We released our third quarter results for fiscal 2012 on July 26, 2012. The conference call was broadcast live on the internet.
Siemens felt the impact of a more difficult global market environment in the third quarter of fiscal 2012. Thanks to a solid order backlog and positive currency translation effects, revenue was up ten percent compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2011. On the other hand, new orders were down 23 percent due to a substantially lower volume from major orders like the ICx order from Deutsche Bahn in the prior-year quarter. Profit was considerably above the prior-year figure, which had been burdened by negative profit effects connected with an arbitration decision and the particle therapy business. "The deceleration of the world economy has increased in the past few months. We see growing reluctance among our customers regarding capital expenditures and stronger economic headwinds, especially in our industrial short-cycle businesses," said Siemens CEO and President Peter Löscher. "Therefore, our focus above all is on increasing our productivity and efficiency. Given the deteriorating environment, it is becoming more difficult to achieve our guidance for the fiscal year."
"The deceleration of the world economy has increased in the past few months. We see growing reluctance among our customers regarding capital expenditures and stronger economic headwinds, especially in our industrial short-cycle businesses. Therefore our focus above all is on increasing our productivity and efficiency. Given the deteriorating environment it becomes more difficult to achieve our guidance for the fiscal year."
In partnership with the Z-13 Fishermen Community, Sindieco and the Pares Institute, the "Our Lagoon is for Fish" Project is looking to contribute to environmental education and the recuperation of the lagoon, as well as generating income for the local community.
The app of Werner von Siemens' Recollections has been honored with a Lion in the Mobile / Best Visual Design and Aesthetic category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Comparable to Oscars in the film industry, Lions are the most prestigious international awards in the advertising and creative world.
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most iconic cities in the world, but for some decades, especially after losing its post as the national capital in 1960, it has suffered with lack of safety, economic and social problems. But in recent years it has been thriving again and now is on the right track to become a sustainable and innovative gateway to Latin America and a model for large cities in the region. This is one major conclusions drawn from the study "Pictures of the Future Rio 2030-2040", a future scenario of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Some of the first conclusions of this exclusive study, which should be finalized in November, were disclosed today, June 18th, by Siemens Brazil CEO, Paulo Stark during a presentation at the Urban Summit, a side event organized by UN-Habitat, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Prefeitura of Rio de Janeiro.
The technologies to make development more sustainable - ecologically and economically - are available today. Such technologies are suitable not only for highly industrialized regions, but also for developing regions throughout the world. The Siemens exhibition "Technology in Action", organized in cooperation with the Siemens Stiftung, in the UNEP pavilion at Rio+20 features successful examples in the areas of energy, water, health as well as rural and urban development from different regions. NGOs, social entrepreneurs and innovators exhibit their solutions to social challenges, including their technologies, ownership and organizational concepts, in order to share their experiences and exchange knowledge. As Barbara Kux, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and member of the Board of Trustees of Siemens Stiftung puts it: "We have the responsibility to use the power of technology on all possible levels. Our exhibition 'Technology in Action' shows how it can be done in many innovative ways."
Siemens was named the most sustainable company in its industry at the SAM Sustainability Awards 2012. The SAM group, which specializes in sustainability investing, gave Siemens its highest sustainability rating, naming the company SAM Gold Class Sector Leader. Accepting the award yesterday in Berlin, Barbara Kux, member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and Chief Sustainability Officer, stated, "The SAM award is a great honor for Siemens and its employees. Investing in sustainability pays off – for us, for our customers, and for the environment."
Flooded in green light for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain is now a beacon of sustainability, visible for miles around. Three-hundred high-efficiency cutting-edge LED projectors from Siemens' Osram subsidiary are illuminating the conference symbol, which is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. To mark the world-famous statue's 80th anniversary in 2011, Osram equipped the monument with state-of-the-art lighting technology. The new LED system is reducing the energy needed to light the nearly 40-meter landmark by more than 75 percent. Solutions that combine high-efficiency lighting products with light management systems can yield energy savings of up to 80 percent. Artificial lighting accounts for some 20 percent of world electricity consumption. All around the United Nations conference, a large number of Siemens projects are demonstrating how technologies already available today can make humanity's further development both sustainable and energy-efficient.
Siemens is bringing six international student teams to Rio de Janeiro in order to present their sustainability-ideas to a panel of renowned experts. The winning teams will get assistance by Siemens in implementing their projects in their home country. Siemens will offer them the opportunity to present their project to the local CEO of Siemens and to receive guidance by a senior executive. "This project offers the unique opportunity to engage with motivated students on a global level in developing concrete sustainability projects that will lead to a better and greener world," said Barbara Kux, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and host of the debate in Rio.