1 OUR COM PANY AN EXPANDING FAMILY COMPANY _____________ Our corporate strategy Business model Digital transformation 7 OUR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS ____________________ 12 Part of the circular economy Green Hightech Adding value in Europe Corrugated board instead of plastic BUSINESS ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE 14 Our code of compliance Cooperation with suppliers Whistleblower system INTERVIEW WITH MAXIMILIAN HEINDL 16 CON TEN TS

20 21 SUS TAINA BILITY REPORT

OUR COM PANY AN EXPANDING FAMILY COMPANY ▪ ▪ ▪ OUR CORPORATE STRATEGY BUSINESS MODEL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OUR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ PART OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY GREEN HIGHTECH ADDING VALUE IN EUROPE CORRUGATED BOARD INSTEAD OF PLASTIC BUSINESS ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE ▪ ▪ ▪ OUR CODE OF COMPLIANCE COOPERATION WITH SUPPLIERS WHISTLEBLOWER SYSTEM INTERVIEW WITH MAXIMILIAN HEINDL 1

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S OUR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS PART OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY Progroup’s products are shining examples of the circular economy. We only ever use recovered paper as the raw material for our containerboard. The end product is also a recyclable product because at the end of its life the corrugated board is largely processed through waste separation and reused – throughout Europe. Progroup is FSC®-certified at its pro- duction sites and complies with either the “FSC® Recycled” or “FSC® Mix” standard. Our production processes also follow the concept of a cycle: We produce energy from production residues and waste materials in our combined heat and power plant in Eisenhüttenstadt, our water loops are closed on two of the three paper machines, and we recycle corrugated board rejects back into the production cycle as a raw material used for papermaking. GREEN HIGHTECH We have pursued a Greenfield strategy ever since our company was founded: We do not buy existing factories but instead always build our own new pro- duction facilities at carefully selected sites. This allows us to construct highly efficient, flexible facilities that have the very best technology and are way ahead of the market standard. Our machines are not just highly effi- cient when it comes to energy and water consumption, but they also enable us to produce paper and corrugated board that is particularly lightweight. Despite less material being used, they are just as stable as conventional products. With nextboard® we have developed a corrugated board on which we have continuously reduced the grammage while maintaining consistent quality. What this means for our customers is a lower transport weight and transport volume. In addition, the products save raw materials, water and energy during production and have lower CO₂ emis- sions. We call them nextgeneration®. We also have an alternative for the production of highly stable corrugated boards whose manufacturing usually requires fresh fibre paper. As is the case with all our containerboard, it is made entirely from recovered paper. MODELLFABRIK PAPIER Progroup is a partner of “Modellfabrik Papier”, a not-for-profit enterprise that was established in 2021 and brings together science and business. The part- ners work together to develop produc- tion processes that can help the paper indu stry to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. There are currently working groups focusing on topics such as raw materials, digitisation, energy or the bioeconomy. Learn more at: modellfabrikpapier.de ADDING VALUE IN EUROPE Many companies are currently engaged in the painstaking process of bringing their production sites and global supply chains back to Europe. Progroup does not have this problem. We only manufacture our corrugated board sheets in Central Europe, at sites which are very close to our customers. We cover paper production, which is the most environmentally relevant part of the upstream value- adding process, DIGITAL INTEGRATION OF PROCESSES Digital linking of all participants in the supply chain General balancing of needs and capacities to achieve the overall optimum Reliable just-in-time deliveries to customers within 24 to 48 hours

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S BUSINESS ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE We are a family business that has worked together with its customers and suppliers over many decades in a partnership based on trust. We consider fairness, observing the rule of law and integrity to be the foundation of our corporate culture. At the same time, our company is growing, Progroup’s struc- tures are getting more complex and our supply chains more diverse. This is why it is becoming increasingly vital not just to champion business ethics, but to provide employees with specific support to help them to act with integrity in their daily work. It is also incumbent upon us to get our business partners to commit to follow ethical and legal standards and to monitor compliance wherever possible. In addition, we need to make it easy for people to contact Progroup if they want to report compliance breaches. This applies both to employees working in Germany and abroad and to all other people. We are working on these issues. We safeguard and bolster ethical busi- ness practices in particular through a code of compliance, our purchasing principles and a whistleblower system that is accessible to both employees and external parties. We have embedded the issue of compli- ance in the structure of our business. The Board member responsible for this is Dr Volker Metz. The Chief Compli- ance Officer reports to him each month. All employees must complete general compliance training at regular inter- vals. We check their participation. In addition, we provide other mandatory training, for example in antitrust law or data protection. There were no known cases of discrimination in the reporting period. Maximilian and Jürgen Heindl with Bernhard Lemmink, Managing Director of packaging park partner Lewell OUR CODE OF COMPLIANCE Progroup has a code of compliance which sets out the basic rules of conduct in a business context and helps the workforce to identify cases of corrup- tion or bribery. We also explain how to handle gifts or conflicts of interest and formulate our unconditional demands when it comes to environmental protection, employee and human rights and occupational safety. Compliance with the code by the institutions and employees of Progroup is our top priority. During mandatory training, all employees are explicitly made aware of the code and the most important content is highlighted. COOPERATION WITH SUPPLIERS Progroup’s Central Purchasing is orga- nised across plants. It is responsible for the operational and strategic procurement of different products and services, such as work clothing, equip- ment or resources, right across the company. Independent departments are each responsible for procuring recovered paper as well as products and services linked to logistics. All of Progroup’s paper plants are certified to DIN ISO 14001 and DIN ISO 50001 or EMAS-certified. Our Progroup Power 1 combined heat and power plant is also EMAS-certified. The corrugated board plants are certified to DIN ISO 50001. It therefore matters to us that our suppliers also actively take steps to ensure environmental protection and reduce CO₂ emissions. In our general purchasing conditions, we have outlined the requirement of our business partners to show awareness of the environment and not waste resources when they manufacture their products, as well as to comply absolutely with laws and international standards. This includes in particular

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S Maximilian and Jürgen Heindl

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S Mr Heindl, what makes Progroup sustainable? Our whole business model is geared towards doing business sustainably because we focus on the long term in everything we do: in our investments, the lifespan of our facilities, and our relationships with our customers and suppliers. This long-term approach may be because we are a family busi- ness. We think about the generations to come and make sure we are future- proof. I am also very conscious of our social sustainability and responsibility. We create attractive and secure jobs, often in economically deprived regions. We invest in training and developing our employees. And we are committed to charitable causes, especially those that support children and young people. This also ties in with our notion of what a long-term focus and relia- bility means – we want to demonstrate that we are a good neighbour in the regions where our sites are located. Progroup’s core business is also sustainable… When the company was founded, we deliberately chose a sustainable pro duct. Corrugated board is recy- clable and therefore part of a circular economy that works well. The essence of the corporate stra- tegy is “growth”. Can growth ever actually be sustainable? A key pillar of our growth strategy is embracing the very latest techno logies. With machines in particular, this is very much related to sustainabi lity: In terms of their energy and water con- sumption, our machines are extreme- ly efficient and also produce much less dust and heat than older models. Moreover, with our nextgene ration® – nextboard® corrugated sheetboard made from nextfibre® container- board – we manufacture products which, while retaining the same stability, are lighter than convention- al corrugated boards and therefore reduce the use of raw materials and transport emissions. Our packaging parks business model is also sustain- able: Together with our customers, we bring together the production of corrugated board and packaging at one single site. The advantage of this is that the corrugated board no longer needs to be transported for further process- ing, which takes traffic off the road and reduces CO₂ emissions. This takes us on to our next topic: Papermaking is resource-intensive. What can you do to counter this? First of all, the production of recycled paper uses significantly fewer resources than the production of papers made

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S in being competitive, definitely not a “soft” factor as some people still think. People want to enjoy their work, they want to be listened to and play a part. They will only identify with their com- pany and be committed to the joint enterprise if this works. It is a win-win situation. The talk at Progroup is often of value-based management. What do you understand this to mean? I am really keen to create the best possible work environment for our employees. We offer them state- of-the-art jobs, high-tech plants, a pleasant working environment and a unifying corporate culture. We create long-term prospects and opportuni- ties for development. Together we can thus achieve our demanding targets. I am convinced that our business adds value to society as a whole. We set an example of how to save resources, how to make products that can be recycled, and show that you can be successful doing so. Why? We burn biomass and waste materials at a ratio of roughly 50:50. Biomass works out as being CO₂-neutral, but other waste materials do not. However, there is currently no smarter way of using these other waste materials. We generate power from them. So how does Progroup plan to become climate-neutral by 2045? Technologies such as CO₂ capture and storage may play an important role in this context in the future. However, they need to be well developed and the regulatory framework needs to be right before we jump on board. But I think that things will start to happen in the next two or three years. What is your view on compensation payments? This does not remove the CO₂ from the air. The goal must always be to avoid emissions. Compensation payments therefore only make limited sense; they can only be the very last resort. Progroup is growing. Your company has now set itself a target for the number of women it employs. How does this work? We want Progroup to be attractive to people who are well trained and edu cated. This includes a fair balance between genders. As many jobs in the paper and corrugated board industry involve physical labour, comparative- ly few women work in the industry as a whole. But we want to tackle this issue. By 2030, we want to have 50 per cent of our administrative roles and 20 per cent of managerial jobs occupied by women. BY 2030 WE WANT 50% OF OUR SALARIED EMPLOYEES TO BE WOMEN You lead a corporate culture working group at Progroup. What exactly does this involve? Together we examine how we can inte- grate and develop our corporate values in our daily processes. We are currently looking at the results of the latest employee survey. In this survey, many colleagues did not just tick the obli- gatory boxes, but gave detailed expla- nations for their answers. This shows how much interest there is in getting involved. I think it is important also to praise this effort and look at how we can incorporate the suggestions. Do you have the time to do this? I make the time to do this. A good corporate culture is a crucial factor

STAKE HOLDERS AND M ERI AT A ITY L 2 IDENTIFICATION OF MATERIAL ISSUES DIALOGUE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS SUSTAINABILITY ORGANISATION

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S OUR MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS SDG Material topic Measured variable Specific CO²e emissions (t of CO²e/t of total output**) Reduction in CO²e emissions (Scope 1 and 2)* Specific CO²e emissions for corrugated board (t of CO²e/1000 m2) CO²e emissions in total (t of CO²e) Reduction in water consumption Specific fresh water quantity (m³/t of total output**) Use of kraftliner (proportion of the amount of paper used in total) Reduction in the use of raw materials Grammage (g/m²) Boosting equal opportunities Percentage of women among salaried employees Percentage of women in management positions Improvement in occupational safety Notifiable workplace accidents per 1 mill. hours worked * Owing to a lack of availability, in some cases emissions factors from previous years were used to calculate the emissions in 2021. ** The total output is made up of the output of containerboard and corrugated board sheets, each in tonnes. *** Industry average: Paper machines: 17.3 Corrugated sheetfeeder plants: 11.7 CHP plant: 11.1

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S DIALOGUE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS To ensure that Progroup’s strategy is as focused as possible, we conducted more than 30 interviews with stake- holders. They included internal stake holders such as the family that owns the business, the management and other employees, but also exter- nal stakeholders such as suppliers, investors and associations. The dialogue with stakeholders was split into two stages. A survey of the employees and initial discussions with external stakeholders were conducted as part of a master's thesis. An online questionnaire was created to try to appeal to as broad a range of employees as possible. Based on these results, the second stage of the dia logue involved a more in-depth discussion which the whole sus tai nability team took part in. There were then internal discussions with selec ted experts from different fields. We held direct talks with representa- tives of our stakeholder groups, struc- tured according to previously defined content. They were tailored to reflect the areas in which the other party worked. For example, the team spoke to a machine manufacturer about modifications to boost the energy efficiency of future generations of machines, whereas finan cial institu- tions were asked about their require- ments in relation to dis closing sustain- ability indicators. In addition, we evaluated and incorpor ated requests from investors. In conclusion, it can be stated that our external stakeholders are increasingly striving to integrate sustainability measures into their business, especial- ly when it comes to CO₂ reduction and compensation. As far as the expectations placed on Progroup are concerned, the stakeholder survey revealed that in particular the family that owns the company and the management as well as the capital mar- ket expect Progroup to address issues of sustainability. It also became clear that in general large B2B customers and end custom- ers tended to be more interested in sustainability aspects of our products, whereas there were different levels of interest among smaller customers and suppliers. In relation to our employees, it can be stated in summary that they con- sider Progroup to be sustainable and identify with the ecological issues that the company is pursuing. In terms of specific employee issues, many would like to see a greater commitment from Progroup, and we will be addressing this at the end of 2022. Moreover, we will examine the potential of STAKEHOLDER GROUPS CONSIDERED Family, Supervisory Board, Board Politicians/legislators EU DE, PL, F, CZ, IT, UK German states Community Local community, politicians Associations, social groups Residents Politicians/funders EU Green Deal National funding Customers Packaging park customers Regional customers Capital market Investors Banks Rating agencies End customers Corporates (EU, global) SMEs (various sectors) E-commerce Consumers Employees Current employees Future employees Society NGOs Science Partners & suppliers Disposal firms Machine manufacturers Carriers Other suppliers

ECO OL GY CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN PRACTICE OUR RAW MATERIALS ▪ ▪ FEWER RAW MATERIALS IN CORRUGATED BOARD RECYCLED FIBRE INSTEAD OF FRESH FIBRE WATER AND WASTEWATER ▪ ▪ BIOLOGICAL WATER TREATMENT REDUCTION OF WASTEWATER ENERGY AND EMISSIONS ▪ OUR COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANTS ▪ GREENHOUSE GAS BALANCE 3

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S OUR RAW MATERIALS Our most important raw material is different grades of recovered paper. This secondary raw material is becom- ing increasingly rare and expensive because the demand for papers based on recovered paper continues to rise. The market is highly competitive, yet using recovered paper still makes more sense ecologically than purchasing fresh fibre which – apart from anything else – is equally rare and expensive. In addition, we are reducing the grammage of our corru- gated boards and exploring alterna- tive materials. FEWER RAW MATERIALS IN CORRUGATED BOARD REDUCTION IN THE USE OF RAW MATERIALS Measured variable Grammage (g/m²) 2012 497 2021 489 (- 1.8 %) Target for 2025 - 3 % Target for 2030 - 5 % We are striving to reduce the quantity of raw materials we use. This is why we are now manufacturing corrugated boards which are lighter and lighter and yet still satisfy the same technical requirements. Since 2012, we have reduced the average grammage by 1.8 percent and we aim to reduce it by 3 percent by 2025, and by 5 percent by 2030. Our weight-optimised products are nextboard® corrugated boards. In addition to a significantly improved life cycle assessment, they feature a volume that is 15 percent lower than Progroup's conventional grades of corrugated board, which saves storage and transport costs. nextboard® is also noted for its higher compressive strength and edge crush resistance than other products which use the same quantity of raw materials. We manage to produce this special stability thanks to a change in the corrugated board design. RECYCLED FIBRE INSTEAD OF FRESH FIBRE We also buy kraftliner for corrugated boards which need to be particularly resilient. Kraftliner is base paper that is made primarily from fresh fibre and is therefore especially robust. We use kraftliner exclusively for the corrugat- ed board cover layer because it is more expensive than recycled paper and its life cycle assessment is not as good. However, in our paper factory in Burg we are able to manufacture a type of containerboard from recycled fibres that is just as robust. We call it “Proliner K”. In many cases, we are able to replace the containerboard based on fresh fibre with this recycled containerboard. Our aim is to reduce the fraction of kraftliner used by around 25 percent in 2025 compared to 2012; by 2030 the saving should be as much as 30 percent. By increasingly using Proliner K, we will not only reduce the amount of wood we use in our upstream supply chain, but will also achieve a signifi- cant energy benefit. REDUCTION IN THE USE OF RAW MATERIALS Measured variable Use of kraftliner (proportion of the amount of paper used in total) 2012 14 % 2021 11 % (- 20 %) Target for 2025 - 25 % Target for 2030 - 30 % WATER AND WASTEWATER It is papermaking rather than the pro- duction of corrugated board that uses a lot of water. In our paper factories, we utilise water not only in the produc- tion process, for example for breaking down recovered paper, but also for cooling and cleaning the facilities. To reduce the level of consumption, we operate closed water cycles on two of our three paper machines (PM1 in Burg and PM3 in Sandersdorf-Brehna). This means that there is no wastewater from production on these two machi nes, and on PM3 wastewater only comes from ancillary systems alongside the paper machine. These technologies are unique in our industry.

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S This has enabled us in recent years to significantly reduce the amount of fresh water we require for each tonne of total output. Compared to 2012, the reduction by 2021 was around 37 percent. This means that we have already achieved our target of a reduc- tion of 35 percent that was originally set for 2025. This is attributable in particular to the advanced technology of our PM3 circulating water treatment plant which started operating in 2020. REDUCTION IN WATER CONSUMPTION Measured variable Specific fresh water quantity* (m³/ t of total output**) 2012 3.27 2021 2.07 (- 37 %) Target for 2025 - 35 % Target for 2030 - 40 % * ** Does not include our administration site in Landau. The total output is made up of the output of containerboard and corrugated board sheets, each in tonnes. By 2030, the intention is that the reduction in the specific amount of fresh water relative to one tonne of total output should be 40 percent. The total water demand in 2021 was 6,406,185 m³*. As our company is growing, the demand for water will also rise in the medium term. Never- theless, compared to other compa- nies in the paper industry, Progroup is particularly efficient when it comes to using water. On average, we require around 3.5 m³ of water per tonne of containerboard. do not require any special treatment, but are instead transported via the sewer system into the public waste- water treatment plants. BIOLOGICAL WATER TREATMENT ENERGY AND EMISSIONS Our paper factory PM3 in Sandersdorf- Brehna is not just one of the world’s most efficient paper machines, but here we have also integrated a state- of-the-art biological circulating water treatment plant which has been installed for the first time anywhere. It reduces the amount of fresh water that is used by around 80 percent compared to similar factories. Impu- rities which are transferred from the recovered paper into the process water are biologically degraded in the plant under anaerobic conditions and converted into biogas. We feed this into the boiler house to produce steam. The steam is in turn used on the paper machine for drying. This means that the plant overall consumes up to 10 per cent less fossil resources. In Sanders- dorf-Brehna, this technology enables us to save up to 3,750,000 cubic metres of fresh water and up to 62,000,000 kWh of natural gas each year. REDUCTION OF WASTEWATER The closed circuits have drastically reduced not just our demand for fresh water, but also the amount of wastewa- ter we have produced in recent years. PM1 does not produce any, and PM3 only produces wastewater from ancil- lary systems. The wastewater on PM2 is treated to the very latest standards by the Oderaue Drinking Water and Sew- age Disposal Association. Wastewaters from our corrugated sheetfeeder plants Climate neutrality is a major challenge for Progroup, as it is for many other manufacturing companies. In Germany, the paper industry is one of the three most energy-intensive industries. Although less energy is required for producing recycled paper than it is for fresh fibre paper***, our company is still to a large degree energy-dependent. The final drying is done using steam, whose production consumes a lot of energy. We optimise our facilities continuously in order to use steam and heat energy more efficiently. At the same time, the most effective lever at present for re- ducing costs and emissions is to operate combined heat and power plants which also make us less dependent on gas. *** For more information about recycled paper, see: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/ themen/recyclingpapier-eine-gute- alternative-zu

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S REDUCTION IN CO²-EMIS - SIONS (SCOPE 1 AND 2)* Measured variable Specific CO (t of CO ² e emissions** e/t of total output***) ² 2012 0.32 2021 0.23 (- 28 %) Target for 2025 - 35 % Target for 2030 - 40 % Measured variable CO ² e emissions overall** (t of CO e) ² 2012 527,821 2021 712,041 Target for 2025 Constant emissions despite growth Target for 2030 Constant emissions despite growth Measured variable e emissions ² Specific CO Corrugated board** e /1,000 m2) (t of CO ² 2012 0.245 2021 0.177 (- 28 %) Target for 2025 - 35 % Target for 2030 - 40 % * ** Owing to a lack of availability, in some cases emissions factors from previous years were used to calcu- late the emissions in 2021. Does not include our administra- tion site in Landau. *** The total output is made up of the output of containerboard and corrugated board sheets, each in tonnes. OUR COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANTS We acquired our first power plant from EnBW in Eisenhüttenstadt in 2016 and have been operating it ourselves ever since. The second is set to be built in Sandersdorf-Brehna from the end of 2022. We are currently engaged in the approval process. They are both CHP plants in which in particular we convert waste materials from papermaking and substitute fuels into energy. In Eisenhüttenstadt, we produce rough ly 1.2 million tonnes of steam and approx. 130 GWh of power each year. This means that, apart from when the power plant is being inspected, we provide all the steam that PM2 requires. The volume of electricity produced is equivalent to approx. 50 to 60 % of the power that PM2 requires, but in the pe- riod under review this was fed into the power grid due to network regulations. The combined heat and power plant in Sandersdorf-Brehna is set to start oper- ating in mid-2025 and on average will provide 125 tonnes of steam per hour and generate up to 20 MW of electrical energy. By 2025 we want to reduce our specific emissions relative to our total output of containerboard and corrugated board sheets by 35 per cent, and by 2030 the new power plant should help us to achieve a saving of 40 percent. GREENHOUSE GAS BALANCE Our absolute emissions in 2021 were 712,041 t of CO₂e**. Among other factors, the commissioning of our second power plant will ensure that Progroup’s emissions do not increase any further by 2030, despite the company contin- uing to grow. The emissions figures have not previously included the diesel consumed by our commercial vehicles.

SOC AL I ASPEC TS 4 KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION WOMEN IN THE COMPANY OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK CORONAVIRUS AND HEALTH PROTECTION CHARITABLE INVOLVEMENT OUR WORKFORCE ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ OUR PROJECTS

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND LEARNING One of the things we are really keen on is strengthening and developing the skills of our workforce. New recruits should be taught about the knowledge that exists within the company in the most straightforward way possible. At the same time, our long-serving employees should constantly be given the opportunity to learn about and operate the latest technologies. Autumn 2021 saw the launch of our digital learning platform “Progroup Campus”, which enables us to make it much easier for people to access knowledge and further training in our company. We initially rolled out the platform in Germany, but colleagues in other countries will also be able to access it from the end of 2022. Progroup Campus can be used to book and com- plete digital and face-to-face courses. The range of training on offer currently comprises around 180 learning units, and another 260 units are set to be added before the end of 2022. Digital offers presently account for around 80 percent of the content. We develop all the courses that deliver company-specific content ourselves. These include the “Onboarding” learn- ing pathway which helps new recruits to settle into working at Progroup. In addition to modules featuring practical information and training about com- pliance or data security, the learning pathway also comprises an introduction to Progroup’s corporate values. We put a great deal of effort into deve- loping specific technical training for our production staff. The aim is to provide a focused induction into the subject matter so that colleagues are not only able to perform individual actions, but really appreciate the specific features of each machine and under- stand the upstream and downstream production steps. Over the course of 2022, we will be compiling the indi- vidual topics for role-specific learning pathways. For each of these training courses, colleagues from personnel development have held discussions with the local technical trainers, gleaned their knowledge and converted this into digital learning formats by working with a technical editor. PLATFORM THE DIGITAL LAERNING “PROGROUP CAMPUS” MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS KNOWLEDGE AND FURTHER TRAINING Since autumn 2021, we have also been developing a large number of learning pathways, for example for purchas- ing, accounting or controlling, for the commercial division, which is switching to a new version of SAP, SAP S/4 HANA. For purchasing alone, we have deve- loped around 15 learning modules to cover all interfaces. are the multipliers for this. They make their employees aware of the training options available and help them to par- ticipate. Access to education and train- ing options is made clear to employees and so many colleagues work with their managers to proac tively select courses. We also very much welcome people choosing courses that teach them more than is really required for their job. Our educational work also includes courses on boosting social skills, divi- sion-specific content, occupational safety and health and on how to manage employees. These are particularly relevant for a company like Progroup that is growing rapidly. To ensure that our managers are as well equipped as possible to perform their role, since 2019 Progroup has been offering mandatory training for man- agers which is provided by experienced human resources and organisation developers. All employees with leader- ship responsibility will gradually com- plete this training. The way that the content which has been learned is put into practice is then regularly examined and assessed. We are establishing the Progroup talent program for employees who display particular potential and want to develop this further. This program, which is designed to run for two years, aims to identify individuals with potential talent and offer support to give them more scope for development. In 2021, transparent criteria were used to select 16 talented individuals whose special development program will begin in the third quarter of 2022. The training on offer is available to all colleagues in Germany. Particularly in the areas of production, our managers In 2021, we offered apprenticeships to a total of 36 young people in 12 different professions at ten locations in Germany.

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION In our expanding company, it is be- coming ever more important to main- tain a dialogue between management and the workforce. Employees want to be part of any decisions and have the opportunity to express their needs. We at Progroup use a series of formats to make sure that these discussions are not just left to chance. All line managers conduct structured annual appraisal interviews with their employees which focus not just on assessing their level of performance, but also talking openly. In addition, we hold workshops on cultural issues and team days in the departments as well as dialogue events at the sites during which employees have the opportunity to put questions to the management. In 2021, we decided that in future we would conduct random pulse checks to survey employees right across the EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE (AS OF 31/12/2021) Employees Male Female Total … acc. to employment category Salaried employees Wage earners … acc. to hierarchy Directors Operational management Managers … acc. to employment contract Permanent Fixed-term Full time Part time … acc. to employment relationship * Three from end of 2022 ** One woman from 2022 295 1,051 1,346 4* 9 192 1,323 23 1,338 8 143 12 155 0 0** 17 155 0 135 20 438 1,063 1,501 4 9 209 1,478 23 1,473 28

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S more senior levels in the hierarchy are made aware of any potential hazards at an early stage. The response from colleagues has been very good. Our aim is to reduce the number of notifiable accidents by 2030 to below five per 1 million hours worked. IMPROVEMENT IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY Measured variable Notifiable workplace accidents per 1 mill. hours worked 2021 Paper machines: 17.5 Corrugated sheetfeeder plants: 18.3 CHP plant: 0 Target for 2025 At least industry average* Target for 2030 < 5 * Industry average: Paper machines: 17.3 Corrugated sheetfeeder plants: 11.7 CHP plant: 11.1 CORONAVIRUS AND HEALTH PROTECTION Shooting a film about occupational safety at our PW06 plant in Offenbach All colleagues should feel safe and secure at their workplace. During the period under review, the coronavirus pandemic presented us with a number of challenges. We had to greatly reduce contacts with other people while at work. Depending on the rate of infec- tion, our employees in production had to do contact-free shift changeovers. Most colleagues in administration spent some periods of 2021 working remotely. All decisions regarding coronavirus are taken by a task force made up of members of the opera- tional management team and the Board. Information is communicated to our employees using a variety of channels such as e-mail or the intranet and each individual site has people responsible for implementing the policy. The aim of all measures is to protect our employees and prevent people from bringing coronavirus into a site and infecting others. At our production sites there is a step- by-step plan which is guided by the regulations in each region. For example, if the infection rate is high, the fol- lowing measures apply: mandatory tests, compulsory mask wearing, avoiding large gatherings and shift changeovers with limited or no overlap in commu nal areas. If a number of colleagues were unable to work during the reporting period, shifts were swapped, other plants helped out or

O U R C O M PA N Y S TA K E H O L D E R S A N D M AT E R I A L I T Y E C O L O G Y S O C I A L A S P E C T S CHARITABLE INVOLVEMENT Progroup wants to be a good neighbour at the sites where it operates. This is why we are involved with charitable causes. The main areas we support focus in particular on working with children and young people, ecological activities and supporting special initi- atives in the region. This focus stems from Progroup's corporate strategy. We have so far mainly supported projects in Germany. In the future, we will be expanding our commitment and sup- porting local projects at all our sites in Germany and abroad. Our goal is to cre- ate lasting partnerships that will benefit the local people over the long term. At the same time, our involvement means that we enhance local networks and the reputation of our company, including among potential applicants. OUR PROJECTS Some of the projects we are involved with deserve special mention. In Eisenhüttenstadt, the site of one of our paper factories and our com- bined heat and power plant, we have been working together closely with WiWaWunderland e.V. for a number of years. The association has been expanding its offer to children, young people and their parents in the local area and runs a daycare centre and a youth club. Progroup not only provides financial support, but also contain- THE WE SUPPORT FOCUS ON MAIN AREAS WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Emissions GRI 103: Management Approach (2016) 103-1 Explanation of the material topic and its boundary Pages 34, 36, 37 GRI 305: Emissions (2016) 305-1 305-2 305-4 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions GHG emissions intensity Work-related injuries GRI 103: Management Approach (2016) Pages 36, 37 Pages 36, 37 Page 36 103-1 Explanation of the material topic and its boundary Pages 43, 44 GRI 403: Occupational Health and Safety (2018) 403-9 Work-related injuries Training and Education GRI 103: Management Approach (2016) 103-1 Explanation of the material topic and its boundary GRI 404: Training and Education (2016) 404-2 404-3 Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs Percentage of employees receiving regular performance and career development reviews Diversity and Equal Opportunity GRI 103: Management Approach (2016) 103-1 Explanation of the material topic and its boundary GRI 405: Diversity and Equal Opportunity (2016) 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees Pages 43, 44 Page 40 Page 40 Page 40 Page 43 Page 43