As an energy distribution and service company we bear responsibility for the development and maintenance of our supply facilities. Over and above this, the companies of the MVV Energie Group bear responsibility towards society and are active in their respective catchment areas as partners in the fields of science and sport and in cultural and social projects.

Education and training, research and teaching are all areas which strengthen companies' innovative potential. We are therefore committed to supporting longstanding partners. At the University of Mannheim, we initiated the "Business Ethics" lecture series at the Institute of Business Administration. Renowned professors provide insights into issues surrounding the future interaction between companies and their customers and business partners. Employees from our company work as lecturers at universities, technical colleges and vocational training colleges. All companies of the MVV Energie Group provide interns and students from Germany and other countries with the opportunity of gaining practical experience in a company. At the Mannheim technical college - the College of Technology and Design MVV Energie AG has sponsored a professorship, which focuses on research projects relating to the energy business.

Cultural events enhance a region's quality of life and at the same time serve as a successful means of customer retention for particular target groups. The Nationaltheater in Mannheim celebrated the 225th anniversary of its foundation in 2004. MVV Energie AG has long been a reliable partner of this theatre. Our special focus is the Mozart Week, which we have supported since the very beginning. This festival provides a platform for performances of Mozart's early works. Supporting young artists is another area which is close to our hearts. That is why we contributed to the acclaimed concert tour of the Youth Wind Orchestra in China. Stadtwerke Ingolstadt has once again supported the Künstlerinnentage, a project aimed at promoting equal opportunities for women in culture and society. Via the arts project Netzwerk Offenbach, Energieversorgung Offenbach (EVO) sponsors the Offenbacher Oratorienchor, one of the best- concert choirs in Germany, as well as the arts school for young people - Jugendkunstschule Offenbach.

Team spirit, stamina and performance are sporting values which we also prize. We underline our commitment in this respect by supporting popular and competitive sporting ventures. In the past Olympic year, we can be particularly proud of our longstanding commitment to the sports clubs WSV Sandhofen and MTG Mannheim. Sportsmen and sportswomen from both of these clubs took part in the Athens Olympics. Since 2000 we have supported the outstanding canoeists Birgit Fischer and Carolin Leonhardt in their sporting careers. We can be proud of the Olympic gold and silver medals awarded to these two participants. Our longstanding sponsorship of SG Leutershausen, the Mannheim "Eagles" and TSG Hoffenheim underlines our commitment to Mannheim and the surrounding region. We are therefore one of the initiators paving the way for the Future of the Rhine-Neckar Triangle sports project. Together, the companies operating in this region aim to make a contribution to its strengths and attractiveness as a place to live and work. EVO promotes the Offenbacher Kickers and the state league volleyball team of BSC 1899 Offenbach. In Kiel, our shareholding works together closely with the Kiel Sports Association and sponsors projects in 194 clubs across Kiel. Sporting events, such as the tournament at the Mannheim Maimarkt, the Ingolstadt Half-Marathon and the Kiel sailing event Camp24sieben also receive financial support from the MVV Energie Group.

Supporting social projects is a matter of great importance to all of the companies in our Group. Grassroots projects and spontaneous assistance characterise the actions of all our companies in this respect. In Mannheim, our help is primarily focused on the Vesperkirche, an organisation providing assistance to the needy in winter. Support is also provided all year round in the form of individual help for aid organisations, such as the disaster prevention organisation THW Offenbach, church facilities and social support groups in Solingen, Offenbach and Ingolstadt established