Appendix 4: Assurance report
from KPMG
Independent Assurance Report
To the readers of the Heineken
Sustainability Report 2009
We were engaged by the Executive Board of
Heineken N.V. ('Heineken') to provide limited
assurance on the Heineken Sustainability Report
2009 (further referred to as 'The Report').
The Report, including the identification of
material issues, is the responsibility of the
company's management. Our responsibility is
to issue an assurance report on The Report.
What was included in the scope of our assurance
engagement?
Our engagement was designed to provide the readers
of The Report with limited assurance on whether the
information in The Report is in all material respects
fairly stated in accordance with the reporting criteria
described below.
Procedures performed to obtain a limited level of assurance
are aimed at determining the plausibility of information and
are less extensive than those for a reasonable level of
assurance. To obtain a thorough understanding of the
financial results and financial position of Heineken N.V.
the reader should consult the Heineken audited financial
statements for the year ended 31 December 2009.
Which reporting criteria did Heineken use?
Heineken applies its own sustainability performance
reporting criteria, derived from the Sustainability Reporting
Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (G3), as detailed
in the 'Reporting basis' on pages 42-45. It is important to view
the performance data in the context of this explanatory
information. We believe that these criteria are suitable in
view of the purpose of our assurance engagement.
Which assurance standard did we use?
We carried out our engagement in accordance with Standard
3410N 'Assurance engagements relating to sustainability
reports' of the Royal Netherlands Institute of
Registeraccountants. This Standard requires, amongst
others, that the assurance team possesses the specific
knowledge, skills and professional competencies needed to
understand and review the information in The Report, and
that they comply with ethical requirements, including
independence requirements.
SO
Appendices
Sustainability Report 2009 - Heineken N.V.
