−24,709
0	1,766
446,147	304,262

Reconciliation of EBIT to earnings from continuing operations (before taxes)

in € thousand	2024	2023
EBIT according to segment reporting	133,810	16,066
+ Financial income	3,216	955
− Financial expenses	−466	−475
EBT Group	136,560	16,546
− EBT MicroOptics segment	−325	−8,520
− Intercompany transfers	−59,006	3,257
EBT from continuing operations (before taxes) according to the statement of income	77,879	28,323

(39) Subsequent Events

In January 2025, SUSS announced that it would be discontinuing its used machine business with effect from July 31, 2025. Expenses of € 2.9 million were recognized under the cost of sales item in the annual financial statements for the 2024 financial year, due primarily to the write-down of inventories that are no longer expected to be used.

(40) Management Board and Supervisory Board Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE

The members of the Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE in the 2024 financial year were:

Burkhardt Frick

• Ismaning

Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for the areas:

Spokesperson for the Management Board (coordination and management of the activities of the Management Board, targets; concerns of the Supervisory Board; representing the Company in the media), corporate strategy, steering business units / product lines and subsidiaries, sales and corporate marketing, services business and after-sales support, human resources

Further appointments:

• SUSS MicroOptics S.A.; Switzerland: Member of the Board of Directors (until January 15, 2024)
• SUSS MicroTec Inc., USA, Member of the Board of Directors (Chairman)
• SUSS MicroTec KK, Member of the Board of Directors
• SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Member of the Board of Directors (Representative)
• SUSS MicroTec (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Supervisor
• SUSS MicroTec (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Member of the Board of Directors
• SUSS MicroTec Korea Co., Ltd., Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer

• Dr. rer.pol, Munich

Chief Financial Officer

Responsible for the areas:

Financial accounting and taxes, financial controlling, corporate finance, IT and digitalization of corporate processes, governance functions, legal and insurance, investor relations, ESG

Further appointments:

• SUSS MicroOptics S.A.; Switzerland: Member of the Board of Directors (until January 15, 2024)
• SUSS MicroTec Inc., USA, Member of the Board of Directors
• SUSS MicroTec (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Thomas Rohe

• Dr. Ing., Poing
• Chief Operations Officer

Responsible for the areas:

Production, supply chain management (purchasing, logistics), environmental protection, occupational safety, research and development including patenting, quality management, facility management

Further appointments:

• SUSS MicroOptics S.A.; Switzerland: Member of the Board of Directors (until January 15, 2024)
• SUSS MicroTec (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Member of the Board of Directors

Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE

The Members of the Supervisory Board in the 2024 financial year were:

Dr. David Dean

Feldafing, Chair of the Supervisory Board

Further appointments:

Member of the Supervisory Board of the following company:

• Axiata Group Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Dr. Myriam Jahn

Dusseldorf, Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board, independent management consultant

Further appointments:

Chair of the Supervisory Board of the following company:

• PVA TePla AG, Wettenberg

Jan Smits

Heeze, the Netherlands, independent management consultant

Further appointments:

• None

Dr. Bernd Schulte

• Dr. rer. nat. (Physik)

Aachen, independent management consultant

Further appointments:

• None

Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp

Hamburg, Professor of Auditing and Corporate Management at HAW (Hamburg University of Applied Sciences), Hamburg, auditor, tax consultant

Further appointments:

Member of the Supervisory Board of the following companies:

• Basler AG, Ahrensburg
• Hochtief AG, Essen
• BarthHass GmbH & Co. KG, Nuremberg

Remuneration of the Management Board and Supervisory Board

The members of the Management Board received total remuneration of € 3,577 thousand (previous year: € 2,976 thousand).

Total	3,577	2,976
Share-based remuneration	2,657	1,164
Benefits due to termination of employment	0	0
Post-employment benefits	0	131
Short-term benefits	918	1,503
in € thousand	2024	2023

The remuneration of the members of the Supervisory Board, including meeting attendance fees and expense allowances, amounted to € 483 thousand (previous year: € 452 thousand).

Individualized information on the remuneration of the Management Board and Supervisory Board is presented in the remuneration report in accordance with Section 162 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), which is published on the Company's website.

Shares and option holdings (without virtual performance shares) held by officers as of year-end:

	2024		2023
	Shares	Options	Shares	Options
Dr. David Dean	3,250	0	3,250	0
Prof. Dr. Mirja Steinkamp	0	0	0	0
Dr. Myriam Jahn	1,300	0	1,300	0
Dr. Bernd Schulte	11,000	0	11,000	0
Jan Smits	1,550	0	1,550	0
Dr. Burkhardt Frick	3,245	0	3,106	0
Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer	196	0	0	0
Dr. Thomas Rohe	2,241	0	1,850	0

(41) Employees

In the 2024 financial year, the SUSS Group employed an average of 1,352 employees (previous year: 1,282 employees).

in € thousand	2024	2023
Administration	131	115
Marketing and Sales	389	343
Production and Technology	978	887
Total	1,498	1,345

(42) Auditor's Fees

In the 2024 financial year, SUSS recognized total fee expenses of € 775 thousand (previous year: € 477 thousand) in respect of the auditor of the consolidated financial statements, Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft in accordance with Section 314 (1) (9) HGB. Of this amount, € 536 thousand relates to audit services, € 109 thousand to certification services, and € 131 thousand to other services. Of the fees for auditing services, € 101 thousand relate to the 2023 financial year. The fees for auditing services include the voluntary audit of the annual financial statements of SUSS MicroTec Solutions GmbH & Co. KG pursuant to HGB. The fees for other assurance services were incurred for the audit of the non-financial statement.

Network partners of the auditor of the consolidated financial statements accounted for further audit fees of € 53 thousand in the 2024 financial year (previous year: € 101 thousand).

(43) Corporate Governance

In December 2024, the Management Board and Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE declared that, in accordance with Section 161(1) of the German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz, AktG), SUSS MicroTec SE has complied with all of the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code in the version of April 28, 2022 (published in the official section of the Federal Gazette on June 27, 2022), since the issuance of the last declaration of compliance in December 2023, and will continue to do so in the future.

The declarations of compliance have been made permanently available online at https://www.suss.com/en/investor-relations/declaration-of-compliance

(44) Approval of the Financial Statements

The Management Board of SUSS MicroTec SE approved the IFRS consolidated financial statements for forwarding to the Supervisory Board on March 18, 2025.

Garching, March 18, 2025

The Management Board

Signed

Burkhardt Frick Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Signed

Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Signed

Dr. Thomas Rohe Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Responsibility Statement by the Legal Representatives

To the best of our knowledge, and in accordance with the applicable reporting principles, the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Group, and the Group management report, which is combined with the management report of SUSS MicroTec SE, includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal opportunities and risks associated with the expected development of the Group.

Garching, March 18, 2025

SUSS MicroTec SE

The Management Board

Signed	Signed	Signed
Burkhardt Frick	Dr. Cornelia Ballwießer	Dr. Thomas Rohe
Chief Executive Officer	Chief Financial Officer	Chief Operating Officer
(CEO)	(CFO)	(COO)

Audit Certificate of the Independent Auditor

To SUSS MicroTec SE

Report on the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements and of the Combined Management Report

Audit Opinions

We have audited the consolidated financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE and its subsidiaries (the Group), which comprise the consolidated statement of financial position as at December 31, 2024, the consolidated statements of profit or loss, the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the financial year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, and the notes to the consolidated financial statements, including significant information on the accounting policies. In addition, we have audited the combined management report of SUSS MicroTec SE for the financial year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. In accordance with German legal requirements, we have not audited the contents of the information in the sections "Description and key features of the group-wide Risk Management System", "Description of key features of the Compliance Management System (CMS) and "Description of the key features of the Internal Control System (IKS) as well as the Statement on Corporate Governance comprised in the section "Group Statement on Corporate Governance according to § 289f and § 315d HGB [German Commercial Code]" and the Nonfinancial Statement of the combined management report comprised in the section "Group Statement on Sustainability".

In our opinion, on the basis of the knowledge obtained in the audit,

• the accompanying consolidated financial statements comply, in all material respects, with the IFRS Accounting Standards, issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), as adopted by the EU, and the additional requirements of German commercial law pursuant to § 315e (1) HGB and, in compliance with these requirements, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, and financial position of the Group as at December 31, 2024 and of its financial performance for the financial year from1 January 2024 to December 31, 2024, and
• the accompanying combined management report as a whole provides an appropriate view of the Group's position. In all material respects, this combined management report is consistent with the consolidated financial statements, complies with German legal requirements and appropriately

presents the opportunities and risks of future development. Our audit opinion on the combined management report does not cover the content of its components, mentioned within the sections "Description and key features of the group-wide Risk Management System", "Description of key features of the Compliance Management System (CMS) and "Description of the key features of the Internal Control System (IKS) as well as the Statement on Corporate Governance comprised in the section "Group Statement on Corporate Governance according to § 289f and § 315d HGB" and the Nonfinancial Statement of the combined management report comprised in the section "Group Statement on Sustainability".

Pursuant to § 322 (3) sentence 1 HGB, we declare that our audit has not led to any reservations relating to the legal compliance of the consolidated financial statements and of the combined management report.

Basis for the Audit Opinions

We conducted our audit of the consolidated financial statements and of the combined management report in accordance with § 317 HGB and the EU Audit Regulation (No. 537 / 2014, referred to subsequently as "EU Audit Regulation") and in compliance with German Generally Accepted Standards for Financial Statement Audits promulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer [Institute of Public Auditors in Germany] (IDW). Our responsibilities under those requirements and principles are further described in the "Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements and of the Combined Management Report" section of our auditor's report. We are independent of the group entities in accordance with the requirements of European law and German commercial and professional law, and we have fulfilled our other German professional responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. In addition, in accordance with Article 10 (2) lit. (f) of the EU Audit Regulation, we declare that we have not provided non-audit services prohibited under Article 5 (1) of the EU Audit Regulation. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on the combined management report.

Key Audit Matters in the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements for the financial year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole, and in forming our audit opinion thereon; we do not provide a separate audit opinion on these matters.

We determined the following issues to be the most important in our audit:

• Impairment of goodwill
• Loss of control over SUSS MicroOptics S.A. and deconsolidation of SUSS MicroOptics S.A.

Our presentation of these key audit matter has been structured as follows:

• Facts and problem definition
• Audit procedures and findings
• Reference to further information

In the following we present the key audit matters:

Impairment of goodwill

1. In the consolidated financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE under the balance sheet item "goodwill" goodwill of € 18.6 million is recognized thus representing approx. 4 percent of the balance sheet total. The Company allocates goodwill to the relevant groups of cash-generating units. The Company subjects goodwill to an impairment test either annually as at the balance-sheet date or when there is an indication that an asset may be impaired. In this regard, the values in use determined for each group are generally compared with the book values of the corresponding group of cash-generating units. These valuations are regularly based on the present value of future cash flows of the cash-generating unit to which the respective goodwill is to be allocated. The valuations underlying the planning calculations of the individual cash-generating units, are based on the financial planning approved by management. Discounting is carried out using the weighted average cost of capital of the respective cash-generating unit. The result of this valuation is highly dependent on the estimates made by the Company's legal representatives regarding future cash inflows and on the discount rate used and is therefore subject to considerable uncertainty. This is why this matter is of particular importance within the scope of our audit.

2. 1. In order to adequately address this risk, we critically reviewed management's assumptions and estimates and performed, among others, the following audit procedures:
3. We followed the methodology for performing the impairment tests and assessed the calculation of the weighted average cost of capital.
4. We have convinced ourselves that the future cash inflows on which the valuations are based and the discount rates used form an appropriate basis for the impairment tests of the individual cash-generating units.
5. In our assessment we relied, among other things, on a comparison with general and industry-specific market expectations as well as comprehensive explanations by management on the main value drivers of the planning and comparison of this information with the current budgets from the planning approved by the Supervisory Board.
6. With the knowledge that even relatively small changes in the discount rate can have a significant impact on the amount of the value in use determined in this way, we have dealt with the parameters used to determine the applied discount rate including the weighted average cost of capital and understood the Company's calculation scheme.
7. We have determined that the respective goodwill and the total carrying amounts of the relevant groups of cash-generating units are covered by the discounted future cash flows as of the balance sheet date.
8. 1. The Company's disclosures on goodwill are included in text figure 13 of the notes.

Loss of control over SUSS MicroOptics S.A. and deconsolidation of SUSS MicroOptics S.A.

1. In the consolidated financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE, a sum of € 58.3 million from the sale of participations in the subsidiary SUSS MicroOptics S.A. is recognised in the consolidated statement of income under the item 'Profit (after tax) from discontinued operations. The agreement to sell was signed in the financial year 2023, with the transaction being completed in the financial year 2024. SUSS MicroOptics S.A. was already reported as a discontinued operation in the consolidated financial statements in the financial year. In our view, this matter was of particular importance for an understanding of the net assets, financial position and results of operations as presented in the consolidated financial statements.

2. 1. To address the impact of this matter, we have assessed the loss of control in the consolidated financial statements and, in doing so, have performed the following audit procedures, among others:
3. We inspected the relevant transactions and agreements to verify the date of loss of control.
4. We verified the impact of the loss of control on the consolidated financial statements.
5. We evaluated the presentation of the result from discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements.

Based on our audit procedures, we were able to verify the assessment made by the legal representatives regarding the loss of control over SUSS MicroOptics S.A. and the resulting deconsolidation and were able to convince ourselves that both were appropriate.

1. The Company's disclosures on the loss of control and the deconsolidation resulting therefrom are comprised in text figure 3 of the notes.

Other Information

The executive directors and the Supervisory Board are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises:

• the information comprised in the sections "Description and key features of the group-wide Risk Management System", "Description of key features of the Compliance Management system (CMS) and "Description of the key features of the Internal Control System (IKS) in the combined management report,
• Group Statement on Corporate Governance and Statement on Compliance of the combined management report 2024,
• Information on the Group Statement on Sustainability in the combined management report 2024,
• Assurance according to §§ 264 (3), 289 (1) sentence 5 HGB to the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report,
• Alternative key performance figures of the SUSS Group,
• Report of the Supervisory Board as well as
• all other parts of the published business report,
• but not the consolidated financial statements, not the information in the combined management report checked for content and not our corresponding auditor's report.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for the Report of the Supervisory Board. Management and Supervisory Board are responsible for the statement in accordance with § 161 AktG on the German Corporate Governance Code, which is part of the Statement on Corporate Governance contained in the combined management report. Otherwise, management is responsible for the other information.

Our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and combined management report do not cover the other information and, accordingly, we do not express an opinion or any other form of audit conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit, it is our responsibility to read the Other Information and to assess whether the Other Information

• contains material discrepancies with the consolidated financial statements, the information in the combined management report checked for content or our knowledge gained during the audit, or
• otherwise appears materially misrepresented.

Responsibility of the Executive Directors and the Supervisory Board for the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report

The executive directors are responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements that comply, in all material respects, with the IFRS Accounting Standards as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements of German commercial law pursuant to § 315e (1) HGB and that the consolidated financial statements, in compliance with these requirements, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position, and financial performance of the Group. In addition, the executive directors are responsible for such internal control as they have determined necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud (i.e., fraudulent financial reporting and misappropriation of assets) or error.

In preparing the consolidated financial statements, the executive directors are responsible for assessing the Group's ability to continue as a going concern. They also have the responsibility for disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern. In addition, they are responsible for financial reporting based on the going concern basis of accounting unless there is an intention to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or there is no realistic alternative but to do so.

Furthermore, the executive directors are responsible for the preparation of the combined management report that, as a whole, provides an appropriate view of the Group's position and is, in all material respects, consistent with the consolidated financial statements, complies with German legal requirements, and appropriately presents the opportunities and risks of future development. In addition, the executive directors are responsible for such arrangements and measures (systems) as they have considered necessary to enable the preparation of a combined management report that is in accordance with the applicable German legal requirements, and to be able to provide sufficient appropriate evidence for the assertions in the combined management report.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the Group's financial reporting process for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements and of the combined management report.

Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements and of the Combined Management Report

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and whether the combined management report as a whole provides an appropriate view of the Group's position and, in all material respects, is consistent with the consolidated financial statements and the knowledge obtained in the audit, complies with the German legal requirements and appropriately presents the opportunities and risks of future development, as well as to issue an auditor's report that includes our audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on the combined management report.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with § 317 HGB and the EU Audit Regulation and in compliance with German Generally Accepted Standards for Financial Statement Audits pro-mulgated by the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW) will always detect a material misstatement. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements and this combined management report.

We exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements and of the combined management report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit of the consolidated financial statements and of arrangements and measures relevant to the audit of the combined management report in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an audit opinion on the effectiveness of the Group's internal control respectively these arrangements and measures.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used by the executive directors and the reasonableness of estimates made by the executive directors and related disclosures.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of the executive directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group's ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in the auditor's report to the related disclosures in the consolidated financial statements and in the combined management report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our respective audit opinions. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to be able to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the consolidated financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the consolidated financial statements present the underlying transactions and events in a manner that the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and financial performance of the Group in compliance with the IFRS Accounting Standards as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements of German commercial law pursuant to § 315e (1) HGB.
• Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial accounting information of the entities or business activities within the Group to express audit opinions on the consolidated financial statements and on the combined management report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the group audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinions.
• Evaluate the consistency of the combined management report with the consolidated financial statements, its conformity with German law, and the view of the Group's position it provides.

• Perform audit procedures on the prospective information presented by the executive directors in the combined management report. On the basis of sufficient appropriate audit evidence we evaluate, in particular, the significant assumptions used by the executive directors as a basis for the prospective information and evaluate the proper derivation of the prospective information from these assumptions. We do not express a separate audit opinion on the prospective information and on the assumptions used as a basis. There is a substantial unavoidable risk that future events will differ materially from the prospective information.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also make a declaration to those charged with governance that we have complied with the relevant independence requirements and discuss with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and, where relevant, the actions or safeguards taken against threats towards independence.

From the matters discussed with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current reporting period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's report unless law or other regulations preclude public disclosure about the matter.

Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements

Report on the audit of the electronic reproductions of the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report prepared for disclosure purposes pursuant to § 317 (3a) HGB Audit opinion

In accordance with § 317 (3a) HGB, we have performed a reasonable assurance audit to determine whether the data contained in the provided file 529900C3KRUTSYDK7N87-2024-12-31-de (2). zip with the audited ESEF documents and prepared for the purpose of publication of the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report (hereinafter referred to as the "ESEF documents") comply in all material respects with the electronic reporting format ("ESEF format") pursuant to § 328 (1) HGB. In accordance with German legal requirements, this audit covers only the conversion of the information contained in the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report into the ESEF format and therefore does not extend to the information contained in these reproductions or to any other information contained in the aforementioned file.

In our opinion, the reproductions of the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report contained in the provided file referred to above and prepared for disclosure purposes comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of § 328 (1) HGB for the electronic reporting format. We do not express any opinion on the information contained in these reproductions or on the other information contained in the above-mentioned file beyond this opinion and our opinions on the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the accompanying combined management report for the financial year from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 contained in the preceding "Report on the audit of the consolidated financial statements and of the combined management report".

Basis for the audit opinion

We conducted our audit of the reproductions of the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report contained in the above-mentioned provided file in accordance with § 317 (3a) of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and the IDW Audi-ting Standard: Audit of Electronic Reproductions of Financial Statements and Management Reports Prepared for Disclosure Purposes in Accordance with § 317 (3a) HGB (IDW PS 410 (06.2022)). Our responsibility thereafter is further described in the section "Group auditor's responsibility for the audit of the ESEF documents". Our auditing practice has complied with the quality management system requirements of the IDW Quality Management Standard: Requirements for Quality Management in the Auditing Practice (IDW QMS 1).

Responsibility of the Executive Directors and the Supervisory Board for the ESEF documents

The executive directors of the Company are responsible for the preparation of the ESEF documents with the electronic reproductions of the consolidated financial statements and the combined management report in accordance with § 328 (1) sentence 4 no. 1 HGB and for the tagging of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with § 328 (1) sentence 4 no. 2 HGB.

Furthermore, the executive directors are responsible for the internal controls they have considered necessary to enable the preparation of the ESEF documents that are free from material non-compliance, whether due to fraud or error, with the electronic reporting format requirements of § 328 (1) HGB.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the preparation process of the ESEF documents as part of the financial reporting process.

Group auditor's responsibility for the audit of the ESEF documents

Our objective is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the ESEF documents are free from material non-compliance, whether due to fraud or error, with the requirements of § 328 (1) HGB. We exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also

• Identify and assess the risks of material non-compliance with the requirements of
• § 328 (1) HGB, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit of the ESEF documents in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of these controls.
• Evaluate the technical validity of the ESEF documentation, i.e., whether the provided file containing the ESEF documents meets the requirements of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019 / 815, as applicable at the reporting date, regarding the technical specification for that file.
• We assess whether the ESEF documents allow for a content identical XHTML reproduction of the audited consolidated financial statements and the audited combined management report.
• Assess whether the tagging of the ESEF documents with inline XBRL technology (iXBRL) in accordance with Articles 4 and 6 of the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019 / 815, as applicable at the reporting date, enables an adequate and complete machine-readable XBRL copy of the XHTML reproduction.

Further Information pursuant to Article 10 of the EU Audit Regulation

We were elected as group auditors by the annual general meeting on 11 June 2024. We were engaged by the Supervisory Board on October 14, 2024. We have been acting as group auditors of the annual consolidated financial statements of SUSS MicroTec SE since the financial year 2022.

We declare that the audit opinions expressed in this auditor's report are consistent with the additional report to the Audit Committee pursuant to Article 11 of the EU Audit Regulation (long-form audit report).

Additionally to the Group audit for the audited Company respectively for the entities controlled by it – we rendered the following services, not mentioned in the consolidated financial statements or the combined management report:

• Audit of the Remuneration Report of SUSS MicroTec SE
• Contractually agreed services in the context of the Group's Statement on Sustainability.

electronic reproductions of the audited consolidated financial statements and the audited combined management report and do not replace them. In particular, the ESEF report and our audit opinion contained therein can only be used in conjunction with the audited ESEF documents provided in electronic form.

German Public Auditor Responsible For The Engagement

The German Public Auditor responsible for the engagement is Tibor Abel.

Munich, March 19, 2025

Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Other Facts – Use of the Audit Report

Our audit report must always be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the audited combined management report as well as the audited ESEF documents. The consolidated financial statements and combined management report converted into ESEF format – including the versions to be entered in the Business Register – are merely

Abel	Knaack
Wirtschaftsprüfer	Wirtschaftsprüferin
[German Public Auditor]	[German Public Auditor]

Independent Auditor's Report

On a Limited Assurance Engagement on the Group Sustainability Statement

To SUSS MicroTec SE, Garching

Limited Assurance Conclusion

We have conducted a limited assurance engagement on the Group Sustainability Statement of SUSS MicroTec SE, Garching, (Company) for the year ended December 31, 2024.

The Group Sustainability Statement was prepared to meet the requirements of Directive (EU) 2022 / 2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of December 14, 2022 (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, CSRD) and Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2020/852 as well as to comply with §§ 315b and 315c Handelsgesetzbuch (HGB, German commercial code).

Not in the scope of limited assurance engagement were information marked as unaudited and the reports of other auditors on audits of information contained in the Group Sustainability Statement from sources in the value chain.

Based on the assurance procedures performed and assurance evidence obtained, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the accompanying Group Sustainability Statement has not been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the requirements of the CSRD and Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2020 / 852, §§ 315b and 315c HGB for a nonfinancial group statement, as well as with the applicable criteria applied by the Management of the Company. Also nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe,

• that the accompanying Group Sustainability Statement does not comply, in all material respects, with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), including that the process undertaken by the Company to identify information to be included in the Group Sustainability Statement (double materiality assessment) is not consistent, in all material respects, with the description set out in the section "Group Sustainability Statement", or

• that the disclosures in the "EU Taxonomy" section of the Group Sustainability Statement do not comply in all material respects with Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2020 / 852.

We do not provide an assurance conclusion on the information marked as unaudited and on the reports of other auditors on audits of information contained in the Group Sustainability Statement from sources in the value chain.

Basis for conclusion

We conducted our audit in accordance with the International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised): Assurance Engagements Other Than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information, issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB).

The procedures in a limited assurance engagement vary in nature and timing and are less in extent than for a reasonable assurance engagement. Consequently, the level of assurance obtained in a limited assurance engagement is substantially lower than the assurance that would have been obtained had a reasonable assurance audit been performed.

Our responsibilities under ISAE 3000 (Revised) are further described in the "Auditor's Responsibility" section.

We are independent of the Company in accordance with the requirements of European law and German commercial and professional law, and we have fulfilled our other German professional responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. Our audit firm applies quality assurance system requirements of the Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW, Institute of Public Auditors in Germany) quality management standard issued by the IDW: Requirements for Quality Management in the Auditing Practice (IDW QMS 1 (09.2022)) and the International Standard on Quality Management 1 (ISQM 1), Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Statements, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements, which requires the firm to design, implement and operate a system of quality management, including policies and procedures regarding compliance with ethical requirements, professional standards, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

We believe that the evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our conclusion.

Responsibility of Management and the Supervisory Board for the Group Sustainability Statement

The Management of the Company is responsible for the preparation of the Group Sustainability Statement in accordance with the requirements of the CSRD and the relevant German legal and European regulations as well and for the applicable criteria presented by the Management of the Company and for the design, implementation and maintenance of such internal controls that they have considered necessary to enable the preparation of a Group Sustainability Statement in accordance with these requirements that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud (i.e. manipulation of the Group Sustainability Statement) or error.

This responsibility of the Management includes the implementation and maintenance of the double materiality assessment process, the selection and application of appropriate methods to prepare the Group Sustainability Statement, the making of assumptions and estimates and the determination of forwardlooking information on the sustainability-related disclosures.

The Supervisory Board is responsible for overseeing the process of preparing the Group Sustainability Statement.

Inherent limitations in the preparation of the Group Sustainability Statement

The CSRD and the relevant German and European regulations contain phrases and terms that are subject to considerable interpretation uncertainties and for which no authoritative, comprehensive interpretations have yet been published. As such phrases and terms can be interpreted differently by regulators or courts, the legal conformity of measurements or evaluations of sustainability matters based on these interpretations is uncertain.

These inherent limitations also affect the audit of the Group Sustainability Statement.

Auditor's responsibility

Our objectives are to express a limited assurance conclusion based on our audit as to whether any matters have come to our attention that cause us to believe that the Group Sustainability Statement has not been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the CSRD and the relevant German legal and other European requirements and the applicable criteria presented by the Company's Management, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our assurance conclusion on the Group Sustainability Statement.

As part of a limited assurance engagement in accordance with ISAE 3000 (Revised), we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism. In addition, we:

• gain an understanding of the process implemented to prepare the Group Sustainability Statement, including the double materiality assessment process performed by the Company to identify the disclosures to be reported in the Group Sustainability Statement,
• identify disclosures where a material misstatement due to fraud or error is likely to arise, design and perform procedures to address these disclosures and obtain limited assurance to support the assurance conclusion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusive interaction, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. In addition, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement of value chain information from sources not under the control of the Company (value chain information) is generally higher than the risk of not detecting a material misstatement of value chain information from sources

under the control of the Company, as both the Company's Management and we as auditors are generally subject to restrictions on direct access to sources of value chain information,

• consider the forward-looking information, including the appropriateness of the underlying assumptions. There is a significant unavoidable risk that future events will differ materially from the forward-looking information.

Summary of assurance procedures performed by the Auditor

A limited assurance engagement involves performing procedures to obtain evidence about the sustainability information. The nature, timing and extent of procedures selected depend on professional judgment.

In conducting our limited assurance engagement, we have, amongst other things:

• evaluated the overall suitability of the criteria presented by the Management in the Group Sustainability Statement.

• interviewed Management and relevant employees involved in the preparation of Group Sustainability Statement about the preparation process, including the double materiality assessment process carried out by the Company to identify the disclosures to be reported in the non-financial report, and about the internal controls relating to this process.
• evaluated the methods used by Management to prepare the Group Sustainability Statement.
• evaluated the reasonableness of the estimates and the related disclosures provided by the Management. If, in accordance with the ESRS, the Management estimate the value chain information to be reported for a case in which the executive directors are unable to obtain the information from the value chain despite making reasonable efforts, our assurance engagement is limited to evaluating whether the executive directors have undertaken these estimates in accordance with the ESRS and assessing the reasonableness of these estimates, but does not include identifying information in the value chain that the executive directors have been unable to obtain.
• performed analytical audit procedures and interviews on relevant information in the Group sustainability statement.
• reviewed the presentation of information in the Group Sustainability Statement.
• considered the process for identifying taxonomy-eligible and taxonomy-compliant economic activities and the corresponding disclosures in the Group Sustainability Statement.

Restriction of Use

We draw attention to the fact that the assurance engagement was conducted for the Company's purposes and that the report is intended solely to inform the Company about the result of the assurance engagement. Accordingly, the report is not intended to be used by third parties for making (financial) decisions based on it. Our responsibility is solely towards the Company. We do not accept any responsibility, duty of care or liability towards third parties.

The engagement in the performance of which we provided the aforementioned services for the Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec SE, Garching, was based on the General Engagement Terms for Wirtschaftsprüfer and Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaften (German Public Auditors and Public Audit Firms) in the version dated January 1, 2024. By acknowledging and using the information contained in this report, each recipient confirms that they have taken note of the provisions contained therein and recognises their validity in relation to us.

Frankfurt am Main, March 18, 2025

Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG

Nils Borcherding Katharina Engels Wirtschaftsprüfer Wirtschaftsprüferin [German Public Auditor] [German Public Auditor]

Katharina Engels
Wirtschaftsprüferir

Five-Year Overview

Earnings per share (basic) 2 5.77 0.91 1.22 0.86 0.65

in € million	2024 1	2023 1	2022 1	2021	2020	in € million	2024 1	2023 1	2022 1	2021	2020
Business development						Balance sheet and cash flow
Order intake	423.7	420.5	411	337	281.1	Equity	279.7	176.6	177.7	156.9	136.5
Order book as of December 31	428.4	452.5	335.4	193.9	120.1	Equity ratio	55.9%	47.8%	50.3%	56.2%	59.0%
Sales	446.1	304.3	260	263.4	252.1	ROCE	36.8%	17.5%	23.6%	14.0%	12.9%
Gross profit	178.3	103.9	100.6	94.2	83.7	Balance sheet total	500.9	369.7	353.2	279.2	231.4
Gross profit margin	40.0%	34.1%	38.7%	35.8%	33.2%	Net cash	122.9	32.8	41.3	33.8	20.3
Cost of sales	267.8	200.4	159.3	169.2	168.4	Free cash flow total 2	96.1	7.9	17	14.7	44
Research and development costs	40.1	31.3	28.7	22.1	19.8	Further key figures
EBITDA	83.0	34.7	37.4	29.6	28.2	Investments	7.6	4.6	4.1	9.6	11.3
EBITDA margin	18.6%	11.4%	14.4%	11.2%	11.2%	Investment ratio	1.7%	1.5%	1.6%	3.6%	4.5%
EBIT	75.1	27.8	31.5	22.6	20.4	Depreciation	7.8	6.9	5.9	7.1	7.8
EBIT margin	16.8%	9.1%	12.1%	8.6%	8.1%	Employees as of December 31	1,498	1,207	1,091	1,178	1,009
Earnings after taxes (continuing operations)	52.1	17.3	23.3	16	12.4

1 without segment MicroOptics

2 including discontinued operations

Imprint

Published by SUSS MicroTec SE

Edited Finance: Iris Ofner Investor Relations: Sven Köpsel, Florian Mangold

Auditor

Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Design and Typesetting

IR-ONE AG & Co., Hamburg www.ir-one.de

Forward-looking statements: These reports contain forward-looking statements relating to the business, financial performance and earnings of SUSS MicroTec SE and its subsidiaries and associates. Forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates, projections and expectations and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to estimate and which in general are beyond the control of SUSS MicroTec SE. Consequently, actual developments as well as actual earnings and performance may differ materially from those which explicitly or implicitly assumed in the forward-looking statements. SUSS MicroTec SE does not intend or accept any obligation to publish updates of these forward-looking statements.

Contact

SUSS MicroTec SE

Investor Relations Schleißheimer Straße 90 85748 Garching, Germany Phone: +49 89 32007-151 Email: IR@suss.com www.suss.com

Growing Innovation

SUSS MicroTec SE

Schleissheimer Straße 90 85748 Garching Germany + 49 89 32007 – 0 info@suss.com suss.com