THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS – STABLE GROWTH - Symrise

We can hope that 2009 will bring the world economy more certainty. But we have to plan without this certainty. We
at Symrise will find the certainty missing in the economic environment in our corporate strategy. Hyper-activism will
be the wrong approach; increased interaction between employees and with our customers will be more important
than ever. As a result, we will know better what our customers need, and how we can provide it faster, better and
more profitably. Due to the uncertainties of the global economy, it is impossible to make precise forecasts. But even
in this situation, Symrise’s strategy promises stable growth.
At the Shareholders’ Meeting on May 11, 2009, we will propose paying a dividend of € 0.50 per share. The total
dividend payment amounts to approximately € 59 million. This confirms our dividend strategy of paying 50% of our
adjusted profit to our shareholders. We view the dividend payment in the current difficult economic situation
as well-earned acknowledgment of the trust that you, our shareholders, have put in us. It is also a sign
of the trust we have in ourselves that we will continue to earn your trust in the future.
Sincerely,
Gerold Linzbach
CEO
Annual Report 2008 Symrise AG 9
Company