2010 (PDF, 1.1 MB) - Schufa

Ladies and gentlemen,
German consumers spent more than € 1.4 trillion in 2010. This
represents 58 per cent of Gross Domestic Product or, in absolute
terms, a consumer-generated demand of € 4 billion a day. The
constantly high level of demand over recent years helped to stabilise
the economic situation during the crisis.
Consumer loans are becoming ever more popular among
consumers as an uncomplicated method of financing, in particular
durable consumer goods. Consumer credit has displayed
dramatic development over the past six decades since the foundation
of the Federal Republic of Germany. The total volume
of consumer loans has multiplied to € 225 billion since the 1950s.
The consumer loan share of domestic loans has doubled
since the 1960s. One third of consumers now use this method
of payment.
The role of consumer loans as economic growth drivers is becoming
more important, especially considering that the average
value of new loans amounted to € 7,099 in the previous year.
With ever-increasing frequency, Germans are turning to creditfinancing
for the purchase of larger, longer-lasting goods such
as automobiles, electronics and furniture.
Every day, SCHUFA receives around 250,000 requests for information.
The system works: 97.5 per cent of all consumer loans
are repaid according to contract. No other information provider
supports the economy to such an extent by providing positive
information about consumers. SCHUFA currently has 479 million
records on 66.2 million individuals. More than 91 per cent of
these records contain positive data only.
Yours sincerely,
Forward from the Executive Board 3
SCHUFA business reports allow private individuals to obtain information
on a company’s credit standing. They become informed
participants in the economy and can get a precise idea of a business’s
creditworthiness before entering into a business relationship
with the company of their choosing. With its database of
business data, SCHUFA, for the first time, has information on all
legal entities as well as private individuals in Germany.
The B2B compact report for companies provides immediate
access to creditworthiness information, even on the particularly
large number of smaller businesses in Germany. It provides an
informed basis for the provision of loans and thus the continued
business development of these companies. The information
makes it easier for lenders, in the course of a cost appropriateness
process, to enter into new business relationships. For lenders
and borrowers, information turns into trust, which in turn
turns into growth opportunities.
The past financial year saw an important institutional change.
Prof Dr Winfried Hassemer took on the position of Ombudsman
as of 1 July 2010. He was the Vice-President of the Federal Constitutional
Court of Germany and Data Protection Commissioner
in Hesse. As SCHUFA Ombudsman, he is now responsible for
representing consumer interests. He reports to SCHUFA’s Consumer
Advisory Board, whose 15 members from various fields,
such as science, politics, administration and associations, exchange
opinions with us on fundamental issues.
We would like to particularly thank our business partners, employees
and shareholders for their loyalty to SCHUFA over the
years. They support SCHUFA’s successful path and guarantee
the greatest possible benefits for everyone involved.
Dr Michael Freytag Holger Severitt Prof Dr Dieter Steinbauer Peter Villa