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Intertek Group
Annual Report 2008

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FY2008 Annual Report · Intertek Group
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Bringing competitive  
advantage to business

Annual Report 2008

 
 
 
 
 
 
IFC2

Contents
01 
02 
04 

Financial Highlights
At a Glance
Chairman’s Statement

Directors’ Report – Business Review
06 
09 
23 
24 
28 

Chief Executive Officer’s Review
Operating Review
Chief Operating Officer’s Review
Financial Review
Risks and Uncertainties

Directors’ Report – Governance 
32 
34 
36 
42 
56 
58 
59 

Board of Directors
Intertek Operations Committee
Corporate Governance Report
Remuneration Report
Other Statutory Information
Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities
Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Financial Statements
66 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 
112 
113 

Independent Auditors’ Report
Consolidated Income Statement
Consolidated Balance Sheet
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Consolidated Statement of Recognised Income and Expense
Notes to the Financial Statements
Intertek Group plc Company Balance Sheet
Notes to the Company Financial Statements

Shareholder Information
116 
117 

Corporate and Shareholder Information
Financial Calendar and Contact Information

Cautionary statement
This Annual Report contains certain forward-
looking statements with respect to the financial 
condition, results, operations and business of 
Intertek Group plc. These statements and forecasts 
involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to 
events and depend upon circumstances that will 
occur in the future. There are a number of factors 
that could cause actual results or developments to 
differ materially from those expressed or implied by 
these forward-looking statements and forecasts. 
Nothing in this Annual Report should be construed 
as a profit forecast.

01

Annual Report 2008 01

Financial Highlights

Revenue £m

+29.4%

2008

2007

+18.7% at constant rates1

Operating profit £m

+27.4%

1,003.5

2008

147.9

775.4

2007

116.1

Adjusted operating profit2 £m

Adjusted operating profit margin 

+35.4%

+70bp

2008

2007

164.7

2008

121.6

2007

16.4%

15.7%

+21.2% at constant rates1

+30bp at constant rates1

Operating cash flow £m

+30.1%

2008

2007

Profit before income tax £m

+31.0%

194.0

2008

138.6

149.1

2007

105.8

Basic earnings per share 

+27.4%

2008

2007

67.1p diluted adjusted EPS3

Dividend per share4 

+15.6%

59.5p

2008

20.8p

46.7p

2007

18.0p

1.  Growth at constant exchange rates compares revenue and 
adjusted operating profit for 2008 and 2007 at the average 
exchange rates for 2008.

2.  Operating profit before amortisation of acquisition intangibles, 
goodwill impairment and non-recurring costs (see reconciliation 
in note 3 to the financial statements).

3.  Diluted adjusted EPS based on adjusted earnings (see note 9  

to the financial statements).

4.  Dividend per share is based on the interim dividend paid of  
7.1p (2007: 5.8p) plus the proposed final dividend of 13.7p 
(2007: 12.2p). 

0202

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Our industries

Aerospace & Automotive
Building Products
Chemicals
Consumer Goods & Retailers
Electrical & Electronic
Energy
Food & Agriculture
Industrial
IT & Telecom
Medical & Pharmaceutical
Minerals
Petroleum
Toys, Games & Hardlines
Textiles, Apparel & Footwear

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Payless	ShoeSource
Petroleo	Brasileiro
Rolls-Royce
SABIC
Samsung
The	Government	of		
Saudi	Arabia
Saudi	Aramco
Schneider	Electric
Sears	Holdings	Management	
Corporation	
Shell
Smiths	Medical
StatoilHydro
Talisman	Energy
Territory	Resources	Limited
Tesco
The	Home	Depot	Inc
Timberland
TOKYO	ELECTRON	LTD
Toshiba
Total
Trafigura
Valero
Vitol
YAMAHA

02 www.intertek.com

At a Glance

Intertek revenue growth in 2008

Asia Pacific

+37%

Americas

+26%

EMEA

+26%

Our customers

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

•	
•	

•	

Aerojet
Agfa	Healthcare
AkzoNobel
Auchan
The	Government	of	
Bangladesh
Barrick	Gold	of	Australia
BHP	Billiton	Worsley	
Alumina	Pty	Ltd
Boddington	Gold	Mine/	
Newmont	Asia	Pacific
Bosch
Bose	Corporation

Canon
Certified	Automotive		
Parts	Association
ChevronTexaco
Cisco
Citgo
ConocoPhillips

•	
•	
BP•	
•	
•	

•	
•	
•	
•	
DSM•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

ExxonMobil
Gap	Inc
Häagen-Dazs®
Haier	
Hitachi

Honeywell
Hydro-Québec

•	
•	
IBM•	
•	
IKEA
•	
J	C	Penney	Company,	Inc.
•	
Kohl’s
•	
The	Government	of	Kuwait
•	
Lear	Corporation
•	
Levi	Strauss	&	Co
LG•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

LIDL
Linde
Lloyd’s	Register
Maersk
Marks	&	Spencer
McDonald’s	Corporation
The	Government	of	Mexico
Morgan	Stanley
Mothercare
The	Government	of	
Mozambique
Nestlé
Newcrest	Mining	Limited
The	Government	of	Nigeria
Nikon
Nordstrom,	Inc.
Panasonic

•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

03

Annual Report 2008 03

Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions 
serving a wide range of industries around the world.

From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance  
and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value 
to customers’ products and processes, supporting their success 
in the global marketplace.

Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to 
support its customers through its network of more than  
1,000 laboratories and offices and over 23,000 people in  
more than 100 countries around the world.

Our divisions

Consumer Goods

Employees  8,531
Offices  104
Laboratories  71

Commercial & Electrical

Employees  3,527
Offices  72
Laboratories  76

Oil, Chemical & Agri

Employees  8,060
Offices  367
Laboratories  232

Government Services

Employees  563
Offices  40
Laboratories  1

Analytical Services

Employees  1,320
Offices  25
Laboratories  34

Industrial Services

Employees  417
Offices  40

Minerals

Employees  1,340
Offices  24
Laboratories  29

Contribution  
to revenue

What we do

Testing

25%

20%

31%

5%

12%

3%

4%

Inspection

Certification

Auditing

Outsourcing

Advisory

Training

Quality	
assurance

0404

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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04 www.intertek.com

Chairman’s Statement

Results	
I am pleased to report that Intertek delivered excellent 
results in 2008 and ended the year with a revenue 
figure of £1,003.5m, up 29.4% over last year. 
Excluding acquisitions, revenue growth was 22.5%. 

Operating profit was £147.9m, up 27.4% over  
last year. Adjusted operating profit increased to 
£164.7m, up 35.4%. Our adjusted operating  
margin increased by 70 basis points to 16.4%. 
Excluding acquisitions, adjusted operating profit 
grew by 28.4%. 

Acquisitions
We continued our successful track record of making 
infill acquisitions. In 2008 we acquired 14 new 
businesses for total consideration of £79.5m (2007: 
£100.0m). Details of the acquisitions are given in  
the Operating Review by division and in note 26 to 
the financial statements. To date in 2009, we  
have completed two further acquisitions for initial 
consideration of £21.5m which further widen the 
scope and range of the services we offer. Additional 
consideration of up to £5.6m is payable dependent 
on future financial performance. We intend to 
continue prudently investing in new opportunities  
in our chosen industry sectors.

Earnings	per	share
Basic earnings per share were 59.5p, up 27.4% over 
last year and diluted adjusted earnings per share 
were 67.1p, up 37.5%.

Dividends
An interim dividend of 7.1p per share (2007: 5.8p) 
was paid to shareholders on 18 November 2008. 
The Directors will propose a final dividend of 13.7p 
per share at the Annual General Meeting on 15 May 
2009, to be paid on 19 June 2009 to shareholders 
on the register at close of business on 5 June 2009. 
If approved, this will make a full year dividend of 
20.8p per share (2007: 18.0p), an increase of 
15.6%. This is in line with our dividend policy and 
reflects the good performance of the Group. 

The	Board	
Other than the previously announced appointment 
of Mark Loughead to the Board on 1 January 2008, 
there were no changes to the Board during 2008. 
Mark’s appointment further strengthens the depth 
of experience on the Board. Biographies of each of 
the Board members are set out on pages 32 and 33.

Intertek	Operations	Committee
The day-to-day management of the Group is 
undertaken by the Intertek Operations Committee 
(IOC). The IOC currently comprises the three 
Executive Directors, the six Executive Vice Presidents 
who head up the operating divisions and the Vice 
President of Human Resources. Biographies of each 
of the IOC members are set out on pages 34 and 35.

Acquisitions in 2008
14 businesses acquired for  
£79.5m in nine countries  
across six divisions

 
05

Annual Report 2008 05

Outlook
Our 2008 revenue growth excluding acquisitions, 
was 12.3% at constant exchange rates. Whilst a 
significant global recession will obviously affect  
our business, our strategy as well as our geographic 
and industry diversification, will help to mitigate  
any adverse impact and provide us with a range of 
opportunities. As a result, we are confident that 
Intertek will continue to grow well in 2009.

Basic earnings  
per share

59.5p

Dividend per share

20.8p

Vanni	Treves
Chairman

Employees	
Our mission to support and add value for our 
customers is delivered through almost 24,000 people 
across Intertek worldwide. We continue to improve 
our capacity to attract, develop and retain the best 
people who share in the mission, values and success 
of the Group. 

On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome  
all new employees to Intertek and to thank all our 
employees around the world for their commitment 
to making 2008 another successful year.

Environmental	impact
Intertek is committed to playing an important and 
positive role with respect to climate change and the 
environmental impact of products and processes. 
We advise our clients, as an integral part of our 
business, on many issues which have an impact on 
the environment, such as the chemical content of 
their products and packaging, the energy efficiency 
of their equipment, CO2 emissions and the disposal 
of harmful substances and waste electrical products. 
We also provide advisory and consultancy services  
to help retailers and manufacturers design their 
products and services to comply with current and 
future environmental regulations around the world. 
Through our services we help our clients to minimise 
the environmental impact of their products and 
processes for the benefit of society as a whole.  
We are also mindful of our own impact on the 
environment and are working on various initiatives to 
reduce this. This is discussed further in the Corporate 
Social Responsibility Report on pages 63 and 64.

Revenue	£m

2008

2007

2006

1,003.5

775.4

664.5

Revenue in  
2008 over

£1bn

06 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Chief Executive Officer’s Review

0606

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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Our commitment to supporting and adding value  
to our customers by improving their products and  
processes and reducing their costs drives everything  
we do. 

Our	commitment
We deliver innovative solutions to our customers 
and guide them through the complex regulations 
and standards that apply to their products. We 
facilitate our customers’ success in the global 
marketplace and, most importantly, we provide our 
customers with confidence. Our knowledge of 
quality-enhancing and procurement procedures 
along their value chain, together with our insight of 
existing and forthcoming regulations worldwide, 
allow our clients to reduce their product 
development time cycle and ensure that their 
products are compliant. By leveraging our local 
service and global network, we enable our 
customers to reduce overhead costs and dedicate 
their primary energies to their core business 
activities. We offer comprehensive programmes and 
services which draw on our industry-specific 
knowledge and technical expertise.

Progress	towards	delivering	our	strategy
Our excellent results for 2008 demonstrate the 
effectiveness of our growth strategy. This strategy  
is achieved by focusing on six key aspects of our 
business: 
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Customers;
Our people;
Business development;
Processes;
Financial management;
Risk management.

Customers
By organising ourselves along industry lines we  
have developed in-depth knowledge of our chosen 
industries. This enables us to understand our 
customers’ businesses, anticipate their current and 
future needs and deliver seamless customer service. 
We locate our offices and laboratories near our 
clients so we can maintain a close relationship and 
provide a local contact point through which they can 
access our global network of facilities and expertise. 
In the current economic climate, reducing non-
productive overheads is key for most businesses. Our 
services allow our clients to reduce their dependency 
on in-house testing, freeing up valuable resources to 
allocate to their core services by outsourcing this to 
Intertek. As a result, clients can speed up the 
time-to-market of their products and reduce costs.

Our	people
Our strategy is to attract, retain and motivate 
talented people with the expertise and experience 
to provide our clients with a service that surpasses 
their expectations. Our focus on customer service 
development through training and the strength  
of our collective leadership, combined with a 
stimulating work environment, are the principal 
drivers which motivate our people to excel at their 
work on behalf of all clients. 

07

Annual Report 2008 07

We plan ahead to ensure we have the right profiles 
of talent flowing through to shape and lead the 
evolution of our markets and services. This also 
enhances retention, with opportunities for career 
progression across all countries and areas of 
specialism. 

We continue our distinctive strategy of developing 
and promoting people locally as they have the best 
understanding of the local market and customers, 
whilst continuing to give opportunities for the most 
talented to advance into international management. 
Through our many Intertek as One initiatives we 
emphasise the need to join together, maintaining 
our agility to move people quickly to where they are 
of greatest impact for the benefit of our customers 
and our business.

Business	development
Our industry-focused approach also drives our 
business and corporate development strategy. Our 
aim is to be a leader in our core service industries 
and we actively seek businesses to acquire that 
complement or extend our service offering to 
customers in our chosen sectors. We integrate the 
expertise and services in acquired businesses with 
our existing services and offer these to our 
customers globally. In 2008 we acquired 14 
businesses in nine countries across a variety of 
industry sectors. For example, in 2008 we acquired 
Hi-Cad Technical Services Ltd which provides 
specialist 3D data capture and measurement 
services, primarily to customers in the UK and the 
USA in the oil and petroleum industries. We also 
acquired CML Biotech Ltd which specialises in the 
measurement and management of bacteria in the 
upstream oil and gas industries. Both acquisitions 
strategically extend the breadth of our service 
offering to our clients in the energy industries.

Our in-depth knowledge of the industries in which 
we operate enables us to understand future 
developments and design services to meet changing 
customer requirements. For example, in 2008 we 
expanded our photovoltaic capabilities to support 
growth in the alternative energy industry and we 
have extended our service offering for customers  
in the food industry.

Processes
Internally, we continuously review and streamline 
our core processes to improve customer service and 
control costs. Our processes and procedures are 
subject to regular audits from our customers and 
regulatory bodies to ensure that we meet required 
standards. We strive to achieve operational 
excellence in all our facilities. Each division measures 
a variety of operational performance indicators that 
are appropriate to their business, such as test 
turnaround times, number of certifications issued, 
utilisation statistics, order backlog and order 
conversion amongst others. Our global Intertek  
as One initiative ensures that different parts of our 
business communicate and co-operate with each 
other to ensure our customers receive a seamless 
service. We are also planning to combine our back 
office functions within countries to improve 
efficiency and reduce overhead costs. 

Financial	management
We aim to manage our business responsibly to  
meet the needs of all our stakeholders. Our strategy 
is to generate profitable growth both organically 
and through acquisitions and to maintain a sound 
financial position. We aim to secure long-term, 
recurring revenue from new and existing clients.  
We have many key financial performance indicators 
such as top line revenue growth and operating 
margin growth which we measure on a monthly 
basis for each division and industry sector. Further 
details are provided in the Financial Review starting 
on page 24.

Our business focus 
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Customers
Our people
Business development
Processes
Financial management
Risk management

0808

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

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08 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Chief Executive Officer’s Review

Intertek is a cash generative business and our focus 
is on managing capital expenditure, working capital, 
tax and interest costs. Our strategy is to ensure that 
the cash we generate is used efficiently for 
acquisitions, organic investment and returning funds 
to our shareholders, adding to their value creation. 
We continually monitor our cash position and the 
location of our cash balances to ensure that 
sufficient cash can be remitted into the UK to fund 
our dividend payments to shareholders. During 
2008 we added £75.0m to our committed 
borrowing facilities and raised a further US$200.0m 
by way of two senior note issues to ensure that we 
have sufficient funds available to continue investing 
in our business and making acquisitions. At 
31 December 2008, the Group had undrawn 
committed borrowing facilities of £97.8m which 
mature in December 2011, and cash of £113.3m.

Risk	management
An important part of our growth strategy is to 
clearly identify risks to the achievement of our 
ambitions and to successfully address them. We 
continuously improve our risk assessment matrix 
with a view to improving our risk assessment and 
reporting framework to ensure that our internal 
audit work continues to focus on the most 
appropriate areas. 

Our close relationship with our customers and the 
markets in which they operate mean that we are 
aware of the issues facing many industries and can 
take appropriate and timely action. We monitor 
underperforming businesses closely and where we 
see revenue growth is declining we take action to 
adjust our cost base to maintain our margin. 

The current turmoil in the financial markets and the 
prospects of a global recession have made it more 
difficult and expensive to obtain debt financing.  
We will closely monitor the level of capital in the 
business and adjust it as necessary to meet 
requirements. 

Creating	value
We will face many challenges in the current 
economic environment but I am confident that the 
services we provide, our strategy and the dedication 
of our people will continue to drive demand for our 
services, add value for our customers and create 
value for our shareholders. 

Wolfhart	Hauser
Chief Executive Officer

Our strategy 
•	
•	
•	
•	
•	

Add value to clients
Offer bundled services
Drive outsourcing
Focus on selected industry sectors
Support global trade

09

Annual Report 2008 09

Operating Review

Intertek is a global market leader in many industries 
supporting customers in the international market place and 
ensuring that their products comply with their own quality 
and safety standards and all relevant external regulations. 

Group Overview
Who	we	are
Our services cover the whole supply chain including 
the sourcing of raw materials, product design, 
manufacturing processes, compliance certifications 
and performance testing of the end product. Our 
customers range from major household names and 
international corporations to niche suppliers, 
globally and locally. With over 1,000 facilities in 
more than 100 countries and over 23,000 
employees, we can provide services in almost every 
country in the world.

What	we	do
Intertek is a global market leader providing safety 
and quality services to customers to add value to 
their products and processes and support their 
success in the global market place. We offer a 
comprehensive range of services from testing, 
inspection and certification through to auditing, 
and consultancy. Using internationally-approved 
methods, standards, equipment and guidelines, 
we test consumer products, commercial products, 
commodities, food, and raw materials for quality 
control, research, vendor compliance, and against 
regulatory and customer requirements.

Our testing methods use a wide range of skills 
including complex analytical laboratory techniques 
in the fields of organic and inorganic chemistry and 
biochemistry, critical analysis to trouble-shoot 

customers’ problems, 3D laser scanning, 
electromagnetic compatibility testing, minerals assay 
and performance testing amongst many others.  
We provide inspection services to manufacturers, 
retailers, bulk commodity traders, governments and 
international buyers and sellers of goods, including 
factory evaluation, quality inspection, custody 
transfer, pre-production, in-production, final 
random sampling, pre-shipment and loading 
supervision. We hold an extensive range of global 
accreditations, recognitions and agreements to 
provide certification services for manufacturers, 
retailers and traders to enable them to sell products 
in virtually any market in the world. Our audit 
services check whether a process, system or facility 
is performing in the prescribed manner. This 
includes corporate social responsibility auditing to 
ensure that factory conditions, especially in 
developing countries, meet the standards required 
by our clients. We also offer an extensive range of 
consultancy and training services. Our services are 
integrated together to provide our customers with  
a complete and customised service that meets the 
precise requirements of the different industries in 
which they operate.

Our	market
Intertek provides services to a wide range of 
industry sectors, including Aerospace & Automotive, 
Building Products, Chemicals, Consumer Goods  
& Retailers, Electrical & Electronic, Energy,  

10 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

1010

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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Food & Agriculture, Industrial, IT & Telecom,  
Medical & Pharmaceutical, Minerals, Petroleum, 
Toys, Games & Hardlines and Textiles, Apparel & 
Footwear. Each industry has its own characteristics 
but there are a number of key drivers for our 
services common to all markets. These are global 
and local trade through new product development, 
increasing consumer demand for good quality,  
safe and environmentally friendly products,  
more stringent regulations, and the increasing 
requirement for independent certification of the 
quantity and quality of traded commodities.

By outsourcing their testing to us, customers reduce 
the cost of maintaining in-house testing facilities 
and they benefit from the economies of scale that 
we can achieve by higher utilisation of the laboratory 
equipment and personnel. Many products are 
subject to increased regulation to protect consumers 
and the environment. For example, the recently 
enacted US Consumer Product Safety Improvement 
Act (CPSIA) contains many provisions concerning  
the safety and quality of consumer goods and more 
stringent requirements for children’s products.  
In the European Union, the Registration, Evaluation 
and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) regulations 
cover over 30,000 chemicals used in products.  
We advise our customers on the regulatory 
developments that are applicable to their products 
in the markets they choose. 

Despite slower economic activity, the key growth 
drivers behind the Intertek business model remain 
intact. We tend to test products at the prototype 
stage and therefore our business is driven by product 
development activity rather than the volume of 
products sold. We expect this to help maintain our 
growth through an economic recession although 
the economic downturn in 2009 is likely to see our 
business growing at a slower rate than in 2008. We 
will continue to respond accordingly by ensuring our 
cost base is aligned with a reduced level of growth 

in those locations and for those industries that could 
be affected by a severe downturn.

Our	employees
At 31 December 2008, the Group employed 23,841 
people (2007: 21,303) in over 100 countries. Our 
people include highly skilled scientists and engineers 
with specialist knowledge of the industries in which 
we operate. Many are educated to degree level and 
above and are peer group leaders in their fields of 
expertise. Our operations are located close to our 
customers and our strategy is to employ and 
develop people native to those locations as they 
have a better understanding of local issues and 
cultures and can build strong customer relationships. 
Through their appointed relationship manager,  
our clients can access all the services and expertise 
offered by our global network. Through our Intertek 
as One programme we emphasise the need to  
join together to ensure our customers receive a 
co-ordinated and cohesive service. We have a strong 
emphasis on training and professional development 
and this together with the strength of our collective 
leadership ensures that our employees remain 
motivated to deliver a world class service. 

Our	impact	on	the	environment
Being a service industry, energy consumption is not 
a material part of our cost base. In 2008, 1.3% of 
our total costs were spent on gas and electricity. 
However, we are mindful of our impact on the 
environment and, where possible, take measures to 
reduce energy consumption and eliminate waste. 
Our internal meetings are increasingly held by 
conference call to reduce our emissions footprint. 
We recycle waste paper and we dispose of our 
waste products responsibly and in compliance with 
applicable legislation. In the UK and Ireland we 
operate a ‘green’ company car policy. 

Our main impact on the environment is through 
the services we offer to customers. We test the 
performance and evaluate the efficiency of products 

Intertek Group Revenue

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Other Divisions 

25%
20%
31%
5%
19%

11

Annual Report 2008 11

and advise customers of ways in which they can 
improve their products and processes to reduce 
energy use. Since we usually perform our work  
at the design stage of product development, the  
small amount of energy that we use to conduct  
our tests is far outweighed by the global benefits  
to the environment of our clients using our advice  
to produce energy efficient products on a larger 
scale. Our services are supporting the growing 
alternative energy sectors such as photovoltaic,  
bio fuels and wind energy. More details about our 
employees and the environment are provided in  
our Corporate Social Responsibility Report which 
starts on page 59.

Divisional	structure
For management purposes we organise ourselves 
into operating divisions combining similar industry 
sectors. We aim to operate a balanced portfolio of 
businesses across industry sectors and regions. In 
previous years the Group was structured into four 
main divisions: Consumer Goods; Commercial & 
Electrical; Oil, Chemical & Agri; and Government 
Services. In response to growth opportunities in 
new sectors and to increase our focus on customers 
in their specific industries, we identified Analytical 

Services, Minerals and Industrial Services as sectors 
in which to invest for future growth. These divisions 
are managed independently but are grouped 
together as New Divisions due to their relatively 
small size in comparison to the other divisions. 
Analytical Services and Minerals were formerly part 
of the Oil, Chemical & Agri division and Industrial 
Services includes Systems Certification, which was 
previously included in Commercial & Electrical, and 
Industrial Inspection which was previously included 
in Government Services. No material costs were 
incurred to effect this reorganisation. 

Under our new structure, central overhead costs are 
allocated to each of the operating divisions and are 
therefore no longer separately disclosed. In order to 
aid comparison with our previously reported results, 
the table below shows our 2008 results under both 
the new and the old structure.

The Government Services division was restructured 
at the end of 2008 and is being integrated into the 
Oil, Chemical & Agri division. Thus from 1 January 
2009, we are operating in six divisions. The 
restructuring costs incurred are included in non-
recurring costs.

2008	results	under	new	and	old	structures

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services1 
New Divisions 
Central 

Revenue 
£m 

250.4 
203.5 
308.1 
46.8 
194.7 
– 

New Structure 

Adjusted 
operating 
profit 
£m 

75.7 
29.2 
33.5 
6.4 
19.9 
– 

Total	

1,003.5	

164.7	

Old Structure

Adjusted
operating
profit 
£m 

78.8 
32.6 
59.6 
9.6 
– 
(15.9) 

Revenue 
£m 

250.4 
223.2 
468.0 
61.9 
– 
– 

1,003.5	

164.7	

Margin

31.5%
14.6%
12.7%
15.5%
–
–

16.4%

Margin 

30.2% 
14.3% 
10.9% 
13.7% 
10.2% 
– 

16.4%	

1. Integrated into the Oil, Chemical & Agri division from 1 January 2009.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
12 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

1212

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Our	performance	in	2008

2008 

250.4 
203.5 
308.1 
46.8 
194.7 

Revenue 

Change at 
actual 
rates 

38.2% 
24.8% 
24.0% 
3.5% 
41.6% 

Change at 
constant 
rates 

24.1% 
13.9% 
14.5% 
(3.5)% 
32.0% 

1,003.5	

29.4%	

18.7%	

£m 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
New Divisions 

Revenue	and	Adjusted		
operating	profit	
Amortisation 
Impairment 
Non-recurring costs 

Operating profit 
Net financing costs 
Share of profit of associate 

Profit before income tax 
Income tax expense 

Result	for	the	year	

1,003.5	

29.4%	

18.7%	

Adjusted operating profit1

Change at 
actual 
rates 

44.5% 
27.0% 
37.3% 
6.7% 
25.9% 

Change at
constant
rates

27.9%
12.3%
25.5%
(8.7)%
17.0%

35.4%	

21.2%

27.4% 

31.0% 

29.7%	

2008 

75.7 
29.2 
33.5 
6.4 
19.9 

164.7	
(9.6) 
(0.5) 
(6.7) 

147.9 
(9.5) 
0.2 

138.6 
(36.4) 

102.2	

1. Before amortisation of acquisition intangibles, goodwill impairment and non-recurring costs.

The Group had an excellent year and reported 
revenue of just over £1 billion. Revenue increased  
by 29.4% (18.7% at constant exchange rates)  
and adjusted operating profit increased by 35.4% 
(21.2% at constant exchange rates). The adjusted 
operating margin was 16.4%, up 70 basis points 
from last year (30 basis points at constant  
exchange rates).

We calculate organic growth by excluding the 
results of acquisitions made in 2007 and 2008.  
On an organic basis, revenue grew by 22.5% 
(12.3% at constant exchange rates) and adjusted 
operating profit grew by 28.4% (14.8% at  
constant exchange rates). The organic growth  
was generated primarily by growth in the market  
for quality and safety services, an increase in 
environmental regulations and an increase  
in outsourcing.

Part of the Group’s growth strategy is to make 
acquisitions which complement and extend the 
Group’s service offering into new areas of expertise 
and new locations. We made 14 acquisitions in 2008 
and 16 in 2007, which were located in 13 different 
countries. These businesses have extended the 
range of services offered by the Group in a variety 
of sectors including the minerals, food, pharmaceutical 
and chemical industries, and have increased the 
Group’s footprint in strategically important countries 
such as the USA, the UK, Australia and Germany. 
The Group is able to leverage the return from these 
acquisitions by offering new services on a global 
basis to existing customers. 

Details of the performance of each division, including 
more information about the acquisitions are given in 
the Operating Review by division which starts on 
page 14.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13

Annual Report 2008 13

The market for our services continues to expand. 
Consumers and regulatory bodies are increasingly 
concerned about the quality and safety of products 
and services and their impact on the environment. 
The number of global and domestic regulations 
regarding the environment and the safety and 
quality of products continue to increase. 
Manufacturers and retailers need to meet the 
demands of their customers and ensure that they 
comply with quality and safety requirements, 
increasingly complex legislation and longer supply 
chains. We work in partnership with our customers 
to help them meet those demands and increase the 
value of their products and services.

Our business is based on facilitating trade and 
increasing consumer demand for product variety, 
quality and safety, as well as manufacturers’ desire 
to reduce overhead costs by outsourcing testing and 
inspection activities. Our 2008 organic revenue 
growth at constant exchange rates was 12.3%. 
Whilst a significant global recession will reduce our 
growth rate, we are very well diversified, both 
geographically and across industry sectors, which 
will help mitigate any adverse impact and provide  
us with growth opportunities. 

The key growth drivers in our business model 
remain unchanged so our business is robust. The 
current economic uncertainty makes it difficult to 
predict performance in 2009 and a prolonged 
decline in global trade will inevitably affect our 
customers and this might affect the volume of 
goods that we inspect. In a severe, long-lasting 
downturn, some of our customers may undertake 
fewer development projects and this could affect 
the number of products that we test and certify. 

Each of our divisions offers opportunities for organic 
growth through increasing our service offering to 
customers, to add value to their products and 
processes and help them compete in the global 
market. We anticipate that businesses will 

increasingly be looking to reduce the cost of 
non-core activities such as in-house testing,  
which provides us with an opportunity to offer our 
services. We have been very successful in finding 
acquisitions which extend our range of services.  
We have a pipeline of potential acquisitions which 
we are pursuing and we will continue to seek other 
opportunities to grow our business.

Revenue £m

+29.4%

2008

2007

1,003.5

775.4

Adjusted operating profit £m

+35.4%

2008

2007

164.7

121.6

Adjusted operating profit margin

+70bp

2008

2007

16.4%

15.7%

1414

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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14 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

High growth from  
consumer concern  
over toy safety

Consumer Goods
What	we	do
The Consumer Goods division is a market leading 
provider of services to the textiles, toys, footwear, 
hardlines, food and retail industries. Services include 
testing, inspection, auditing, advisory services, 
quality assurance and hazardous substance testing. 
Customers are often retailers but also include 
manufacturers and suppliers within a global  
supply chain. 

The market for the services of the Consumer Goods 
division is diverse. Demand is driven by retailers who 
require the goods they sell to be produced to a 
quality set by either their own internal standards  
or by legislation in a particular country. Increasingly, 
materials are sourced and goods are manufactured 
in locations that are remote from the consumer, 
causing supply chains to be longer and more 
complex. The market is also being driven by 
regulations issued to address safety and 
environmental concerns over such issues as 
carcinogenic dyes in textiles and chemicals in  
toys and cosmetics. 

Our	performance	in	2008
The Consumer Goods division delivered excellent 
results with total revenue of £250.4m up 38.2% 
(24.1% at constant exchange rates) and organic 
revenue up 34.0% (20.3% at constant exchange 
rates). Textiles, Apparel & Footwear which is the 

largest sector in the division, grew well, particularly 
in China with a strong performance in Toys and 
Hardlines. This was mainly due to increased demand 
for heavy metals testing driven by heightened 
consumer concern over the safety of toys following 
the major product recalls that took place in 2007 
and new regulations in the USA. In August 2008, 
the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act 
(CPSIA) was enacted. CPSIA contains new 
certification requirements, phthalate and lead limits, 
mandatory third-party testing requirements and 
many other provisions concerning the safety and 
quality of children’s goods. Intertek has sixteen 
leading-edge laboratories accredited under CPSIA 
and additional laboratories will be accredited in the 
coming months.

Although still relatively small, revenue from the food 
sector increased considerably and we made several 
acquisitions in this sector which will add to the 
growth in future.

Total adjusted operating profit was £75.7m,  
up 44.5% (27.9% at constant exchange rates). 
Organic adjusted operating profit increased by 
41.9% (25.3% at constant exchange rates).  
The total adjusted operating margin increased  
130 basis points to 30.2% from 28.9% in 2007.

In April 2008, the Group acquired 4-Front Research, 
a group of companies in the UK, France and India 
which provide analytical support for clinical research 

 
15

Annual Report 2008 15

studies on cosmetic, personal care, functional food 
and over-the-counter pharmaceutical and medical 
products. This acquisition extends the services the 
Group is able to offer its consumer healthcare 
customers and provides a strategic platform for 
development in India and other fast growing Asian 
markets for consumer healthcare products. 

In 2008, the Group acquired three businesses  
which provide services to the food industry: Applica 
GmbH, a company in Germany which provides 
high-end analytical services with particular expertise 
in honey and bee products; EKO-lab, which provides 
microbiological and chemical analysis services from 
its laboratory in Poland; and the food facility auditing 
operations of RQA which is headquartered in Chicago, 
USA, but provides auditing services to more than 
100 countries. 

In December 2008, the Group acquired Porst  
& Partner GmbH, a highly recognised German 
laboratory providing consumer product testing and 
environmental, food and microbiological analyses. 
Porst & Partner’s services include chemical analyses 
of consumer products, Restriction of Hazardous 
Substances (RoHS) compliance and Registration, 
Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) 
related services.

In 2008, we continued to invest in our laboratory 
network, particularly in China where we opened a 

large-scale toy testing laboratory in Guangzhou to 
support the toy manufacturers located in Southern 
China. We also extended our REACH facilities in a 
number of our laboratories.

The key growth drivers in Consumer Goods remain 
strong, principally the sourcing of products from 
China, the increasingly wide range of products being 
sold by retailers and shorter product lifecycles. Concern 
over the safety of consumer products has increased 
demand from consumers and regulatory bodies for 
independent assurance of quality and safety.

Although two-thirds of revenue is derived from  
toys and textiles testing, the remainder is from  
our expanding service lines such as consultancy, 
inspection, supply chain services, food and 
corporate social responsibility where margins  
are not always as high as those earned by the 
established services. As many economies are 
currently entering a recessionary phase, consumer 
spending is declining. Whilst our business is 
dependent on the variety of goods produced and 
new product development rather than the volume 
sold, a prolonged decline in consumer spending 
could result in a reduction in product development. 
We aim to grow our revenue by developing new 
services, integrating our services and providing 
innovative supply chain solutions to our customers. 

Paul	Yao		
Group Executive  
Vice President  
Consumer Goods

£m 

250.4 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
75.7 
Adjusted operating margin  30.2% 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

38.2% 
44.5% 
130bp 

24.1%
27.9%
90bp

 
 
 
 
 
1616

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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WI No: Verbal

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16 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

Effective marketing 
campaigns and 
growth of developing 
businesses

Commercial & Electrical
What	we	do
The Commercial & Electrical division provides 
services including testing and certification, 
electromagnetic compatibility testing (EMC), 
outsourcing, benchmark and performance testing 
and environmental testing. These are provided to  
a wide range of industries including the home 
appliance, lighting, medical, building, industrial  
and HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning 
and refrigeration), IT, telecom, renewable energy 
and automotive industries. Our customers are 
mostly manufacturers but also retailers, industry 
organisations and government departments. 
Intertek has the widest range of owned marks and 
accreditations, including the ETL listed mark, the 
Warnock Hersey mark for North America and the 
S mark, Asta mark and BEAB mark for Europe, as 
well as being a leader in providing CB certification 
and the CE mark and GS mark for Europe.

The market for our Commercial & Electrical services 
is driven primarily by increasing regulations over the 
safety of products, product variety and growing 
environmental concerns. This includes current 
concerns over climate change and the impact on  
the environment of electrical products.

Our	performance	in	2008
Total revenue increased to £203.5m, up 24.8% 
(13.9% at constant exchange rates) and organic 
revenue increased by 19.0% (8.5% at constant 
exchange rates). The electrical sector which 
accounted for 60% of the division’s total revenue 
grew well, particularly in the US, where increased 
acceptance of the ETL mark contributed to growth 
in market share. 

The Americas reported double digit organic growth 
in revenue at constant exchange rates plus revenue 
from acquisitions. Revenue in Asia also increased 
mainly due to good organic growth in China.  
Total revenue in Europe increased, although  
organic revenue growth declined slightly due to 
underperformance in Italy and stagnant growth  
in the rest of Europe.

Total adjusted operating profit was £29.2m,  
up 27.0% (12.3% at constant exchange rates). 
Organic adjusted operating profit increased  
by 20.5% (6.9% at constant exchange rates).  
The total adjusted operating margin increased  
20 basis points to 14.3%. The increase in margin 
was due to a strong performance in the second  
half of 2008 when effective marketing campaigns 
and the growth of developing businesses such as 
photovoltaic and energy efficiency had a positive 
impact. Cost cutting initiatives also helped the 
margin growth.

In February 2008, the Group acquired Epsilon 
Technical Services Ltd. Epsilon is based in the UK 
and offers safety and advisory services to companies 
with products for use in potentially explosive 
atmospheres. This acquisition complements and 
extends the Group’s existing explosive environment 
certification services.

In September 2008, the Group acquired HP White 
Laboratory Inc. a company based in Maryland USA, 
which provides ballistic resistance testing and 
certification programmes for personal protective 
equipment (PPE). Intertek already tests PPE against 
fire and chemical hazards so adding ballistic 
resistance testing will enable the Group to offer a 
more comprehensive service to the PPE industry.

17

Annual Report 2008 17

Intertek	–	the	mark	of	quality
For more than a 100 years, Intertek has guided 
clients through the challenging certification 
process. Offering the broadest range of 
certification and accreditation marks accepted 
in markets around the world, Intertek can help 
clients to succeed in new and existing markets, 
meet evolving regulatory requirements and win 
new customers.

Our major investment projects during 2008, 
included the establishment of photovoltaic facilities 
in California, New York and Shanghai, consolidating 
our facilities in Boston, USA, extending our wireless 
testing facility in Kentucky, USA and building a 
35 ton psychrometric (HVAC) facility in Dallas, USA. 

Customer demand for safe, reliable, energy efficient 
products continues to increase and the market for 
Commercial & Electrical continues to evolve presenting 
opportunities for growth. Market drivers in the 
medical and renewable energy sectors remain strong. 
Concerns over climate change are driving new 
directives regarding the energy usage of products, 
particularly in the HVAC/R industry and this is 
expected to extend to other industries. The consumer 
market for home appliances and electronics is under 
pressure and the growth of information, 
communication and technology products is also 
slowing down. This may provide us with opportunities 
as customers seek to maintain or increase their market 
share through product innovation, improvements in 
quality and durability, and performance comparisons, 
and cut their costs by improving efficiency. The issues 
in the automotive industry are well documented and 
we do not anticipate any improvement in this market 
in the near future. We are closely monitoring our 
business in this sector and will reduce costs if revenue 
continues to decline.

Market conditions in 2009 will provide both 
challenges and opportunities for the Commercial  
& Electrical division. We will continue to strive for 
operational excellence and aim to strengthen our 
market share by offering superior service. There are 
many small niche players in the market and this 
provides opportunities for us to continue adding 
infill acquisitions.

Gregg	Tiemann
Division Executive  
Vice President  
Commercial & Electrical

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

203.5 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
29.2 
Adjusted operating margin  14.3% 

24.8% 
27.0% 
20bp 

13.9%
12.3%
(30)bp

 
 
 
 
1818

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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18 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

Strong growth in all 
regions particularly 
non-inspection 
related testing

Oil, Chemical & Agri
What	we	do
The Oil, Chemical & Agri division provides 
independent cargo inspection as well as non-
inspection related laboratory testing, calibration  
and related technical services. Our customers 
include the world’s energy, petroleum, chemical  
and agricultural industries. Cargo inspection and 
testing is a well established global market in which 
Intertek is one of the leading service providers.  
High barriers to entry are principally due to the  
fixed costs of establishing a global network of 
operations and laboratories and our excellent 
reputation and experience earned through  
decades of service in the industry.

Our	performance	in	2008
Despite being affected by the hurricanes in the  
USA, Oil, Chemical & Agri delivered an excellent 
performance in 2008 with strong growth across  
all regions, particularly in non-inspection related 
testing. Total revenue increased to £308.1m, up 
24.0% (14.5% at constant exchange rates) and 
organic revenue increased by 22.7% (13.3% at 
constant exchange rates). The organic growth was 
driven by favourable market conditions, particularly 
in the first half, higher demand for alternative fuels 
and increased regulation, which together resulted in 
greater demand for testing and inspection services.

Total adjusted operating profit increased to  
£33.5m, up 37.3% (25.5% at constant exchange 
rates). Organic adjusted operating profit increased 
by 34.7% (23.0% at constant exchange rates). The 
adjusted operating margin improved by 110 basis 
points to 10.9%. The improvement in margin was 
mainly driven by the strong growth in inspection 
and related testing of alternative bio fuels.

Hurricanes Ike and Gustav which hit the Gulf Coast 
in the USA in September 2008, caused disruption to 
our laboratories and customers located in that area 
and resulted in the Oil, Chemical & Agri division 
losing revenue of £2.1m in 2008.

In January 2008, we acquired Electrical Mechanical 
Instrument Services (UK) Ltd which provides 
calibration services to the oil and gas industries in 
the UK and the Middle East and complements the 
existing upstream services offered by the Group.

The record high oil prices experienced in early  
2008 have since declined and the global economic 
downturn is now causing a decline in consumption 
of crude oil and refined products which we expect 
to continue during 2009. The decline in the price  
of oil has impacted trading and refining, as well  
as speculative trading by financial institutions. 
Customers will seek to reduce their costs and 
improve efficiency which provides us with an 
opportunity to offer outsourcing solutions. We 
anticipate that whilst alternative fuel producers 
could face an increasing challenge to produce their 
fuels at a profit, the decline in the green economy 
will be short-term and that market based solutions 
to environmental and social issues will lead to an 
upsurge in bio fuel technology. This provides 
opportunities for us in laboratory testing.

We expect the outlook for the chemical market to 
remain challenging as the decline in demand from 
industrial users is likely to continue for some time. 
Turnaround for this market depends on the recovery 
of global economies especially in new housing and 
vehicle sales. Government initiatives to stimulate these 
sectors may have a positive impact. We will continue 
to seek new opportunities to gain market share 
through superior service and innovative solutions. 

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

308.1 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
33.5 
Adjusted operating margin  10.9% 

24.0% 
37.3% 
110bp 

14.5%
25.5%
100bp

 
 
 
 
19

Annual Report 2008 19

Government Services
What	we	do
The Government Services division offers a range  
of services to governments, national standards 
organisations and customs departments. Services 
include cargo scanning, fiscal support services and 
standards programmes.

Our	performance	in	2008
Performance in Government Services in 2008 was 
disappointing. Revenue increased 3.5% at actual 
rates but declined 3.5% at constant exchange rates. 
The decline at constant exchange rates was mainly 
due to the discontinuance of a pre-shipment 
inspection contract in Ecuador which was cancelled 
in 2007. Operating profit increased 6.7% to £6.4m 
at actual rates but declined 8.7% at constant 
exchange rates. All the contracts were profitable, 
however no significant new contracts were won 
during the year and the level of overhead cost was 
too high for the revenue base.

Following a strategic review in 2008, we concluded 
that the services offered by Government Services (GS) 
would be more efficiently provided from within the 
Oil, Chemical & Agri (OCA) division. As a result we 
are making a significant reduction in the overhead 
and operating costs in Government Services, and 
integrating a number of GS and other divisional 
offices and systems into the OCA division to 
improve efficiency. Government Services will not be 
reported as a separate division of Intertek in future.

Jay	Gutierrez	
Division Executive  
Vice President Oil, 
Chemical & Agri and 
Government Services

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

46.8 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
6.4 
Adjusted operating margin  13.7% 

3.5% 
6.7% 
40bp 

(3.5)%
(8.7)%
(80)bp

 
 
 
 
20 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

2020

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Analytical Services
What	we	do
Analytical Services provides advanced laboratory 
services and consultancy to a broad range of 
industries including chemical, pharmaceutical,  
oil and gas, and, automotive and aerospace. 
We have an established track record of success  
in laboratory outsourcing with many large 
internationally recognised companies. 

Our	performance	in	2008
Total revenue in 2008 was £119.5m, up 24.9% 
(17.4% at constant exchange rates) over the  
prior year. Organic revenue increased 9.0%  
(2.4% at constant exchange rates). Total adjusted 
operating profit increased to £13.2m, up 12.8% 
(5.6% at constant exchange rates). Organic  
adjusted operating profit declined by 15.0%  
(21.3% at constant exchange rates). Overall, the 
division improved its adjusted operating margin in 
the second half of the year although the full year 
margin of 11.0% was 120 basis points down on  
the prior year, due in part to reorganisation costs. 

Results in Analytical Services were mixed, with  
some business segments performing very strongly 
and others performing less well. Upstream Services 
reported strong growth in revenues in 2008 over 
2007. Downstream, Chemicals and Materials also 
performed well, apart from lubricant testing in the 
USA which suffered from lower volumes in 2008 
ahead of new standards being issued in 2009. 
Pharmaceutical testing grew well in the USA but 
underperformed in the UK due to delays in a number 
of client projects. Although the fundamental industry 
drivers for new pharmaceuticals remain strong,  
we expect the market to remain challenging in  
2009. Our pharmaceutical business in the UK was 
reorganised at the end of 2008 to reduce costs. 

In February 2008, the Group acquired the UK based 
Commercial Microbiology Group which provides 

laboratory and consultancy services related to the 
measurement and management of bacteria in the 
upstream oil and gas industries. Also in February, 
the Group acquired Bioclin Research Laboratories Ltd, 
an Irish company which provides product quality 
testing and bio-analytical services to pharmaceutical, 
medical device and bio-technology companies. 

In March 2008, the Limburg Water Boards of 
The Netherlands outsourced all laboratory activities 
and transferred the employees of Waterschapsbedrijf 
Limburg to Intertek for a minimum period of five 
years. The Group will provide extended analytical 
testing and consultancy services in the areas of 
environmental science, regulation and complex 
analysis of silt, soil and water. 

Much of Intertek’s Upstream activities are related to 
the production and transportation of hydrocarbon 
reserves. We anticipate that this business will be 
largely unaffected by the current economic climate 
as production facilities will continue to generate 
volumes at normal levels. However, if the oil price 
remains depressed, some new development projects 
may be postponed or cancelled which could result in 
increased competition for work in our subsurface 
exploration and production activities. 

The chemical industry in the mature markets in  
the USA and Europe is suffering from a decline in 
demand for plastics, mainly from the automotive  
and construction industries. We expect this to have 
a negative impact on our sample testing business  
in The Netherlands as it is related to production 
volumes. Other contracts which support research 
and development and product innovation are 
expected to be more resilient. These market 
conditions provide a potential upside for Intertek  
as it is likely that companies will increasingly look  
to outsource their non-core activities. Our strong 
track record of successfully running outsourcing 
contracts means that we are well placed to  
capitalise on this opportunity. 

Andrew	Swift	
Division Executive  
Vice President
Analytical Services

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

119.5 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
13.2 
Adjusted operating margin  11.0% 

24.9% 
12.8% 
(120)bp 

17.4%
5.6%
(130)bp

 
 
 
 
 
21

Annual Report 2008 21

Industrial Services
What	we	do
Industrial Services is a global provider of technical 
verification, inspection, testing and auditing services. 
This includes management systems certification, 
second-party auditing, supplier evaluation, 
conformity assessment, asset integrity management, 
training, health and safety consulting and 
greenhouse gas services. We serve a wide variety of 
industries including oil, gas, petrochemical, power, 
renewable energy, and civil and infrastructure. 

Our	performance	in	2008
Total revenue in 2008 was £36.0m, up 62.2% 
(48.1% at constant exchange rates) over the prior 
year. Organic revenue increased 25.9% (14.9% at 
constant exchange rates). Total adjusted operating 
profit increased to £1.8m, up 80.0% (50.0% at 
constant exchange rates). Organic adjusted operating 
profit declined 141.7% (136.4% at constant exchange 
rates). The adjusted operating margin was 5.0%,  
up 50 basis points on the prior year.

The industrial services market has seen strong 
growth in recent years fuelled by infrastructure 
investment by energy companies. In response to 
the drop in oil price in the latter part of 2008  
and the instability in the financial markets, some 
customers have deferred new capital expenditure 
to focus on optimising output from existing 
facilities. Whilst this could negatively impact  
our growth, it also provides us with opportunities.  
The infrastructure investments planned by 
governments in the USA, China and Europe to 
stimulate their economies will also provide us  
with opportunities. 

The systems certification market is experiencing  
a slow down in new business orders as some 
customers defer their certification plans in favour 
of short-term operating priorities. Customers in 
some sectors such as automotive are downsizing 
their staff and facilities. In order to mitigate risk, 
we will focus on higher value sectors in resilient 
markets such as medical and aerospace where we 
have strong niche positions.

In April 2008, the Group acquired Hi-Cad Technical 
Services Ltd which provides specialist 3D data 
capture and measurement services, primarily to 
customers in the upstream and downstream oil and 
petroleum industry in the UK and the USA. This 
acquisition strengthens the development of asset 
integrity management services in the Group and 
enables the Group to offer a cohesive vendor 
assessment and quality inspection service to 
customers globally. 

The outlook for the health and environmental  
sector is positive. Enforcement of the new REACH, 
RoHS and CPSIA regulations is driving customers to 
set up compliance programmes for these markets 
and seek advice from Intertek given the confusion 
that currently reigns in the market place. Other 
green initiatives from government to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions will also create further 
opportunities for Intertek to advise clients on  
how best to meet these regulatory challenges.

Stefan	Butz
Group Executive  
Vice President  
Industrial Services

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

36.0 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
1.8 
Adjusted operating margin  5.0% 

62.2% 
80.0% 
50bp 

48.1%
50.0%
10bp

 
 
 
 
2222

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

22 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Operating Review

Minerals
What	we	do
The Minerals division provides complete analytical 
solutions to the world’s minerals, ore and mining 
industry.

Our network of laboratories and sample  
preparation facilities offer key services such as 
analysis at the point of exploration and production 
of gold, precious metals and iron ore, fire assay,  
and testing and analysis of coal and coke as well as 
environmental monitoring. We also provide marine 
and inspection services of minerals shipments.

Our	performance	in	2008
In 2008, total revenue was £39.2m, up 100.0% 
(83.2% at constant exchange rates) over the prior 
year and organic revenue increased by 71.1% 
(57.8% at constant exchange rates). Total adjusted 
operating profit increased to £4.9m, up 58.1% 
(48.5% at constant exchange rates). Organic 
adjusted operating profit increased by 100.0% 
(81.8% at constant exchange rates). The adjusted 
operating margin was 12.5%, down 330 basis points 
on the prior year due to investment in new projects. 

Until the last quarter of 2008, the Minerals division 
benefited from the high price and strong demand 
for commodities, particularly in China. We established 
new minerals laboratories in Townsville, Australia 
and Johannesburg, South Africa and invested in 

laboratory equipment including robotic and 
automated systems in Australia. Over 60% of 
revenue was generated in Australia, primarily from 
the Genalysis business which we acquired in 2007.

The Minerals division extended its geographic 
footprint in 2008. We acquired a company which 
operates the largest commercial assay laboratory in 
the Philippines and offers geophysical surveys and 
inspection services to the minerals industries in Asia 
and a company in Ghana which provides services  
to the gold mining industry. These businesses were 
acquired for £5.2m in total. 

Activity in the mining and exploration industries  
was high in the first nine months of the year but 
started to decline in the last quarter, when certain 
commodity prices fell sharply and funding for 
exploration projects was reduced. Many junior 
mining companies have ceased operations and  
some major companies have scaled back their 
activities. This has reduced the volume of samples 
requiring testing. Accordingly we have reduced 
headcount throughout our facilities and further  
cost reductions will be made if the market remains 
depressed. We currently have a very small share of 
the available market in the minerals industry and 
therefore, even in a declining market we anticipate 
being able to grow revenues by gaining market 
share from competitors.

Marc	Hoffer
Division Executive  
Vice President 
Minerals

2008 
£m 

Change 
at actual 
rates 

Change
at constant
rates

39.2 
Revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
4.9 
Adjusted operating margin  12.5% 

100% 
58.1% 
(330)bp 

83.2%
48.5%
(290)bp

 
 
 
 
23

Annual Report 2008 23

Chief Operating Officer’s Review

Intertek as One
The main purpose of our Intertek as One 
programme is to promote cross-divisional 
integration and co-operation to ensure that  
our customers have access to the complete range  
of Group services and to allow us to pursue 
opportunities for sharing of resources. 

In order to facilitate cross-divisional integration and 
co-operation, we have nominated country managers 
in 16 of the countries in which we operate, covering 
80% of the Group’s revenue for 2008. Their 
responsibility is to support and lead cross-divisional 
selling and implement back office support shared 
service initiatives. The intention is that by mid  
2009 this will increase to more than 20 countries, 
accounting for over 95% of the Group’s revenue.

Presenting a single face to our customers is essential 
to achieve market penetration and drive cross-
divisional sales. By working together and integrating 
our services we are able to provide a complete 
package of services seamlessly to our customers.  
We are developing customer management systems 
to allow our divisions to share customer profiles  
and contact details. This facilitates business 
development through co-ordinated marketing 
campaigns and allows us to provide a full range  
of services to our clients.  

One of the fundamental aims of the Intertek as One 
programme is to position Intertek to sustain high 
levels of growth without corresponding increases  
in overhead costs. During 2008, we undertook  
an in-depth review to consider how we might 
standardize and streamline our processes to improve 
efficiency and provide a platform for future growth. 

We decided to establish shared service centres in 
countries where we have a large presence, 
combining business support functions such as 
accounting, procurement, human resources and  
IT across the divisions, to better improve the quality 
and delivery of these functions to the business and 
best support our growth. 

Intertek	as	One
integrated services, 
shared resources, 
improved 
communication.

In order to effect the desired changes without 
disrupting our business and service to clients we 
decided to concentrate initially on developing a 
shared service centre covering the USA and Canada. 
Our large presence in North America has the greatest 
potential for cost saving synergies. This project is 
currently underway and is expected to be completed 
during 2009. Once the North American shared 
service centre has been successfully established,  
the project blueprint will be used to develop shared 
service centres as appropriate elsewhere.

Communication is a vital part of the Intertek as One 
initiative. Regular global, regional and local meetings 
were held during the year to identify, support and 
prioritise initiatives relevant to each country. Regular 
progress reports are posted on the Group intranet 
so that all employees are aware of the success of 
various projects and can see the tangible benefits 
that are starting to accrue. 

In the current economic environment, it is even 
more important that we maximize our business 
opportunities whilst reducing our overheads and  
our Intertek as One programme will help us to 
achieve this. 

Mark	Loughead
Chief Operating Officer

Mark	Loughead
Chief Operating 
Officer

 
24 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Financial Review

2424

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

Results	for	the	year
Profit before income tax increased by 31.0% to 
£138.6m (2007: £105.8m) and diluted adjusted 
earnings per share were 67.1p (2007: 48.8p). 
Basic earnings per share were 59.5p (2007: 46.7p). 

Key	financial	performance	indicators
We use a variety of key performance indicators 
(KPIs) to monitor the performance of the Group. 
Similar indicators are used to review the 
performance of the operating divisions. These 
KPIs are reviewed by the Board and management 
on a monthly basis and are used to assess past 
performance and set targets for the future. Many 
of the KPIs also form part of the management 
incentive scheme whereby managers may receive 
annual bonus payments on achieving or exceeding 
a range of targets set for the year. Further 
information on management incentives is given in 
the Remuneration Report which starts on page 42. 

Key financial peformance indicators 

Revenue  
Organic revenue 
Adjusted operating profit 
Organic adjusted operating profit 
Adjusted operating margin 
Operating cash flow 
Operating cash flow/operating profit 
Diluted adjusted earnings per share 
Dividend per share 
Return on invested capital 

Up 29.4%
Up 22.5%
Up 35.4%
Up 28.4%
Up 70bp
Up 30.1%
85.7%
Up 37.5%
Up 15.6%
19.9%

Growth	in	revenue
Top line revenue growth is a key performance 
measure. In 2008, revenue was £1,003.5m up 
29.4% over the prior year (18.7% at constant 
exchange rates). 

Impact	of	currency	movements
The Group operates in 73 different currencies. 
The majority of the Group’s earnings are 
denominated in US dollars or currencies linked  
to the US dollar or which historically have moved 
in line with the dollar. Other currencies such as 
the Euro and the Chinese renminbi are also an 
important constituent of our overseas earnings. 
Therefore the Group’s results, when translated 
into sterling, are exposed to changes in the value 
of the US dollar and other currencies. 

We show below the main currencies that make up 
the Group’s earnings and the cumulative average 
exchange rates that we have used when 
translating results into sterling in 2008  
and 2007.

Value of £1 

2008 

2007 

Change

US dollar 
Euro 
Chinese renminbi 
Hong Kong dollar 

1.87 
1.26 
13.03 
14.59 

2.00 
1.46 
15.24 
15.62 

6.5%
13.7%
14.5%
6.6%

The weak value of sterling compared to most of  
the currencies in which we operate had a very 
significant effect on our results in 2008. Our 
revenue growth was 29.4% at actual rates but 
18.7% at constant exchange rates. Growth in 
adjusted operating profit was 35.4% at actual  
rates but 21.2% at constant exchange rates. 

Growth	in	adjusted	operating	profit	and	margin

Operating profit 
Amortisation of  
acquisition intangibles  
Impairment of goodwill 
Non-recurring costs 

Adjusted operating 
profit 
Adjusted operating 
margin 

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

Change

147.9 

116.1 

27.4%

9.6 
0.5 
6.7 

5.1 
0.4 
– 

88.2%
25.0%
–

164.7 

121.6 

35.4%

16.4% 

15.7%  Up 70bp

In 2008, adjusted operating profit was £164.7m,  
up 35.4% over the previous year. The adjusted 
operating margin was 16.4%, up 70 basis points 
from 15.7%. 

Amortisation	of	acquisition	intangibles
Amortisation of acquisition intangibles is provided 
on a straight line basis over the life of the assets, 
which is normally five years but can be up to ten 
years. The charge was £9.6m in 2008, up from 
£5.1m in 2007 due to the accumulation of 
intangible assets acquired in the past five years.

Impairment	of	goodwill
As described in note 11 to the financial statements, 
we perform a detailed review of goodwill each  
year to consider whether there is any impairment  
in its carrying value. The capitalised goodwill at 
31 December 2008 was £242.1m (2007: £148.4m) 
which relates to acquisitions made since 1998. Our 
review revealed that the carrying value of Intertek 
Testing & Certification Ltd, which forms part of the 
Commercial & Electrical division in the UK, was 
impaired. We therefore reduced the goodwill 
associated with this business by £0.5m to £5.5m. 
The business was profitable in 2008 and is expected 
to remain so in the foreseeable future.

Non-recurring	costs
The non-recurring costs of £6.7m comprised 
employee redundancies and settlements, lease 
terminations and consultancy and legal fees.  
This primarily related to the integration of the 
Government Services division with the Oil, Chemical 
& Agri division, following the Group’s strategic 
review of its business segments.

Net	financing	costs
Details of the Group’s net financing costs are given 
in note 7 to the financial statements.

 
 
 
  
 
  
25

Annual Report 2008 25

The Group reported finance income in 2008 of 
£13.1m (2007: £5.4m). This comprised foreign 
exchange differences on the revaluation of net 
monetary assets and liabilities, the expected return 
on pension assets and interest on bank balances. 
The increase was mainly due to foreign exchange 
gains made on the revaluation of net monetary 
assets and liabilities.

The Group’s finance expense for 2008 was £22.6m 
compared to £15.6m in 2007. The charge comprised 
interest on borrowings, pension interest cost, the 
change in value of financial instruments held for 
trading, the ineffective portion of cash flow hedges 
and other financing fees. The increase was primarily 
due to higher levels of debt and the changes in fair 
value of financial instruments held for trading. 

Income	tax	expense
Income tax expense for 2008 was £36.4m (2007: 
£27.0m), comprising a current tax charge of £41.9m 
(2007: £29.3m) less a deferred tax credit of £5.5m 
(2007: £2.3m). The effective tax rate was 26.3%, 
up from 25.5% in 2007. The main reason for the 
increase in the effective tax rate was increased 
earnings in higher taxed jurisdictions such as the 
USA and an increase in lower taxed jurisdictions 
such as China. 

Profit	for	the	year
Profit for the year after income tax was £102.2m 
(2007: £78.8m) of which £93.8m (2007: £73.2m) 
was attributable to equity holders of the Company. 

Minority	interests
Profit attributable to minority shareholders was 
£8.4m in 2008 (2007: £5.6m). The increase was 
mainly due to the strong growth in the Group’s 
non-wholly owned subsidiaries in Asia.

Earnings	per	share
Earnings per share are calculated by dividing the 
profit attributable to ordinary shareholders of the 
Company by the weighted average number of 
ordinary shares in issue during the year. As set out  
in note 9 to the financial statements, basic earnings 
per share at the end of the year were 59.5p (2007: 
46.7p), an increase of 27.4%. A diluted adjusted 
earnings per share calculation is also shown which 
removes the post-tax impact of amortisation of 
acquisition intangibles, impairment of goodwill and 
non-recurring costs from earnings, and includes 
potentially dilutive share options in the number of 
shares, to give diluted adjusted earnings per share  
of 67.1p (2007: 48.8p), an increase of 37.5%.  
We consider that growth in the diluted adjusted 
earnings per share figure gives a more representative 
measure of underlying performance and is one of 
the key performance targets that the Group uses  
to incentivise its managers.

Dividends	
During the year, the Group paid total dividends of 
£30.4m (2007: £25.2m), which comprised £19.2m 
in respect of the final dividend for the year ended 
31 December 2007, paid on 19 June 2008 at the 
rate of 12.2p per share and £11.2m being the 
interim dividend in respect of the year ended 
31 December 2008, paid on 18 November 2008  
at a rate of 7.1p per share. These amounts were 
charged to retained earnings (see note 21 to the 
financial statements). After the balance sheet date, 
the Board recommended a 12.3% increase in the 
final dividend in respect of the year ended 
31 December 2008, to 13.7p per share (2007: 
12.2p), which together with the interim dividend  
will give a full year dividend of 20.8p per share 
(2007: 18.0p), an increase of 15.6% over last year.  
If approved, the final dividend will be paid to 
shareholders on 19 June 2009. The total cost of  
the final dividend is expected to be £21.6m, giving  
a total cost of £32.8m for the dividends paid in 
respect of the year ended 31 December 2008.  
This represents 32.1% of net income for 2008,  
or a dividend cover of 3.1 times by earnings.

Cash	and	liquidity

Cash and liquidity 

Cash generated  
from operations
Less net acquisition  
of property, plant,  
equipment and  
software

Operating cash  
flow after capital  
expenditure

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

Change

194.0 

149.1 

30.1% 

(67.2) 

(43.5) 

54.5% 

126.8 

105.6 

20.1% 

Operating profit 

147.9 

116.1 

27.4%

Operating cash flow/ 
operating profit 

85.7% 

91.0% 

(530)bp

The primary source of the Group’s cash liquidity  
over the last two financial years has been cash 
generated from operations and the drawdown  
of debt. A portion of these funds has been used  
to fund acquisitions and capital expenditure and to 
pay interest, dividends and taxes.

Sources of cash

Operations 71%
Issue of share capital 1%
Drawdown of debt 28%

The Group continued to generate good cash flow. 
Cash generated from operations was £194.0m for 
2008, compared to £149.1m for 2007. The increase 
of 30.1% was due to favourable exchange rates, 
improved profitability and effective working capital 
management. One of the key performance 

 
 
  
26 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Financial Review

2626

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

indicators we use to measure the efficiency of our 
cash generation is the percentage of operating 
profit that is converted into cash. As shown in the 
table on page 25, in 2008, 85.7% of operating 
profit was converted into cash compared to 91.0% 
in 2007. The decrease in the conversion rate was 
due to an increase in capital expenditure of 54.5%, 
mainly as a result of investment in new projects in 
the Minerals division.

Cash outflow and increase in cash

Tax 13%
Working capital 2%
Interest 5%
Acquisitions and investment 32%
Capital expenditure 24%
Dividends 13%
Increase in cash 11%

In order to support our growth strategy we need  
to invest continually in our operations. In 2008, net 
cash flows used in investing activities were £156.6m 
(2007: £128.2m). We paid £67.8m net of cash 
acquired, (2007: £85.8m) for 14 new businesses, 
£16.7m (2007: £nil) for deferred consideration on 
prior year acquisitions, and £67.2m (2007: £43.5m) 
for the acquisition of property, plant and equipment 
and computer software, net of disposals. In 2008, 
we also acquired shares in a listed investment for 
£4.4m, acquired the remaining 15% minority 
shareholding in one of our subsidiaries in China for 
£1.9m and purchased a share in an associate for 
£0.1m. Historically our level of capital expenditure 
has been less than 7% of revenue. In 2008, the  
ratio was 6.7% compared to 5.6% the year before. 
This was mainly due to investment in new projects 
in the Minerals division in 2008, which are now 
completed. The same level of investment will not  
be required in this division in 2009. 

Cash flows from financing activities comprised cash 
inflows from the issue of share capital following the 
exercise of employee share options of £2.6m (2007: 
£4.9m), cash introduced by minority shareholders  
of £0.5m (2007: £nil) and the net drawdown of 
debt of £79.5m (2007: £49.4m), and cash outflows 
of dividends paid to minorities of £6.1m (2007: 
£3.6m) and dividends paid to Group shareholders  
of £30.4m (2007: £25.2m), which resulted in a net 
cash inflow of £46.1m (2007: £25.5m).

Interest bearing loans and borrowings were 
£421.6m at 31 December 2008, an increase of 
82.4% over 2007. The Group’s borrowings are in 
currencies which match its asset base. The increase 
in borrowings comprised exchange adjustments of 
£110.9m due to the translation into sterling of 
borrowings denominated in other currencies and 
the net drawdown of debt of £79.5m. The debt 
drawdown was mainly used to finance acquisitions. 

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2008, 
were £113.3m, an increase of 93.3% over 2007.  
This increase was due to exchange adjustments of 
£24.3m and cash inflow of £30.4m. As shown in 
note 25 to the financial statements, net debt at 
31 December 2008 was £308.3m (2007: £172.6m). 

Borrowings
The Group has a sterling denominated multi-
currency bank debt facility that was placed in 
December 2004. This facility was originally due to 
expire on 15 December 2009, however the Group 
exercised its option to extend the facility by a year in 
2005 and by a further year in 2006, so the facility is 
now due to expire in December 2011. The margins 
currently paid on the borrowings in this facility are in 
the range of 0.3% to 1.5% over LIBOR. In June and 
July 2008, the Group raised a further £75.0m under 
this facility from three new banks who joined the 
existing syndicate of ten banks under the same 
terms and conditions and margin.

In 2008 the Group also raised US$200.0m by way 
of senior note issues which have a blended fixed 
borrowing rate of 6.71%. In June 2008, US$100.0m 
was raised which is repayable on 26 June 2015 and 
the interest rate is fixed at 5.54%. In December 
2008, a further US$100.0m was raised which is 
repayable in two tranches with US$25.0m repayable 
on 21 January 2014 and the interest rate is fixed at 
7.50% and the second US$75.0m repayable on 
10 June 2016 and the interest rate is fixed at 8.00% 
These senior notes were immediately applied against 
bank debt borrowings to increase the amount of 
liquidity headroom on the facility.

The maturity of the Group’s borrowings is set  
out below.

Due within one year 
Due between one and two years   
Due between two and five years   
Due in over five years 

2008 
£m 

14.0 
44.3 
222.0 
141.3 –

2007
£m

13.7
82.7
134.8

Total  

421.6 

231.2

The Group’s gross borrowings are denominated in 
the following currencies:

US dollar 
UK sterling 
Hong Kong dollar 
Euro 
Swedish kroner 
Japanese yen 
Other 

2008 
£m 

63% 
12% 
9% 
8% 
4% 
3% 
1% 

2007
£m

30%
3%
36%
13%
10%
5%
3%

The Group’s policy is to ensure that a liquidity buffer 
is available, in the short-term, to absorb the net 
effects of transactions made and expected changes 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27

Annual Report 2008 27

in liquidity both under normal and stressed conditions 
without incurring unacceptable losses or risking 
damage to the Group’s reputation. At 31 December 
the Group had the following liquid funds:

Senior term debt facilities 
Repayments to 31 December 
Senior term debt borrowings  
Letters of credit and guarantees 

Undrawn committed  
borrowing facilities
Cash and cash equivalents 

Liquid funds  

2008 
£m 

612.4 
(88.0) 
(417.7) 
(8.9) 

97.8 

113.3 

211.1 

2007
£m

400.0
(50.0)
(230.7)
(7.0)

112.3 

58.6

170.9

Where appropriate, cash is managed in currency 
based cash pools and is put on overnight deposit, 
bearing interest at rates fixed daily in advance.  
At 31 December 2008, 91.3% of cash was on 
overnight deposit (2007: 75.1%).

Capital	structure	and	management
The Group is committed to enhancing shareholder 
value, both by investing in the business so as to 
improve the return on investment in the longer term 
and by managing our capital structure. The Group’s 
policy is to maintain a strong capital base so as to 
maintain investor, creditor and market confidence 
and to sustain future development of the business. 
Management monitors both the demographic 
spread of shareholders, as well as the return on 
capital. The Group seeks to maintain a balance 
between the higher returns that might be possible 
with higher levels of borrowings and the advantages 
and security afforded by a sound capital position. 
Return on capital in 2008 was 19.9% compared to 
24.2% in 2007. The decrease was primarily due to 
the higher level of capital invested in acquisitions 
and laboratory facilities during the year, which did 
not contribute a full year’s profits in 2008.

Return on invested capital 

Operating profit 
Amortisation of acquisition 
intangibles  
Impairment of goodwill 
Non-recurring costs 

Adjusted operating profit 
Tax rate 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

147.9 

116.1

9.6 
0.5 
6.7 -

5.1 
0.4

164.7 
26.3% 

121.6
25.5%

Adjusted operating profit after tax 

121.4 

90.6

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Provisions 

234.8 
242.1 
55.2 
8.2 
284.4 
(187.8) 
(26.6) 

149.2
148.4
35.0
4.0
191.0
(129.5)
(23.6)

Invested capital 

610.3 

374.5

Return on invested capital 

19.9% 

24.2%

There were no changes to the Group’s approach to 
capital management during the year and neither the 
Company nor any of its subsidiaries are subject to 
externally imposed capital requirements.

Critical	accounting	policies
The consolidated financial statements are prepared 
in accordance with IFRS. Intertek’s accounting 
policies are set out in note 2 to the financial 
statements.

New	accounting	standards
The Group has adopted in the year the following 
new standards, amendments to standards and 
interpretations, which have had no impact on the 
financial statements:
•		Amendments	to	IAS	39	and	IFRS	7	–	

‘Reclassification of Financial Instruments’; 

•		IFRIC	14,	‘IAS	19	–	The	limit	on	a	defined	benefit	
asset, minimum funding requirements and their 
interaction’; 

•		IFRIC	11,	‘IFRS	2	–	Group	and	Treasury	 

Share Transactions’.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Risks and Uncertainties

28

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

Risk framework
The Board has overall responsibility for the 
establishment and oversight of the Group’s risk 
management framework. The Board has an 
established, structured approach to risk 
management, which is described in the Corporate 
Governance Report which starts on page 36. 

The Vice President of Risk Management and Internal 
Audit, who reports to the Chief Financial Officer and 
the Audit and Risk Committee, has accountability 
for the system of risk management and reporting 
the key risks and mitigating actions. Risks are 
formally identified and recorded in a risk matrix for 
each operating division, which calculates gross risk 
and net risk after mitigating controls are applied. 
The risk matrix is updated annually and is used to 
plan the Group’s internal audit and risk strategy. In 
addition to the risk matrix, all senior executives and 
their direct reports are required to complete an 
annual return to confirm that management controls 
have been effectively applied during the year.  
The return covers operations, compliance, risk 
management and finance. The Vice President of  
Risk Management and Internal Audit attends the 
meetings of the Audit and Risk Committee and 
meets with the members of that committee alone, 
at least once a year. 

In common with all businesses, the Group is 
affected by a number of risk factors, some of which 
are outside our control. Although many of the risk 
factors influencing the Group’s performance are 
macroeconomic and likely to affect the performance 
of business generally, others are particular to 
Intertek’s operations. Specific risks which we are 
aware of are detailed below, however there may be 
other risks that are currently unknown or are 
currently regarded as immaterial which could turn 
out to be material. Any of these risks could have the 
potential to impact the performance of the Group, 
its assets, liquidity and capital resources. 

Market risk
Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, 
such as foreign exchange rates and interest rates, 

will affect the Group’s income or the value of its 
assets and liabilities. These risks are managed by  
the Group’s treasury function as described below.

Treasury management
The Board is responsible for approving the treasury 
policy for the Group. The Group’s treasury and 
funding activities are undertaken by a centralised 
treasury function which reports to the Chief 
Financial Officer. Its primary activities are to manage 
the Group’s liquidity, funding requirements and 
financial risk, principally arising from movements  
in interest and foreign currency exchange rates.  
The Group’s policy is to ensure that adequate 
liquidity and financial resource is available to  
support the Group’s continuing activities and 
growth whilst managing these risks. The Group’s 
policy is not to engage in speculative financial 
transactions. Generally, the Group seeks to apply 
hedge accounting in order to manage volatility in 
profit or loss. There have been no significant 
changes in the Group’s policies in the last year. 
Group Treasury operates as a service centre within 
clearly defined objectives and controls and is  
subject to periodic review by internal audit.

Foreign currency risk
The Group operates in more than 100 countries  
and has 217 (2007: 180) subsidiaries, of which 180 
(2007: 161) report in currencies other than sterling. 
The net assets of foreign subsidiaries represent  
a significant portion of the Group’s shareholders’ 
funds and a substantial percentage of the Group’s 
revenue and operating costs are incurred in 
currencies other than sterling. Because of the high 
proportion of international activity, the Group’s 
profit is exposed to exchange rate fluctuations.  
Two types of risk arise as a result: (i) translation risk, 
that is, the risk of adverse currency fluctuations  
in the translation of foreign currency operations  
and foreign assets and liabilities into sterling and 
(ii) transaction risk, that is, the risk that currency 
fluctuations will have a negative effect on the  
value of the Group’s commercial cash flows in 
various currencies. 

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Annual Report 2008 29

(i) Translation risk
The results of the Group’s overseas activities are 
translated into sterling using the cumulative average 
exchange rates for the period concerned. The balance 
sheets of overseas subsidiaries are translated at 
actual exchange rates applicable at the balance 
sheet date. 

Key rates used during the year were as follows:

Value of £1  

Balance sheet 
Actual rates 

Income statement
Cumulative average rates

31 Dec 08 

31 Dec 07 

2008 

2007

US dollar 
1.46 
1.02 
Euro 
Chinese renminbi  9.95 
Hong Kong dollar 11.28 

1.99 
1.36 
14.57 
15.51 

1.87 
1.26 
13.03 
14.59 

2.00
1.46
15.24
15.62

Material changes in the exchange rates can create 
volatility in the results when they are translated  
into sterling. In order to mitigate this translation 
exposure, the Group’s policy is to match the 
currency of external borrowings to the currency  
of expected cash flows and the currency of net 
investments. At 31 December 2008, over 70%  
of the Group’s borrowings were denominated in  
US dollars and Hong Kong dollars.

(ii) Transaction risk
The Group’s policy requires overseas subsidiaries  
to hedge all significant transaction exposures with 
Group Treasury where they are managed centrally. 
Subsidiaries’ transaction exposures include 
committed foreign currency sales and purchases 
together with the anticipated transactions 
reasonably expected to occur during future periods. 
The Group’s policy is also to hedge transaction 
exposures arising from the remittance of overseas 
dividends and interest as soon as they are 
committed. Transaction exposures are hedged 
forward using forward currency contracts which 
mature in less than 12 months. 

Interest rate risk and exposure
The Group’s policy is to ensure that between  
33% and 67% of its exposure to changes in interest 
rates on borrowings is on a fixed rate basis. This is 
achieved by entering into interest rate swaps. The 
balance between fixed and variable rate debt is 

periodically adjusted on the basis of prevailing  
and anticipated market conditions and the Group’s 
gearing and interest cover, which are monitored by 
Group Treasury. Details of the interest rate hedges  
in place at 31 December 2008 are given in note 28 
to the financial statements.

Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group fails to meet 
its financial obligations as and when they fall due.

The management of operational liquidity risk aims 
primarily at ensuring that the Group always has  
a liquidity buffer that is able, in the short term,  
to absorb the net effects of transactions made  
and expected changes in liquidity both under 
normal and stressed conditions without incurring 
unacceptable losses or risking damage to the 
Group’s reputation. Group Treasury manages this 
liquidity risk through the use of daily headroom 
calculations as well as forecast headroom 
calculations. Group Treasury are in regular contact 
with the banks and capital debt markets as well  
as other potential providers of debt to ensure a 
proper understanding of the availability and  
pricing of debt funding.

The Group has a sterling denominated multi-
currency bank debt facility that was placed in 
December 2004. This facility was originally due to 
expire on 15 December 2009, however the Group 
exercised its option to extend the facility by a year in 
2005 and by a further year in 2006, so the facility is 
now due to expire in December 2011. The margins 
currently paid on the borrowings in this facility are in 
the range of 0.3% to 1.5% over LIBOR. In June and 
July 2008, the Group raised a further £75.0m under 
this facility from three new banks under the same 
terms and conditions and margin by joining the 
existing syndicate of 10 banks. 

In 2008 the Group also raised US$200.0m by way  
of senior note issues which have a blended fixed 
borrowing rate of 6.71% made up as follows. In 
June, US$100.0m cash was raised that is repayable 
on 26 June 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 5.54%. 
In December, US$25.0m cash was raised that is 
repayable on 21 January 2014 at a fixed interest 
rate of 7.50%. In December, US$75.0m cash was 

 
 
 
 
30 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Business Review

Risks and Uncertainties

30

Client: Intertek

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ID No: C14294

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raised that is repayable on 10 June 2016 at a fixed 
interest rate of 8.00%. These senior notes were 
immediately applied against bank debt borrowings 
to increase the amount of liquidity headroom  
on the facility. 

The sterling equivalent of the gross drawn and 
available borrowings as at 31 December 2008  
were £519.4m (2007: £343.5m) of which  
£421.6m (2007: £231.2m) was drawn and  
£97.8m (2007: £112.3m) was available when 
translated at the year end exchange rates. The 
Group also reported a cash balance of £113.3m  
at 31 December 2008. The borrowings and cash  
are mostly in currencies other than sterling and so 
the value of these can fluctuate when translated 
into sterling. The liquidity headroom is sterling 
denominated and so this can also fluctuate 
depending on the sterling value of the drawn 
borrowings. The Group has prepared forecasts, 
including scenarios adjusted for significantly worse 
economic conditions and we have concluded  
that these facilities are expected to be adequate  
to support the Group’s medium-term funding 
requirements. 

The analysis of the debt and a description of the 
borrowings and their respective maturity dates is 
given in note 17 to the financial statements and  
the currency of the debt is shown in note 28.

Surplus cash is placed on deposit with short-term 
maturities providing liquidity when required.

Credit risk
Credit risk is the risk of a financial loss to the  
Group if a customer or counterparty to a financial 
instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations, 
and arises principally from the Group’s receivables 
from customers. 

(i) Trade receivables
There is no concentration of credit risk with respect 
to trade receivables as the Group has a large 
number of customers who are internationally 
dispersed. All companies in the Group are required 
to operate a credit policy under which each new 
customer is analysed individually for creditworthiness 

before the company transacts any business with the 
customer. Each division has a range of targets for 
days sales outstanding and to encourage and 
reward good performance, these form part of the 
bonus criteria for the divisional managers. The 
Group establishes an allowance for impairment that 
represents our estimate of likely losses in respect of 
trade and other receivables. The main components 
of this allowance are a specific loss component that 
relates to individually significant exposures and a 
collective loss component established for groups  
of similar assets in respect of losses that have been 
incurred but not yet identified. The collective loss 
allowance is determined based on historical data  
of payment statistics for similar financial assets.  
Due to the current economic recession there is an 
increased risk that certain of our customers may 
face financial difficulties and as a result be unable  
to meet our credit terms or cease trading. We have 
reinforced our credit checking procedures and have 
increased our vigilance in monitoring and reacting  
to changes in our clients’ circumstances. 

(ii) Counterparty
The Group monitors the distribution of cash deposits, 
borrowings and hedging instruments which are 
assigned to each of the Group’s counterparties and 
which are subject to periodic review.

Tax risk
Tax risk is the risk that the value of tax assets and 
liabilities in the Group’s balance sheet is misstated, 
resulting in financial loss to the Group.

The Group operates in more than 100 countries  
and is subject to wide range of complex tax laws 
and regulations. At any point in time it is normal for 
there to be a number of open years in any particular 
territory which may be subject to enquiry by local 
authorities. Where the effect of the laws and 
regulations is unclear, estimates are used in 
determining the liability for the tax to be paid on 
past profits which are recognised in the financial 
statements. The Group considers the estimates, 
assumptions and judgements to be reasonable but 
this can involve complex issues which may take a 
number of years to resolve. The final determination 

 
31

Annual Report 2008 31

of prior year tax liabilities could be different from 
the estimates reflected in the financial statements. 

Risk of financial irregularities
Risk of financial irregularities is the risk that assets  
of the Group could be misappropriated resulting in 
financial loss to the Group, as well as the risk of 
management misrepresenting results.

The Group comprises 217 subsidiaries, operating in 
over 100 countries. Despite a rigorous programme 
of internal audits and management reviews, we 
cannot be certain that internal and external audit 
procedures will always identify any financial 
irregularity. The Group regularly reminds the 
operating company officers of their fiduciary 
responsibilities and maintains a culture of openness 
to promote disclosure. As described above, each of 
the senior executives and their direct reports are 
required to complete an annual return to confirm 
that management controls have been effectively 
applied during the year. 

Risk of litigation
Risk of litigation is the risk that the Group could 
suffer a material financial loss resulting from a  
legal judgement against the Group or one of its 
subsidiaries. Such a judgement could also result  
in adverse publicity which could damage the 
reputation of the Group. 

The Group is regularly notified of, or involved in,  
a number of claims and proceedings which are 
incidental to its ordinary course of business. Claims 
can arise in the context of a dispute between  
the parties to a commercial transaction in which  
the Group has provided testing, inspection or 
certification services. Often the Group’s role in  
the transaction will be incidental to the underlying 
dispute, but the claim will be notified to the Group 
in order to toll the relevant statute of limitations in 
respect of such a claim. In certain situations, a claim 
may only be notified to the Group after resolution 
of the underlying commercial dispute and, in such 
cases, a considerable period of time may elapse 
between the performance of services by the Group 
and the assertion of a claim in respect of such 
services. In either case, because the underlying 

commercial transaction can be of significant value, 
the claims notified to the Group can allege 
substantial damages. 

To reduce the likelihood of claims arising, the Group 
has extensive quality assurance and control procedures 
to ensure that work is performed in accordance with 
proper protocols. All incidents that could potentially 
result in a claim against the Group are reported to 
compliance officers and are logged in a data base  
of incidents. The Company Secretary reports 
significant claims to the Audit and Risk Committee.
Legal counsel is appointed if appropriate. The Group 
mitigates the risk of financial loss arising from 
litigation by maintaining insurance against potential 
claims, however there can be no assurance that claims 
brought against the Group will always be covered by 
insurance, or that such insurance, if available, will be 
sufficient to cover fully the damages or other expenses 
which the Group may be required to pay. 

Environmental risk
Environmental risk is the risk that assets of the Group 
could be damaged or destroyed by an environmental 
incident and that the Group could incur loss of revenue 
as a result of the ensuing disruption to operations. 

Intertek operates facilities in more than 100  
countries which are subject to local, environmental 
and political factors. Disasters such as fire, 
hurricanes, floods and earthquakes can cause 
damage to property and personnel and can disrupt 
operations, causing loss of revenue. The Group 
maintains disaster recovery plans at key facilities for 
such events and endeavours to ensure that 
adequate insurance is in place. 

Political risk
Political risk is the risk that the Group could suffer 
financial losses due to the action of a government.
The Group operates in some countries where there 
is potential risk of political instability which can make 
it difficult to operate. In particular, government 
contracts in the Government Services division can 
be subject to change or termination at short notice. 
The Group manages this risk by maintaining close 
relationships with government representatives, 
however the risk cannot be entirely mitigated. 

32 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Board of Directors

32

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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Vanni Treves (68)
Chairman 
Appointed to the Board as Chairman in May 2002.  
He is a corporate solicitor and was a Partner of a major 
London law firm, Macfarlanes, for 30 years for 12 of 
which he was Senior Partner. He has been Chairman  
of three listed companies, Channel Four Television  
and London Business School and is currently Chairman  
of Equitable Life Assurance Society, Korn/Ferry 
International UK Limited and the National College for 
School Leadership. He is also a Senior Advisor to Oliver 
Wyman, a leading management consultancy, and a 
Trustee of the J Paul Getty Charitable Trust.

Wolfhart Hauser (59)
Chief Executive Officer 
Appointed to the Board as Chief Executive Officer in 
March 2005 after serving as a Non-Executive Director 
since November 2002. He was previously Chief Executive 
Officer of TÜV Product Services for 10 years and Chief 
Executive Officer and President of TÜV Süddeutschland 
AG from 1998 to 2002. Starting his career as a scientist in 
pharmacology and ergonomics, he established and led a 
broad range of successful international service industry 
businesses over 25 years. He is also currently a 
Non-Executive Director of LogicaCMG plc.

Richard Nelson (66)
Non-Executive Deputy Chairman 
Appointed Non-Executive Deputy Chairman in April 
2005 after retiring as Chief Executive Officer of the 
Group, a position he had held since the acquisition from 
lnchcape plc in 1996. Prior to that he was Chief Executive 
Officer of lnchcape Testing Services Ltd from 1987 and 
before then of Transcontinental Services Ltd, which was 
bought by lnchcape plc in 1985. A Chartered Accountant 
and a graduate of the London Business School.

David Allvey (63)
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director 
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in 
May 2002. With a career that started in civil engineering, 
as a Chartered Accountant he has held positions in major 
international businesses including Group Finance 
Director for BAT Industries and Barclays Bank plc and 
Chief Operating Officer for Zurich Financial Services.  
He is currently Chairman of Costain Group plc and Arena 
Coventry Ltd and a Non-Executive Director of William 
Hill plc and Thomas Cook plc, and is a former board 
member of the UK Accounting Standards Board. 

 
33

Annual Report 2008 33

Bill Spencer (49)
Chief Financial Officer 
Appointed to the Board as a Director in April 2002,  
he has been Chief Financial Officer of the Group since its 
acquisition from Inchcape plc in 1996. Previously, he was 
the Finance Director of lnchcape Testing Services Ltd, 
having joined the Group in 1992 as a Regional Financial 
Officer in the Oil, Chemical & Agri division. He has held 
financial positions in Olivetti UK Ltd, Rexam PLC and 
Centrica plc. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute  
of Management Accountants and a member of the 
Association of Corporate Treasurers.

Mark Loughead (49)
Chief Operating Officer
Appointed to the Board and appointed Chief Operating 
Officer (COO) of Intertek Group plc on 1 January 2008.  
As COO, he leads the global integration of sales, key account 
management, global information systems and country-
focused activities across the Group. Previously, he was Chief 
Executive of Intertek’s Oil, Chemical & Agri division. Before 
this, he was Vice President of the division in the Americas 
and prior to that, divisional Vice President in Europe, Middle 
East and Africa. He joined the Group in 1988 as Operations 
Manager in Liverpool and in 1993 he was promoted to 
Regional Manager for Scotland, based in Aberdeen. Prior to 
joining Intertek, he spent 13 years at Inspectorate including 
six years in the Middle East.

Debra Rade (55)
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director  
in January 2006. Between 1989 and 2002, she was  
an officer of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., a global 
provider of product safety testing and certification  
and held various positions there, including Senior Vice 
President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Administrative 
Officer. This year, after more than four years as a partner 
in a large international law firm, she established Rade 
Law LLC and Rade Consulting LLC in Chicago focused on 
product testing and safety, certification, standards and 
regulatory issues.

Christopher Knight (62)
Non-Executive Director
Appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director in 
March 2006. He was an investment banker for nearly 30 
years, for much of that time with Morgan Grenfell and 
Deutsche Bank, of which he was a managing director 
until 2001. He has extensive corporate finance 
experience gained during his banking career in London, 
New York and Hong Kong. A Chartered Accountant, he 
is Chairman of Brooks Macdonald Group plc and NB Real 
Estate Group Limited. 

 
34

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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34 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Intertek Operations Committee

01 Stefan Butz
Group Executive Vice President 
Industrial Services 
Joined Intertek in 2008
In addition to Industrial Services, Stefan Butz has 
responsibility for the Group functions of Strategy, 
Corporate Development and Marketing. Stefan has 
held this role since January 2008, when he joined 
Intertek from TÜV SÜD, where he was CEO America 
with an earlier role as Head of Corporate 
Development. Prior to this he was a Strategy 
Consultant with Accenture Germany.

02 Jay Gutierrez
Division Executive Vice President 
Oil, Chemical & Agri and Government Services 
Joined Intertek in 1997
Jay Gutierrez assumed his current role in January 
2008, incorporating Government Services in January 
2009. Previously, he was Vice President for the Oil, 
Chemical and Agri division in the Americas. Jay 
began his career with Intertek with a focus to 
develop the Chemical business stream, later 
assuming responsibility for International 
Coordination and Sales & Marketing. Prior to  
joining Intertek he spent eight years as General 
Manager for C.J. Thibodeaux, Inc.

03 Wolfhart Hauser
Chief Executive Officer
See Board of Directors.

04 Marc Hoffer
Division Executive Vice President 
Minerals 
Joined Intertek in 2005
Marc Hoffer assumed his current role in January 
2008 in addition to continued responsibility for 
Intertek’s Oil, Chemical & Agri division in Asia.  
Prior to joining Intertek Marc spent 13 years at SGS, 
part of the time as Country Manager of Taiwan, 
Brazil and Switzerland and part as Regional Financial 
Controller for Asia and Europe.

05 Jonathan Lawrence
Group Executive Vice President 
Human Resources 
Joined Intertek in 2005
Jonathan has many years experience as an 
international human resources director and of the 
testing and inspection business based from the UK, 
France and the USA. Before moving to Intertek,  
he was Group Senior Vice President of Human 
Resources at Bureau Veritas and prior to this he  
was Group Director Management Development  
at Valeo Automotive.

01

02

06

07

08

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Annual Report 2008 35

06 Mark Loughead
Chief Operating Officer
See Board of Directors.

07 Bill Spencer
Chief Financial Officer
See Board of Directors.

08 Andrew Swift
Division Executive Vice President 
Analytical Services 
Joined Intertek in 2001
Prior to assuming his current role, in January 2008, 
Andrew Swift was Vice President of Global 
Outsourcing within Intertek’s Oil, Chemical & Agri 
division, having originally started as Business 
Development Manager and then Director of Global 
Outsourcing. Andrew began his career by launching 
CSMA Ltd, where he became Managing Director  
in 1993. 

09 Gregg Tiemann
Division Executive Vice President 
Commercial & Electrical 
Joined Intertek in 1993
Prior to assuming his current role in January 2008 
Gregg Tiemann was President of Intertek’s 
Commercial & Electrical division in Europe and the 
Americas since 2004, having started as General 
Manager of the Los Angeles and Mexico City 
laboratories, becoming Vice President of Sales for 
the Americas, then Senior Vice President in 2003. 
Gregg began his career in sales and marketing for 
the high technology sector.

10 Paul Yao
Group Executive Vice President 
Consumer Goods 
Joined Intertek in 1994
Paul Yao was appointed a member of the Executive 
management team on 1 July 2006. Prior to this, 
from January 2003 he was Vice President with 
responsibility for Consumer Goods in China and 
Taiwan. Before joining Intertek, Paul worked in 
Regional Sales & Marketing for companies such as 
Hitachi Chemical, Brent Plc and SISIR Singapore.

05

03

09

04

10

36 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Corporate Governance Report

36

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Introduction
The Group is committed to high standards of 
corporate governance and this report outlines its 
compliance with the provisions of the revised 
Combined Code on Corporate Governance issued 
by the Financial Reporting Council in June 2006  
(the Code). During 2008, the Group complied with 
almost all of the provisions of the Code. The areas 
of non-compliance are as follows, and are further 
discussed and explained below:

•	

•	

the Board did not comprise at least half 
independent Non-Executive Directors; and
the membership of the Audit and Risk Committee 
and the Remuneration Committee each included 
two independent Non-Executive Directors instead 
of three, because, as Chairman of the Company, 
Vanni Treves is not viewed as independent by  
the Code. 

The Board is accountable to shareholders for good 
corporate governance and this statement describes 
how the relevant principles of governance have 
been applied.

The Board
An effective Board, which provides strategic leadership 
and controls the Group, is in place. The Board’s main 
roles are to create value for shareholders, to lead the 
Group, to approve the Group’s strategic objectives  
and to ensure that the appropriate financial and other 
resources as required are made available to enable  
it to meet those objectives. The Board is responsible  
to shareholders for the proper management of the 
Group. All Directors have a wide range of experience 
and skills, bringing independent judgement to bear  
on issues of strategy, performance, resources and 
standards of conduct. 

There were nine scheduled Board meetings held in 
2008 and three unscheduled supplementary meetings. 
There was, in addition, frequent informal contact 
between Directors to discuss the Group’s affairs and 
develop its business. Directors’ attendance at Board 
meetings is shown in the table on page 38. Also, on 
several occasions, the Chairman met with the Non-
Executive Directors without the Executive Directors 
being present. The Non-Executive Directors have also 
had discussions without the Chairman being present.

Board matrix
The Group has identified a number of key areas that 
are subject to regular reporting to the Board, so that 
the performance of management can be reviewed and 
monitored. A Board matrix is in place which formally 
outlines the matters specifically requiring the consent 
of the full Board and includes, inter alia, the approval 
of the Group strategy and operating plans, the annual 
budget, the Annual Report, the Half Year Results  
and related announcements, substantial capital 
expenditure, material contracts, acquisitions and 
disposals, the recommendation of dividends and the 

approval of treasury and risk management policies.  
The Board matrix was reviewed, amended and 
approved by the Board during 2008.

The Board matrix also identifies areas where executive 
management can grant approval subject to certain 
financial limits. Where any of the activities involve 
amounts greater than those limits they are referred to 
the Board. The Board matrix is communicated to all 
senior management to ensure that approval limits are 
known throughout the Group. 

Board management
During the year the Board consisted of the Chairman 
Vanni Treves, the Non-Executive Deputy Chairman 
Richard Nelson, the Chief Executive Officer Wolfhart 
Hauser, the Chief Operating Officer Mark Loughead, 
the Chief Financial Officer Bill Spencer, and three 
independent Non-Executive Directors, David Allvey, 
who is also the Senior Independent Director, 
Christopher Knight and Debra Rade. The Directors’ 
biographies appear on page 32. The Senior 
Independent Director is readily available to 
shareholders if they have concerns that remain 
unresolved after contacting the Group through the 
usual channels of the Chairman or any of the Executive 
Directors or where such contact is inappropriate.  
If a Director has any concerns about the Group or a 
proposed action, then such concerns are recorded in 
the Board minutes as a matter of course. 

There is a clear division of responsibilities between 
the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer and 
they have been set out in writing and approved by 
the Board. On appointment to the Board in May 
2002, the Chairman met the independence criteria 
as set out in the Code.

The responsibilities of Vanni Treves as Chairman include 
those contained in the supporting principle to 
paragraph A.2 of the Code, namely leadership of the 
Board, ensuring its effectiveness in all aspects of its role 
and setting its agenda; ensuring that the directors 
receive accurate, timely and clear information; ensuring 
effective communication with shareholders; facilitating 
the effective contribution to the Board of the Non-
Executive Directors in particular; and ensuring 
constructive relationships between the Executive and 
Non-Executive Directors. The Chairman’s other main 
commitments are detailed in his biography on page 32. 
The Chief Executive Officer has direct charge of the 
Group on a day-to-day basis and is accountable to the 
Board for the financial and operational performance  
of the Group.

David Allvey, Christopher Knight and Debra Rade 
are clearly independent Non-Executive Directors. 
They have been Directors for less than nine years, 
were never employed by the Group and have  
no material relationships or links to the business 
which would compromise their independence. 
Richard Nelson is not considered to be independent 

37

Annual Report 2008 37

in his position as Non-Executive Deputy Chairman 
because of his previous service in the Group. 
However, during the year Richard Nelson continued 
to bring valuable expertise to the Board through his 
extensive knowledge of the business and industry.

changes to legislation, most recently the ‘Conflicts 
of Directors’ Interests’ provisions under the 
Companies Act 2006. The Non-Executive Directors 
also attend various seminars during the year on 
topics relevant to a publicly listed company.

The Non-Executive Directors have a particular 
responsibility to ensure that the strategies proposed 
by the Executive Directors are fully discussed and 
critically examined, not only in the best long-term 
interests of shareholders, but also to ensure that 
they take proper account of the interests of 
customers, employees and other stakeholders. The 
Non-Executive Directors are all experienced and 
influential individuals and through their mix of skills 
and business experience they contribute significantly 
to the effective functioning of the Board and its 
committees, ensuring that matters are fully debated 
and that no one individual or group dominates the 
decision-making process.

The Code requires that half of the Board comprises 
independent Non-Executive Directors. However, 
following the appointment of Mark Loughead to  
the Board on 1 January 2008 independent Directors 
represent less than half the Board. The Board 
believes that its current composition, taking into 
account the overall balance of skills, knowledge, 
commitment and experience, results in an efficient 
and effective board operation, whilst maintaining  
an appropriate balance between Executive and 
Non-Executive Directors. Nevertheless, in order to 
ensure the continual refreshment of the composition 
of the Board, the Nominations Committee appointed 
an independent search consultancy in January 2009 
to conduct a search for a new Non-Executive 
Director. The Company’s Articles of Association 
contain provisions relating to the retirement, 
election and re-election of directors. At the 
forthcoming AGM Wolfhart Hauser, Chief Executive 
Officer, and Christopher Knight and Debra Rade, 
both Non-Executive Directors, will retire and, being 
eligible, will offer themselves for re-election. 

To enable them to discharge their duties, all Directors 
have full and timely access to all relevant information. 
Papers are circulated well before the Board and 
Committee meetings to ensure that Directors have  
the necessary time to read and review them. The 
Non-Executive Directors receive monthly management 
accounts and regular management reports and 
information which enable them to scrutinise the 
Group’s and management’s performance against 
agreed objectives and prior performance.

A formal induction programme has been established 
for new Directors, tailored to suit the individual’s 
previous experience. Ongoing training is provided to 
Directors as necessary and visits to sites arranged to 
further their knowledge of the Group’s operations. 
Directors are regularly briefed on best practice and 

All Directors have access to the advice and services 
of the Group Company Secretary who will assist in 
arranging any additional training and information  
as required. The appointment and removal of the 
Group Company Secretary is a matter for the Board 
as a whole.

All Directors are entitled to obtain independent 
professional advice, at the Group’s expense, in the 
performance of their duties as Directors. No such 
advice was sought during the year. In accordance 
with the Company’s Articles of Association, the 
Company has granted a deed of indemnity, to the 
extent permitted by law, to each of the Directors 
and Group Company Secretary. Directors’ and 
officers’ liability insurance is in place.

The Board believes that strong corporate governance 
improves the performance of the business and 
enhances shareholder value. During its meetings in 
2008, the Board received and discussed reports from 
the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer 
and Chief Financial Officer, strategy, debt financing, 
market reports, share trading reports, analysts’ 
forecasts, potential acquisitions, litigation reports, 
final and interim dividend recommendations, 
potential contract bids, road show and investor 
feedback, budgets, tax policy, Annual Report, Half 
Year results, interim management statements and 
announcements, and a wide range of other issues. 

Board Committees
The Board has established three Committees, each 
with clearly defined terms of reference, procedures  
and powers. These terms of reference are available  
on request from the Group Company Secretary at  
the registered office or can be downloaded from  
www.intertek.com. The Directors who held office 
during the year and the number of full Board meetings 
and Committee meetings attended by each Director 
during the year are given in the table on page 38.

Membership of the three relevant Board 
Committees is set out below. 

The Remuneration Committee
This Committee currently comprises three  
Non-Executive Directors, David Allvey (Chairman), 
Vanni Treves and Christopher Knight. The Code 
requires the Remuneration Committee to have at 
least three independent Non-Executive Directors 
whilst allowing the Chairman of the Board of 
Directors of the Company, if considered independent 
on appointment, to be a member. The Committee, 
therefore, does not currently comply with the Code. 
During 2008, the Remuneration Committee was 

 
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Name/Position 

Vanni Treves
Chairman 
Richard Nelson
Non-Executive Deputy Chairman 
Wolfhart Hauser 
Chief Executive Officer 
Bill Spencer 
Chief Financial Officer 
Mark Loughead (appointed 1 January 2008)
Chief Operating Officer 
David Allvey
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director 
Debra Rade
Independent Non-Executive Director 
Christopher Knight 
Independent Non-Executive Director 

Scheduled 
Board meetings 

Audit and Risk 
Committee 
meetings 

Nomination 
Committee 
meetings 

Remuneration
Committee
meetings

9 (9) 

8 (9) 

9 (9) 

9 (9) 

9 (9) 

9 (9) 

9 (9) 

9 (9) 

4 (4) 

3 (3) 

5 (5)

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

4 (4) 

n/a 

4 (4) 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

3 (3) 

n/a 

3 (3) 

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

5 (5)

n/a

5 (5)

Figures in brackets indicate the number of meetings held during the year

evaluated and the Board agreed that membership  
of the Committee was appropriate and effective.

The Committee has responsibility for making 
recommendations to the Board on the remuneration 
of the Chairman, Executive Directors and senior 
executives and for the determination, within agreed 
terms of reference, of additional benefits for each of 
the Executive Directors, including pension rights and 
any compensation for loss of office. The Committee is 
also responsible for the implementation and operation 
of employee share incentive arrangements. 

Details of the matters discussed and actions taken 
by the Remuneration Committee, including the 
Group’s remuneration for Executive Directors,  
and details of benefits, share options, pension 
entitlements, service contracts and compensation 
payments are given in the Remuneration Report 
which starts on page 42.

The Nomination Committee
This Committee currently comprises three Non-
Executive Directors, Vanni Treves (Chairman), David 
Allvey and Christopher Knight. During 2008, this 
Committee was evaluated and the Board agreed 
that membership of the Committee was appropriate 
and effective. The composition of the Committee is 
in compliance with the Code.

This Committee, which met three times during the 
year, nominates candidates to fill board vacancies, 
reviews talent mapping and succession planning  
for the Board and senior management and makes 
recommendations on the balance and composition 
of the Board. 

Talent mapping and succession planning is an 
important component in ensuring the continued 
success of the Group. The goal of Intertek talent 
mapping is to have the right organisation with the 

right people in the right jobs at the right time, 
including identifying and preparing the next 
generation. This approach was first introduced  
in 2006. The 2008 objectives were to:

•	

•	

•	

re-run the talent map for the top 224 roles  
which comprise the Intertek leadership team;
launch and plan the roll-out of the new 
organisational structure comprising seven divisions 
(in lieu of four), and country management;
engage and transition to the new Group and 
Division Executive Vice Presidents and Intertek 
Operations Committee (IOC).

Reviews are conducted by ‘career committees’ of 
the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, 
Division Executive Vice President, Group Vice President 
HR and the Division Vice President HR. The Intertek 
talent mapping process includes the identification and 
readiness of potential successors and highlights 
coaching, mentoring and training if required.

Bearing in mind the balance of existing skills, 
knowledge and experience of the Board, a job 
description is prepared for any new Board position 
and when a Non-Executive Director is appointed, 
the Committee requires confirmation that he or she 
can devote sufficient time to fulfil the commitments 
of the role. The terms and conditions of 
appointment of Non-Executive Directors are 
available for inspection by any person at the 
Company’s registered office during normal business 
hours and at the AGM (for 15 minutes prior to the 
meeting and during the meeting). All new Directors 
are subject to election by shareholders at the first 
AGM after their appointment and then subject to 
re-election by shareholders once every three years. 

The policy on Directors’ service contracts is set out 
in the Remuneration Report.

 
 
 
39

Annual Report 2008 39

The Audit and Risk Committee
This Committee currently comprises three Non-
Executive Directors, David Allvey (Chairman), Vanni 
Treves and Christopher Knight. The Code requires 
the Audit and Risk Committee to have at least three 
independent Non-Executive Directors. As Chairman 
of the Company, Vanni Treves is not viewed as 
independent by the Code and therefore the 
Committee does not currently comply with the 
Code. During 2008, the Audit and Risk Committee 
was evaluated and the Board agreed that 
membership of the Committee was appropriate and 
effective. Both David Allvey and Christopher Knight 
have recent and relevant financial experience as 
detailed in their biographies on page 32 and 33.

The Audit and Risk Committee monitors the integrity 
of the Group’s financial statements and any formal 
announcements relating to the Group’s performance. 
The Committee is responsible for monitoring the 
effectiveness of the external audit process and making 
recommendations to the Board in relation to the 
appointment, reappointment and remuneration of the 
external auditors, and for ensuring that an appropriate 
relationship is maintained between the Group and its 
external auditors. It also reviews annually the Group’s 
systems of internal control, risk management, the 
processes for monitoring and evaluating the risks 
facing the Group and the effectiveness of the internal 
audit function. It reviews the progress of internal  
audit activity against the annual plan, and reviews  
the strategy, scope and approach of the internal  
audit and compliance teams. It reviews the corrective 
action taken by management to address any  
control issues identified by the internal audit and 
compliance function. It is responsible for approving  
the appointment and termination of the Vice President 
Risk Management and Internal Audit and meets with 
him at least once a year without management present.

Committee meetings are usually attended by the 
Group’s external auditors, Chief Executive Officer, 
Chief Financial Officer, Vice President Financial 
Control and the Vice President Risk Management 
and Internal Audit. The Group’s external auditors 
meet with the members of the Audit and Risk 
Committee alone at least once a year.

The Audit and Risk Committee seeks to ensure  
the continued independence and objectivity of  
the Group’s auditors. A policy on the provision of 
non-audit work by the external auditors has been 
approved by the Board to ensure that auditors’ 
objectivity and independence are safeguarded.  
To this end, the policy highlights those areas where 
the external auditor cannot provide services to the 
Group, including inter alia, the provision of Group 
management functions, internal audit outsourcing, 
provision of legal advice and recruitment and 
remuneration advice. The auditors confirm by way 
of letter to the Board that processes to ensure 

compliance with this policy are in place, and that 
these processes are monitored regularly. A detailed 
breakdown of the audit and non-audit fees paid to 
the Group’s auditors during the year is set out in 
note 5 to the financial statements.

At its meetings during 2008, the Committee 
reviewed and endorsed, prior to submission to the 
Board, the Group’s 2007 Annual Report, Half Year 
results, and 2008 interim management statements. 
The Committee also monitored and reviewed the 
standards and effectiveness of risk management 
and internal control, the Group’s internal audit 
function and its plans and performance. It also 
reviewed the Group’s arrangements for the 
avoidance and detection of fraud and related 
matters, whistle-blowing and hotlines, compliance, 
training, e-learning, quality assurance systems and 
substantial claims affecting the Company.

The ultimate responsibility for reviewing and 
approving the Annual Report and the Half Year 
Results announcement remains with the Board. 

During 2008 the Audit and Risk Committee met 
four times. The Chairman and other Committee 
members also attend meetings with the external 
auditors and management to discuss any accounting 
issues associated with the annual audit. 

Performance evaluation
A stringent performance evaluation process led by 
the Chairman is applied to each Director, Committee 
and the Board as a whole. This comprises a series of 
detailed questionnaires which provide a framework 
for the evaluation process, and provides the 
Chairman with a means of making year-on-year 
comparisons. There are questionnaires for each of 
the following: the Board; each individual Director; 
and the Remuneration, Nomination and Audit and 
Risk Committees. 

This annual evaluation of the effectiveness of the 
Board and its Committees ensures that the 
performance of each individual Director and the 
functioning and constitution of the Board and each 
Committee are properly measured and debated. 

The Chairman assesses the individual performance 
of each Director, taking into account discussions 
with other Directors. The Senior Independent 
Director has discussions with the other Executive 
and Non-Executive Directors, without the Chairman 
being present, in order to appraise the Chairman’s 
performance during the year. For the year under 
review these assessments concluded that the 
performance of the Board and each Director was, 
and is, effective, and that all Directors demonstrate 
full commitment in their respective roles to the 
Company evidenced, inter alia, by the Board and 
Committee attendance records set out in this report. 
The evaluations further demonstrate that the Board 

 
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Corporate Governance Report

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has an appropriate set of skills, that all the Directors 
add value to the overall effectiveness and success  
of the Group, and that no substantial issues have 
arisen out of the evaluation process. 

After a rigorous review of performance and in  
view of their continued robust contribution and 
commitment to the Board, Christopher Knight and 
Debra Rade are to continue in their roles on the 
Board for a further three-year term subject to 
re-election at the AGM in accordance with the 
Articles of Association. 

The Remuneration, Nomination, and Audit and Risk 
Committees also each held an evaluation of their 
work and effectiveness during the year, the results 
of which were reported to the Board by the Group 
Company Secretary. The reviews concluded that 
each Committee was operating in an efficient and 
effective manner. 

The Board will continue to develop the evaluation 
process in order to ensure that it can properly 
review, on an annual basis, its performance and that 
of its individual members and Committees. In doing 
so, consideration is given to succession planning 
requirements and the Board will act accordingly 
with the assistance of the Nominations Committee.

Procedures to deal with Directors’ conflicts  
of interests
During 2008, the Board implemented a formal 
system to deal with conflicts of Directors’ interests. 
All Directors completed an initial questionnaire to 
identify any conflicts or potential conflicts of interests. 
The Board discussed all questionnaires and 
authorisation of conflicts and potential conflicts was 
granted by the non-conflicted Directors in accordance 
with the Company’s Articles of Association. All 
authorisation decisions were recorded and will be 
reviewed annually by the Board. 

Internal control
The Group’s primary business objectives require 
adherence to local, national and international laws 
and require the Group’s employees to show integrity 
and honesty in all business dealings. Risk 
management and internal controls are therefore 
embedded in the running of each division, assuring 
the accuracy and validity of reports and certificates 
that the Group provides to customers. Although the 
Directors are ultimately responsible for establishing 
and maintaining the Group’s system of internal 
control and for reviewing its effectiveness, such a 
system can realistically only manage, rather than 
eliminate, the risk of failure to achieve business 
objectives and can only provide reasonable 
assurance against material misstatement or loss.

The Board confirms that, in addition to internal audits, 
there is an ongoing process for identifying, evaluating 
and managing any significant risks to the Group’s short 

and long-term value, including those arising from 
social, environmental and ethical matters. This process 
has been in place for the year under review and up to 
the date of approval of the Annual Report is regularly 
reviewed by the Board and accords with the Turnbull 
Guidance. Any breaches of internal controls identified 
by the Group’s control review procedures are reported 
to the Audit and Risk Committee and corrective action 
taken. In carrying out the risk review, the Board is 
satisfied that it received adequate information from  
the operations around the world. Training is provided 
to Directors on these matters where necessary. 

The Audit and Risk Committee has reviewed the 
effectiveness of the system of financial and non-
financial internal control during the year. In particular, 
it has reviewed and continues to seek to improve the 
process for identifying and evaluating the significant 
risks affecting the business and the policies and 
procedures by which these risks are managed. This is 
reinforced by the Intertek Compliance Code and 
Code of Ethics, which provides practical guidance  
and instruction for staff. The Codes are available at  
www.intertek.com. 

The Group operates a ‘zero tolerance policy’ in regard 
to breaches of ethics and all employees are required 
to sign a certificate confirming their understanding 
that any breaches of the Group’s Code of Ethics will 
result in disciplinary action that may include summary 
dismissal of the employee concerned. To support 
Group policies and to facilitate the raising of concerns 
about possible improprieties in matters of financial 
reporting or any other matters, the Group provides 
and publicises email and telephone hotlines so that 
staff may report anonymously any inaccurate or 
unethical working practices. All complaints are 
investigated thoroughly with action taken as 
appropriate. The number of complaints received, 
together with the corrective actions taken, are 
reported to the Audit and Risk Committee. During 
2008, 42 complaints were received and investigated. 
Most investigations concluded that the complaint was 
unfounded, but corrective action was taken where 
appropriate.

In carrying out its review, the Audit and Risk 
Committee endeavours to ensure that the Group has 
in place the most appropriate and effective controls, 
checks, systems and risk management techniques so as 
to be in line with best practice on such matters. 

Each operating division is responsible for the 
identification and evaluation of significant risks 
applicable to that area of business, together with  
the design and operation of suitable internal controls. 
These risks are assessed on a continual basis, and 
may be associated with a variety of internal or 
external sources including control breakdowns, 
disruption of information systems, competition, 
natural catastrophe and regulatory requirements. 

41

Annual Report 2008 41

Operation of the controls is designed to minimise  
the occurrence of risk or its consequences.

mix of techniques is used to attain the level of 
assurance required by the Board.

A process of control using self-assessment and 
hierarchical reporting has been established which 
provides a documented trail of accountability. These 
procedures are applied across Group operations and 
provide for continuing assurances to be given at 
increasingly higher levels of management and finally, 
to the Board. This process is facilitated by Internal 
Audit which also provides assurance as to the 
operation and validity of the system of internal 
controls. Planned corrective actions are 
independently monitored for timely completion.

Each division reports annually to the Audit and Risk 
Committee via the Vice President Risk Management 
and Internal Audit on its review of risks and how they 
are managed. Each year senior managers throughout 
the Group confirm the adequacy of their systems of 
internal controls, compliance with Group policies, 
local laws and regulations and report any control 
weaknesses identified in the past year. One of the 
Audit and Risk Committee’s main roles is to review, 
on behalf of the Board, the key risks inherent in the 
business and the system of controls necessary to 
ensure such risks are properly managed. 

The Chief Financial Officer heads a central compliance 
team, which co-ordinates the quality assurance 
function. Quality assurance audits are carried out by 
the divisions, and the findings reported to divisional 
management and to compliance officers. Each division 
has at least one compliance officer who undertakes 
investigations of issues that arise either from quality 
assurance audits or by other means, such as the 
employee hotline. Reports of significant findings are 
presented to the Audit and Risk Committee. Each 
geographic region has at least one internal auditor 
who is independent of the divisions. The main 
reporting sites are reviewed annually. The other  
sites are reviewed regularly on a schedule based on 
materiality and risk. Reports of significant findings are 
presented to the Audit and Risk Committee which 
monitors and reviews the effectiveness of the internal 
audit function. The internal audit department was 
awarded ISO 9001: 2000 accreditation in 2003 and 
was re-accredited in 2008.

The Group will, from time-to-time, be required by  
its customers to operate in countries where there  
is potential political and economic risk. In doing so, 
the Group fulfils its policy of facilitating international 
trade inspection and audit services that help to 
prevent corruption and assist with humanitarian  
aid. Where there are no laws in place that prohibit 
business dealings in certain countries, the Group will 
consider operating in those countries, but only in 
strict accordance with its stringent Code of Ethics.

The Audit and Risk Committee reviews the 
assurance procedures, ensuring that an appropriate 

The Chief Executive Officer also reports to the Board 
on significant changes in the business and the external 
environment which could impact on risk. The Chief 
Financial Officer provides the Board with monthly 
financial information, which includes the comparison of 
key performance figures against budgets and forecasts, 
and risk indicators. Where areas for improvement in 
the system are identified, the Board considers the 
recommendations made by management and the 
Audit and Risk Committee. The Board approves the 
treasury policy and the Treasury department’s activities 
are also subject to regular internal audits.

Relations with shareholders
Communications with shareholders are given a high 
priority. The Group produces an Annual Report which 
is available to shareholders and also publishes interim 
management statements and its Half Year Results.  
The Group website (www.intertek.com) contains 
up-to-date information on its activities and published 
financial results. Shareholders can subscribe via the 
Investors’ section of www.intertek.com to receive 
email alerts of important announcements made by  
the Group. At the AGM in 2007 the Company  
took advantage of provisions contained within  
the Companies Act 2006 and the Disclosure and 
Transparency Rules of the Financial Services Authority 
enabling communication with shareholders using 
electronic means via the Group website or by email. 
The Group’s Annual Report, notices of meetings and 
proxy forms are now provided electronically as a 
default option. However, shareholders are also able to 
request paper copies of documents if they so choose.

The Chairman ensures that any comments he receives 
from institutional shareholders are communicated 
directly to the Board, and all analysts’ and brokers’ 
reports on the Group are sent to each Director.

The Board views the AGM as an opportunity to 
communicate with private and institutional investors 
and welcomes their participation. All Board members 
attend the AGM and in particular, the Chairmen of  
the Audit and Risk, Nomination and Remuneration 
Committees are available to answer questions.  
At General Meetings, a schedule of the proxy votes 
cast is made available to all shareholders and is also 
available on the website. The Company proposes a 
resolution on each substantially separate issue and 
does not combine resolutions inappropriately.

Going concern
After making diligent enquiries, the Directors  
have a reasonable expectation that the Group has 
adequate resources to continue in operation for the 
foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to 
adopt the going concern basis in preparing the 
Group’s financial statements.

42 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

42

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Letter from the Chairman  
of the Remuneration Committee

9 March 2009

Dear Shareholder

The ongoing economic upheavals have not made the task of the Remuneration Committee  
any easier. As well as the usual deliberations that the Committee carries out each year, we have 
spent some time considering how the Group’s senior executive reward policies should reflect 
the business environment.

We have debated the appropriate performance targets for future cash bonuses and 
performance-related share bonus awards. We have considered the effect of our policies on 
retention of key staff without adversely affecting the Company’s flexibility or shareholders’ 
interests. We have tried to take into account the disparities in outlook and performance 
between our many geographical and business areas. The considerable growth that has taken 
place in the Group over the last few years has also been a factor that we have included in  
our deliberations. 

The detail about our reward structures and the results of our discussions is given below, but  
I felt it might be helpful to highlight to you here the main changes that occurred during 2008.
The Committee has:

•	

•	

 based on benchmarking information, increased the cash bonus potential for the most senior 
employees. The targets are heavily weighted towards financial growth to ensure that the 
interests of these senior employees are aligned with our shareholders;

 proposed a revised Deferred Bonus Share Plan to the shareholders because independent 
global benchmarking indicated that the performance-related share-based element of 
packages was somewhat light. The adoption of the new limits, which were agreed at the 
AGM in 2008, will enable higher awards in 2009 for the most senior employees and a more 
flexible approach for other middle-ranking staff; 

•	

 agreed the payment in shares of a proportion of the non-executive directors’ fees;

•	

 agreed to redefine the constituency of the second-tier management group to include  
a greater proportion of key business-line managers so as to reward those people 
appropriately. We expect this group to form the basis of succession for the most senior 
managers; and

•	

 increased the emphasis on directing rewards to key staff, in the interests of keeping 
competitive advantage in a difficult market through retention of high achievers.

We believe that these efforts to keep an appropriate balance in our executives’ rewards,  
to drive our business strategy and to continue to tailor policies to fit with the market are all  
in our shareholders’ interest. Each of these points is described in more detail in the report  
that follows.

Yours faithfully
David Allvey

 
43

Annual Report 2008 43

This report sets out the Group’s policy and disclosures in relation to Directors’ 
remuneration for the year ended 31 December 2008. It will be subject to 
shareholder vote at the forthcoming AGM.

The report has been prepared on behalf of the 
Board and complies fully with the requirements  
of the Directors’ Remuneration Report Regulations 
2002 (the Regulations) and the 2006 Combined 
Code on Corporate Governance (the Code) and has 
been audited by KPMG Audit Plc to the extent 
required by the Regulations. 

The Group has applied the Principles of Good 
Corporate Governance relating to the remuneration 
of its Directors and this report outlines how the 
Group has complied with the provisions of the  
Code as well as some of the guidelines issued by 
institutional shareholder bodies.

Our peer group
Our remuneration policy requires us to take account 
of both local and international markets when 
deciding on pay and benefits. Our peer group for 
the majority of group employees, therefore, is 
composed of international industrial organisations 
and similar-sized businesses in each local area.

In respect of our more senior employees, we base 
our pay comparison information on a blend of 
factors, including the fact that the Company is a 
UK-based FTSE 250 company, job location and 
responsibility of the role based on revenue.

Executive share ownership
We believe that share ownership should form  
a significant element in senior executives’ 
compensation so that total remuneration will 
depend on the future success of the Group. The 
number of shares owned by Executive Directors  
and the shares that they may receive through our 
incentive plans in future are shown in the tables  
on pages 53 and 55. 

Linking performance to strategy
Our Remuneration Committee considers the link 
between performance and strategy by assessing 
individual and divisional performance, contribution 
to the Group as a whole, level of experience and 
scope of responsibility against the strategy as 
developed in the annual planning process. 
Consideration of prevailing economic conditions 
forms part of this planning process.

The Committee also reviews and benchmarks  
the balance between base salary and short and 
long-term performance-related benefits when 
setting each individual’s performance-related 
arrangements. It aims to achieve alignment of 
rewards with shareholder interests through a 
balance between the following elements:

Performance short-term 
annual cash performance bonus 

Performance long-term 
awards made under the Intertek 
Deferred Bonus Share Plan 

Fixed 
base salary 

Fixed 
pension 

Fixed 
other benefits 

The cash bonus serves to recognise short-term performance against pre-set 
 targets which are a mix relative to shareholder, business, team and personal 
objectives. The criteria and targets are reviewed each year to tie in with 
changing business objectives and the economic environment.

Both for the purposes of retention and to link reward clearly to our  
shareholders’ experience, a significant element of reward is determined 
 by business targets, but has a value dependent on our share price at the  
end of the deferral period. The Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan is in place 
to retain and to reward executives, managers and key specialists crucial for the 
future of the business and to align Group and shareholder goals.

 The annual base salary takes account of the size of the job and the 
 sustainable competence and contribution of the job holder. We target annual 
base salary for fully competent performance at the market median.

Provision for retirement varies amongst Executive Directors but is regarded as 
an essential element in attracting high-calibre executives.

These may include travel, school fees, car allowances, life and private medical 
 insurance and annual medicals, as typically provided for the executive directors 
of a FTSE 250 company.

 
 
 
 
44

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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44 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

Total compensation
Total remuneration for our Executive Directors and 
the balance between the elements for 2008 was:

Composition
For the whole of 2008 the Committee comprised 
the following Non-Executive Directors of the 
Company:

Total compensation (%)

Wolfhart Hauser

29 5

27

6

20

13

Mark Loughead

Bill Spencer

36 2

20

9

20

13

32 2

19

16

19

12

Salary and fees
Benefits
Cash bonus
Pension
Deferred share bonus
Matching share bonus

Salary, fees and benefits are the actual amounts received during 
2008; pension for those directors in the defined benefit scheme 
(Mark Loughead and Bill Spencer) is the increase in actual transfer 
value for 2008; pension for Wolfhart Hauser is the actual amount  
of the contribution made by the Company to a personal pension 
arrangement; deferred share bonus is based on the cash value of 
the deferred shares as outlined in the table on page 50, and the 
Matching share bonus is the estimated value of half of the 
maximum potential number of matching shares that may vest 
(subject to performance). Details of how the fair values have been 
calculated are set out in note 27 of the financial statements.

The Remuneration Committee (the Committee)
Responsibilities
On behalf of the Board, the Committee: 
•	

determines the Company’s policy on the 
remuneration of, and incentives for, the Chairman, 
Executive Directors and other senior executives 
(mainly the Intertek Operations Committee (IOC) 
which comprises the Group and Executive Vice 
Presidents); 
determines their remuneration packages, including 
any compensation on termination of office; 
provides advice to, and consults with, the Chief 
Executive Officer on major policy issues affecting 
the remuneration of senior executives; and
keeps the remuneration policy under review in the 
light of regulatory and best practice developments 
and shareholder expectations. Due regard is given 
to the interests of shareholders and the 
requirements of the Listing Rules and associated 
guidance. 

•	

•	

•	

The Committee met five times during 2008. Its 
terms of reference are available on our website  
at www.intertek.com. 

David Allvey (Chairman)
Christopher Knight 
Vanni Treves

David Allvey and Christopher Knight are 
independent in accordance with the Code. 
Vanni Treves was independent at the time of his 
appointment as Chairman of the Board. The 
Committee members have no personal financial 
interest, other than as shareholders, in the matters 
to be decided and any Director in attendance 
absents himself from meetings for matters relating 
to his own remuneration.

Advisors
To ensure that the Group’s remuneration practices 
are market competitive and to help achieve its 
objectives, the Committee obtains information from 
various independent sources. The Committee has 
appointed and taken independent advice on 
remuneration matters and share incentive 
arrangements from Hewitt New Bridge Street 
(Hewitt), on remuneration benchmarking from 
Towers Perrin (TP) and on UK pension matters from 
Premier Pensions Management Limited (PPM). PPM, 
TP and Hewitt have no other connection with the 
Company or its senior officers.

Remuneration of executives
Policy 
The Group is an international service business 
deriving its revenue from the Americas (34%), 
Europe, Middle East and Africa (29%) and Asia 
Pacific (37%). The international nature and 
complexity of the Group are reflected in salary 
policy, requiring account to be taken of both the 
relevant local and international markets in order to 
attract and retain the right people. Because it is a 
service business, success is critically dependent on 
the performance and retention of key people. 
Employee costs represent a significant proportion  
of Group operating costs, but there is considerable 
managed variation amongst businesses. For this 
reason there is in place a Remuneration Policy 
Framework with each operation retaining the 
freedom to navigate, within that framework, to find 
the best local solution. Given the diversity and speed 
of development across Intertek, standard answers 
do not fit all circumstances. There is, for example, 
no single rate of inflation agreed when salary 
increases are considered. Local variations are to  
be expected to innovate, adapt and fit with the 
specifics of the business while conforming with  
local culture and legal constraints.

45

Annual Report 2008 45

industry sector (excluding property and financial) 
and geographical benchmarks, the Committee 
made changes to increase the performance-related 
element of remuneration for the Executive Directors 
and some senior executives. In 2008 the maximum 
potential cash bonus was increased in the case of 
the Chief Executive Officer from 75% to 100% of 
base salary. Mark Loughead joined the Board on  
his promotion to the new role of Chief Operating 
Officer on 1 January 2008, to drive cross-business 
synergies. In his case and that of the Chief Financial 
Officer, the maximum potential cash bonus was 
increased from 60% to 70% of base salary. The 
2008 bonus targets were set to ensure that they 
were sufficiently stretching to align the interests of 
the Executive Directors and senior executives with 
the interests of the Company’s shareholders. 

Components
Base salary

Salary from 
1 April 2008 

Salary from 
1 April 2009 

%
Increase

Wolfhart Hauser 

£550,000 

£577,500 

Mark Loughead1  US$500,000  US$535,000 

Bill Spencer 

£275,166 

£286,173 

5%

7%

4%

1.  In addition to his base salary Mark Loughead received £43,000  

in directors’ fees in 2008.

Where a decision is made to increase base salary  
the Committee will expect the individual, taking into 
account levels of experience, to have demonstrated 
exceptional leadership within the business and a 
results-orientated approach. When the Committee 
takes benchmarking information into account it 
reviews the performance of the individual concerned 
against the above measures to ensure that there is 
no unjustified upward ratchet in remuneration. 
When determining salary increases for Executive 
Directors, the Committee takes account of pay and 
employment conditions elsewhere in the Group as 
well as the general market. This is achieved by 
reviewing detailed information on the top four 
employing countries within the Group.

Salaries are reviewed annually. Increases in base 
salary are linked to:
•	

 the growth in size and complexity of the 
business; 
 demonstrable efforts and contribution of an 
individual to the development of Intertek 
Group strategy, synergy and efficiency;
retention;
market movement.

•	

•	
•	

Our remuneration strategy in short:
•	

 attract, engage, motivate and retain the best 
available people by positioning total pay and 
benefits to be competitive in the local market 
and in line with the ability of the business  
to pay;
 reward people equitably for the size of their 
responsibilities, performance and potential;
 align and recognise the individual’s 
contribution to success in our business goals;
 engage motivated high performers and, 
through variable bonus schemes, share the 
success with those who build and lead Intertek 
as a world class business.

•	

•	

•	

The Committee considers that the Company’s 
long-term success is dependent on its ability to 
attract, retain, motivate and reward high-calibre 
individuals to deliver superior performance both in 
the short and long-term. It aims to promote a 
balanced performance-driven culture by maintaining 
a competitive package of pay and benefits 
commensurate with packages of pay and benefits 
provided by other global companies of comparable 
size and complexity.

For overseas executives the objective is to provide 
a competitive package that is commensurate  
with comparable packages paid to employees of 
other organisations overseas doing a similar job in 
that region. 

Performance-related rewards are a balanced mix  
of Group financial targets and tailored personal 
objectives. Exceptional performance on the part of 
both the Group and individual can deliver upper 
quartile total remuneration. This direct alignment with 
performance is considered by the Committee to be 
clearly in the interests of shareholders and provides 
the executives with unambiguous signals about the 
importance of delivering success to the Company’s 
shareholders in both the short and long-term. 

In January 2008 the Committee reviewed the 
Group’s remuneration policy for its Executive 
Directors and senior executives to take into account 
the new larger and restructured organisation, the 
Group’s sustained growth and performance and 
also to ensure that the policy, including the balance 
between fixed and variable rewards, remained 
appropriate and competitive in the light of the 
Group’s business needs, future strategy and the 
wider market. Following the review, which involved 
component benchmarking against the general 

   
   
46 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

Annual incentives
Cash bonus
The Executive Directors and senior executives are 
eligible for annual cash bonus payments for the 
achievement of the financial and strategic goals  
of the Group and its businesses. 

46

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Bonus elements 2009

CEO, COO & CFO

Group and Divisional EVP

80%

20%

The maximum annual cash bonus potential for  
2008 and 2009 are:

Group Function VP

40%

40%

20%

50%

30%

20%

Percentage of base salary 

2008 

2009

Wolfhart Hauser 
Mark Loughead 
Bill Spencer 
Executive Vice Presidents  

100%  
70%  
70%  
60%  

100%
70%
70%
60%

Group
Divisional and Personal
Discretionary

Group bonus breakdown 2009

The bonus potential that was agreed for 2008 was 
increased over the 2007 potential following the 
benchmarking exercise carried out at the beginning 
of 2008, with similar growth measures but far more 
challenging target levels.

Based on the performance measures for 2008, cash 
bonuses of 90.6%, 63.4% and 59.2% of salary will 
be paid to Wolfhart Hauser, Mark Loughead and  
Bill Spencer respectively in March 2009.  

Targets are established and reviewed by the 
Committee each year with the intention of ensuring 
links to current business goals, taking full account of 
economic conditions. This year the Committee has 
taken into account the unusual economic situation 
when setting the 2009 targets, which remain 
challenging. 

The link between cash bonus and awards under the 
Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan is described on 
page 47. Bonuses are not pensionable. 

Senior executives’ bonus criteria comprise the 
following: (i) Group performance elements; 
(ii) divisional performance elements and personal 
objectives; and (iii) discretionary elements. The goals 
derive from the annual planning process for the 
Group, which forms the cornerstone of the Group’s 
results-focused culture.

The target level is typically set at half the total 
opportunity to encourage and reward upside 
performance.

The divisional elements of bonus are based upon 
consistent financial performance indicators but with 
targets appropriate to that division.

50%

25%

15% 10%

Diluted adjusted earnings per share
Adjusted operating profit
Operating cash flow/adjusted operating profit
Return on invested capital

The sum to be paid under the discretionary element, 
of up to 20% of total bonus, is determined by 
taking into account the overall personal contribution 
of the executive to the goals and results of the 
Group for the year, the development of the 
medium-term strategy of the Group, the 
achievement over the year of strategic objectives 
and demonstrable efforts and results in team-
building and leadership. The Committee recognises 
its responsibility to shareholders to use its discretion 
in a reasonable and informed manner and in the 
Group’s interests, and to be accountable and 
transparent in the exercise of that discretion.

The Committee can additionally award a 
discretionary payment where circumstances have 
occurred which were beyond the direct 
responsibility of the executive and the executive  
has managed and mitigated the impact of any loss, 
or where circumstances have arisen outside the 
Group’s control and the Committee feels that 
payment is necessary to retain and motivate the 
executive concerned. 

The Committee has the discretion to reduce bonus 
payments if it believes that short-term performance 
has been achieved at the expense of the Group’s 
long-term future. The Committee also retains the 
discretion to reclaim payments if the performance 
achievements are subsequently found to have been 
significantly misstated. Neither of these discretions 
was exercised in respect of the bonuses paid in 2008.

 
 
 
 
 
47

Annual Report 2008 47

Share incentives
The Company believes that share ownership by 
employees is an integral part of its programme  
to incentivise, reward and retain employees as it 
strengthens the link between employees’ personal 
interests and those of shareholders and enables 
them to benefit from the growth of the Company. 

The Committee regularly reviews the 
appropriateness of the Company’s share incentive 
arrangements and targets to ensure that they 
remain both competitive and challenging. 

Executive Directors and other key employees are 
eligible to participate in our share plans, Non-
Executive Directors are not.

Share retention
A shareholding retention requirement has been 
set by the Committee. Executive Directors and the 
members of the IOC are expected, within five 
years, to build up a shareholding in the Company 
worth at least 100% of base salary. To assist in 
the building of this holding, it is expected that, 
after allowing for tax and similar liabilities, all the 
shares subject to each vested award under the 
Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan will be 
retained by the executive until the ownership 
target is attained.

The only long-term incentive plan currently in use  
is the Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan (the Plan). 
This was approved in 2005 and supersedes all 
previous Executive Share Option Plans, creating 
more effective rewards for executives throughout 
the Group’s global operations by linking their share 
rewards to the achievement of the bonus targets 
which are directly relevant to them. Awards have 
been made annually since 2006. Information about 
the Plan, awards granted under the Plan and the 
Directors’ participation in them is given on pages 53 
and 54.

The purposes of the Plan are the retention of senior 
executives and the alignment of their interests with 
shareholders by linking rewards to Intertek’s share 
price performance. In early 2008 a benchmarking 
exercise suggested that for a number of senior 
executives and managers the level of awards had 
not been competitive. Accordingly some adjustments 
to the levels of award available under the Plan were 
put to the shareholders at the 2008 AGM and 
approved. The effect of the changes was to allow 
amounts of up to 100% of annual cash bonus to be 
deferred and matched. However, initially grants of 
deferred shares to senior executives would be 
capped at 70% of salary.

In its consideration of share plan incentives in 2008 
the Committee undertook to review the performance 
criteria for future Matching Share awards taking full 
account of the economy and business climate at the 
time of the award. The Committee has reached the 
decision that in respect of awards to be granted in 
2009, the performance criteria should remain based 
on Total Shareholder Return (‘TSR’). The vesting 
schedule will also remain unchanged from last year. 
The Committee will continue to keep the 
performance criteria under review.

The Company has undertaken to limit the number 
of awards satisfied by newly issued shares under the 
Plan in the ten-year period from the time the plan was 
adopted to 5% of the Company’s issued share capital. 
As at 31 December 2008 awards represented 0.89% 
of the Company’s issued share capital.

The Committee has decided not to publish the 
part-way achievement of performance conditions 
applicable to outstanding awards, or the expected 
value of the anticipated vested awards, as it 
considers this information would be misleading  
to a greater extent than it is informative.

The Company had established a share option 
scheme for executives in March 1997. This scheme 
was discontinued and replaced by the Intertek 
Group 2002 Share Option Plan and the Intertek 
Group 2002 Approved Share Option Plan on 9 May 
2002, under which options were granted by either 
the Company or the Employee Share Ownership 
Trust on the recommendation of the Committee.  
All awards were discretionary. No options have  
been granted since 2005. Information about these 
schemes and the Directors’ participation in them is 
given on page 55 and in note 27 to the financial 
statements.

Pensions
Wolfhart Hauser
Wolfhart Hauser is not a member of a Group 
company pension scheme. Instead the Group 
contributes an amount equal to 20% of his base 
salary to a personal pension arrangement. For 2008 
this amounted to £106,700 (2007: £94,600). 
Wolfhart Hauser is entitled to life cover benefit 
comprising a lump sum payment equivalent to four 
times his base salary. 

Mark Loughead and Bill Spencer
Mark Loughead and Bill Spencer are both members 
of the defined benefit section of the Intertek UK 
Company Pension Scheme. This is a defined benefit 
and defined contribution occupational pension 
scheme approved by the Inland Revenue. The main 
features of the defined benefit section of the 
scheme are shown on page 51.

 
48 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

48

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

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Non-Executive Directors
The Board determines the remuneration of the 
Non-Executive Directors of the Company, for their 
work as Directors and as members of committees. 
Their remuneration is assessed relative to the Group’s 
peer groups and was increased with effect from 
March 2008. Remuneration is neither pensionable 
nor eligible for annual incentive payments and the 
Non-Executive Directors are not allowed to 
participate in the Company’s share incentive plan. 

Pursuant to the policy of aligning directors’ interests 
with those of shareholders, in 2008 a proportion of 
the fees due to the Non-Executive Directors was 
used to purchase shares in the Company. Below is a 
summary of the Non-Executive Directors’ fees and 
the pre-tax amounts of those fees used to purchase 
shares in the Company in 2008.

Other than Vanni Treves, who has the benefit  
of a company car, and Richard Nelson, for whom  
the Group maintains a life insurance policy in 
accordance with the terms of his previous 
employment contract with the Company,  
no other benefits-in-kind are provided.

The Non-Executive Directors do not have service 
contracts with the Company. The letter of 
engagement for each Non-Executive Director states 
that they are appointed for an initial period of three 
years and all appointments are terminable by one 
month’s notice on either side. At the end of the 
initial period, the appointment may be renewed for 
a further period, if the Company and the Director 
agree, subject to reappointment at the AGM. 

Each letter of engagement states that should the 
Group terminate the appointment, on such 
termination the Non-Executive Director will not be 
entitled to any compensation for loss of office. 

Vanni Treves and David Allvey are each engaged by 
the Group as Non-Executive Directors under the terms 
of a letter of appointment commencing 29 May 2002. 
Both appointments were renewed for three years at 
the end of their second three-year period. 

Richard Nelson was originally engaged by the Group 
as a Non-Executive Director under the terms of a 
letter of appointment for an initial period of three 
years commencing 8 April 2005. Under the terms of 
his letter of appointment Richard Nelson is entitled 
to remuneration of £1,000 per working day for any 
special project work agreed in advance by the 
Chairman. On 7 March 2008 Richard Nelson’s 
appointment was further extended for another  
two years, until 7 April 2010.

Debra Rade was engaged by the Group as a 
Non-Executive Director under the terms of a letter 
of appointment for an initial period of three years 
commencing 1 January 2006. This appointment was 
renewed for a further three years with effect from 
1 January 2009.

Christopher Knight was engaged by the Group as a 
Non-Executive Director under the terms of a letter 
of appointment for an initial period of three years 
commencing 30 March 2006. The Committee has 
agreed that this appointment be renewed for a 
further three years, effective from 30 March 2009. 

Basic Fee

From  
1 March 2008 
£ 

David Allvey 
50,000 
Christopher Knight  50,000 
65,000 
Richard Nelson 
50,000 
Debra Rade 
170,000 
Vanni Treves 

Remuneration 
Committee 

Chairman 
3 
– 
– 
3 

Audit 
 and Risk 
Committee 

Chairman 
3 
– 
– 
3 

Nominations 
Committee 

3 
3 
– 
– 
Chairman 

Additional 
committee 
fee £ 

37,500 
15,000 
n/a 
n/a 
– 

Fees used to
Total  purchase shares
in 2008 £
fees £ 

87,500 
65,000 
65,000 
50,000 
170,000 

10,000
10,000
10,000
7,000
20,000

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
49

Annual Report 2008 49

Service contracts
Details of the service contracts currently in place for 
Executive Directors who have served during the year 
are as follows:

Wolfhart Hauser  
Mark Loughead 
Bill Spencer  

 Date of contract

1 March 2005
1 January 2008
24 May 2002

Wolfhart Hauser’s and Bill Spencer’s contracts are 
12-month rolling contracts terminable by either  
party on 12 months’ notice and contain provisions  
by way of compensation for loss of office, limited  
to payment of salary and bonus over a 12-month 
period, and benefits in lieu of notice. Wolfhart 
Hauser’s contract permits payments in lieu of notice 
to be made, at the Company’s election, either (i) in 
full on termination or (ii) on a monthly basis, but only 
for so long as he receives no remuneration from any 
other business. If Wolfhart Hauser does receive any 
such remuneration, the monthly amount payable  
will be reduced by that remuneration, determined  
on a monthly basis. Neither service contract contains 
provisions regarding a change of control. 

Mark Loughead has both an executive service 
contract and a letter of appointment in respect of 
his directorship of Intertek Group plc. The executive 
contract is subject to 12 months’ notice on either 
side and contains provisions for Mark Loughead to 
continue to receive an amount equal to salary 
during the period of notice in accordance with his 
normal payroll schedule unless he receives 
remuneration from any other business. Bonuses not 
already received will not be paid unless pro rata 
payment formed part of the bonus criteria. The 
appointment as Director of Intertek Group plc is for 
an initial term of three years, but can be terminated 

Intertek Group vs FTSE 250 TSR

by either party giving one-month’s notice,  
is not dependent upon his continued executive 
appointment and provides for an annual fee of 
£43,000. Neither the service contract nor the letter 
of appointment contain provisions regarding a 
change of control.

Policy on external appointments
The Company recognises that, during their 
employment with the Company, Executive Directors 
may be invited to become Non-Executive Directors 
of other companies and that such duties can 
broaden their experience and knowledge. Executive 
Directors may, with the written consent of the 
Company, accept such appointments outside the 
Company, and the policy is that any fees may be 
retained by the Director. Wolfhart Hauser is a 
Non-Executive Director of LogicaCMG plc. His 
earnings for this appointment for 2008, which he 
retained, were £55,000.

Performance graph 
Total Shareholder Return (TSR), comprising the 
changes in value of a share and dividends 
distributed, can be represented by the value of a 
notional £100 invested at the beginning of a period 
and its change over that period.

The graph below shows the TSR in respect of the 
Company over five years. The TSR for the Company 
is compared with the TSR for the FTSE 250 Index. 
The FTSE 250 Index was selected as it is a broad 
market index of which the Group is a member. In 
addition, the Group uses that group of companies, 
amongst others, for comparison of pay and benefit 
levels and as its TSR comparator group in assessing 
performance for the vesting of Matching Shares 
under the Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan. 

250

200

150

100

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Intertek Group
FTSE 250

Information provided by JPMorgan Cazenove and calculated according to methodology that is compliant 
with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. The performance of the Company, as indicated by the 
graph, is not indicative of vesting levels under the Company’s Deferred Bonus Share Plan.

 
 
50

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

50 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

Information required to be audited
The auditors are required to report on the 
information contained in the following section  
of the Report.

The table below summarises Directors’ remuneration 
and pension contributions for 2008 and the prior 
year for comparison. No payments for loss of 
office were made during the year or the prior year 
and no other awards were made to any Director. 

Directors’ remuneration summary

2008 

2007

Base  
salary 
and fees 
£000 

Cash 
 bonuses 
£000 

Other 
benefits 
£000 

Pension  
contri- 
butions3 
£000 

Total 
emolu- 
ments 
£000 

Notes 

Total  Deferred  Deferred
bonus 
bonus
 20084 
£000 

emolu- 
 ments 
£000 

20074
£000

Executive Directors
Wolfhart Hauser 
Mark Loughead 
Bill Spencer 

Non-Executive Directors
David Allvey 
Christopher Knight 
Raymond Kong 
Richard Nelson 
Debra Rade 
Vanni Treves 

Total 

1 

2 

534 
310 
270 

86 
65 
– 
65 
50 
168 

498 
170 
163 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

88 
16 
16 

– 
– 
– 
51 
– 
13 

107 
– 
– 

1,227 
496 
449 

1,019 
n/a 
394 

374 
170 
163 

242
n/a
126

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

86 
65 
– 
116 
50 
181 

66 
54 
19 
106 
43 
148 

– –
– –
– –
– –
– –
– –

1,548 

831 

184 

107 

2,670 

1,849 

707 

368

1.  Mark Loughead was appointed to the board of Intertek Group plc on 1 January 2008. His remuneration for the year comprised 

US$500,000 in respect of his executive appointment and £43,000 by way of director’s fee. The USD component of his remuneration 
was translated into Sterling using £1 = $1.87 which was the cumulative average exchange rate applicable during 2008.

2.  Raymond Kong resigned on 11 May 2007, and his remuneration is reported up to the date of his resignation.
3.  As Mark Loughead and Bill Spencer are members of the Intertek Defined Benefit Plan (see page 51), contributions to that plan are 
not included in this table. Wolfhart Hauser is not a member of any Group pension plan. The contributions in this table are the 
amounts the Group pays to a personal pension arrangement.

4.  These figures exclude amounts relating to Matching Awards granted under the Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan. Details of these 

awards and their performance criteria are given on pages 53 and 54.

Other benefits 
Executive Directors are entitled to the use of a 
company car or the cash equivalent, life assurance, 
disability insurance, an annual medical and private 
medical insurance. In addition, until the end of 
2008, Wolfhart Hauser was entitled to private 
school fees for his children. Richard Nelson is 
entitled to life assurance in accordance with the 
terms of his previous employment contract with the 
Company, for £1.0m to be maintained for the whole 
of his life and payable to his beneficiaries on his 
death. Vanni Treves is entitled to a company car.

Transactions with Directors 
These are disclosed in note 30 to the  
financial statements.

Pensions 
The Committee continues to review the liabilities 
under the defined benefit section of the UK pension 
scheme and to monitor the effect of changes to 
future mortality rates and investment returns and 
consider how to limit the potential liability created 
by pension commitments.

The majority of the Group’s employees are non-UK 
based and are therefore unaffected. Further details 
of the Group’s pension schemes, including the 
funding position, are disclosed in note 24 to the 
financial statements. Details of the pension 
arrangements for those who have served as 
Executive Directors during the financial year are 
shown on page 47.

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
51

Annual Report 2008 51

Mark Loughead and Bill Spencer 
Intertek Defined Benefit Pension Scheme

Normal retirement age 

65

Annual pension at normal retirement age  1/60 of final pensionable salary (highest base salary in any 12-month period

during the five years immediately preceding retirement date) for each year of 
 pensionable service, except, for those members who were active members of
the Scheme on 5 April 1996, the accrual rate is 1/45 for pensionable service in
the period after 5 April 1996 and before 6 April 1999. Members may exchange  
 part of their pension for a tax-free cash sum. This will reduce their pension but 
not that of their spouse.

Spouse’s or dependant’s pension 
payable on death of member

Half of member’s pension.

Early retirement 

Pension increases in payment 
or deferment 

Employee contributions 

Employer contributions 

Ill health or incapacity 

Death in service 

From age 50 onwards with the consent of the Company and the Trustees, based
on accrued entitlement currently reduced by 4% for each year of retirement
prior to age 65. With effect from 6 April 2010, the minimum retirement age will
increase to age 55.

Increases in deferment – revaluation is in two parts:
i) The part that represents the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) will be
increased at the rate of 4% for each complete tax year between date of leaving
and State Pension Age.
ii) The balance of the pension will increase at the rate of 5% per annum or in
line with the Retail Price Index if lower, for each completed year between the
date of leaving and the Normal Retirement Date.

Increases in retirement (or payment): 
i) Pre 6 April 1997, excess pension benefits will increase at the rate of 
3% per annum.
ii) 6 April 1997 to 5 April 2005, excess pension benefits will increase at the
rate of the lower of 5% per annum or the increase in the Retail Price Index.
iii) Post 5 April 2005 excess pension benefits will increase at the rate of the lower
of 2.5% per annum or the increase in the Retail Price Index.
iv) Pre 1988 GMP will not increase.
v) Post 1988 GMP will increase at the rate of 3% per annum or the increase in
the Retail Price Index, if lower.

As determined by the Company and the Trustees: currently 8.5% of base salary
(excluding incentive payments) up to the Company-set earnings cap which is
£115,949 for the 08/09 tax year (£112,028 for 07/08).

As determined by the Company and the Trustees: currently 16% of base salary
(excluding incentive payments) up to the Company-set earnings cap.

In the case of ill health, the pension is calculated as for early retirement but
without the 4% reduction. In the case of incapacity, the pension is calculated as
if pensionable service had continued to normal retirement date.

Death in service leads to a refund of the member’s own contributions plus either:
i) a lump sum of four times pensionable salary plus spouse’s pension which is
50% of the member’s prospective pension at normal retirement date (based on
prospective pensionable service to normal retirement date and final pensionable
salary immediately prior to the member’s death); or
ii) lump sum of eight times pensionable salary, but with no spouse’s pension
(except for the contracting-out requirements).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
52 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

52

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

Details of the accrued pension to which Mark 
Loughead and Bill Spencer are entitled on leaving 
service and the changes during the year are shown 
in the table below.

Age at 
31 December 
2008 

Contributions 
made by  
the Director  
during 
the year 
£ 

Increase in 
accrued 
entitlement 
during 
the year2 
£ 

Name 

Accrued 
entitlement1 
2008 
£ 

Transfer 
value3 
2007 
£ 

Transfer 
value3 
2008 
£ 

Increase in
transfer value
in year less
contributions
made by
Director
£

Mark Loughead4 
Bill Spencer 

49 
49 

9,772 
9,772 

1,396 
1,387 

25,070 
33,213 

191,109 
303,124 

273,634 
445,044 

72,753
132,148

1.  The accrued pension entitlement is the amount that would be paid each year on retirement at 65 based on service to 31 December 

2008, excluding the effect of inflation. 

2. Including inflation, the increase during the year for Mark Loughead was £2,524 and for Bill Spencer was £2,903.
3.  The transfer value has been calculated using the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value Basis adopted by the Trustees with effect from 
1 October 2008, in accordance with The Occupational Pension Schemes (Transfer Values) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 
(SI2008/1050). The transfer value disclosed above does not represent a sum paid or payable to the individual Director, instead it 
represents a potential liability of the Pension Scheme. The value represents the full transfer value without reduction for any shortfall  
in scheme funding.

4. Mark Loughead joined the Board on 1 January 2008.

Directors’ interests in ordinary shares
The interests of the Directors in the shares of the 
Company as at the year end are set out below.  
Save as stated in this report, during the course of 
the year, no Director, nor any member of his or  
her immediate family, had any other interest in  

the ordinary share capital of the Company or any  
of its subsidiaries.

No changes in the above Directors’ interests have 
taken place between 31 December 2008 and the 
date of this report.

Directors’ interests in ordinary shares

Number of ordinary shares of 1p 

 31 December 2007 
 or on appointment 

Acquired 

Disposed 

31 December
2008

David Allvey 
Wolfhart Hauser 
Christopher Knight 
Mark Loughead 
Richard Nelson 
Debra Rade 
Bill Spencer 
Vanni Treves 

5,270 
– 
5,000 
11,985 
500,000 
– 
132,000 
50,000 

627 
1,336 
627 
2,500 
637 
1,445 
– 
1,276 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

5,897
1,336
5,627
14,485
500,637
1,445
132,000
51,276

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
53

Annual Report 2008 53

Directors’ interests in Long Term Incentive  
Plan and share options
Non-Executive Directors are not allowed to 
participate in the Company’s share incentive plans. 
Awards made under the Intertek Deferred Bonus 

Share Plan and options granted to the Executive 
Directors under the 2002 Plan and the Approved 
Plan are shown below. No options have been 
granted to the Executive Directors under the  
1997 Plan.

The Intertek Deferred Bonus Share Plan

31 December 
2007 or on 
appointment 

Granted 
in 
2008 

Award 
Price1 

Vested 
in 
2008 

Lapsed 
in 
2008 

 31 December 
2008 

Date
award
vests2

Number  
of shares 

Number 
of shares 

£ 

Number 
of shares 

Number 
of shares 

Number 
of shares 

2006

Wolfhart Hauser
  Deferred  
Matching  
  Deferred  
Matching  
   Deferred  
Matching  

2008

2007

Total 

Bill Spencer

2006

2007

2008

   Deferred  
Matching  
   Deferred  
Matching  
   Deferred  
Matching  

Total 

Mark Loughead

2006

2007

2008

   Deferred  
Matching  
   Deferred  
Matching  
   Deferred  
Matching  

14,514 
29,028 
22,753 
45,506 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
26,448 
52,896 

111,801 

79,344 

6,391 
12,782 
9,774 
19,548 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
13,813 
27,626 

48,495 

41,439 

7,133 
14,266 
9,351 
18,702 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
9,972 
19,944 

8.276  
8.276  
9.166 
9.166 
9.150 
9.150 

8.276  
8.276  
9.166 
9.166 
9.150 
9.150 

8.276  
8.276  
9.166 
9.166 
9.150 
9.150 

Total 

49,452 

29,916 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

April 2009

April 2010

March 2011

April 2009

April 2010

March 2011

April 2009

April 2010

March 2011

14,514 
29,028 
22,753 
45,506 
26,448 
52,896 

191,145 

6,391 
12,782 
9,774 
19,548 
13,813 
27,626 

89,934 

7,133 
14,266 
9,351 
18,702 
9,972 
19,944 

79,368 

1.  Awards are made based on a share price obtained by averaging the closing share prices for the five dealing days before the date  

of grant. At date of grant in 2008 the share price was £9.595. No payment is made by participants in the Plan.

2.  Awards normally vest three years after grant. The vesting of Matching Awards is subject to additional performance conditions 

described on page 54.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
54 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Remuneration Report

Additional information about the Intertek 
Deferred Bonus Share Plan 

The Plan 
The Plan has two elements:
•	Deferred	Shares	are	awarded	to	executives	based	
on their annual achievement. For the Executive 
Directors and IOC the value of Deferred Shares will 
be equal to the cash bonus, subject, currently, to a 
maximum of 70% of salary (formerly the limit had 
been 50% of salary). The Committee believes that 
this provides a simple and well-targeted form of 
reward. The awards normally vest three years after 
grant subject to continued employment.
•	Matching	Share	awards,	which	are	subject	to	
long-term performance requirements, are, at the 
discretion of the Committee, awarded to the most 
senior executives. Awards of Matching Shares are 
linked to awards of Deferred Shares, and for the 
Executive Directors and IOC are granted at the 
maximum ratio of two Matching Shares for every 
Deferred Share. Matching Shares vest after three 
years depending on the Company’s relative Total 
Shareholder Return (TSR) measured against the 
FTSE 250 Index (excluding investment trusts). TSR 
calculations are conducted independently by Hewitt.

Awards vest as follows:

TSR Ranking 

 % of Matching Award that vests

None
25%

Below median 
Median 
Between median   Pro-rata on a straight line between
and upper quartile  25% and 100%
Upper quartile 

100%

In addition, irrespective of the Company’s TSR 
performance, no part of a Matching Award will  
vest unless the Company’s normalised EPS growth 
over the performance period is, on average, at least 
2% per annum above the growth in the UK Retail 
Prices Index.

54

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

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The Committee can set different performance 
conditions from those described above for future 
awards. Any such new targets will not, in the 
reasonable opinion of the Committee, be materially 
less challenging in the circumstances than those 
described above. 

Deferred Awards will normally vest on the third 
anniversary of grant provided the participant is still 
employed in the Group.

Matching Awards will normally vest on the third 
anniversary of grant once the Committee has 
determined the extent to which the applicable 
performance conditions have been satisfied  
and provided the participant is still employed  
in the Group. 

It is the current intention of the Company to satisfy 
all vested awards by the issue of new shares.

If a participant leaves employment for certain 
reasons beyond the participant’s control or for any 
other reason at the discretion of the Committee, 
then the awards vest as follows: (i) Deferred Awards 
will vest on a pro-rata basis on the date of cessation, 
although the Committee may decide not to pro-rate 
an award if it regards it as inappropriate to do so in 
the particular circumstances; (ii) Matching Awards 
will vest at the end of the period over which the 
performance conditions are measured, or the 
Committee may decide that the Matching Award 
will vest on cessation of employment. The extent to 
which a Matching Award will vest will depend upon 
the extent to which the performance conditions 
have been satisfied over the full performance period 
or up to the date of cessation as appropriate. In the 
event of a change of control, vesting of Matching 
Awards will occur on the same basis as for leaving 
employment, described above. Deferred Awards  
will vest in full.

55

Annual Report 2008 55

The 2002 Share Option Plans

31 December 
2007 or on 
appointment 

Option 
Price 

Options 
exercised in 
2008 

Number  
of shares 

£ 

Number 
of shares 

Options 
lapsed in 
2008 

Number 
of shares 

31 December 
2008 

Number 
of shares 

Date option 
became 
exercisable1 

Date
option
expires

3,856 
47,558 

51,414 

6,864 
15,466 
20,406 
24,069 
29,563 

96,368 

21,472 
21,071 

42,543 

7.78 
7.78 

4.37 
4.37 
3.59 
5.24 
7.78 

5.24 
7.78 

– 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

(579) 
(7,129) 

3,277  April 2008  April 2015
40,429  April 2008  April 2015

(7,708) 

43,706 

– 
– 
– 
– 
(4,432) 

6,864  May 2005  May 2012
15,466  May 2005  May 2012
20,406  April 2006  April 2013
24,069  April 2007  April 2014
25,131  April 2008  April 2015

– (

4,432) 

91,936 

– 
– 

– 

– 
(3,159) 

21,472  April 2007  April 2014
17,912  April 2008  April 2015

(3,159) 

39,384 

Wolfhart Hauser
Approved Plan 
2002 Plan 

Total 

Bill Spencer
Approved Plan 
2002 Plan 
2002 Plan 
2002 Plan 
2002 Plan 

Total 

Mark Loughead
2002 Plan 
2002 Plan 

Total 

1.  All outstanding option awards have now vested as they met their performance targets and so are fully exercisable, whereas the 

performance targets were not met in the year, for the options which have lapsed. Performance targets were based on Intertek’s EPS 
growth over a three-year period, which was required to be at least 5% per annum higher than RPI (25% vesting) up to 11% higher 
than RPI (full vesting).

Share information
Exercise prices were determined by the average of 
the closing middle market quotations of an ordinary 
share in the Company on the five days immediately 
prior to the date of grant. No payment was made  
by participants in the plan. 

On 31 December 2008 the closing market price of 
Intertek ordinary shares was 784p. The highest and 
lowest prices of the shares during the year were 
1050p and 635p respectively. 

Approval of the Remuneration Report
The Remuneration Report was approved by  
the Board on 9 March 2009.

David Allvey
Chairman, Remuneration Committee

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
56 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Other Statutory Information

56

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

Share capital
The authorised and issued share capital of the 
Company, together with the rights and obligations 
attaching to the shares and details of the movements 
in the Company’s issued share capital during the 
year, are shown in note 20 to the financial statements. 
There are no special restrictions on the transfer, or 
voting rights of the Company’s shares, which are 
admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange 
and may be traded through the CREST system.

Allotment of own shares
At the AGM held in 2008, the shareholders 
generally and unconditionally, authorised the 
Directors to allot relevant securities up to 
approximately one-third of the nominal amount  
of issued share capital, for a period of five years, 
under section 80 of the Companies Act 1985.  
This authority was not exercised during the year  
and the Directors currently have no intention to  
do so although it is their intention to renew this 
authority and, in the light of guidance issued by the 
Association of British Insurers in December 2008 to 
seek an increase in the authority as set out in the 
Notice of AGM accompanying this Annual Report. 

Also at the AGM in 2008, the Directors were 
empowered by the shareholders to allot equity 
securities, up to 5% of the Company’s issued share 
capital, for cash under section 95 of the Companies 
Act 1985. It is intended that this authority be 
renewed, up to 5%, at the forthcoming AGM.

Purchase of own shares
At the AGM held in 2008, shareholders generally 
and unconditionally authorised the Company to  
buy back up to 10% of its own ordinary shares by 
market purchase until the conclusion of the AGM  
to be held this year. No such purchases have been 
made to date pursuant to this authority. The 
Directors will seek to renew this authority for up to 
10% of the Company’s issued share capital at the 
forthcoming AGM. This power will only be exercised 
if the Directors are satisfied that any purchase will 
increase the earnings per share of the ordinary share 

capital in issue after the purchase and, accordingly, 
that the purchase is in the interests of shareholders. 
The Directors will also give careful consideration to 
gearing levels of the Company and its general 
financial position. Any shares purchased in this way 
may be held in treasury which, the Directors believe, 
will provide the Company with flexibility in the 
management of its share capital. Where treasury 
shares are used to satisfy share options or awards, 
they will be classed as new issue shares for the 
purpose of the 10% limit on the number of shares 
that may be issued over a ten-year period under our 
relevant share plan rules.

 Policy and practice on payment of suppliers 
The Group does not follow a single standard on 
payment practice but has a variety of payment terms 
with its suppliers. Payment terms are agreed at the 
commencement of business with each supplier and 
it is the policy of the Group that payment is made 
accordingly, subject to the terms and conditions 
being met. The Company has no trade payables.

Significant relationships
The Group does not have any contractual or other 
relationships with any single party which are 
essential to the business of the Group and therefore, 
no such relationships have been disclosed.

Social and community issues
The Group does not have any group-wide policies  
in relation to social and community issues. We 
encourage our local managers to foster community 
links that are appropriate to the businesses they 
manage. Further details are given in our Corporate 
Social Responsibility Report on page 63.

Directors’ interests 
Richard Nelson may occasionally undertake special 
project work for the Group. Details of these service 
arrangements are disclosed in the Remuneration 
Report on page 48 and in note 30 to the financial 
statements. With these exceptions, other than 
employment contracts, none of the Directors of  
the Company had a personal interest in any business 

57

Annual Report 2008 57

transactions of the Company or its subsidiaries.  
The terms of the Directors’ service contracts and  
the Directors’ interests in the shares and options of 
the Company in respect of which transactions are 
notifiable to the Company under the Disclosure  
and Transparency Rule 3.1.2 are disclosed in the 
Remuneration Report on page 49 and 52 to 55.

Substantial shareholdings
The information disclosed to the Company, as at  
1 March 2009, under Rule 5 of the Disclosure  
and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services 
Authority is in respect of holdings exceeding the  
3% notification threshold, and is detailed below:

Save for the above, at the date of this report no 
other person has reported an interest notifiable 
under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

Major shareholder 

Lone Pine Capital LLC  
& Stephen F Mandel Jr 
Legal & General Group plc 
Eminence Capital, LLC 

Number 
of shares 

Percentage of
voting rights

19,138,766 
6,217,137 
5,861,000 

12.1%
3.9%
3.7%

Charitable and political donations 
During 2008, the Group made charitable donations 
of £108,000 (2007: £68,000), mostly to support 
earthquake victims in China. 

At the AGM in 2008 shareholders passed a 
resolution, on a precautionary basis, to authorise  
the Company to make donations to EU political 
organisations and to incur EU political expenditure 
(as such terms are defined in the Companies Act 
2006) not exceeding £90,000. During the year the 
Group did not make any political donations (2007: 
£nil). It is the Company’s policy not, directly or 
through any subsidiary, to make what are commonly 
regarded as donations to any political party. 
However, at the forthcoming AGM of the Company 
shareholders’ approval will again be sought to 
authorise the Group to make political donations 
and/or incur political expenditure (as such terms are 

defined in Sections 362 to 379 of the Companies 
Act 2006). Further details of this are contained in 
the Notice of the AGM. 

Auditors
The auditors, KPMG Audit Plc, have indicated their 
willingness to continue in office and a resolution 
that they be reappointed will be proposed at the 
forthcoming AGM in accordance with Section 489 
of the Companies Act 2006.

Annual General Meeting
The Notice convening the AGM, to be held on Friday 
15 May 2009, is available for download from the 
Company’s corporate website at www.intertek.com. 
The Notice will detail the business to be conducted 
at the meeting and include information concerning 
the deadlines for submitting proxy forms and in 
relation to voting rights.

Disclosure of information to auditors
The Directors who held office at the date of 
approval of this Directors’ Report confirm that,  
so far as they are aware, there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Company’s auditors are 
unaware and each Director has taken all the steps 
that he or she ought to have taken as a Director to 
make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit 
information and to establish that the Company’s 
auditors are aware of that information.

This Directors’ Report comprising pages 06 to 65 
has been approved by the Board and signed on its 
behalf by:

Fiona Evans
Group Company Secretary

9 March 2009
Registered Office
25 Savile Row
London
W1S 2ES
Registered Number: 4267576

 
 
58 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities

58

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities  
in respect of the Annual Report and the  
financial statements

The Directors are responsible for preparing the 
Annual Report and the Group and Parent Company 
financial statements in accordance with applicable 
law and regulations.

Company law requires the Directors to prepare 
Group and Parent Company financial statements for 
each financial year. Under that law, they are required 
to prepare the Group financial statements in 
accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs) 
and applicable law and have elected to prepare the 
Parent Company financial statements in accordance 
with UK Accounting Standards and applicable law 
(UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The Group financial statements are required by law 
and IFRSs as adopted by the EU to present fairly the 
financial position and performance of the Group; 
the Companies Act 1985 provides in relation to such 
financial statements that references in the relevant 
part of that Act to financial statements giving a true 
and fair view are references to their achieving a fair 
presentation.

The Parent Company financial statements are 
required by law to give a true and fair view of the 
state of affairs of the Parent Company.

In preparing each of the Group and Parent Company 
financial statements, the Directors are required to:
•	

select suitable accounting policies and then apply 
them consistently; 
make judgments and estimates that are 
reasonable and prudent; 
for the Group financial statements, state whether 
they have been prepared in accordance with IFRS 
as adopted by the EU;
for the Parent Company financial statements, state 
whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have 
been followed, subject to any material departures 
disclosed and explained in the Parent Company 
financial statements; and 
prepare the financial statements on the going 
concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume 
that the Group and the Parent Company will 
continue in business.

•	

•	

•	

•	

The Directors are responsible for keeping proper 
accounting records that disclose with reasonable 
accuracy at any time the financial position of the 
Parent Company and enable them to ensure that  
its financial statements comply with the Companies 
Act 1985. They have general responsibility for taking 
such steps as are reasonably open to them to 
safeguard the assets of the Group and to prevent 
and detect fraud and other irregularities.

Under applicable law and regulations, the Directors 
are also responsible for preparing a Directors’ 
Report, Directors’ Remuneration Report and 
Corporate Governance Report that comply with  
that law and those regulations.

The Directors are responsible for the maintenance 
and integrity of the corporate and financial 
information included on the Company’s website. 
Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and 
dissemination of financial statements may differ 
from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Responsibility statement of the Directors  
in respect of the annual financial report

We confirm that to the best of our knowledge:
•	

the financial statements, prepared in accordance 
with the applicable set of accounting standards, 
give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, 
financial position and profit or loss of the 
Company and the undertakings included in the 
consolidation taken as a whole; and
the Directors’ report includes a fair review of the 
development and performance of the business 
and the position of the Company and the 
undertakings included in the consolidation taken 
as a whole, together with a description of the 
principal risks and uncertainties that they face.

•	

By order of the Board

Wolfhart Hauser
Chief Executive Officer
9 March 2009

Directors’ Report – Governance

Annual Report 2008 59

Corporate Social Responsibility Report

59

Expansion of our 
facilities for testing 
photovoltaic 
modules in 
California, New York 
and Shanghai will 
enable photovoltaic 
manufacturers 
around the world to 
design and deploy 
the next generation 
of new solar energy 
products faster.

Introduction from the Chief Executive Officer
 ‘In my review on pages 06 to 08 I have highlighted 
how our focus on service to customers is our main 
business driver. By helping our customers improve 
the safety and quality of their products and 
processes and ensuring compliance, we help them 
to operate in a more sustainable way which benefits 
society as a whole. 

We are committed to operating in a socially 
responsible way and have set out our key policies  
in a framework which is communicated to all our 
employees on our corporate intranet site. 

Our integrity and the reliability of our work is 
fundamental to our business and we operate a  
strict code of ethics and compliance code. Training  
is provided to all our employees through a variety of 
means including an on-line e-learning module and 
compliance is closely monitored.

This report describes how our principles are applied 
in practice to all aspects of our business.’

Wolfhart Hauser
Chief Executive Officer

Our business
Intertek’s services improve quality and safety in the 
products and processes that impact people’s lives 
around the world. We guide many of the world’s 
largest multinational corporations and best-known 
brands to improve the social, ethical and 
environmental consequences of their products, 
services and supply chains. 

The skills and experience of our people, who include 
some of the world’s leading scientific analysts and 
experts, bring scientific solutions or analytical 
advances that will reduce the adverse impact on  
the environment now and into the future. 

During the year we have continued to invest in our 
people and world-class equipment and infrastructure 
in our laboratories to meet the world’s need for more 
environmentally friendly products and appliances.

Intertek provides inspection, auditing, surveying and 
other technical services to the world’s on-shore and 
off-shore wind turbine installations. We help ensure 
wind power generation facilities meet specifications 
and perform at optimal conditions.

Our work includes testing compliance and 
effectiveness targets in the production of bio fuels 
and ethanol, assisting customers to comply with 
ultra low sulphur diesel legislation, and helping to 
assess low energy and low emission equipment. 

In Pakistan we have collaborated with Karachi’s 
Capital City Traffic Police to create awareness of 
vehicle pollution. Rather than the conventional 
seminar approach we decided on an interactive 
15-day road show taking a truck into the streets  
to test vehicles for their emission content and to 
give advice.

At 80 major traffic intersections some 200 
vehicles from public buses to rickshaws were 
tested to identify gases in their exhaust fumes.
Analysis of the data led to a number of 
recommendations for improvements in Karachi, 
including public education and mandatory testing.

We guide organisations on how to reduce the use 
of hazardous materials in their products and 
sourcing. We also partner with governments and 
regulatory bodies to help enforce and monitor 
adherence to environmental protocols. Our work 
brings greater protection to consumers and the 
environment. Our laboratories provide melamine 
chemical testing services and we carry out  
supply chain verification for a wide range of food 
ingredients, agricultural products and raw materials.

We were chosen to collaborate 
with the Pakistan Standards 
and Quality Control Authority 
to help set new guidelines  
for use by that authority in  
its accreditation programme  
for registering inspection 
companies in Pakistan.

60 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Corporate Social Responsibility Report

60

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

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We offered free 
audit training places 
to certain charities, 
such as Oxfam and 
non-governmental 
organisations during 
2008. We see it as 
a useful exchange  
of information on 
approaches.

During 2008 we acquired the fixed assets of Contract 
Manufacturing Services, based in New Jersey, USA, 
which is a leader in implementing environmental 
compliance for product manufacturers, including  
the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, 
Environmental Compliance Process assurance, 
Greenhouse Gas emission and Carbon Credit 
programmes.

We provide audit and consultancy services to 
corporations, non-governmental and regulatory 
organisations to improve the social and ethical 
impact of their operations. Increasingly consumers 
around the world want peace of mind that products 
they have purchased have not been created through 
social or ethical abuses of workers or unfair trade. 
We audit factory conditions and work practices to 
ensure that they are legal, ethical and humane.  
We work with corporations to develop bespoke 
global CSR standards and programmes to ensure 
that they exceed minimum social and ethical 
thresholds across all of their sourcing. We have 
successfully initiated partnerships and collaborations 
with non-governmental and not-for-profit 
organisations to pursue and improve standards. 

During 2008 we have introduced programmes  
to assist retailers in gaining assurance that their 
supply chains meet the standards they require. 
Our Mill Qualification Program, Think Green 
Initiative and Global Security Verification 
programme address different aspects of supply 
chain assurance and facilitate trade by linking 
retailers with providers via a standardised portal. 

Some Intertek laboratories are registered with the 
US Consumer Product Safety Commission which is 
responsible for protecting the US public from injury 
through fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical 
hazards from more than 15,000 types of consumer 
products.

Intertek is a world leader in the design of safe 
products, with particular expertise in children’s toys. 
Our centres of excellence in Chicago and London 
provide counsel to some of the world’s largest 
product brands to advance the design of safe 
products in the market place. In partnership with 
industry and health bodies, we collect and analyse 
safety data in connection with child accidents. This 
data is used to help our clients improve the safety of 
their products. 

Our values
We believe that the highest standard of integrity  
is essential in business.

Our Mission Statement 
We will
•	
•	
•	

 value trust and personal responsibility;
 act with integrity, honesty and respect;
 value each employee’s contribution toward 
achieving our business objectives;
 promote a culture where motivated customer-
orientated employees can flourish, experience 
professional fulfilment and reach their highest 
potential; and 
 respect diverse perspectives, experiences and 
traditions as essential.

•	

•	

In all our activities we aim to:
•	
•	

be both commercial and fair;
recognise the importance to all stakeholders  
of ensuring the health and safety of all our 
employees;
maintain our integrity and professionalism; and
strive for continual improvement and innovation.

•	
•	

Importantly, we do not forget our principal aim, 
which means that our resources are used to add 
value to our customers’ products and processes.

The following systems help us ensure that our values 
are maintained:
•	

All staff are required to sign the Group’s Code of 
Ethics, which sets out our robust stance on 
upholding sound business ethics.
Our central compliance team ensures that our 
policies and procedures are properly applied in 
practice.
All employees have access to whistle blowing 
hotlines. Employees and external parties also have 
access to a hotline through the Group website.

•	

•	

Our corporate social responsibility structure
Intertek has businesses in many locations around the 
world. Our activities are organised to permit local or 
functional managers to manage operations within 
the framework established by the Board of Intertek 
Group plc. We consider local managers are best 
placed to understand and react to their local business 
environment. They have the knowledge to apply 
policies with due regard to their relationships with 
local stakeholders such as employees, customers  
and communities.

Our risk management team has been involved in 
active promotion of the need for comprehensive 
injury and fatality databases and the design of injury 
prevention strategy in Europe.

The corporate social responsibility framework within 
which these activities are to be managed was 
formally adopted by the Board of Intertek Group plc 
in 2007.

61

Annual Report 2008 61

US$15K

Our OCA operation 
in Texas made a 
US$15k donation  
to Valero Energy 
Corporation’s Open 
Benefit for Children 
Golf Day, and in the 
UK OCA supported 
the Wear it Pink 
and Jeans for  
Genes days.

General policy 

Environmental policy 

Ethical policy 

Employee policy 

 Intertek’s core businesses provide services that are ultimately of benefit to 
consumers and other stakeholders. We test substances for purity and 
performance. We test products for safety and quality. We measure air and noise 
emissions. We review imports to assess their content accurately. We provide 
advice that can lead to greater efficiency of production or operation. We carry 
out audits to help ensure that factory conditions and work practices are legal, 
humane and ethical. Intertek takes seriously the benefits that our businesses 
confer and will continue to endeavour in all its dealings to improve quality, 
safety and to bring about environmental benefits through improved efficiency 
of products. 

 Intertek will strive to prevent its operations causing adverse impact on the 
environment. We will comply with national environmental legislation and will 
endeavour to identify, monitor and control our environmental risks. We will 
seek to reduce emissions, effluents, waste and adverse effect on biodiversity. 
We will commit to recycling schemes and energy efficiency. We will provide 
benefits in respect of environmental impacts through our testing of 
environmental standards and will operate safely.

 Intertek prohibits the offer, giving or acceptance of bribes in any form.  
Intertek prohibits the provision of improper benefits. No reward, gift or favour 
dependent on the outcome of any work will be accepted by employees. 
Employees shall operate free from any conflict of interest. 

 Intertek will strive to provide a safe and healthy environment for its employees 
to work in. It will comply with national employee legislation. In the absence of 
any local prescription, employees will be assessed solely on the basis of their 
ability irrespective of their race, religion, colour, age, disabilities, gender or 
sexual orientation or their participation in legitimate union activities. 
Employees’ diverse perspectives, experiences and traditions will be respected. 
Wherever possible, employees’ personal growth will be fostered through the 
provision of training. 

Community and stakeholder policy 

 Intertek will take into account, when making decisions, its impact on all 
relevant stakeholders. 

Business practices policy 

 Intertek will carry out its work in an honest, professional, independent and 
impartial manner. Marketing will be conducted in a manner that is not 
misleading. Procurement from suppliers whose corporate responsibility policies 
align with Intertek’s will be encouraged.

We have cascaded these policies through the 
management structure and added them to our 
corporate intranet to disseminate them. 
Employees are encouraged to supply ideas and 
information concerning our CSR performance  
by contacting us through the intranet.

Overall and ultimate responsibility for the Group’s 
CSR policies, issues and their implementation lies 
with the Chief Executive Officer.

We take a responsible and active role in the 
business communities in which we operate. 
Intertek is a member of a number of CSR related 
associations such as CSR Europe, the Ethos 
Institute of Business and Social Responsibility and 
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility.  

We aim to increase our participation and 
membership of such bodies in the future to show 
our commitment to being a significant player in 
the corporate social responsibility arena.

Our employees 
Our principal strength is the talent of our staff.  
Our intention is to unlock the potential of every 
employee to perform to the best of his or her 
abilities. This enables us to achieve maximum 
value for them, our customers and shareholders.

Staff numbers continued to expand in 2008, and  
we have continued to develop the reach of our 
framework employee policies, to ensure a fair and 
consistent approach to employee matters around 
the Group.

 
 
 
 
 
   
 
62

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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62 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Corporate Social Responsibility Report

An Employee Awards 
and recognition 
programme was 
rolled out in North 
America and 
manager training 
and communication 
was completed.  
It is a three part 
award structure 
comprising the 
Service, the Star and 
the Edison Award.

Objectives
We have a number of objectives which include:
continuing to adopt and roll out framework  
•	
HR policies; 
improving communications with employees; and
retaining and motivating employees.

•	
•	

Our policies
We have framework policies in place that enable us 
to treat employees fairly across the Group, whilst still 
giving local managers the authority and flexibility to 
adopt what is right for their local area. As we grow, 
whether organically or by acquisition, we continue 
to promote and monitor these policies, which are 
concerned with matters such as fair recruitment, 
internal communications and remuneration.

The chart below shows how our workforce is 
distributed geographically and why it is important 
for us to respect regional and cultural differences. 

As part of our equal opportunities policy, people 
with disabilities are given the same consideration as 
others when they apply for jobs. Depending on their 
skills and aptitudes, they enjoy the same career 
prospects as other employees. If employees become 
disabled every effort will be made to retain them in 
their current role or to look at possibilities for 
retraining or redeployment within the Group.  
Where necessary the Group aims to provide these 
employees with facilities, equipment and training  
to assist them in doing their jobs.

The health and safety of our employees is of 
paramount importance to the Group. We aim to 
provide a safe working environment and ensure that 
our employees have the information and knowledge 
to safely perform their duties. We are committed to 
maintaining high standards and complying with 
relevant local legislation and guidelines in any area in 
which we operate. We continually seek to minimise 
harm to our employees and our procedures are 

regularly monitored by our compliance team to ensure 
that they are being properly applied in practice. 

Information about employees
It is important to monitor progress in matters such 
as diversity, employment of disabled staff, training, 
staff retention and safety to attain the best results 
for the Group. The more information we have, the 
better we will be able to make changes when they 
are necessary. 

Group-wide human resource meetings and 
intranet-based sharing of information are used to 
communicate objectives and share knowledge, since 
the decentralised and global nature of the Group 
means that we do not currently have a single data 
platform appropriate for the purpose of measuring 
the success of all our employee targets.

Information for employees
Good communication is the basis of every successful 
relationship and we are always looking for ways to 
increase communication opportunities with our 
employees, especially with regard to two-way 
communication. We particularly need to ensure  
that our employees are aware of our ethical, risk 
and safety procedures. We continue to extend  
the use of our intranet to encourage Group-wide 
communication and knowledge. In time our intranet 
will become an online encyclopaedia of the Group, 
a home to internal communities, a reference for 
policies and information and an e-learning forum. 
We use face-to-face review meetings, regular 
management meetings and newsletters to give and 
receive information. Employees are also able to use 
our telephone and email hotlines if there is anything 
they feel should be communicated. 

An online ‘on-boarding’ programme, is being 
introduced to help new employees familiarise 
themselves with the Group and its operations.

We have introduced many programmes 
of business training for junior managers, 
beginning with those in our Asia region.

By developing the careers of these 
employees we are laying the foundations 
for our next senior executive structure.

Number of employees

12,846

5,412

5,583

2008

11,030

4,763

5,510

2007

8,638

4,267

4,995

2006

Asia Pacific
EMEA
Americas

63

Annual Report 2008 63

Our Intertek as One programme of cross-divisional 
liaison has contributed to increased knowledge of 
the Group and to better opportunities for staff 
through regional and country-based meetings, 
communications and workshops.

Share interests
We are committed to encouraging our key 
executives to align themselves with the interests of 
shareholders and the Group’s performance through 
the ownership of the Company’s shares. The 
Company operates a long-term incentive share plan 
for senior executives and requires the most senior 
executives to retain some of the shares they obtain 
through this plan. More information about the plan 
is contained in the Remuneration Report on page 
54. We are pleased to note that a number of our 
employees have chosen to invest in the Group and 
that some £6.8m of our shares were held by 
employees and Directors at the end of 2008.

Our communities

In South Africa, our OCA business donates time 
and money to a number of projects, mostly in 
support of local children. In 2008 this included 
donations of money, computers and other goods 
to schools, and hands-on assistance with the 
painting of a school for AIDS-affected children, 
with which the business has a close link.

Together with the South African Institute of 
Chartered Accountants we donated money to  
a project for the development of small business 
entrepreneurs in South Africa.

Initiatives like these help us to meet our 
obligations under the South African Broad Based 
Black Economic Codes, which are important to 
the business in the country.

Because of the decentralised structure of our  
Group and the nature of our activities, community 
involvement is organised at local level by local 
managers. We recognise the importance of our 
relationship with the communities in which we 
operate, and encourage our businesses and 
employees to undertake community service and 
charitable giving.

Intertek is one  
of the 44.4% of 
companies in the 
FTSE 250 with  
one or more 
female directors  
on the Board. 

During May 2008 the Sichuan province of China 
was devastated by earthquakes. In many countries 
Intertek employees contributed to disaster relief 
funds to help those affected by events. 

Where employees made donations to recognised 
international relief funds such as Unicef, Red Cross 
or Red Crescent the local Intertek business unit 
matched contributions made by employees. 
Donations totalled more than RMB 1 million.

One of our CSR auditors, who had just completed 
his assignment in the area at the time, joined the 
relief team as a humanitarian aid worker.

Our environment
We have measured our carbon emissions at 10  
key sites over the last two years to gain a better 
understanding of our energy use. The nature and 
hence the emissions of the operations at each of 
these sites varies considerably and we are 
considering how best to use this data to develop  
a strategy for reducing our carbon emissions.

Our compliance team carried out 22 environmental 
audits at major sites during the year. These reviews 
consistently showed our environmental controls to 
be strong. No major issues were identified and 
minor issues were corrected as part of the process. 
Operational staff reviews environmental controls on 
an ongoing basis.

Our expertise helps identify the 
energy efficiency of electrical 
and electronic equipment  
in programmes such as the  
China Energy Label registration, 
Singapore Green Label Scheme 
and our own one-stop Energy 
Saving Verification Service.

64 www.intertek.com

Directors’ Report – Governance

Corporate Social Responsibility Report

64

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Our ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ campaign in China 
encourages employees to reduce the use of paper, 
switch off air-conditioning 20 minutes prior to 
closing their office and recycling all paper.

In common with many areas of Intertek’s business, 
the implementation of our framework policy on the 
environment is operated by local management in 
accordance with relevant local legislation and 
guidelines. A number of projects have been carried 
out at the local level during the year.

Specific initiatives we are working on include:
•	

reducing paper usage by introducing paper-free 
delivery to clients, using electronic document 
management systems, using electronic 
communication with shareholders and increasing 
the use of the internet and intranet for 
communications including telephone calls;
increasing investment in low-energy equipment; 
increasing recycling schemes throughout the 
Group; 
reducing carbon-fuel travel by holding meetings 
by conference call or Webinar and amending 
travel policies to include environmentally-friendly 
elements;
‘green office’ initiatives have reduced paper  
usage, saved energy, and of course, cut costs;
our new multi-divisional site in Mexico is being 
designed with a number of environmentally-
friendly features, including use of recycled 
products, special lighting and water saving.

•	
•	

•	

•	

•	

Our Commercial & Electrical division announced 
the global launch of a paper-free environmental 
programme for customers’ product testing and 
certification deliverables. The Company’s 
proprietary “MyTestCentralTM” web portal will 
be the electronic clearing-house for customer 
certificates, reports and documentation, reducing 
environmental waste as well as adding efficiencies 
to our processes.

The programme will begin in North America, 
followed by Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia 
Pacific areas.

Intertek’s compliance team takes an active role in 
identifying areas where the Group and employees 
can have a positive effect on reducing our 
environmental impact. These include energy and 
water consumption, use of fuel by Group vehicles, 
reduced use of ozone-depleting substances and 
waste and by-product production. 

We aim to educate our employees so that we can all 
work towards a better future for the environment. 
The circulation of information concerning, for 
example, energy consumption, is one of the ways 
we use to identify and enlist the help of all 
employees in minimising specific and overall usage. 

Our customers, suppliers and shareholders
At Intertek we:
•	

maintain quality management systems in our 
divisions and continually monitor the service  
we provide; 
value and serve our customers, as embodied  
in our customer focused mission statement;
offer an integrated and unified service on a  
global basis;
welcome feedback from all stakeholders;
hold regular feedback meetings with customers 
and welcome their inspection of our premises;
provide an accessible feedback service to assess 
the quality of service provided; and
conduct customer satisfaction surveys.

•	

•	

•	
•	

•	

•	

As a Group, we do not have any individual suppliers 
on whom we are overly reliant and we aim to treat 
all suppliers with fairness and integrity. We strive  
to create relationships based on mutual trust and 
ensure payment of all invoices on a timely basis.

Our Compliance Code sets out our business 
principles including their application in business 
relationships. The Code is available in the 
Compliance section of our website at  
www.intertek.com/aboutintertek/compliance.

Communication with shareholders is given a  
high priority and a number of means are used  
to promote greater understanding and dialogue 
with investment audiences.

65

Annual Report 2008 65

Our OCA business 
participated in the 
Louisiana Clean 
Fuels Partnership’s 
Designation as  
a Clean City  
by explaining 
inspection and 
testing’s role in  
the supply chain  
at the Coalition 
Conference held  
in March 2008.

Our investor programme includes:
•	

regular individual meetings with shareholders  
and investment managers during the year;
road shows in many countries; 
regular analyst briefings; and 
‘investor days’ where analysts and investors are 
invited to visit some of our laboratories to meet 
staff and observe work being performed.

•	
•	
•	

In addition, Intertek has an experienced investor 
relations team to handle enquiries and report 
investor-related matters to the Board. Feedback on 
the Group’s investor programme has been positive 
and Intertek has a good relationship with investors 
and their representatives.

During the course of the year, shareholders are  
kept informed on the progress of the Group 
through reports on our financial results, and other 
announcements of significant developments that  
are released through regulatory outlets and our  
own website. We have introduced the option of 
electronic communications with shareholders  
as a way of reducing paper-based reporting. 

In November 2008 the Group 
held its annual budget and 
strategy meetings by Webinar, 
with over 70 employees 
participating from their  
own offices, saving some 
125,000lbs of CO2 emissions 
through reduced travel.

66 www.intertek.com

Independent Auditors’ Report

66

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

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Independent Auditors’ Report to  
the Members of Intertek Group plc
We have audited the Group and Parent Company 
financial statements (the ‘financial statements’) of 
Intertek Group plc for the year ended 31 December 
2008 which comprise the Consolidated Income 
Statement, the Consolidated and Parent Company 
Balance Sheets, the Consolidated Statement of Cash 
Flows, the Consolidated Statement of Recognised 
Income and Expense and the related notes. These 
financial statements have been prepared under the 
accounting policies set out therein. We have also 
audited the information in the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report that is described as having 
been audited. 

This report is made solely to the Company’s 
members, as a body, in accordance with section  
235 of the Companies Act 1985. Our audit work 
has been undertaken so that we might state to the 
Company’s members those matters we are required 
to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no 
other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by 
law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to 
anyone other than the Company and the Company’s 
members as a body, for our audit work, for this 
report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of  
Directors and auditors
The Directors’ responsibilities for preparing the 
Annual Report and the Group financial statements 
in accordance with applicable law and International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by 
the EU, and for preparing the Parent Company 
financial statements and the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report in accordance with applicable 
law and UK Accounting Standards (UK Generally 
Accepted Accounting Practice) are set out in the 
Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities on page 58.

Our responsibility is to audit the financial statements 
and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report 
to be audited in accordance with relevant legal and 
regulatory requirements and International Standards 
on Auditing (UK and Ireland).

We report to you our opinion as to whether the 
financial statements give a true and fair view and 

whether the financial statements and the part of  
the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited 
have been properly prepared in accordance with  
the Companies Act 1985 and, as regards the Group 
financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation. 
We also report to you whether in our opinion the 
information given in the Directors’ Report is 
consistent with the financial statements. 

In addition we report to you if, in our opinion,  
the Company has not kept proper accounting 
records, if we have not received all the information 
and explanations we require for our audit,  
or if information specified by law regarding 
Directors’ remuneration and other transactions  
is not disclosed.

We review whether the Corporate Governance 
Statement reflects the company’s compliance with 
the nine provisions of the 2006 Combined Code 
specified for our review by the Listing Rules of the 
Financial Services Authority, and we report if it does 
not. We are not required to consider whether the 
Board’s statements on internal control cover all risks 
and controls, or form an opinion on the 
effectiveness of the Group’s corporate governance 
procedures or its risk and control procedures.

We read the other information contained in  
the Annual Report and consider whether it is  
consistent with the audited financial statements.  
We consider the implications for our report if we 
become aware of any apparent misstatements  
or material inconsistencies with the financial 
statements. Our responsibilities do not extend  
to any other information.

Basis of audit opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with 
International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) 
issued by the Auditing Practices Board. An audit 
includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence 
relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the 
financial statements and the part of the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report to be audited. It also includes 
an assessment of the significant estimates and 
judgements made by the Directors in the 
preparation of the financial statements, and of 
whether the accounting policies are appropriate to 

67

Annual Report 2008 67

the Group’s and Company’s circumstances, 
consistently applied and adequately disclosed.

We planned and performed our audit so as to 
obtain all the information and explanations which 
we considered necessary in order to provide us  
with sufficient evidence to give reasonable 
assurance that the financial statements and the part 
of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited 
are free from material misstatement, whether 
caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In 
forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall 
adequacy of the presentation of information in the 
financial statements and the part of the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report to be audited.

Opinion
In our opinion:
•	

the Group financial statements give a true and  
fair view, in accordance with IFRSs as adopted  
by the EU, of the state of the Group’s affairs as  
at 31 December 2008 and of its profit for the  
year then ended;
the Group financial statements have been properly 
prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 
1985 and Article 4 of the IAS Regulation;
the Parent Company financial statements give  
a true and fair view, in accordance with UK 
Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, of the 
state of the Parent Company’s affairs as at 
31 December 2008;
the Parent Company financial statements and  
the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report  
to be audited have been properly prepared in 
accordance with the Companies Act 1985; and
the information given in the Directors’ Report is 
consistent with the financial statements.

•	

•	

•	

•	

KPMG Audit Plc
Chartered Accountants
Registered Auditor
8 Salisbury Square
London
EC4Y 8BB

9 March 2009

 
68

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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68 www.intertek.com

Consolidated Income Statement
For the year ended 31 December 2008

Revenue  
Cost of sales 

Gross profit 

Amortisation of acquisition intangibles 
Impairment of goodwill 
Non-recurring costs 
Other administrative expenses 
Total administrative expenses 

Group operating profit 

Finance income 
Finance expense 

Net financing costs 

Share of profit/(loss) of associates 

Profit before income tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Attributable to:
  Equity holders of the Company 
  Minority interest 

Profit for the year 

Earnings per share

Basic  

Diluted  

Notes 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

1,003.5 
(792.6) 

775.4
(615.9)

210.9 

159.5

11 
11 
4 

3 

7 
7 

(9.6) 
(0.5) 
(6.7) –

(46.2) 
(63.0) 

(5.1)
(0.4)

(37.9)
(43.4)

147.9 

116.1

13.1 
(22.6) 

(9.5) 

5.4
(15.6)

(10.2)

12 

0.2 

(0.1)

138.6 

105.8

8 

(36.4) 

(27.0)

102.2 

78.8

21 
22 

93.8 
8.4 

102.2 

73.2
5.6

78.8

9 

9 

59.5p 

58.9p 

46.7p

46.2p

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2008

Assets
Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Investments in associates 
Other investments 
Deferred tax assets 

Total non–current assets  

Inventories 
Trade and other receivables 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total current assets 

Total assets 

Liabilities
Interest bearing loans and borrowings 
Derivative financial instruments 
Current taxes payable 
Trade and other payables 
Provisions 

Total current liabilities 

Interest bearing loans and borrowings 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Net pension liabilities 
Other payables 
Provisions 

Total non-current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets  

Equity
Share capital 
Share premium  
Other reserves 
Retained earnings 

Total equity attributable to equity holders of the Company  
Minority interest 

Total equity 

69

Annual Report 2008 69

Notes 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

10 
11 
11 
12 
13 
14 

15 
16 
25 

17 
28 

18 
19 

17 
14 
24 
18 
19 

20 
21 
21 
21 

22 

234.8 
242.1 
55.2 
1.3 
4.4 –

15.7 

553.5 

8.2 
284.4 
113.3 

405.9 

149.2
148.4
35.0
0.6

11.9

345.1

4.0
191.0
58.6

253.6

959.4 

598.7

(14.0) 
(4.5) 
(36.3) 
(184.4) 
(26.4) 

(13.7)
(0.7)
(25.3)
(128.6)
(22.7)

(265.6) 

(191.0)

(407.6) 
(6.4) 
(18.5) 
(3.4) 
(0.2) 

(217.5)
(5.3)
(7.3)
(0.9)
(0.9)

(436.1) 

(231.9)

(701.7) 

(422.9)

257.7 

175.8

1.6 
249.9 
32.0 
(41.8) 

241.7 
16.0 

1.6
247.3
11.7
(96.4)

164.2
11.6

257.7 

175.8

The financial statements on pages 68 to 111 were approved by the Board on 9 March 2009 and were signed on its behalf by:

Wolfhart Hauser  
Director   

Bill Spencer
Director

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
70 www.intertek.com

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
For the year ended 31 December 2008

Cash flows from operating activities
Profit for the year 
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge 
Amortisation of software 
Amortisation of acquisition intangibles 
Impairment of goodwill 
Equity-settled transactions 
Share of (profit)/loss of associates 
Net financing costs 
Income tax expense 
Loss on disposal of property, fixtures, fittings, equipment and software 

Operating profit before changes in working capital and operating provisions 
Change in inventories 
Change in trade and other receivables 
Change in trade and other payables 
Change in provisions 
Special contributions into pension schemes 

Cash generated from operations 
Interest and other finance expense paid 
Income taxes paid 

Net cash flows from operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities
Proceeds from sale of property, fixtures, fittings, equipment and software 
Interest received 
Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired 
Consideration paid in respect of prior year acquisitions   
Purchase of minority interests 
Purchase of a listed investment 
Purchase of an associate 
Acquisition of property, fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Acquisition of software 

Net cash flows used in investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from the issue of share capital 
Issue of shares by subsidiary undertaking to minority 
Drawdown of senior term loans and notes 
Repayment of senior term loans 
Dividends paid to minorities 
Equity dividends paid 

Net cash flows from financing activities 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash held 

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 

Notes 

2008 
£m 

3 

102.2 

70

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Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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2007
£m

78.8

27.7
2.3
5.1
0.4
3.0
0.1
10.2
27.0
0.1

154.7
(0.3)
(20.7)
14.4
3.8
(2.8)

149.1
(10.8)
(28.4)

109.9

0.3
1.1
(85.8)

(41.3)
(2.5)

36.6 
2.9 
9.6 
0.5 
3.3 
(0.2) 
9.5 
36.4 
0.6 

201.4 
(1.1) 
(20.1) 
11.4 
5.4 
(3.0) 

194.0 
(16.5) 
(36.6) 

140.9 

0.4 
1.5 
(67.8) 
(16.7) –
(1.9) –
(4.4) –
(0.1) –

(63.9) 
(3.7) 

10 
11 
11 
11 
27 
12 
7 
8 
5 

24 

26 
19 
22 
13 
12 
10 
11 

21 

22 
21 

25 
25 
25 

25 

(156.6) 

(128.2)

2.6 
0.5 –
177.9 
(98.4) 
(6.1) 
(30.4) 

46.1 

30.4 
58.6 
24.3 

113.3 

4.9

70.6
(21.2)
(3.6)
(25.2)

25.5

7.2
49.5
1.9

58.6

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Recognised Income and Expense
For the year ended 31 December 2008

Foreign exchange translation differences for foreign operations 
Actuarial gains and losses on defined benefit pension schemes 
Tax on income and expense recognised directly in equity 
Effective portion of changes in fair value of cash flow hedges 
Net loss on hedges of net investments in foreign operations 

Income and expense recognised directly in equity   
Profit for the year 

Total recognised income and expense for the year  

Total recognised income and expense for the year attributable to:
  Equity holders of the Company 
  Minority interest 

Total recognised income and expense for the year  

71

Annual Report 2008 71

2008 
£m 

138.4 
(12.3) 
– 
(3.7) 
(110.9) 

11.5 
102.2 

113.7 

101.8 
11.9 

113.7 

2007
£m

10.6
8.5
(2.3)
(1.1)
(3.2)

12.5
78.8

91.3

85.1
6.2

91.3

Notes 

21 & 22 
24 
21 
21 
21 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
72

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

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Notes to the financial statements
Notes to the financial statements

1 General
Intertek Group plc is a company incorporated and domiciled in the UK.

The Group financial statements as at and for the year ended 31 December 2008 consolidate those of the Company and its subsidiaries 
(together referred to as the Group) and equity account the Group’s interest in associates. The Parent Company financial statements present 
information about the Company as a separate entity and not about its Group.

The Group’s activities are the testing, inspection and certification of products and commodities against a wide range of safety, regulatory, 
quality and performance standards. Note 3 provides a segmental analysis of the Group’s performance.

2 Significant accounting policies
(a) Statement of compliance
The Group financial statements have been prepared and approved by the Directors in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards as adopted by the EU (IFRSs). The Company has elected to prepare its Parent Company financial statements in accordance with 
UK GAAP; these are presented on pages 112 to 115. 

(b) Basis of preparation
The accounting policies set out below have been applied consistently to all periods presented in these consolidated financial statements.

The Group has adopted in the year the following new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations, which have had no impact 
on the financial statements: 
•	
•	
•	

	Amendments	to	IAS	39	and	IFRS	7	–	‘Reclassification	of	Financial	Instruments’
	IFRIC	14,	‘IAS	19	–	The	limit	on	a	defined	benefit	asset,	minimum	funding	requirements	and	their	interaction’	
	IFRIC	11,	‘IFRS	2	–	Group	and	Treasury	Share	Transactions’.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with IFRSs, requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions 
that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Actual results may 
differ from these estimates.

Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in 
which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

In particular, information about significant areas of estimation, uncertainty and critical judgements in applying accounting policies that 
have the most significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements, is discussed in note (w).

Measurement convention
The financial statements are prepared on the historical cost basis except that derivative financial instruments and available-for-sale financial 
assets are stated at fair value.

Functional and presentation currency
These consolidated financial statements are presented in sterling, which is the Company’s functional currency. All information presented in 
sterling has been rounded to the nearest £100,000.

Going concern
The Board has reviewed forecasts, including forecasts adjusted for significantly worse economic conditions, and remains satisfied 
with the Group’s funding and liquidity position. On the basis of its forecasts, both base case and stressed, and available facilities, which 
are described in note 17, the Board has concluded that the going concern basis of preparation continues to be appropriate.

(c) Basis of consolidation
Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are those entities controlled by the Group. Control exists when the Group has the power, directly or indirectly, to govern the 
financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. In assessing control, potential voting rights that 
presently are exercisable or convertible are taken into account. The financial statements of subsidiaries are included in the consolidated 
financial statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases. The accounting policies of subsidiaries have 
been changed where necessary to align them with the policies adopted by the Group.

For	purchases	of	minority	interest	in	subsidiaries,	the	Group	applies	the	‘entity	concept	method’.	Under	this	method,	the	entire	difference	
between the cost of the additional interest in the subsidiary, and the minority interest’s share of the assets and liabilities reflected in the 
consolidated balance sheet at the date of acquisition of the minority interests, is reflected directly in the shareholders’ equity.

Associates
Associates are those entities in which the Group has significant influence, but not control, over the financial and operating policies. 
Significant influence is presumed to exist when the Group holds between 20% and 50% of the voting power of another entity. The 
consolidated financial statements include the Group’s share of the total recognised income and expense of associates on an equity 
accounted basis, after adjustments to align the accounting policies with those of the Group, from the date that significant influence 
commences until the date that significant influence ceases. When the Group’s share of losses exceeds its interest in an associate, the 
Group’s carrying amount of that interest is reduced to nil and recognition of further losses is discontinued except to the extent that the 
Group has a legal or constructive obligation or has made payments on behalf of an associate. The Group does not consider the associates 
to be an integral part of the Group’s operations and therefore its results are presented outside of the Group operating profit.

73

Annual Report 2008 73

2 Significant accounting policies (continued)
Transactions eliminated on consolidation
Intra-group balances and transactions, and any unrealised gains and losses or income and expenses arising from intra-group transactions, 
are eliminated in preparing the consolidated financial statements. Unrealised gains arising from transactions with associates are eliminated 
against the investment to the extent of the Group’s interest in the entity. Unrealised losses are eliminated in the same way as unrealised 
gains, but only to the extent that there is no evidence of impairment.

(d) Foreign currency 
Foreign currency transactions
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the foreign exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and 
liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the reporting date are translated at the foreign exchange rate ruling at that date. Foreign 
exchange differences arising on translation are recognised in the income statement except those arising on the retranslation of a financial 
liability designated as a hedge of net investment in a foreign operation and on retranslation of available-for-sale equity instruments which 
are recognised directly in equity. Non-monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies that are measured at fair value are 
translated at foreign exchange rates ruling at the dates the fair values were determined. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are 
measured in terms of historical cost in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rate at the date of the transaction.

Foreign operations
The assets and liabilities of foreign operations, including goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on acquisition, are translated to sterling 
at foreign exchange rates ruling at the reporting date. The income and expenses of foreign operations are translated into sterling at 
cumulative average rates of exchange during the year.

The most significant currencies for the Group were translated at the following exchange rates:

Value of £1 

US dollar 
Euro 
Chinese renminbi 
Hong Kong dollar 

Balance sheet 
Actual rates 

Income statement
Cumulative
average rates

31 Dec 08 

31 Dec 07 

2008 

1.46 
1.02 
9.95 
11.28 

1.99 
1.36 
14.57 
15.51 

1.87 
1.26 
13.03 
14.59 

2007

2.00
1.46
15.24
15.62

Exchange differences arising from the translation of foreign operations, and of related qualifying hedges are taken directly to equity in the 
translation reserve. They are released into the income statement upon disposal. The Group has taken advantage of relief available in IFRS 1, 
to deem the cumulative translation differences for all foreign operations to be zero at the date of transition to IFRSs on 1 January 2004.

Hedges of net investments in foreign operations are discussed in accounting policy (g).

(e) Classification of financial instruments issued by the Group
Following the adoption of IAS 32, financial instruments issued by the Group are treated as equity (i.e. forming part of shareholders’ funds) 
only to the extent that they meet the following two conditions:

(i)   they include no contractual obligations upon the Group to deliver cash or other financial assets or to exchange financial assets or 

financial liabilities with another party under conditions that are potentially unfavourable to the Group; and

(ii)   where the instrument will or may be settled in the Company’s own equity instruments, it is either a non-derivative that includes no 

obligation to deliver a variable number of the Company’s own equity instruments or is a derivative that will be settled by the 
Company’s exchanging a fixed amount of cash or other financial assets for a fixed number of its own equity instruments.

To the extent that this definition is not met, the proceeds of issue are classified as a financial liability. Where the instrument so classified 
takes the legal form of the Company’s own shares, the amounts presented in these financial statements for called up share capital and 
share premium exclude amounts in relation to those shares.

Finance payments associated with financial liabilities are dealt with as part of finance expenses. Finance payments associated with financial 
instruments that are classified in equity are dividends and are recorded directly in equity.

(f) Derivative financial instruments
The Group uses derivative financial instruments to hedge economically its exposure to foreign exchange and interest rate risks arising from 
operational, financing and investment activities. In accordance with its treasury policy, the Group does not hold or issue derivative financial 
instruments for trading purposes.

Derivative financial instruments are recognised initially at fair value; attributable transaction costs are recognised in profit or loss when 
incurred. Subsequent to initial recognition, derivative financial instruments are measured at fair value. The gain or loss on re-measurement 
to fair value is recognised immediately in the income statement except where derivatives qualify for hedge accounting, in which case the 
recognition of any resultant gain or loss depends on the nature of the item being hedged (see accounting policy (g)). Derivatives that do 
not qualify for hedge accounting are accounted for as trading instruments.

The fair value of interest rate swaps is the estimated amount that the Group would receive or pay to terminate the swap at the balance 
sheet date, taking into account current interest rates and the current creditworthiness of the swap counterparties. The fair value of forward 
exchange contracts is their quoted market price at the balance sheet date, being the present value of the difference between the quoted 
forward price and the exercise price of the contract.

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
74

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

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Notes to the financial statements

2 Significant accounting policies (continued)
(g) Hedging
Cash flow hedges
Where a derivative financial instrument is designated as a hedge of the variability in cash flows of a recognised asset or liability, or a highly 
probable forecasted transaction, the effective part of any gain or loss on the derivative financial instrument is recognised directly in the 
hedging reserve. The ineffective part of any gain or loss on the derivative financial instrument is recognised in the income statement.

When a hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated or exercised, or the entity revokes designation of the hedge relationship but the 
hedged transaction is still expected to occur, the cumulative gain or loss at that point remains in equity and is recognised in the income 
statement when the transaction occurs. If the hedged transaction is no longer expected to take place, the cumulative unrealised gain or 
loss recognised in equity is recognised in the income statement immediately.

When the hedged item is a non-financial asset, the amount recognised in equity is transferred to the income statement in the same period 
that the hedged item affects the income statement.

Hedge of monetary assets and liabilities
Where a derivative financial instrument is used economically to hedge the foreign exchange exposure of a recognised monetary asset or 
liability, no hedge accounting is applied and any gain or loss on the hedging instrument is recognised in the income statement.

Hedge of net investment in a foreign operation
The portion of the gain or loss on an instrument designated as a hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation that is determined to be 
an effective hedge, is recognised directly in equity in a translation reserve. The ineffective portion is recognised immediately in the income 
statement. When the hedged net investment is disposed of, the cumulative amount in equity is transferred to the income statement as an 
adjustment to the profit or loss on disposal.

Available-for-sale financial assets 
The Group’s investments in equity securities are classified as available-for-sale financial assets. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are 
measured at fair value and changes therein, other than impairment losses (which are recognised in the income statement), and foreign 
currency differences on available-for-sale monetary items (see note (d)), are recognised directly in equity. When an investment is 
derecognised, the cumulative gain or loss in equity is transferred to profit or loss.

(h) Property, plant and equipment
Owned assets
Items of property, plant and equipment are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation (see below) and accumulated impairment 
losses (see accounting policy (m)).

Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset.

Gains and losses on disposal of items of property, plant and equipment are determined by comparing the proceeds from disposal with the 
carrying amount of property, plant and equipment and are recognised in profit or loss.

The cost of replacing part of an item of property, plant and equipment is recognised in the carrying amount of the item if it is probable 
that the future economic benefits embodied within the part will flow to the Group and its cost can be measured reliably. The carrying 
amount of the replaced part is derecognised. The costs of the day-to-day servicing of property, plant and equipment are recognised in 
profit or loss as incurred. 

Leased assets
Leases in which the Group assumes substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as finance leases. Where land and 
buildings are held under finance leases, the accounting treatment of the land is considered separately from that of the buildings. Leased 
assets acquired by way of finance leases are stated at an amount equal to the lower of their fair value and the present value of the 
minimum lease payments at inception of the lease, less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. 

Other leases are operating leases. These leased assets are not recognised on the Group’s balance sheet.

Depreciation
Depreciation is charged to the income statement on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of items of property, plant and 
equipment. Leased assets are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and their useful lives, unless it is reasonably certain that the 
Group will obtain ownership by the end of the lease term.

Land is not depreciated. The estimated useful lives are as follows:

Freehold buildings and long leasehold buildings 
Short leasehold buildings 
Fixtures, fittings and equipment  

50 years
Term of lease 
3–10 years

Depreciation methods, residual values and the useful lives of all assets are re-assessed at each reporting date.

(i) Intangible assets
Goodwill
Goodwill arises on the acquisition of businesses. All business combinations are accounted for by applying the purchase method. Goodwill 
represents the difference between the cost of acquisition and the Group’s interest in the fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and 
contingent liabilities acquired. Goodwill is stated at cost less any accumulated impairment losses (see accounting policy (m)). Goodwill is 
allocated to cash generating units (CGUs) and is not amortised but is tested annually for impairment. In respect of associates, the carrying 
amount of goodwill is included in the carrying amount of the investments in associates.

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Annual Report 2008 75

2 Significant accounting policies (continued) 
The Group has taken advantage of the exemption permitted by IFRS 1 and has not restated goodwill on acquisitions prior to 1 January 
2004, the date of transition to IFRS. In respect of acquisitions prior to 1 January 2004, goodwill represents the amount recognised under 
the Group’s previous accounting framework.

Purchased goodwill in respect of acquisitions before 1 January 1998, was written off to reserves in the year of acquisition, in accordance 
with the accounting standard then in force. 

Negative goodwill arising on an acquisition is recognised immediately in the income statement.

Fair value adjustments are made in respect of acquisitions. If at the balance sheet date the fair values of the acquiree’s identifiable assets, 
liabilities and contingent liabilities can only be established provisionally, then these values are used. Any adjustments to these values made 
within 12 months of the acquisition date are taken as adjustments to goodwill.

Other intangible assets
Other than goodwill, intangible assets arising on acquisitions and computer software, are stated at cost less accumulated amortisation and 
accumulated impairment losses. Identifiable intangibles are those which can be sold separately or which arise from legal rights regardless 
of whether those rights are separable, and which have finite useful lives.

Amortisation is charged to the income statement on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives are as 
follows:

Computer software 
Customer relationships 
Know-how 
Licences 
Covenants not to compete 

Up to 5 years
Up to 10 years
Up to 5 years
Contractual life
Contractual life

(j) Trade and other receivables
Trade and other receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently are stated at their amortised cost less impairment losses 
(see accounting policy (m)).

(k) Inventories
Inventories are measured at the lower of cost and net realisable value. The cost of the inventories is based on the first-in-first-out (FIFO) 
principle. Cost comprises expenditure incurred in the normal course of business in bringing inventories to their present condition and 
location and net realisable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less the estimated selling costs.

(l) Cash and cash equivalents and net debt
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and call deposits. Bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral 
part of the Group’s cash management are included as a component of cash and cash equivalents for the purpose of the statement of cash 
flows. Net debt comprises borrowings less cash and cash equivalents.

(m) Impairment
Financial assets
A financial asset is assessed at each reporting date to determine whether there is any objective evidence that it is impaired. A financial 
asset is considered to be impaired if objective evidence indicates that one or more events have had a negative effect on the estimated 
future cash flows of that asset.

An impairment loss in respect of a financial asset measured at amortised cost is calculated as the difference between its carrying amount, 
and the present value of the estimated future cash flows discounted at the original effective interest rate. Receivables with a short duration 
are not discounted.

Individually significant financial assets are tested for impairment on an individual basis. The remaining financial assets are assessed 
collectively in groups that share similar credit risk characteristics.

All impairment losses are recognised in the income statement. 

An impairment loss is reversed if the reversal can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognised.  
For financial assets measured at amortised cost, the reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Non-financial assets
The carrying amounts of the Group’s non-financial assets, other than inventories and deferred tax assets, are reviewed at each reporting 
date to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. If any such indication exists, then the asset’s recoverable amount is 
estimated. The recoverable amount of goodwill is estimated at each reporting date.

An impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of an asset or its cash generating unit exceeds its recoverable amount. 
Impairment losses are recognised in the income statement.

Impairment losses recognised in respect of cash generating units are allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill 
allocated to cash generating units and then to reduce the carrying amount of the other assets in the unit on a pro-rata basis. A cash 
generating unit is the smallest identifiable group of assets that generates cash inflows that are largely independent of the cash inflows 
from other assets or groups of assets.

76

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

76 www.intertek.com

Notes to the financial statements

2 Significant accounting policies (continued)
The recoverable amount of an asset or a cash generating unit is the greater of its fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing 
value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market 
assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset. The goodwill acquired in a business combination, for the 
purpose of impairment testing, is allocated to cash generating units that are expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination. 
For an asset that does not generate largely independent cash inflows, the recoverable amount is determined for the cash generating unit 
to which the asset belongs. An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s carrying amount does not exceed the 
carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortisation, if no impairment loss had been recognised. An 
impairment loss in respect of goodwill is not reversed. In respect of other assets, an impairment loss is reversed when there is an indication 
that the impairment loss may no longer exist as a result of a change in the estimates used to determine the recoverable amount.

(n) Dividends
Interim dividends are recognised as a movement in equity when they are paid. Final dividends are reported as a movement in equity in the 
period in which they are approved by the shareholders.

(o) Interest-bearing borrowings
Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recognised at fair value, less attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, 
interest-bearing borrowings are stated at amortised cost with any difference between cost and redemption value being recognised in the 
income statement over the period of the borrowings on an effective interest basis.

(p) Employee benefits
Defined contribution plan
A defined contribution plan is a post-employment benefit plan under which an entity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity and 
will have no legal or constructive obligation to pay further amounts. Obligations for contributions to defined contribution pension plans are 
recognised as an employee benefit expense in the income statement as incurred.

Defined benefit plans
A defined benefit plan is a post-employment benefit plan other than a defined contribution plan. The Group’s net obligation in respect of 
defined benefit pension plans is calculated separately for each plan by estimating the amount of future benefit that employees have earned 
in return for their service in the current and prior periods; that benefit is discounted to determine its present value. Any unrecognised past 
service costs and the fair value of any plan assets are deducted. The discount rate is the yield at the reporting date on AA credit-rated 
bonds that have maturity dates approximating the terms of the Group’s obligations and that are denominated in the same currency in 
which the benefits are expected to be paid. The calculation is performed annually by a qualified actuary using the projected unit credit 
method. When the calculation results in a benefit to the Group, the recognised asset is limited to the total of any unrecognised past service 
costs and the present value of economic benefits available in the form of (i) an unconditional right to a refund from the plan or (ii) 
reductions in future contributions to the plan as measured by the estimated future service cost less the estimated minimum funding 
contributions required in respect of the future accrual of benefits in that year. An economic benefit is available to the Group if it is 
realisable during the life of the plan, or on settlement of the plan liabilities. In addition a provision for future minimum funding 
contributions is recorded to the extent that such payments are required to cover an existing shortfall, as measured on a minimum funding 
contribution basis, and having been paid will not be available as a refund or a reduction in future contributions to the plan.

The increase in the present value of the liabilities expected to arise from the employees’ services in the accounting period is charged to the 
operating profit in the income statement. The expected return on the schemes’ assets and the interest on the present value of the 
schemes’ liabilities, during the accounting period, are shown as finance income and finance expense respectively. Actuarial gains and losses 
are recognised immediately in equity.

Share-based payment transactions
The share-based compensation plans operated by the Group allow employees to acquire shares of the Company. The fair value of the 
employee services received in exchange for the grant of share options or shares, is measured at the grant date and is recognised as an 
expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The charge is calculated using the Black-Scholes method and expensed to the income 
statement over the vesting period of the relevant award. The charge for the share options and for the share awards is adjusted to reflect 
expected and actual levels of vesting where conditions are non-market based. The expense of the share awards under the deferred bonus 
plan is also adjusted for the probability of performance conditions being achieved. The Group has taken advantage of the provisions of 
IFRS 1: First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, and has recognised an expense only in respect of share options 
and share awards granted since 7 November 2002.

Own shares held by ESOT trust
Transactions of the Group sponsored ESOT trust are included in the Group financial statements. In particular, the trust’s purchases of 
shares in the Company are debited directly to equity.

(q) Provisions
A provision is recognised in the balance sheet when the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation that can be estimated reliably 
as a result of a past event, and it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation. 

(r) Trade and other payables
Trade and other payables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently are stated at their amortised cost.

(s) Revenue
Revenue represents the total amount receivable for services rendered, excluding sales related taxes and intra group transactions. Revenue 
from services rendered is recognised in the income statement when the relevant service is completed, usually when the report of findings is 
issued or in certain circumstances, in proportion to the stage of completion, normally determined by reference to costs incurred to date in 
proportion to the total anticipated costs of the transaction at the balance sheet date. 

77

Annual Report 2008 77

2 Significant accounting policies (continued)
(t) Expenses
Operating lease payments
Payments made under operating leases are recognised in the income statement on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. 
Lease incentives received are recognised in the income statement as an integral part of the total lease expense over the term of the lease.

Net financing costs
Net financing costs comprise interest expense on borrowings calculated using the effective interest rate method, facility fees, interest 
receivable on funds invested, net foreign exchange gains or losses on external interest, income and expense relating to pension assets and 
liabilities, and gains and losses on hedging instruments, that are recognised in the income statement (see accounting policy (g)). Interest 
income is recognised in the income statement as it accrues using the effective interest rate method. All borrowing costs are recognised in 
the income statement using the effective interest rate method. 

(u) Income tax 
Income tax for the year comprises current and deferred tax. Income tax is recognised in the income statement except to the extent that it 
relates to items recognised directly in equity, in which case it is recognised in equity. 

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the 
reporting date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years.

Deferred tax is provided using the balance sheet liability method, providing for temporary differences between the carrying amount of 
assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. The following temporary differences 
are not provided for: initial recognition of goodwill; the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a transaction that is not a business 
combination and that affect neither accounting nor taxable profit; overseas retained earnings, the distribution of which is under the control 
of the Group, and which are not likely to be distributed in the foreseeable future; and differences relating to investments in subsidiaries to 
the extent that they will probably not reverse in the foreseeable future. The amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected 
manner of realisation or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, using tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the 
balance sheet date. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax liabilities and 
assets, and they relate to income taxes levied by the same tax authority on the same taxable entity, or on different tax entities, but they 
intend to settle current tax liabilities and assets on a net basis or their tax assets and liabilities will be realised simultaneously.

A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which the 
temporary difference can be utilised. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to the extent that it is no 
longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realised.

Any additional income taxes that arise from the distribution of dividends are recognised at the same time as the liability to pay the related 
dividend.

(v) Segment reporting
A segment is a distinguishable component of the Group that is engaged either in providing services to a particular industry (business 
segment) or in providing services within a particular economic environment (geographic segment), which is subject to risks and rewards 
that are different from those of other segments.

(w) Significant accounting judgements and estimates
In applying the Group’s accounting policies described above, management has applied judgement in the following areas that have a 
significant impact on the amounts recognised in the financial statements. Also discussed below, are key assumptions concerning the future 
and other key sources of estimation at the balance sheet date, that have a risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of 
assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

Claims (see notes 19 and 29)
In making provision for claims, management bases its judgement on the circumstances relating to each specific event, internal and external 
legal advice, knowledge of the industries and markets, prevailing commercial terms and legal precedents. The Group’s legal and warranty 
claims are reviewed, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis by senior management.

Intangible assets (see note 11)
When the Group makes an acquisition, management review the business and assets acquired to determine whether any intangible assets 
should be recognised separately from goodwill. If such an asset is identified, then it is valued by discounting the probable future cash flows 
expected to be generated by the asset, over the estimated life of the asset. Where there is uncertainty over the amount of economic 
benefit and the useful life, this is factored into the calculation.

Impairment of goodwill (see note 11)
The Group determines whether goodwill is impaired on an annual basis. This requires an estimation of the value in use of the cash 
generating units to which the goodwill is allocated. Estimating the value-in-use, requires the Group to make an estimate of the expected 
future cash flows from the cash generating unit that holds the goodwill, at a determined discount rate to calculate the present value of 
those cash flows.

Contingent consideration (see notes 19 and 26)
When the Group acquires businesses, the total consideration may consist of an amount paid on completion plus further amounts payable 
on agreed post completion dates. These further amounts are contingent on the acquired business meeting agreed performance targets. 
At the date of acquisition, the Group reviews the profit and cash forecasts for the acquired business and estimates the amount of 
contingent consideration that is likely to be due.  

78

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

78 www.intertek.com

Notes to the financial statements

2 Significant accounting policies (continued)
Recoverability of trade receivables (see note 28)
Trade receivables are reflected net of an estimated provision for impairment losses. This provision is based primarily on a review of all 
outstanding accounts and considers the past payment history and creditworthiness of each account and the length of time that the debt 
has remained unpaid. The actual amounts of debts that ultimately prove irrecoverable could vary from the actual provision made. 

Employee post-retirement benefit obligations (see note 24)
The Group has three principal defined pension benefit plans. The obligations under these plans are recognised in the balance sheet and 
represent the present value of the obligation calculated by independent actuaries, with input from management. These actuarial 
valuations include assumptions such as discount rates, return on assets, salary progression and mortality rates. These assumptions vary 
from time to time according to prevailing economic and social conditions.

Deferred tax (see note 14)
Deferred tax assets and liabilities require management judgement in determining the amounts to be recognised. In particular, judgement 
is used when assessing the extent to which deferred tax assets should be recognised, with consideration given to the timing and level of 
future taxable income.

Income tax (see note 8)
The actual tax on profits is determined according to complex tax laws and regulations. Where the effect of these laws and regulations is 
unclear, estimates are used in determining the liability for the tax to be paid on past profits which are recognised in the financial 
statements. The Group considers the estimates, assumptions and judgements to be reasonable but this can involve complex issues which 
may take a number of years to resolve. The final determination of prior year tax liabilities could be different from the estimates reflected 
in the financial statements. 

Basis of consolidation (see note 26)
Judgement is applied when determining if an entity acquired is controlled by the Group, and therefore is defined as a subsidiary. Control  
is presumed to exist when the Group owns, directly or indirectly through subsidiaries, more than half of the voting power of an entity. 
However, even if the Group owns half or less of the voting power of an entity, control may still exist. In assessing control, the Group 
considers whether it has the ability to control on a legal or contractual basis rather than whether that control actually is exercised. Specific 
examples of where the Group has control of subsidiaries are where it has the power to govern the entity’s financial and operating policies 
by virtue of statute or agreement and where it has the power to cast the majority of votes of the entity’s governing body.  

(x) New standards and interpretations not yet adopted
The following new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations are not yet effective for the year ended 31 December 2008, 
and have not been applied in preparing these consolidated financial statements:
•	
•	
•	
•	

IFRS 8: Operating Segments
Revised IAS 23: Borrowing Costs
Amendment to IFRS 2: Share based Payment – Vesting Conditions and Cancellations
Revised IAS 1: Presentation of Financial Statements

The adoption of these standards and interpretations in future periods is not expected to have a material impact on the income, 
expenses, assets and liabilities of the Group, although there will be changes to the presentation of the financial statements. 

3 Segment reporting
Segment information is presented in respect of the Group’s business and geographical segments. The primary format, business 
segments, is based on the way the Group considers its business.

Inter-segment pricing is determined on an arm’s-length basis.

Segment results, assets and liabilities include items directly attributable to a segment as well as those that can be allocated on a 
reasonable basis. Unallocated items comprise mainly borrowings, pension fund liabilities, and corporate expenses and assets. 

Segment capital expenditure is the total cost incurred during the year to acquire property, plant and equipment, and computer software.

Business segments
From 1 January 2008, the Group is organised into seven operating divisions: Consumer Goods, Commercial & Electrical, Oil, Chemical & 
Agri, Government Services, Analytical Services, Industrial Services and Minerals. The costs of the corporate head office and other costs 
which are not controlled by the operating divisions are allocated to these divisions. 

These divisions are the basis on which the Group reports its primary segment information.

Principal activities are as follows:

Consumer Goods provides services to the textiles, footwear, toys, food and hardlines industries.

Commercial & Electrical provides testing, inspection and certification services to industries including those in the home appliances, 
medical, building, industrial and HVAC/R, IT and telecom and automotive sectors.

Oil, Chemical & Agri provides independent cargo inspection, laboratory testing, calibration and related technical services to the world’s 
energy, petroleum, chemical and agricultural industries. 

Government Services provides trade services to standards bodies and governments.

Analytical Services provides laboratory services to the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics/personal care, oil and gas and automotive/
aerospace industries.

79

Annual Report 2008 79

3 Segment reporting (continued)
Industrial Services provides high-value audit services to a wide range of industries in both the manufacturing and services sectors and 
quality and safety services to oil and gas, industrial and process industries.

Minerals provides inspection, testing and advisory services to the mining and exploration industries. 

Prior to 1 January 2008, the Group was organised into four divisions: Oil, Chemical & Agri, Commercial & Electrical, Consumer Goods and 
Government Services. Central overheads which comprised the costs of the corporate head office and other costs which are not controlled 
by the operating divisions were shown separately. 

Revenue and operating profit previously reported for periods prior to 1 January 2008 have been restated to show a like-for-like comparison.

Year ended 31 December 2008
Business analysis (primary segment)

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  
Eliminations 

Total 

Non-recurring costs 

Group operating profit 
Net financing costs 
Share of profit of associates 
Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  
Central  

Total allocated 
Investments 
Unallocated  

Total  

  Revenue from 
external 
customers 
£m 

Inter- 
segment 
revenue  Total revenue  
£m 

£m 

Adjusted  Amortisation 
operating  of acquisition  
intangibles 
£m 

profit 
£m 

Impairment 
of goodwill 
£m 

250.4 
203.5 
308.1 
46.8 
119.5 
36.0 
39.2 
– 

0.5 
2.6 
6.0 
1.3 
– 
1.8 
– 
(12.2) 

250.9 
206.1 
314.1 
48.1 
119.5 
37.8 
39.2 
(12.2) 

75.7 
29.2 
33.5 
6.4 
13.2 
1.8 
4.9 
– 

1,003.5 

– 

1,003.5 

164.7 

(1.0) 
(1.5) 
(0.6) 
– 
(3.9) 
(1.6) 
(1.0) 
– 

(9.6) 

– 
(0.5) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

Total
£m

74.7
27.2
32.9
6.4
9.3
0.2
3.9
–

(0.5) 

154.6

(6.7)

147.9
(9.5)
0.2
(36.4)

102.2

  Depreciation 
and 
Segment 
software 
liabilities  amortisation 
£m 

£m 

Capital
expenditure
including
software
£m

47.3 
47.2 
51.5 
10.0 
16.4 
4.8 
6.3 
8.0 

191.5 
– 
510.2 

701.7 

9.3 
8.8 
12.1 
1.5 
4.4 
0.4 
2.8 
0.2 

39.5 
– 
– 

39.5 

14.3
16.3
16.7
0.3
5.4
0.5
12.3
1.8

67.6
–
–

67.6

Segment 
assets 
£m 

139.2 
198.8 
186.7 
15.7 
171.8 
33.9 
68.9 
6.5 

821.5 
5.7 
132.2 

959.4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80

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ID No: C14294

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Adjusted  Amortisation 
operating  of acquisition 
intangibles 
£m 

profit 
£m 

Impairment 
of goodwill 
£m 

Group
operating
profit
£m

80 www.intertek.com

Notes to the financial statements

3 Segment reporting (continued)
Year ended 31 December 2007
Business analysis (primary segment)

  Revenue from 
external 
customers 
£m 

Inter- 
segment  
revenue 
£m 

181.2 
163.0 
248.5 
45.2 
95.7 
22.2 
19.6 
– 

775.4 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  
Eliminations 

Total 

Net financing costs 
Share of loss of associates 
Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals 
Central 

Total allocated 
Investment in associates 
Unallocated 

Total  

Total 
revenue 
£m 

181.6 
164.8 
251.5 
46.5 
95.7 
22.3 
19.6 
(6.6) 

0.4 
1.8 
3.0 
1.3 
– 
0.1 
– 
(6.6) 

52.4 
23.0 
24.4 
6.0 
11.7 
1.0 
3.1 
– 

– 

775.4 

121.6 

Segment  
assets 
£m 

80.7 
117.1 
150.0 
16.0 
111.1 
7.3 
39.6 
4.2 

526.0 
0.6 
72.1 

598.7 

(0.5) 
(0.8) 
(0.5) 
(0.1) 
(1.8) 
(0.8) 
(0.6) 
– 

(5.1) 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
(0.4) 
– 
– 

51.9
22.2
23.9
5.9
9.9
(0.2)
2.5
–

(0.4) 

116.1

(10.2)
(0.1)
(27.0)

78.8

Capital 
  Depreciation   expenditure
including
software
£m

Segment  and software 
liabilities  amortisation 
£m 

£m 

28.1 
36.3 
37.6 
8.1 
13.5 
0.9 
3.8 
8.1 

136.4 
– 
286.5 

422.9 

7.3 
7.7 
9.9 
1.5 
2.6 
– 
0.9 
0.1 

30.0 
– 
– 

30.0 

8.7
9.6
17.3
0.4
3.7
–
3.8
0.3

43.8
–
–

43.8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
81

Annual Report 2008 81

Adjusted  Amortisation 
operating  of acquisition 
intangibles 
£m 

profit 
£m 

Impairment 
of goodwill 
£m 

Group
operating
profit
£m

Total 
revenue 
£m 

181.6 
180.9 
367.1 
52.4 
– 
(6.6) 

0.4 
1.8 
3.1 
1.3 
– 
(6.6) 

55.2 
27.2 
45.8 
7.6 
(14.2) 
– 

– 

775.4 

121.6 

Segment  
assets 
£m 

80.7 
121.5 
303.6 
16.0 
4.2 

526.0 
0.6 
72.1 

598.7 

(0.5) 
(1.6) 
(2.9) 
(0.1) 
– 
– 

(5.1) 

– 
(0.4) 
– 
– 
– 
– 

54.7
25.2
42.9
7.5
(14.2)
–

(0.4) 

116.1

Capital 
  Depreciation   expenditure
including
software
£m

Segment  and software 
liabilities  amortisation 
£m 

£m 

28.1 
37.1 
55.1 
9.4 
6.7 

136.4 
– 
286.5 

422.9 

7.3 
7.7 
13.4 
1.5 
0.1 

30.0 
– 
– 

30.0 

8.7
9.6
24.8
0.4
0.3

43.8
–
–

43.8

3 Segment reporting (continued)
The figures previously reported were as follows:

  Revenue from 
external  
customers 
£m 

Inter- 
segment  
revenue 
£m 

181.2 
179.1 
364.0 
51.1 
– 
– 

775.4 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Central 
Eliminations 

Total 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Central  

Total allocated 
Investment in associates 
Unallocated  

Total 

Geographic segments
All the business segments are managed on a worldwide basis but can be divided into the following geographic regions:
•	
•	
•	

Americas
Europe, Middle East and Africa 
Asia Pacific

In presenting information on the basis of geographic segments, segment revenue is based on the location of the entity generating that 
revenue. Segment operating profit is based on segment revenue less operating costs incurred in each geograhic location. Central overheads 
are incurred mostly in the UK and are not allocated to other regions. Segment assets are based on the geographical location of the assets.

Geographic analysis (secondary segment)

Americas 

Europe, Middle  
East and Africa 

Asia Pacific 

Consolidated 

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

2008 
£m 

Revenue from external customers 

341.1 

271.7 

295.6 

235.0 

366.8 

268.7 

1,003.5 

Adjusted operating profit   
Amortisation of acquisition intangibles 
Impairment of goodwill –
Non-recurring costs 

Group operating profit 

Segment assets 
Capital expenditure including software 

49.3 
(3.0) 
 –
(2.5) –

43.8 

313.6 
20.9 

38.5 
(1.8) 

36.7 

198.7 
14.2 

7.1 
(4.3) 
(0.5) –
(4.1) –

(1.8) 

277.6 
16.5 

4.1 
(1.6) 
 –

2.5 

172.2 
10.5 

108.3 
(2.3) 

(0.1) –

105.9 

230.3 
30.2 

79.0 
(1.7) 
(0.4) 

76.9 

155.1 
19.1 

164.7 
(9.6) 
(0.5) 
(6.7) –

147.9 

821.5 
67.6 

2007
£m

775.4

121.6
(5.1)
(0.4)

116.1

526.0
43.8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
82

Client: Intertek

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Notes to the financial statements

4 Non-recurring costs
The non-recurring costs of £6.7m (2007: £nil) comprise employee redundancies and settlements, lease terminations and consultancy and 
legal fees. The tax impact is a tax credit of £1.2m (2007: £nil). This primarily relates to the integration of the Government Services division 
with the Oil, Chemical & Agri division, following the Group’s strategic review of its business segments. 

5 Expenses and auditors’ remuneration

Included in profit for the year are the following expenses:  
Property rentals 
Lease and hire charges – fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Depreciation and software amortisation 
Loss on disposal of property, fixtures, fittings, equipment and software 

Auditors’ remuneration: 
Audit of these financial statements 
Amounts receivable by auditors and their associates in respect of: 
Audit of financial statements of subsidiaries pursuant to legislation   
Other services pursuant to such legislation – review of interim financial statements 
Taxation services  
Other  

2008 
£m 

32.7 
6.2 
39.5 
0.6 

2008 
£000 

282 

961 
79 
137 
199 

2007
£m

25.7
5.3
30.0
0.1

2007
£000

264

661
78
223
175

Total 

1,658 

1,401

In addition the auditors and their associates were paid £10,000 (2007: £9,000) in respect of the audit of associated pension schemes.

6 Employees 

Employee costs 

Wages and salaries 
Equity-settled transactions 
Social security costs 
Pension costs 

Total employee costs 

2008 
£m 

383.7 
3.3 
37.6 
16.3 

440.9 

2007
£m

279.9
3.0
28.1
13.2

324.2

Details of the remuneration of the Directors are set out in the Remuneration Report. Details of pension arrangements and equity-settled 
transactions are set out in notes 24 and 27 respectively.

Average number of employees by activity 

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Government Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  
Central   

Total average number for the year ended 31 December 

Total actual number at 31 December 

2008 

7,895 
3,259 
8,254 
612 
1,166 
287 
1,141 
65 

2007

6,494
3,152
7,580
857
965
78
623
52

22,679 

19,801

23,841 

21,303

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
7 Net financing costs

Recognised in income statement 

Finance income 
Interest on bank balances 
Expected return on pension assets (note 24) 
Ineffective portion of hedge of net investment in foreign operations 
Foreign exchange differences on revaluation of net monetary assets and liabilities 
Change in fair value of financial instruments held for trading (forward exchange contracts)   

Total finance income 

Finance expense 
Interest on borrowings 
Pension interest cost (note 24) 
Ineffective portion of cash flow hedges 
Foreign exchange differences on interest accruals 
Change in fair value of financial instruments held for trading (forward exchange contracts)   
Foreign exchange differences on revaluation of net monetary assets and liabilities 
Facility fees and other 

Total finance expense 

Net financing costs 

Recognised directly in total equity 

Foreign currency translation differences for foreign operations 
Net exchange loss on hedges of net investment in foreign operations 
Effective portion of changes in fair value of cash flow hedges 
Income tax on income and expense above recognised directly in equity 

Finance income recognised directly in total equity, net of tax   

Attributable to: 
  Equity holders of the Company 
  Minority interest 

Finance income recognised directly in total equity, net of tax   

Recognised in: 
  Hedging reserve 
  Translation reserve and minority interests 
  Retained earnings 

Finance income recognised directly in equity, net of tax 

8 Income tax expense

UK corporation tax at 28.5% (2007: 30%) 
Double taxation relief 

UK taxation 
Overseas taxation 
Adjustments relating to prior year liabilities 

Current tax 
Deferred tax – origination and reversal of temporary differences 

Total tax in income statement 

83

Annual Report 2008 83
Annual Report 2008 83

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

 –

1.6 
4.1 
– 
7.4 –
– 

13.1 

13.7 
3.9 
0.1 –
0.8 –
3.5 –

0.6 

22.6 

9.5 

2008 
£m 

138.4 
(110.9) 
(3.7) 
0.1 

23.9 

20.4 
3.5 

23.9 

(3.7) 
27.5 
0.1 

23.9 

2008 
£m 

(3.4) 
(0.7) 

(4.1) 
47.8 
(1.8) 

41.9 
(5.5) 

36.4 

1.1
3.5
0.1

0.7

5.4

10.8
3.8

0.7
0.3

15.6

10.2

2007
£m

10.6
(3.2)
(1.1)
(0.1)

6.2

5.6
0.6

6.2

(1.1)
7.4
(0.1)

6.2

2007
£m

2.3
(2.2)

0.1
32.6
(3.4)

29.3
(2.3)

27.0

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
84

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

8 Income tax expense (continued)
Reconciliation of the notional tax charge at UK standard rate of corporation tax of 28.5% (2007: 30%) representing the weighted average 
annual corporation tax rate for the full year following a reduction in the standard rate of UK corporation tax rate to 28% from 1 April 2008:

Profit before taxation 

Notional tax charge at UK standard rate 28.5% (2007: 30%) 
Differences in overseas tax rates 
Tax on dividends  
Non-deductible expenses 
Tax exempt income 
Losses brought forward utilised 
Current year losses not recognised 
Accelerated capital allowances and temporary differences not recognised 
Brought forward accelerated capital allowances and temporary differences utilised 
Recognition of previously unprovided accelerated capital allowances and temporary differences 
Recognition of previously unprovided losses 
Adjustments in respect of prior years  
Other 

Total tax in income statement 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

138.6 

105.8

39.5 
(2.8) 
1.0 
3.2 
(1.6) 
(0.3) 
1.1 
1.8 
(2.1) 
(1.3) 
(0.3) –
(1.8) 

36.4 

31.7
(4.8)
1.5
3.6
(0.3)
(0.3)
0.6
3.6
(2.0)
(3.4)

(3.4)
0.2

27.0

 –

During the year there was a current tax credit of £0.1m on equity-settled transactions and foreign exchange differences (2007: credit of 
£0.3m) and deferred tax charge of £0.1m on pension deficit, interest rate swaps and equity-settled transactions (2007: charge of £2.6m) 
charged directly to equity (see notes 14 and 21).

The effective tax rate was 26.3% (2007: 25.5%). The main reason for the increase in the effective tax rate was due to an increase in 
earnings in higher taxed jurisdictions and an increase in the tax rate in lower taxed jurisdictions. 

9 Earnings per ordinary share
The calculation of earnings per ordinary share is based on profit attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company and the weighted 
average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year. In addition to the earnings per share required by IAS 33: Earnings Per Share,  
an adjusted earnings per share has also been calculated and is based on earnings excluding the effect of amortisation of acquisition 
intangibles, goodwill impairment and non-recurring costs. It has been calculated to allow shareholders to have a better understanding  
of the trading performance of the Group. Details of the adjusted earnings per share are set out below:

Based on the profit for the year: 

Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders  
Adjusting items:
Amortisation of acquisition intangibles 
Impairment of goodwill 
Non-recurring costs 

Adjusted earnings 
Tax impact on adjusting items 

Adjusted earnings after tax impact 

Number of shares (millions) 

Basic weighted average number of ordinary shares  
Potentially dilutive share options* 

Diluted weighted average number of shares  

Basic earnings per share 
Options 

Diluted earnings per share 

Basic adjusted earnings per share 
Options 

Diluted adjusted earnings per share 

Basic adjusted earnings per share (after tax impact) 
Options 

Diluted adjusted earnings per share (after tax impact) 

2008 
£m 

93.8 

9.6 
0.5 
6.7 –

110.6 
(3.7) 

106.9 

2007
£m

73.2

5.1
0.4

78.7
(1.4)

77.3

157.7 
1.7 

159.4 

156.9
1.4

158.3

59.5p 
(0.6)p 

58.9p 

70.1p 
(0.7)p 

69.4p 

67.8p 
(0.7)p 

67.1p 

46.7p
(0.5)p

46.2p

50.2p
(0.5)p

49.7p

49.3p
(0.5)p

48.8p

* The weighted average number of shares used in the calculation of the diluted earnings per share for the year to 31 December 2008, excludes 780,343 (2007: nil) contingently 

issuable shares as the performance conditions were not met.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
85

Annual Report 2008 85

10 Property, plant and equipment

Cost 
At 1 January 2007 
Exchange adjustments 
Additions 
Disposals 
Businesses acquired (note 26) 

At 31 December 2007 

Depreciation 
At 1 January 2007 
Exchange adjustments 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 

At 31 December 2007 

Net book value at 31 December 2007 

Net book value at 1 January 2007 

Cost 
At 1 January 2008 
Exchange adjustments 
Additions 
Disposals 
Businesses acquired (note 26) 

At 31 December 2008 

Depreciation 
At 1 January 2008 
Exchange adjustments 
Charge for the year 
Disposals 

At 31 December 2008 

Net book value at 31 December 2008 

Land and 
 buildings 
£m 

Fixtures,
fittings and
equipment 
£m 

24.8 
0.7 
0.9 
– 
0.7 

27.1 

3.1 
0.1 
0.7 
– 

3.9 

23.2 

21.7 

27.1 
10.1 
2.1 
– 
4.2 

43.5 

3.9 
1.4 
0.8 
– 

6.1 

37.4 

197.6 
7.8 
40.4 
(4.3) 
7.7 

249.2 

95.6 
4.5 
27.0 
(3.9) 

123.2 

126.0 

102.0 

249.2 
92.1 
61.8 
(5.7) 
5.7 

403.1 

123.2 
51.6 
35.8 
(4.9) 

205.7 

197.4 

Fixtures, fittings and equipment includes assets in the course of construction of £7.8m (2007: £0.3m) at 31 December 2008, 
comprising mainly of laboratories under construction. These assets will not be depreciated until they are brought into use.

The net book value of land and buildings comprised:

Freehold 
Long leasehold 
Short leasehold 

Total 

2008 
£m 

34.1 
0.6 
2.7 

37.4 

Total
£m

222.4
8.5
41.3
(4.3)
8.4

276.3

98.7
4.6
27.7
(3.9)

127.1

149.2

123.7

276.3
102.2
63.9
(5.7)
9.9

446.6

127.1
53.0
36.6
(4.9)

211.8

234.8

2007
£m

20.5
0.6
2.1

23.2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
86

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

11 Goodwill and other intangible assets

Cost 
At 1 January 2007 
Exchange adjustments 
Additions 
Disposals 
Businesses acquired (note 26) 

At 31 December 2007 

Amortisation and impairment losses 
At 1 January 2007 
Exchange adjustments 
Charge for the year 
Impairment charge 

At 31 December 2007 

Net book value at 31 December 2007 

Net book value at 1 January 2007 

Cost 
At 1 January 2008 
Exchange adjustments 
Additions 
Disposals 
Businesses acquired (note 26) 

At 31 December 2008 

Amortisation and impairment losses 
At 1 January 2008 
Exchange adjustments 
Charge for the year 
Impairment charge 

At 31 December 2008 

Net book value at 31 December 2008 

                                                                       Other intangible assets

Goodwill 

£m 

Acquisition 
intangibles 
£m 

Computer 
software 
£m 

81.9 
3.9 
– 
– 
74.5 

160.3 

10.8 
0.7 
– 
0.4 

11.9 

148.4 

71.1 

160.3 
43.3 
– 
– 
53.4 

257.0 

11.9 
2.5 
– 
0.5 

14.9 

242.1 

20.3 
0.9 
– 
– 
19.4 

40.6 

7.0 
0.2 
5.1 
– 

12.3 

28.3 

13.3 

40.6 
13.0 
– 
– 
18.5 

72.1 

12.3 
4.8 
9.6 
– 

26.7 

45.4 

7.8 
0.2 
2.5 
(0.1) 
0.1 

10.5 

1.5 
– 
2.3 
– 

3.8 

6.7 

6.3 

10.5 
5.9 
3.7 
(0.2) 
– 

19.9 

3.8 
3.4 
2.9 
– 

10.1 

9.8 

Total

£m

28.1
1.1
2.5
(0.1)
19.5

51.1

8.5
0.2
7.4
–

16.1

35.0

19.6

51.1
18.9
3.7
(0.2)
18.5

92.0

16.1
8.2
12.5
–

36.8

55.2

The acquisition intangibles of £45.4m consist of customer relationships with a net book value of £33.2m (2007: £21.9m), licences of 
£5.8m (2007: £3.6m), covenants not to compete of £2.1m (2007: £1.8m), know-how of £3.2m (2007: £1.0m) and guaranteed income  
of £1.1m (2007: £nil). The average remaining amortisation period for customer relationships is 4.1 years (2007: 4.2).

Computer software net book value of £9.8m at 31 December 2008 includes software in construction of £2.2m (2007: £0.8m).

Goodwill arising from acquisitions in the year has been allocated to business segments as follows:

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  

Total goodwill  

2008 
£m 

13.6 
13.0 
0.5 
8.0 
 10.7 
7.6 

53.4 

2007
£m

2.2
15.9
13.5
20.1
2.0
20.8

74.5

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11 Goodwill and other intangible assets (continued)
The carrying amount of goodwill by business segment is as follows:

Consumer Goods 
Commercial & Electrical 
Oil, Chemical & Agri 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Minerals  

Total goodwill net book value at 31 December 

87

Annual Report 2008 87

2008 
£m 

23.3 
61.4 
25.3 
85.0 
 14.7 
32.4 

2007
£m

7.4
33.8
21.1
60.6
3.6
21.9

242.1 

148.4

All goodwill is recorded in local currency. Additions during the year are converted at average exchange rates and the goodwill at the end 
of the year is stated at closing exchange rates.

Total goodwill of £242.1m (2007: £148.4m) is attributable to 80 (2007: 66) acquired businesses which are grouped into 45 (2007: 52) 
cash generating units. Each of these cash generating units has been tested for impairment in accordance with the Group’s accounting 
policy described on page 74.  

Breakdown by material acquisitions with goodwill in excess of 5% of total net book value of goodwill is presented below.

Material acquisitions
Acquisition 

Genalysis 
HP White 
National Software Testing Laboratories 
Alta Analytical Laboratories 
Quantitative Technologies 
Hi-Cad Technical Services  
Automotive Research 
Entela 
Umitek 
Others (each less than 5% of total goodwill at 31 Dec 2008) 

Total goodwill net book value at 31 December 

Division 

Minerals 
 Commercial & Electrical 
 Commercial & Electrical 
Analytical Services 
Analytical Services 
Industrial Services 
Analytical Services 
 Commercial & Electrical 
Analytical Services 
Various 

2008 
£m 

26.6 
13.9 –
13.1 
13.0 
12.7 
12.2 –
12.2 
12.2 
9.1 
117.1 

2007
£m

21.2

8.9
9.5
9.3

9.0
8.7
9.1
72.7

242.1 

148.4

All goodwill is denominated in local currency and is translated into sterling at the rates of exchange ruling at the reporting date. 

The acquisitions have been reviewed and since each of them offer broadly similar services to those already offered by the Intertek Group’s 
existing businesses, it is considered appropriate to use the same assumptions in each of the impairment calculations. In each case the 
recoverable amount of the cash generating units, determined upon a value-in-use calculation, was higher than its carrying amount, except 
for those discussed below. 

Management approved forecasts for each cash generating unit are used in these calculations. These forecasts cover a two-year period and 
are based on the most current information relating to each business unit. Beyond two years, management consider that it is difficult to 
forecast accurately the business growth for each individual unit. In Intertek’s business, most contractual relationships with customers are 
short-term. Despite this, the Group has a strong historical track record of growth. Therefore, when looking at longer term growth (not 
exceeding five years), a steady conservative growth rate of 5% is used for all business units. This is considered to be a reasonable 
assumption based on the long-term historical growth rate in profits of the Intertek businesses. A terminal cash flow is calculated in year 
five by multiplying the year four cash flow forecast by a multiple which is considered appropriate to each acquisition. In the 2008 
impairment review the multiples ranged from 5.0 to 12.0.

A Group pre-tax, risk adjusted, discount rate of 10.9% (2007: 10.8%) has been used in the value-in-use calculations. The characteristics of 
the businesses acquired are that they are not capital intensive and are largely similar to each other, and therefore the rate of 10.9%, which 
is based on the Group’s weighted average cost of capital, is considered to be the most appropriate rate.

The key sensitivities for the impairment tests are the assumed growth rates in profit and the discount rate. A reduction of 1.0% to 4.0% in 
the profit growth rate and an increase of 1.0% to 11.9% in the discount rate would not change the conclusion of the impairment tests.

There are 36 (2007: 45) cash generating units with a goodwill amount that is not significant in relation to the carrying value of goodwill  
of £242.1m (2007: £148.4m). The aggregate balance of goodwill for these multiple cash generating units is £117.1m (2007: £72.7m).  
The recoverable amount of all these units was determined following the same assumptions as for the individually significant units  
disclosed above.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
88

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

11 Goodwill and other intangible assets (continued)
In 2008, an impairment charge of £0.5m was recognised within administrative expenses in the Commercial & Electrical division in respect 
of the goodwill of Intertek Testing and Certification Limited. This was necessitated by lower than expected trading results. The goodwill 
impairment was based on a calculation of the recoverable amount based on value-in-use, using projected cash flows for this business, 
discounted by a pre-tax rate of 10.9%. The charge of £0.5m represented the shortfall of the recoverable amount to the carrying value.  
The carrying amount of goodwill after the impairment was £5.5m.

No other goodwill impairment losses were identified.

In 2007, an impairment charge of £0.4m was recognised within administrative expenses in the Commercial & Electrical division in respect 
of the goodwill of a certification business in India, which was acquired by the Group in 2005. This was necessitated by lower than 
expected trading results since acquisition. The goodwill impairment was based on a calculation of the recoverable amount based on 
value-in-use, using projected cash flows for this business, discounted by a pre-tax rate of 10.8%. The charge of £0.4m represented the 
shortfall of the recoverable amount to the carrying value. The carrying amount of goodwill after the impairment was £0.8m.

There are no intangible assets with indefinite lives.

12 Investment in associates

Cost 
At 1 January  
Additions 
Exchange adjustments 

At 31 December  

Share of post acquisition reserves 
At 1 January  
Share of profit/(loss) for the year 

At 31 December  

Net book value at 31 December 

2008 
£m 

0.6 
0.1 –
0.4 –

1.1 

0.2 

0.2 –

1.3 

2007
£m

0.6

0.6

0.1
(0.1)

0.6

 –

The addition in 2008 of £0.1m was in respect of EMIS, Abu Dhabi, which is owned 49% by EMIS (UK) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary 
which was acquired in the year (see note 26e). Throughout the year the Group also had a 40% interest in Allium LLC, a company 
registered in the USA. 

The net book value at 31 December 2008 comprised £1.1m in respect of Allium LLC and £0.2m in respect of EMIS, Abu Dhabi.

Summary financial information on associates (100% basis) is set out below:

2008 
2007 

 * Excluding goodwill and intangibles of £2.5m (2007: £1.9m).

13 Other investments

Available-for-sale financial assets 

Assets* 
£m 

Liabilities 
£m 

Equity 
£m 

Revenues 
£m 

Profit/(loss)
£m

14.5 
13.3 

13.1 
12.5 

1.4 
0.8 

23.1 
19.5 

0.4
(0.3)

2007
£m

2008 
£m 

4.4 –

The Group’s equity investment is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). This investment is classified as available-for-sale as  
the Group holds under 20% and does not have significant influence over the company. For this investment, a 2% increase in the ASX at  
31 December 2008 would have increased equity by £0.1m after tax; an equal change in the opposite direction would have decreased 
equity by £0.1m after tax.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14 Deferred tax assets and liabilities
Recognised deferred tax assets and liabilities
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are attributable to the following: 

Other intangible assets 
Property, fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Pensions 
Equity-settled transactions 
Interest rate swaps 
Provisions and other temporary differences 
Tax value of losses 
Set-off of tax 

Total 

 –

Assets 
2008 
£m 

 –
1.5 
1.2 
1.7 
1.3 
14.6 
1.6 
(6.2) 

15.7 

Assets 
2007 
£m 

Liabilities 
2008 
£m 

Liabilities 
2007 
£m 

0.7 
2.6 –
1.9 –
0.2 –
8.8 
0.4 –
(2.7) 

11.9 

(10.3) 
(2.2) 

 –
 –
(0.1) 
 –
6.2 

(6.4) 

(2.5) 
(2.8) 
(0.5) 

(2.2) 

2.7 –

(5.3) 

Unrecognised deferred tax assets 
Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect of the following items:

Deductible temporary differences 
Pensions 
Tax losses 
Property, fixtures, fittings and equipment 

Total 

89

Annual Report 2008 89

Net 
2008 
£m 

(10.3) 
(0.7) 
1.2 
1.7 
1.3 
14.5 
1.6 
 –

9.3 

2008 
£m 

2.4 
4.2 –
30.6 
8.6 

45.8 

Net
2007
£m

(2.5)
(2.1)
2.1
1.9
0.2
6.6
0.4

6.6

2007
£m

8.9

16.8
4.3

30.0

Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect of these items because it is not probable that future taxable profits will be available 
against which the Group can utilise the benefits from them.

There is a temporary difference of £9.7m (2007: £10.2m) which relates to unremitted post-acquisition overseas earnings. No deferred tax is 
provided on this amount as the distribution of these retained earnings is under the control of the Group and there is no intention to either 
repatriate from or sell the associated subsidiaries in the foreseeable future.

Movements in temporary differences during the year

Other intangible assets 
Property, fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Pensions 
Equity-settled transactions 
Interest rate swaps 
Provisions and other temporary differences 
Tax value of losses 

Total 

 *See notes 8 and 21.

Other intangible assets 
Property, fixtures, fittings and equipment 
Pensions 
Equity-settled transactions 
Interest rate swaps 
Provisions and other temporary differences 
Tax value of losses 

Total 

 *See notes 8 and 21.

Balance 
1 January  
2008 
£m 

Exchange 

adjustments  Acquisitions 
£m 

£m 

(2.5) 
(2.1) 
2.1 
1.9 
0.2 
6.6 
0.4 

6.6 

(2.5) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
3.0 
0.1 

0.6 

(3.0) 
(0.5) 
– 
– 
– 
0.1 
0.1 

(3.3) 

Balance 
1 January  
2007 
£m 

Exchange 

adjustments  Acquisitions 
£m 

£m 

– 
(1.0) 
4.7 
1.4 
– 
3.9 
0.5 

9.5 

– 
– 
(0.1) 
– 
– 
(0.1) 
0.1 

(0.1) 

(3.1) 
(0.2) 
0.7 
– 
– 
0.1 
– 

(2.5) 

Recognised 
in income 
statement   

£m 

(2.3) 
1.9 
0.1 
– 
– 
4.8 
1.0 

5.5  

Recognised 
in income 
statement   

£m 

0.6 
(0.9) 
(0.6) 
0.7 
– 
2.7 
(0.2) 

2.3 

Balance
Recognised  31 December
2008
£m

 in equity* 
£m 

– 
– 
(1.0) 
(0.2) 
1.1 
– 
– 

(0.1) 

(10.3)
(0.7)
1.2
1.7
1.3
14.5
1.6

9.3

Balance
Recognised  31 December
2007
£m

 in equity*  

£m 

– 
– 
(2.6) 
(0.2) 
0.2 
– 
– 

(2.6) 

(2.5)
(2.1)
2.1
1.9
0.2
6.6
0.4

6.6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
90

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

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Notes to the financial statements

15 Inventories 

Raw materials and consumables 
Work in progress 
Finished goods 

Total inventories 

2008 
£m 

6.6 
1.1 
0.5 

8.2 

2007
£m

3.0
0.7
0.3

4.0

The amount of inventory recognised as an expense in 2008 was £6.9m (2007: £5.2m). All inventories are expected to be recovered within 
12 months. The amount of inventory written off in 2008 was £nil (2007: £nil).

16 Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables 
Other receivables 
Prepayments and accrued income 

Total trade and other receivables 

2008 
£m 

219.4 
27.0 
38.0 

284.4 

2007
£m

147.5
13.6
29.9

191.0

Trade receivables are shown net of an allowance for impairment losses of £10.0m (2007: £6.4m) and are all expected to be recovered 
within 12 months. Impairment on trade receivables charged as part of costs of sales was £4.4m (2007: £3.0m).

There is no material difference between the above amounts for trade and other receivables and their fair value, due to their short-term 
duration. There is no concentration of credit risk with respect to trade receivables as the Group has a large number of customers who are 
internationally dispersed. 

The Group’s exposure to credit and currency risks and further details on impairment losses related to trade and other receivables are 
disclosed in note 28.

17 Interest bearing loans and borrowings

Current 
2008 
£m 

14.0 
– 

14.0 

Senior term loans and notes  
Other borrowings  

Total borrowings 

Analysis of debt 

Debt falling due: 
In one year or less (senior term loans) 
Between one and two years (senior term loans) 
Between two and five years (senior term loans) 
Over five years (£137.4m senior notes and £3.9m of other borrowings) 

Total borrowings 

Current  Non-current  Non-current
2007
£m

2008 
£m 

2007 
£m 

13.5 
0.2 

13.7 

403.7 
3.9 

407.6 

217.2
0.3

217.5

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

14.0 
44.3 
222.0 
141.3 –

13.7
82.7
134.8

421.6 

231.2

Description of borrowings
In December 2004, the Group refinanced its existing £300.0m secured facility with a £300.0m non-secured facility. In August 2007, an 
additional £100.0m tranche was added making a total facility of £400.0m. In June 2008, the Group amended the facility to allow a further 
£120.0m to be borrowed under the same facility. Of this £120.0m, £75.0m was committed in the year from three further banks to make  
a syndicate of 13 banks. The committed i.e. contractually obligated amount of debt facilities from these 13 banks was £387.0m as at  
31 December 2008. 

The facility was originally for five years expiring on 15 December 2009, with two one-year extension options to extend this up to a further 
two years. The facility was extended by a year in 2005 and by a further year in 2006. The facility now expires in December 2011.

The facility comprises four tranches. Facility A is a £14.0m multi-currency term loan (original £70.0m less repayments to 31 December 
2008) with bi-annual equal amortisations over the remaining year. Facility B is a £225.0m multi-currency revolving credit facility, available 
up to 15 December 2011. Facility C is a 364 day, £48.0m multi-currency revolving credit facility (original £80.0m less repayments to 31 
December 2008 of £32.0m), with the option to convert this, at any time by written notice, into a term loan expiring 364 days from the 
date of notice. This amount has been included in debt falling due between one and two years. Facility D is a £100.0m multi-currency term 
loan facility available up to 15 December 2011.

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
91

Annual Report 2008 91

17 Interest bearing loans and borrowings (continued)
Advances under the facilities bear interest at a rate equal to LIBOR, or other local currency equivalent, plus a margin. The margin over 
LIBOR for facility A and B is in the range of 0.4% to 0.6% in accordance with a leverage grid. As at 31 December 2008, the margin was 
0.45%. The margin over LIBOR for facility C is in the range of 1.1% to 1.5% in accordance with a leverage grid. As at 31 December 2008,  
the margin was 1.2%. The margin over LIBOR for facility D is in the range of 0.3% to 0.5% in accordance with a leverage grid. As at 
31 December 2008, the margin was 0.35%. 

In June 2008, US$100.0m was raised by way of a senior note issue. This debt is repayable on 26 June 2015 and the interest rate is fixed at 
5.54%. In December 2008, a further US$100.0m was raised by way of a second senior note issue. This debt is repayable in two tranches 
with US$25.0m repayable on 21 January 2014 and the interest rate is fixed at 7.50% and the second US$75.0m repayable on 10 June 
2016 and the interest rate is fixed at 8.00%.

The undrawn committed borrowing facilities, which can be drawn down at any time, mature in December 2011, and amounted to  
£97.8m (2007: £112.3m), having taken into account £8.9m (2007: £7.0m) utilised for letters of credit and guarantees. 

18 Trade and other payables

Trade payables 
Other payables 
Accruals and deferred income 

Total trade and other payables 

The Group’s exposure to liquidity risk related to trade payables is disclosed in note 28.

All trade payables are expected to be paid within 12 months.

19 Provisions

At 1 January 2008 
Exchange adjustments 
Provided in the year: 

in respect of current year aquisitions 
in respect of prior year aquisitions 

Released during the year 
Utilised during the year 

At 31 December 2008 

Included in: 
Current liabilities 
Non-current liabilities 

At 31 December 2008 

Current 
2008 
£m 

54.0 
20.5 
109.9 

184.4 

Contingent
   consideration 
£m 

15.1 
1.7 
– 
10.4 
3.5 
(2.6) 
(16.7) 

11.4 

11.4 
– 

11.4 

Current  Non-current  Non-current
2007
£m

2007 
£m 

2008 
£m 

43.1 –
19.6 –
65.9 

128.6 

 –

3.4 –

3.4 

0.9

0.9

Claims  
£m 

7.5 
1.3 
6.1 
– 
– 
(0.9) 
(2.4) 

11.6 

11.6 
– 

11.6 

Other 
£m 

1.0 
– 
4.7 
– 
– 
– 
(2.1) 

3.6 

3.4 
0.2 

3.6 

Total
£m

23.6
3.0
10.8
10.4
3.5
(3.5)
(21.2)

26.6

26.4
0.2

26.6

Contingent consideration represents the additional amounts payable on acquisitions which are uncertain in amount, since they are based 
on the acquired businesses achieving agreed future performance targets.

From time-to-time, the Group is involved in various claims and lawsuits incidental to the ordinary course of its business. The outcome of 
such litigation and the timing of any potential liability cannot be readily foreseen, as it is often subject to legal proceedings. Based on 
information currently available, the Directors consider that the cost to the Group of an unfavourable outcome arising from such litigation  
is unlikely to have a materially adverse effect on the financial position of the Group in the foreseeable future.

The provision for claims of £11.6m (2007: £7.5m) represents an estimate of the amounts payable in connection with identified claims from 
customers, former employees and other plaintiffs and associated legal costs. The timing of the cash outflow relating to the provisions is 
uncertain but is likely to be within one year. Details of contingent liabilities in respect of claims are set out in note 29.

The other provision of £3.6m (2007: £1.0m) comprises £2.3m (2007: £nil) for the integration of the Government Services division into the 
Oil, Chemical & Agri division and £1.3m (2007: £1.0m) in relation to onerous contracts.

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
92

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

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Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

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Notes to the financial statements

20 Share capital 

Group and Company 

Authorised: 
Ordinary shares of 1p each 
Zero coupon redeemable preference shares of £1 each   

Allotted, called up and fully paid: 
Ordinary shares of 1p each at start of year 
Employee share option schemes – options exercised (note 27) 
Employee Long Term Incentive Plan (note 27) 

Ordinary shares of 1p each at end of year 

Shares classified in shareholders’ funds 

2008 
Number 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

200,000,000 
105,478,482 

2.0 
105.5 

107.5 

2.0
105.5

107.5

157,392,787 
405,884 
6,822 

157,805,493 

1.6 
– –
– –

1.6 

1.6 

1.6

1.6

1.6

The holders of ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends as declared from time-to-time and are entitled to vote at general meetings 
of the Company.

During the year, the Company issued 405,884 ordinary shares in respect of the share options exercised, for a consideration of £2.6m 
settled in cash and issued 6,822 shares under the Long Term Incentive Plan for £nil consideration. 

None of the zero coupon redeemable preference shares were allotted at 31 December 2008 or 31 December 2007. Preference 
shareholders have the right to a return of capital on winding up but receive no priority over ordinary shareholders with respect to 
repayment of capital paid up and have no further rights to participate in the profits or assets of the Company.

The Employee Share Ownership Trust (ESOT) is managed and controlled by an independent offshore trustee. The total ESOT costs charged 
to the Group profits for 2008 were £6,500 (2007: £9,000). The ESOT did not hold any shares of the Company at 31 December 2008 
(2007: nil). 

21 Shareholders’ equity

  Other reserves

Share  
capital 
£m 

Share 
premium 
£m 

Translation 
 reserve 
£m 

Hedging 
reserve 
£m 

Other  
£m 

1.6 
At 1 January 2007 
– 
Movement on cash flow hedges 
– 
Profit for the year attributable to equity holders 
– 
Dividends paid 
– 
Issue of shares 
– 
Equity settled transactions 
Actuarial pension gain 
– 
Foreign exchange translation differences for foreign operations   – 
– 
Net loss on hedges of net investments in foreign operations 
– 
Tax on income and expense recognised directly in equity 

At 31 December 2007 

At 1 January 2008 
Movement on cash flow hedges 
Profit for the year attributable to equity holders 
Dividends paid 
Issue of shares 
Equity settled transactions 
Actuarial pension loss 
Foreign exchange translation differences for foreign operations 
Net loss on hedges of net investments in foreign operations 
Purchase of minority interests 
Tax on income and expense recognised directly in equity 

At 31 December 2008 

1.6 

1.6 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

1.6 

242.4 
– 
– 
– 
4.9 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

247.3 

247.3 
– 
– 
– 
2.6 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

249.9 

(0.7) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
10.0 
(3.2) 
– 

6.1 

6.1 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
134.9 
(110.9) 
– 
– 

0.3 
(1.1) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

(0.8) 

(0.8) 
(3.7) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

30.1 

(4.5) 

6.4 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

6.4 

6.4 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

6.4 

Retained
earnings* 

£m 

(153.6) 
– 
73.2 
(25.2) 
– 
3.0 
8.5 
– 
– 
(2.3) 

(96.4) 

(96.4) 
– 
93.8 
(30.4) 
– 
3.3 
(12.3) 
– 
– 
0.2 
– 

Total
£m

96.4
(1.1)
73.2
(25.2)
4.9
3.0
8.5
10.0
(3.2)
(2.3)

164.2

164.2
(3.7)
93.8
(30.4)
2.6
3.3
(12.3)
134.9
(110.9)
0.2
–

(41.8) 

241.7

 * After £244.1m for goodwill written off to retained earnings as at 1 January 2004 in relation to subsidiaries acquired prior to 31 December 1997. This figure has not been 
restated as permitted by IFRS 1.

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21 Shareholders’ equity (continued)

Dividends  

Amounts recognised as distributions to equity holders:
Final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2006 
Interim dividend for the year ended 31 December 2007 
Final dividend for the year ended 31 December 2007 
Interim dividend for the year ended 31 December 2008 

Dividends paid 

93

Annual Report 2008 93

2008 

2008 

2007 

2007

Pence per  
share 

£m 

£m 

Pence per
 share

– 
– 
19.2 
11.2 

30.4 

– 
– 
12.2 
7.1 

19.3 

16.1 
9.1 
– 
– 

25.2 

10.2
5.8
–
–

16.0

After the balance sheet date, the Directors proposed a final dividend of 13.7p per share in respect of the year ended 31 December 2008, 
which is expected to amount to £21.6m. This dividend is subject to approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting and therefore, 
in accordance with IAS 10: Events after the Balance Sheet Date, it has not been included as a liability in these financial statements.  
If approved, the final dividend will be paid to shareholders on 19 June 2009.

Translation reserve
The translation reserve comprises foreign currency differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign operations 
as well as the translation of liabilities that hedge the Group’s net investment in foreign operations.

Hedging reserve
The hedging reserve comprises the effective portion of the cumulative net change in the fair value of the cash flow hedging instruments 
related to hedged transactions that have not yet occurred.

Other 
This relates to a merger difference that arose in 2002 on the conversion of share warrants into share capital.

22 Minority interests 

At 1 January  
Exchange adjustments 
Share of profit for the year 
Additions 
Purchase of minority interests 
Dividends paid to minority interests 

At 31 December 

2008 
£m 

11.6 
3.5 
8.4 
0.7 
(2.1) –
(6.1) 

16.0 

2007
£m

8.8
0.6
5.6
0.2

(3.6)

11.6

The purchase of minority interests of £2.1m relates to the acquisition in November 2008 of the outstanding 15% interest in Intertek Testing 
Services Shenzhen Limited, a company registered in China – for a cash consideration of £1.9m (see note 21). The company is now a wholly 
owned subsidiary of the Group.

23 Commitments
At 31 December, the Group had future unprovided commitments under non-cancellable operating leases due as follows:

Within one year 
In the second to fifth years inclusive 
Over five years 

Total 

2008 
Land and  
buildings 
£m 

29.0 
54.1 
31.6 

2008 

2008 

Other 
£m 

5.6 
4.8 
– 

Total 
£m 

34.6 
58.9 
31.6 

114.7 

10.4 

125.1 

2007 
Land and
buildings 
£m 

22.1 
39.9 
26.3 

88.3 

2007 

Other 
£m 

3.6 
3.5 
– 

7.1 

2007

Total
£m

25.7
43.4
26.3

95.4

The Group leases various laboratories, testing and inspection sites, administrative offices and equipment under lease agreements which 
have varying terms, escalation clauses and renewal rights.

Contracts for capital expenditure which are not provided in these accounts amounted to £4.7m (2007: £3.8m).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
94

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

24 Employee benefits
Pension schemes
The Group operates a number of pension schemes throughout the world. In most locations, these are defined contribution arrangements. 
However, there are significant defined benefit schemes in the United Kingdom and one in Hong Kong. The United Kingdom schemes are 
the Intertek Pension Scheme and the Capcis Limited Pension and Life Assurance Scheme that came into the Group through the acquisition 
of the Umitek group in January 2007. These are funded schemes, with assets held in separate trustee administered funds. Other funded 
defined benefit schemes are not considered to be material and are therefore accounted for as if they were defined contribution schemes. 
The schemes in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong were closed to new entrants in 2002 and 2000, respectively.

The Group recognises any actuarial gains and losses in each period in equity through the consolidated statement of recognised income  
and expense.

(a) The total pension cost included in operating profit for the Group was:

Defined contribution schemes 
Defined benefit schemes – current service cost 

Pension cost included in operating profit 

2008 
£m 

14.4 
1.9 

16.3 

2007
£m

11.3
1.9

13.2

See (b) below for pension interest cost and expected return on scheme assets recognised in the income statement.

(b) The pension cost for the defined benefit schemes was assessed in accordance with the advice of qualified actuaries. The last full 
triennial actuarial valuation of The Intertek Pension Scheme in the United Kingdom was carried out as at 1 April 2007, but this has been 
updated to 31 December 2008 for IAS 19 purposes. The last full triennial actuarial valuation of the Capcis Limited Pension and Life 
Assurance Scheme in the UK was also carried out as at 1 April 2007 and this has been updated to 31 December 2008 for IAS 19 purposes. 
The last full actuarial valuation of the Hong Kong scheme was carried out as at 31 December 2007, for local accounting purposes but this 
has been updated to 31 December 2008 for IAS 19 purposes.

The Group is currently making additional contributions into the pension schemes with the overall objective of paying off the deficits in line 
with actuaries’ recommendations.

The amounts recognised in the balance sheet were as follows:

Fair value of scheme assets 
Present value of funded defined benefit obligations 

Net liability in the balance sheet 

The amounts recognised in the income statement were as follows:

Current service cost 
Pension interest cost (note 7) 
Expected return on scheme assets (note 7) 

Total charge 

2008 
£m 

58.6 
(77.1) 

(18.5) 

2007 
£m 

66.6 
(73.9) 

(7.3) 

2008 
£m 

(1.9) 
(3.9) 
4.1 

(1.7) 

2006
£m

56.4
(71.6)

(15.2)

2007
£m

(1.9)
(3.8)
3.5

(2.2)

The current service cost is included in administrative expenses in the income statement and pension interest cost and expected return on 
scheme assets are included in net financing costs.

(c) Changes in the fair value of scheme assets:

Fair value of scheme assets at 1 January 
Acquisition of Capcis 
Expected return on scheme assets 
Normal contributions by the employer 
Special contributions by the employer 
Contributions by scheme participants 
Benefits paid 
Effect of exchange rate changes on overseas plan 
Actuarial (losses)/gains 

Fair value of scheme assets at 31 December 

 –

2008 
£m 

66.6 

4.1 
1.5 
3.0 
0.6 
(3.0) 
3.2 
(17.4) 

58.6 

2007
£m

56.4
2.3
3.5
1.6
2.8
0.6
(2.4)
(0.3)
2.1

66.6

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
24 Employee benefits (continued)
(d) Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligations were as follows:

Defined benefit obligations at 1 January 
Acquisition of Capcis 
Current service cost 
Interest cost 
Contributions by scheme participants 
Benefits paid 
Effect of exchange rate changes on overseas plan 
Actuarial gains 

Defined benefit obligations at 31 December 

(e) Actuarial losses recognised directly in equity:  

Cumulative loss at 1 January 
Recognised (losses)/gains in the year 

Cumulative loss at 31 December 

95

Annual Report 2008 95

 –

2008 
£m 

73.9 

1.9 
3.9 
0.6 
(3.0) 
4.9 
(5.1) 

77.1 

2008 
£m 

(1.0) 
(12.3) 

(13.3) 

2007
£m

71.6
5.1
1.9
3.8
0.6
(2.4)
(0.3)
(6.4)

73.9

2007
£m

(9.5)
8.5

(1.0)

(f) Company contributions
In 2009, the Group expects to make normal contributions of £1.1m (2008: £1.1m) to the UK pension schemes and £1.4m (2008: £0.4m) to the 
Hong Kong pension scheme. Additionally, in February 2009, the Group has made a special contribution of £2.0m (2008: £3.0m) to the UK 
pension schemes. 

(g) Fair value of scheme assets in each category:

Equities 
Bonds 
Cash/other 

(h) The net pension (liabilities)/assets of each scheme at 31 December 2008 were as follows:

United Kingdom 
Schemes 

Hong Kong
Scheme

2008 

68% 
28% 
4% 

2007 

69% 
27% 
4% 

2008 

59% 
39% 
2% 

2007

63%
36%
1%

The Intertek 

The Capcis
Limited 
Pension and 
Pension  Life Assurance  
Scheme  
Scheme 
£m 
£m 

Intertek
Hong Kong
Retirement
Scheme 
£m 

43.3 
(55.1) 

(11.8) 

3.9 
(3.9) 

– 

11.4 
(18.1) 

(6.7) 

Total
£m

58.6
(77.1)

(18.5)

United Kingdom 
 Schemes 

Hong Kong 
Scheme 

Weighted
average

2008 

2007 

2008 

2007 

2008 

2007

6.00% 
3.00% 
3.50% 
2.90% 
5.96% 

5.70% 
3.35% 
3.85% 
3.35% 
6.68% 

1.10% 
n/a 
3.00% 
n/a 
7.30% 

3.50% 
n/a 
4.00% 
n/a 
6.30% 

4.80% 
3.00% 
3.40% 
2.90% 
6.20% 

5.40%
3.35%
3.90%
3.35%
6.60%

Fair value of scheme assets 
Present value of funded defined benefit obligations 

Deficit in schemes 

(i) Principal actuarial assumptions

Discount rate 
Inflation rate 
Rate of salary increases 
Rate of pension increases 
Annualised expected return on scheme assets 

The expected rates of return on scheme assets are determined by reference to relevant indices which take into account the current level  
of expected returns on risk free investments, the historical level of risk premium associated with equities and the expectation for future 
returns on such assets. The overall expected rate of return is calculated by weighting the individual rates in accordance with the anticipated 
balance in the plan’s investment portfolio.

Where investments are held in bonds and cash, the expected long-term rate of return is taken to be the yields generally prevailing on such 
assets at the balance sheet date. A higher rate of return is expected on equity investments. This is based on an out-performance assumption 
over gilt yields.

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
96

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

24 Employee benefits (continued) 
The actual return on scheme assets was as follows: 

Actual return 

(j) Life expectancy assumptions at year end for:

Male aged 40 
Male aged 65 
Female aged 40 
Female aged 65 

United Kingdom 
Schemes 

2008 

(9.5) 

2007 

4.0 

Hong Kong
Scheme

2008 

(3.8) 

2007

1.6

United Kingdom 
Schemes 

2008 

48.4 
22.2 
51.0 
24.6 

2007 

47.4 
21.9 
50.2 
24.8 

Hong Kong
Scheme*

2008 

2007

n/a 
n/a 
n/a 
n/a 

n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a

 * The retirement arrangement in Hong Kong pays lump sums to members instead of pensions at the point they retire. Since the amount of the lump sum is not related to the 

life expectancy of the members, the post-retirement mortality is not a relevant assumption for the Hong Kong scheme.

The table above shows the number of years a male or female is expected to live, assuming they were aged either 40 or 65 at 31 December. 
The	2007	mortality	assumptions	are	based	on	an	actuarial	table	‘PA	92	medium	cohort,	projected	by	an	individual’s	year	of	birth’.	The	2008	
mortality	assumptions	are	based	on	an	actuarial	table	‘PA	00	medium	cohort,	projected	by	an	individual’s	year	of	birth	and	a	minimum	
improvement of 1%’.

(k) Sensitivity analysis
The table below sets out the sensitivity on the pension assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2008 of the two main assumptions.  

Change in assumptions 

No change 
0.25% rise in discount rate 
0.25% fall in discount rate 
0.25% rise in inflation 
0.25% fall in inflation 

(l) History of experience gains and losses:

Fair value of scheme assets 
Defined benefit obligations 

Deficit 

Experience gains/(losses) on scheme liabilities 

Experience gains/(losses) on scheme assets 

25 Analysis of net debt

Cash 
Borrowings 

Total net debt 

Liabilities 

Assets 

Deficit 

£m 

(77.1) 
(73.5) 
(81.0) 
(78.5) 
(75.9) 

2007 
£m 

66.6 
(73.9) 

(7.3) 

1.5 

2.1 

£m 

58.6 
58.6 
58.6 
58.6 
58.6 

2006 
£m 

56.4 
(71.6) 

(15.2) 

1.6 

1.3 

£m 

(18.5) 
(14.9) 
(22.4) 
(19.9) 
(17.3) 

2005 
£m 

55.0 
(72.8) 

(17.8) 

(0.5) 

4.3 

Increase/ 
(decrease)
in deficit
£m

–
(3.6)
3.9
1.4
(1.2)

2004
£m

46.7
(62.8)

(16.1)

(1.6)

1.3

1 January  
2008 
£m 

58.6 
(231.2) 

(172.6) 

Cash 
flow 
£m 

Exchange  31 December
2008
£m

adjustments 
£m 

30.4 
(79.5) 

(49.1) 

24.3 
(110.9) 

113.3
(421.6)

(86.6) 

(308.3)

2008 
£m 

58.6 
(77.1) 

(18.5) 

0.4 

(17.4) 

The Group’s exposure to interest rate risk, currency risk and a sensitivity analysis for financial assets and liabilities are disclosed in note 28.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
97

Annual Report 2008 97

26 Acquisitions
The Group made 14 acquisitions during the year, all of which were paid for in cash.

Provisional details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below. The analysis is provisional and amendments may be 
made to these figures in the 12 months following the date of each acquisition, with a corresponding adjustment to goodwill.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill* 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent and deferred consideration** 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

7.2 
– 
– 
1.5 
8.9 
(6.1) 
(0.9) 
(0.3) 

10.3 

2.7 
52.2 
18.5 
(0.2) 
(0.2) 
(0.6) 
(0.2) 
(3.0) 

69.2 

9.9
52.2
18.5
1.3
8.7
(6.7)
(1.1)
(3.3)

79.5

67.8
11.7

79.5

  *Total goodwill additions per Note 11 of £53.4m is made up of £52.2m in respect of the 2008 acquisitions above and £1.2m in respect of the 2007 acquisitions.
**Of the £11.7m, £10.4m is shown in provisions (note 19) and £1.3m is included in trade and other payables (note 18).

(a) HP White Laboratory Inc
The largest acquisition was the purchase on 24 September 2008, of 100% of the share capital of HP White Laboratory Inc, a company 
incorporated in the USA, which provides ballistic resistance testing of protective equipment and which also tests ammunition and firearms. 
This acquisition will strengthen the service offering of Intertek’s Commercial & Electrical division.

Initial cash consideration, inclusive of expenses, was £20.2m and additional contingent consideration of £1.5m is estimated to be payable. 
This acquisition fits within Intertek’s Life Safety Services strategy by not only expanding its capability in the personal protective equipment 
sector but more importantly enabling it to enter the ballistic testing services market.

Provisional details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below. The analysis is provisional due to the timing of the 
acquisition and amendments may be made to these figures in the 12 months to 23 September 2009, with a corresponding adjustment to 
goodwill.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

1.0 
– 
– 
0.6 
0.6 
(0.1) 

2.1 

2.8 
10.5 
6.5 
(0.1) 
(0.1) 
– 

19.6 

3.8
10.5
6.5
0.5
0.5
(0.1)

21.7

20.2
1.5

21.7

The goodwill of £10.5m represents the opportunity for Intertek to establish a market leading position in ballistics testing and to become 
firmly established in the military and defence service sectors. The other intangible assets of £6.5m represent the value placed on client 
relationships, accreditations and non-compete agreements. The fair value adjustment of £2.8m arises from the revaluation of land and 
buildings based on a professional valuation. The fair value adjustments in respect of inventories and trade receivables represent impairment 
provisions against these assets.

The profit after tax for the period 1 January 2008 to 23 September 2008 was £1.1m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of 
acquisition to 31 December 2008 was £0.4m. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
98

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

26 Acquisitions (continued)  
(b) Hi-Cad Technical Services Ltd
On 9 April 2008, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Hi-Cad Technical Services Ltd (Hi-Cad), a company registered in the UK, 
which provides specialist 3D data capture and measurement services, primarily to customers in the upstream and downstream oil and 
petroleum industry in the UK and the US. This acquisition strengthens Intertek’s Industrial Services division and the development of asset 
integrity management services.

Consideration paid, inclusive of expenses, was £14.0m and additional contingent consideration of £3.0m is estimated to be payable based 
on the future performance of Hi-Cad. Cash acquired within the business was £1.0m.

Provisional details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below. The analysis is provisional due to the timing of  
the acquisition and amendments may be made to these figures in the 12 months to 8 April 2009, with a corresponding adjustment  
to goodwill.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

0.4 
– 
– 
0.1 
3.1 
(2.2) 
(0.2) 
(0.3) 

0.9 

– 
12.2 
4.5 
– 
– 
(0.3) 
– 
(1.3) 

15.1 

0.4
12.2
4.5
0.1
3.1
(2.5)
(0.2)
(1.6)

16.0

13.0
3.0

16.0

The goodwill of £12.2m represents the knowledge and expertise of the Hi-Cad workforce and the benefit that Intertek will gain from 
being able to offer a cohesive vendor assessment and quality inspection service to its customers globally. The other intangible assets of 
£4.5m represent the value placed on client relationships, know-how and an exclusive software distributorship. The fair value adjustment of 
£0.3m relates to additional accruals. The deferred tax liability fair value adjustment of £1.3m arises on intangibles. 

The profit after tax for the period 1 January 2008 to 8 April 2008 was £0.2m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of 
acquisition to 31 December 2008 was 0.9m.

(c) CML Biotech Ltd 
On 13 February 2008, the Group acquired 100% of CML Biotech Ltd (CML), a UK registered holding company for the Commercial 
Microbiology Group for an initial cash consideration, inclusive of expenses, of £8.3m. Additional contingent consideration of £1.4m is 
estimated to be payable based on the future performance of CML. CML provides laboratory and consultancy services and sells testing kits 
related to the measurement and management of bacteria in the upstream oil and gas industries. This acquisition will strengthen the service 
offering of Intertek’s Analytical Services division.

Details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below:

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

0.8 
– 
– 
0.1 
1.4 
(0.9) 
– 
– 

1.4 

– 
7.2 
1.9 
– 
– 
– 
(0.3) 
(0.5) 

8.3 

0.8
7.2
1.9
0.1
1.4
(0.9)
(0.3)
(0.5)

9.7

8.3
1.4

9.7

The goodwill of £7.2m represents the knowledge and expertise of the CML workforce and the benefit that Intertek will obtain from 
expanding the suite of expert services that the Group can deliver as a partner to the oil and gas exploration industries globally. The other 
intangible assets of £1.9m represent value placed on client relationships. The fair value tax adjustment of £0.3m relates to a provision for 
additional tax liabilities. The deferred tax liability fair value adjustment of £0.5m arises on intangibles. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
99

Annual Report 2008 99

26 Acquisitions (continued)
The profit after tax for the period 1 January 2008 to 12 February 2008 was £0.1m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of 
acquisition to 31 December 2008 was £0.4m.

(d) 4-Front Research Limited
On 4 April 2008, the Group acquired 100% of 4-Front Research Limited, a holding company of a group of companies registered in the UK, 
France and India. Cash consideration paid, inclusive of expenses, was £7.3m and cash acquired within the business was £0.9m. Additional 
contingent consideration of £2.3m is estimated to be payable based on the future performance of 4-Front Research. 4-Front Research 
provides analytical support for clinical research studies on cosmetic, personal care, functional food and over-the-counter pharmaceutical and 
medical products. With seven sites in England and sites in Hyderabad, India and Paris, France, 4-Front will form part of Intertek’s Consumer 
Goods division.

Provisional details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below. The analysis is provisional due to the timing of the 
acquisition and amendments may be made to these figures in the 12 months to 3 April 2009, with a corresponding adjustment to 
goodwill.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

0.5 
– 
– 
0.4 
0.7 
(0.5) 
(0.1) 
– 

1.0 

– 
6.7 
1.7 
– 
– 
(0.2) 
– 
(0.5) 

7.7 

0.5
6.7
1.7
0.4
0.7
(0.7)
(0.1)
(0.5)

8.7

6.4
2.3

8.7

The goodwill of £6.7m represents the additional value that Intertek will gain from adding new high-value services to support its consumer 
healthcare customers and from having a strategic position in the developing market for consumer healthcare products in India and other 
Asian countries. The other intangible assets of £1.7m represent value placed on client relationships. The fair value adjustment of £0.2m 
relates to additional accruals. The deferred tax liability of £0.5m arises on intangibles. 

The profit after tax for the period 1 January 2008 to 3 April 2008 was £0.1m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of 
acquisition to 31 December 2008 was £0.3m.

(e) Other acquisitions 
The other 10 acquisitions during the year were as follows:

(i) Electrical Mechanical Instrument Services (UK) Ltd (EMIS), a UK registered company was 100% acquired on 3 January 2008,  
for consideration, inclusive of expenses, of £1.2m. Cash acquired within the business was £0.4m. EMIS provides calibration services  
to the oil and gas industries in the UK and the Middle East. 

(ii) Epsilon Technical Services Ltd (Epsilon), a UK registered company was 100% acquired on 5 February 2008, for initial cash consideration, 
inclusive of expenses, of £2.1m. No contingent consideration is expected to be payable. Epsilon provides safety and advisory services to 
companies with products for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. 

(iii) Bioclin Research Laboratories Ltd (Bioclin), a company registered in the Republic of Ireland, was 100% acquired on 8 February 2008, 
for initial cash consideration, inclusive of expenses, of £2.8m. Cash acquired within the business was £0.4m. Additional contingent 
consideration of £0.6m is estimated to be payable based on Bioclin’s performance in 2008. Bioclin provides product quality testing and 
bio-analytical services to pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies, in Ireland and internationally. 

(iv) The Limburg Water Board of The Netherlands outsourced all laboratory activities of Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg to Intertek with effect 
from 3 March 2008, for a minimum period of five years and transferred employees to Intertek. Total consideration, inclusive of expenses, 
was £1.6m. Intertek will provide extended analytical testing and consultancy services in the areas of environmental science, regulation and 
complex analysis of silt, soil and water. 

(v) 100% of a company registered in the Philippines, was acquired on 2 April 2008, for cash consideration, inclusive of expenses, of £3.0m. 
Cash acquired within the business was £0.2m. This company operates the largest commercial assay laboratory in the Philippines and offers 
geophysical surveys and inspection services to the minerals industries.

(vi) Applica GmbH, a food testing company, based in Germany was 100% acquired on 15 July 2008, for an initial cash consideration, 
inclusive of expenses, of £3.1m and a contingent consideration of £0.6m payable in March 2009 dependent on financial performance. 
Cash acquired within the business was £0.3m.

(vii) Transworld Laboratories (Ghana) Limited, a company incorporated in the Republic of Ghana, was 100% acquired on 24 October 2008, for a 
cash consideration, inclusive of expenses, of £2.2m. The company provides analytical testing services to the minerals and exploration industry.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
100

Client: Intertek

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Notes to the financial statements

26 Acquisitions (continued) 
(viii) Eko-Lab Sp. z.o.o, a company registered in Poland was 100% acquired on 27 November 2008, for an initial cash consideration, 
inclusive of expenses, of £2.1m and a contingent consideration of £1.4m dependent on future financial performance. The company 
provides testing services for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry.

(ix) The assets and the audit and inspection business of RQA, operating in the food industry in the USA, was acquired on 30 December 
2008, for an initial cash consideration of £0.9m and a contingent consideration of £0.9m based on future financial performance.

(x) Porst & Partner GmbH, a company registered in Germany, was 100% acquired on 31 December 2008, for a cash consideration,  
inclusive of expenses, of £2.2m. The company provides chemical analysis of harmful substances in leather, textiles, toys and hard goods.

The table below sets out a provisional analysis of the net assets acquired and the fair value to the Group in respect of the ten acquisitions 
described above. The analysis is provisional due to the timing of some of the acquisitions and amendments may be made to these figures 
in the period up to 12 months from the date each business was acquired, with a corresponding adjustment to goodwill.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill  
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables  
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability  

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired)  
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

4.5 
– 
– 
0.3 
3.1 
(2.4) 
(0.6) 
– 

4.9 

(0.1) 
15.6 
3.9 
(0.1) 
(0.1) 
(0.1) 
0.1 
(0.7) 

18.5 

4.4
15.6
3.9
0.2
3.0
(2.5)
(0.5)
(0.7)

23.4

19.9
3.5

23.4

The other intangible assets of £3.9m represent £2.8m for the value attributable to client relationships, £0.9m for guaranteed income and 
£0.2m for know-how. The other significant fair value adjustment of £0.7m relates to the deferred tax liability arising on the intangibles.

The goodwill of £15.6m arises as follows:

EMIS 
Epsilon 
Bioclin 
Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg* 
Minerals company in the Philippines 
Applica  
Transworld 
Eko-Lab 
RQA 
Porst & Partner 

Total 

 *  No goodwill arose on this acquisition.

£m

0.4
1.8
2.1
–
2.0
2.1
2.0
2.7
1.1
1.4

15.6

EMIS
The goodwill of £0.4m represents the benefit that Intertek will gain from increasing the penetration of the Group’s existing calibration and 
upstream services to the oil and gas industries in Europe and the Middle East. 

Epsilon 
The goodwill of £1.8m represents the knowledge and expertise of the Epsilon workforce and the benefit that Intertek will obtain from 
combining this business with the Group’s existing explosive environment certification services.

Bioclin 
The goodwill of £2.1m represents the benefit that Intertek will gain from having a presence in Ireland which is a key European centre for 
pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Minerals company
The goodwill of £2.0m represents the benefit to Intertek of increasing its presence in the South East Asian minerals market and gaining 
additional management and technical expertise in this region.

Applica
The goodwill of £2.1m represents the expertise of the employees in Applica in the specialised analysis of honey and honey-related products 
which extends the range of services Intertek can offer its existing clients in the food industry.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
101

Annual Report 2008 101

26 Acquisitions (continued)
Transworld
The goodwill of £2.0m represents the value to Intertek of acquiring an established business in Ghana from which to develop its minerals 
business.

Eko-Lab
The goodwill of £2.7m represents the value to Intertek of acquiring an established business in the food services market in Poland which will 
complement and enhance Intertek’s existing service offering.

RQA
The goodwill of £1.1m represents the growth that Intertek expects to gain from adding food safety auditing in North America to its service 
portfolio for clients in the food industry.

Porst & Partner
The goodwill of £1.4m represents the benefit that Intertek expects to gain from having access to the German market for textiles and toy 
testing for selling these services to international customers.

The profit after tax for the period 1 January 2008 to the respective dates of purchase for these acquisitions was £1.3m. The profit 
attributable to the Group from these acquisitions from their respective dates of purchase to 31 December 2008 was £0.8m.

(f) All the acquisitions made during the year contributed revenues of £26.0m and profits of £2.8m to the Group from their respective dates 
of acquisition to 31 December 2008.

The Group revenue and profit for the year ended 31 December 2008 would have been £1,019.8m and £105.9m respectively if all the 
acquisitions were assumed to have been made on 1 January 2008.

(g) Details of 2007 acquisitions
The Group made sixteen acquisitions in 2007, all of which were paid in cash.

The net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set out below. 

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill* 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent and deferred consideration* 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

8.2 
– 
– 
0.4 
12.7 
(7.6) 
(0.7) 
(0.2) 

12.8 

0.2 
75.7 
19.5 
– 
(0.2) 
 (4.6) 
0.1 
(2.3) 

88.4 

8.4
75.7
19.5
0.4
12.5
(12.2)
(0.6)
(2.5)

101.2

85.8
15.4

101.2

 *  The 2007 reported figures have been adjusted for movements in 2008. Goodwill has been increased by £1.2m, from the previously reported figure of £74.5m to £75.7m as 
contingent and deferred consideration has increased by £1.2m from the previously reported figure of £14.2m to £15.4m. Of the £1.2m increase in deferred consideration, an 
additional £3.5m was provided and an additional £2.6m was released, as shown in provisions (note 19) and the remaining net increase of £0.3m is shown in trade and other 
payables (note 18).

The other intangible assets of £19.5m represent the value placed on client relationships and certification marks. The fair value adjustment 
of £0.2m brings the property, plant and equipment to its approximate market value on acquisition. The £0.2m relates to additional 
allowance for doubtful receivables. The £4.6m represents mainly pension liabilities recognised. The £0.1m represents a reduction in the tax 
liabilities recognised and the £2.3m relates to deferred tax liability on intangibles. 

(i) The largest acquisition was the purchase on 18 April 2007, of 100% of the share capital of Genalysis Laboratory Services Pty Ltd, 
a company incorporated in Western Australia. Genalysis provides analytical testing and sample preparation services to mining, ore and 
minerals companies on a global basis.

Payments totalling £20.6m, net of cash acquired of £0.2m, have been made, and contingent consideration, based on completion accounts, 
estimated to be £8.3m, will be payable on or before March 2008, making a total estimated consideration for this acquisition of £28.9m.  
In 2008, estimated contingent consideration was increased by £3.4m, bringing total consideration to £32.3m.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
102

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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Notes to the financial statements

26 Acquisitions (continued)
Details of net assets acquired and fair value adjustments are set in the table that follows:

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Inventories and work in progress 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

3.8 
– 
– 
0.4 
4.1 
(1.4) 
(0.7) 
– 

6.2 

(0.2) 
23.5 
4.0 
– 
– 
– 
– 
(1.2) 

26.1 

3.6
23.5
4.0
0.4
4.1
(1.4)
(0.7)
(1.2)

32.3

20.6
11.7

32.3

The goodwill of £23.5m represents the value to the Group of acquiring a presence in an industry sector and in a country in which the 
Group did not have a significant market share. The other intangible assets of £4.0m represent value placed on client relationships. The fair 
value adjustment of £0.2m brings the property, plant and equipment to its approximate market value on acquisition. The deferred tax 
liability of £1.2m arises on intangibles.

The profit of Genalysis for the period 1 January 2007 to 18 April 2007 was £0.5m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of 
acquisition to 31 December 2007 was £1.1m.

(ii) On 9 January 2007, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Umitek Limited, a company incorporated in the UK, for £9.8m, 
net of cash of £0.6m, of which £0.5m was deferred. The company and its subsidiaries provide specialist testing and consultancy services to 
the oil and gas industries in the North Sea and globally. The net assets acquired, prior to fair value adjustments, were £2.0m of which 
£2.7m related to debtors and prepayments. Fair value adjustments totalled £7.8m of which £9.1m was for goodwill, £1.0m for intangibles, 
£2.8m related to the recognition of a pension deficit and a deferred tax asset of £0.8m thereon and £0.3m for the deferred tax liability on 
intangibles. Intangibles represent the value placed on client relationships. The goodwill represents the expertise and reputation acquired 
which will enable Intertek to improve the service offered to its existing customers. The profit of the Umitek group for the period 1 January 
2007 to 9 January 2007 was £25,000. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of acquisition to 31 December 2007 was £0.8m.

(iii) On 7 June 2007, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Quantitative Technologies Inc. (QTI), a US pharmaceutical testing 
company, for £12.8m, net of cash acquired of £0.3m, of which £2.5m was contingent consideration based on actual 2007 results. The 
company provides expert analytical support services to the global pharmaceutical, medical device and drug delivery industries. The net 
assets acquired, prior to fair value adjustments, were £0.9m of which £0.9m related to receivables and prepayments. Fair value revaluations 
to fixed assets totalled £0.2m. Intangibles of £2.5m, representing value placed on customer relationships, were recognised and goodwill 
arising was £9.2m. The goodwill represents the benefit of providing the Group with an established presence on the East Coast on the US 
for pharmaceutical support services and the opportunity for the Group to expand its pharma services in North America, complementing 
and enhancing the capabilities acquired with the ASG and Alta acquisitions made in 2004 and 2006 respectively. The profit of QTI for the 
period 1 January 2007 to 7 June 2007 was £0.3m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of acquisition to 31 December 2007 
was £0.7m.

(iv) On 14 September 2007, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of National Software Technology Laboratories Inc. (NSTL), a 
company incorporated in the USA, which tests mobile applications software, for £11.4m, net of cash acquired of £1.1m. In 2008, estimated 
contingent consideration increased from £nil to £0.7m, bringing total consideration to £12.1m. The net liabilities acquired, prior to fair value 
adjustments, were £0.1m, of which £1.4m related to receivables and prepayments, £1.7m related to payables and £0.2m related to 
property, plant and equipment. There were no fair value adjustments other than for intangibles of £2.7m, representing value placed on 
client relationships and for goodwill of £9.5m. The goodwill represents the opportunity for the Group to establish a leading position in the 
growing cellular/mobile application software market within the US. The profit of NSTL for the period 1 January 2007 to 15 September 
2007 was £0.4m. The profit attributable to the Group from the date of acquisition to 31 December 2007 was £0.4m.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
103

Annual Report 2008 103

26 Acquisitions (continued) 
(v) The following table sets out an analysis of the net assets acquired and the fair value to the Group in respect of the remaining 
acquisitions made in 2007:

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other intangible assets 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 
Deferred tax liability 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 
Contingent consideration 

Total consideration 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

3.4 
– 
– 
3.3 
(2.9) 
(0.1) 
(0.1) 

3.6 

0.3 
24.4 
9.3 
(0.1) 
(1.7) 
– 
(1.6) 

30.6 

3.7
24.4
9.3
3.2
(4.6)
(0.1)
(1.7)

34.2

34.2
–

34.2

The other intangible assets of £9.3m represent the value placed on client relationships and certification marks. The fair value adjustment  
of £0.3m brings the property, plant and equipment to its approximate market value on acquisition. The £1.7m represents pension liabilities 
recognised and the £1.6m relates to deferred tax liability on intangibles. 

The total goodwill of £24.4m is in respect of the following acquisitions:

Measurement Science Group 
Product Quality Partners 
Carnot Emission Services 
ASTA BEAB 
Plastics Technologies Laboratories 
Biodata Analytik GmbH 
Others (each less than £2.0m) 

Total goodwill 

£m

4.3
3.2
2.6
3.1
2.5
2.1
6.6

24.4

The goodwill of £24.4m represents value to the Group of acquiring presence in new industry sectors and countries, value of the skilled 
workforce in the acquired companies and the synergies that the Group will achieve in integrating these new businesses.

The profit attributable to the Group from these acquisitions from their respective dates of purchase to 31 December 2007 was £0.6m.

(vi) All the acquisitions made during the year contributed revenues of £36.1m and profits of £3.6m to the Group from their respective dates 
of acquisition to 31 December 2007.

The Group revenue and profit for the year ended 31 December 2007 would have been £799.2m and £81.9m respectively, if all the 
acquisitions were assumed to have been made on 1 January 2007.

(h) Details of post balance sheet acquisitions
On 13 February 2009, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Wisco Enterprises, LP, a company registered in the USA for a total 
estimated consideration, net of cash acquired, of £18.0m. Wisco companies specialise in providing third party inspection, expediting and 
coordination services to customers in the Oil and Gas industry.

Due to the timing of the acquisition, the fair value of the net assets acquired has not yet been determined. An analysis of net assets acquired 
is set out below which will be subject to amendment once the value of these net assets and fair value adjustments are fully determined. The 
goodwill will also be analysed to determine whether there are any intangibles assets which should be recognised separately.

Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Trade and other receivables 
Trade and other payables 
Tax payable 

Net assets acquired 

Cash outflow (net of cash acquired) 

Book value  
prior to  
acquisition 
£m 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£m 

Fair value to
Group on
 acquisition
£m

0.1 
– 
4.5 
(0.5) 
(0.1) 

4.0 

– 
14.0 
– 
– 
– 

14.0 

0.1
14.0
4.5
(0.5)
(0.1)

18.0

18.0

The goodwill represents the opportunity for Intertek to expand its technical inspection business providing it with a global platform  
and network. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
104

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

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ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

26 Acquisitions (continued) 
In addition to the above, 100% of the share capital of Aptech Engineering Services, Inc., a company based in California, USA, was  
acquired on 10 February 2009, for an initial consideration of £3.5m and additional consideration up to £5.6m, is payable contingent on  
the achievement of specified profit targets. Aptech Engineering Services is a full-service engineering consultancy company that specialises 
in the life management of facilities, equipment, and infrastructure for clients in energy-related industries. 

27 Share schemes
(a) Share option schemes 
The Company established a share option scheme for senior management in March 1997. The maximum number of options that can  
be granted under the scheme have been allocated and that scheme has been discontinued. In May 2002, the Intertek Group plc 2002 
Share Option Plan (the 2002 Plan) and the Intertek Group plc 2002 Approved Share Option Plan (the Approved Plan) were established  
for employees to be granted share options at the discretion of the Remuneration Committee. These plans have also been discontinued  
and the last grants under these plans were made in September 2005. 

(i) The number and weighted average exercise prices of share options are as follows:

2008 
Weighted  
average  
exercise price 

2008 

2007 
Weighted
average 
 of options   exercise price 

Number 

2007

Number
of options

At beginning of year 
Exercised 
Forfeited 

Outstanding options at end of year 

Exercisable at end of year 

654p  2,026,004 
(405,884) 
632p 
(227,497) 
768p 

714p  3,289,131
491p  (1,007,575)
(255,552)
596p 

642p  1,392,623 

654p  2,026,004

642p  1,392,623 

465p 

796,606

The weighted average share price of the Company at the date of exercise of share options was 971p (2007: 921p). The options outstanding 
at the year end have an exercise price in the range of 359p to 778p and a weighted average contractual life of 5.6 years.

(ii) The outstanding options at 31 December 2008 are exercisable as follows:

Option Scheme 

2002 Plan 

Approved Plan 

Number of options 
 outstanding 

Exercise
price per share 

          Exercisable between

101,841 
123,844 
18,197 
298,028 
7,116 
739,854 
14,026 

1,302,906 

10,515 
7,894 
14,828 
262 
20,532 
1,000 
33,836 
850 

89,717 

437p 
359p 
462p 
523.5p 
607p 
778p 
711p 

437p 
380p 
359p 
462p 
523.5p 
607p 
778p 
711p 

30 May 2005 
7 April 2006 
12 September 2006 
7 April 2007 
14 September 2007  
7 April 2008 
13 September 2008  

30 May 2005 
17 July 2005 
7 April 2006 
12 September 2006 
7 April 2007 
14 September 2007  
7 April 2008 
13 September 2008  

30 May 2012
7 April 2013
12 September 2013
7 April 2014
14 September 2014
7 April 2015
13 September 2015

30 May 2012
17 July 2012
7 April 2013
12 September 2013
7 April 2014
14 September 2014
7 April 2015
13 September 2015

Total 

1,392,623 

(b) Long Term Incentive Plan
As explained in the Remuneration Report on page 54, deferred and matching shares are awarded under this plan. The first awards were 
granted on 7 April 2006. The awards under this plan vest three years after grant date, subject to fulfilment of the performance conditions.

At beginning of year 
Granted 
Vested 
Forfeited 

Outstanding share awards at end of year 

490,126 
427,876 
(9,400) 
(42,031) 

273,028 
262,028 
– 
– 

239,669 
278,170 
(1,108) 
(26,605) 

128,194
156,386
–
(11,552)

866,571 

535,056 

490,126 

273,028

2008 

2008 
Deferred   Matching 
shares 

shares 

2007 
Deferred 
shares 

2007
Matching
shares

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
105

Annual Report 2008 105

27 Share schemes (continued) 
Deferred shares of 9,400 vested in 2008 comprising 6,822 shares which were allotted in 2008 and 2,578 shares which were only allotted 
in 2009 due to timing delays in issue (see note 20).  

Details of the share option schemes and the Long Term Incentive Plan are shown in the Remuneration Report on pages 47, and 53 to 55.  

(c) Equity-settled transactions
In accordance with IFRS 2, the fair value of services received in return for shares and share options granted to employees, is measured 
by reference to the fair value of shares and share options granted. In accordance with the transitional provisions in IFRS 1 and IFRS 2,  
the recognition and measurement principles in IFRS 2 have not been applied to share option grants made prior to 7 November 2002.  
The estimate of the fair value of the services received is measured based on the Black-Scholes formula, a financial model used to calculate 
the fair value of shares and share options. 

During the year ended 31 December 2008, the Group recognised an expense of £3.3m (2007: £3.0m) in respect of outstanding share and 
share option awards granted from 7 November 2002 onwards.

The fair values and the assumptions used in their calculations are set out below:

Date of share option 
grant/shares awarded 

Fair value at measurement date (pence) 
Share price (pence) 
Exercise price (pence) 
Expected volatility 
Dividend yield 
Risk free interest rate 
Time to maturity (years) 

Share options 

                 Share awards

7 April 
2005 

240.2 
790.0 
778.0 
25.4% 
1.3% 
4.6% 
6 

13 Sept 
2005  

189.8 
703.0 
711.0 
24.9% 
1.6% 
4.2% 
6 

   Deferred  
shares  
7 April 
2006 

795.9 
827.6 
n/a 
21.6% 
1.4% 
4.4% 
3 

Matching 
shares 
7 April 
2006 

435.0 
    827.6 
n/a 
21.6% 
1.4% 
4.4% 
3 

Deferred 
shares 
10 April 
2007 

887.6 
931.0 
n/a 
21.4% 
1.6% 
5.4% 
3 

Matching 
 shares  
10 April 
2007 

498.8 
931.0 
n/a 
21.4% 
1.6% 
5.4% 
3 

Deferred 
shares 
11 March 
2008 

906.9 
959.5 
n/a 
22.8% 
1.9% 
3.9% 
3 

Matching
shares
11 March
2008

619.8
959.5
n/a
22.8%
1.9%
3.9%
3

The expected volatility is based on the historic volatility, adjusted for any expected changes to future volatility due to publicly  
available information.

Share options were granted under a service condition and a non-market performance condition. Such conditions are not taken into 
account in the fair value measurement at grant date.

The deferred shares, under the Long Term Incentive Plan, are granted under a service condition. Such condition is not taken into account  
in the fair value measurement at grant date. The matching shares, under the Long Term Incentive Plan, are granted under a performance 
related market condition and as a result this condition is taken into account in the fair value measurement at grant date. 

28 Financial instruments 
Details of the Group’s treasury controls, exposures and the policies and processes for managing capital and credit, liquidity, interest rate 
and currency risk are set out in the Directors’ Report – Financial Review on page 27 and Risks and Uncertainties on pages 28 to 30.

(a) Credit risk
(i) Exposure to credit risk
The carrying amount of financial assets represents the maximum credit exposure. The maximum exposure to credit risk at the balance 
sheet date was as follows:

Available-for-sale financial assets 
Trade receivables, net of allowance 
Cash and cash equivalents 

Total 

The maximum exposure to credit risk for trade receivables at the balance sheet date by geographic region was as follows:

Americas 
Europe, Middle East and Africa 
Asia Pacific 

Total 

2008 
£m 

4.4 –
219.4 
113.3 

337.1 

2008 
£m 

77.8 
75.3 
66.3 

2007
£m

147.5
58.6

206.1

2007
£m

49.5
51.1
46.9

219.4 

147.5

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
106

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

28 Financial instruments (continued)
(ii) Impairment losses
The ageing of trade receivables at the balance sheet date was as follows:

Under 3 months  
Between 3 and 6 months 
Between 6 and 12 months 
Over 12 months 

Gross trade receivables 
Allowance for impairment 

Trade receivables, net of allowance 

2008 
£m 

188.3 
24.6 
10.5 
6.0 

229.4 
(10.0) 

219.4 

2007
£m

126.5
15.6
7.5
4.3

153.9
(6.4)

147.5

Included in trade receivables due under three months of £188.3m (2007: £126.5m) are trade receivables of £104.0m (2007: £69.1m) which 
are not due for payment under the Group’s standard terms and conditions of sale.

The movement in the allowance for impairment in respect of trade receivables during the year was as follows:

Impairment allowance for doubtful trade receivables 

At 1 January 
Exchange differences 
Cash recovered 
Impairment loss recognised 
Receivables written off 

At 31 December 

2008 
£m 

6.4 
1.6 
(0.1) 
4.4 
(2.3) 

10.0 

2007
£m

5.0
0.3
(0.2)
3.0
(1.7)

6.4

There were no significant individual impairments of trade receivables.

Credit risks arise mainly from the possibility that customers may not be able to settle their obligations as agreed. The Group assesses 
periodically the creditworthiness of customers. The Group’s credit risk is diversified due to the large number of entities that make up  
the Group’s customer base and the diversification across many different industries and geographic regions.

Allowance for impairment is based on the risk profile of the trade receivable based on the likelihood of the amount being recovered.  
Based on historic default rates reflecting the track record of payments by the Group’s customers, the Group believes that no impairment 
allowance is necessary in respect of trade receivables which are less than six months outstanding, unless there are specific circumstances 
such as the bankruptcy of a customer which would render the trade receivable irrecoverable. The Group provides fully for all trade 
receivables over 12 months old as these are considered likely to be irrecoverable. Where recovery is in doubt, a provision is made against 
the specific trade receivable until such time as the Group believes the amount to be irrecoverable. At that time the trade receivable  
is written off.

(iii) Counterparty 
Transactions involving derivative financial instruments are with counterparties who have sound credit ratings. Given this, management does 
not expect any counterparty to fail to meet its obligations.

(b) Liquidity risk
The table below provides information about the contractual maturities and interest rate profile of the Group’s senior term loans and notes 
at 31 December 2008.

Liabilities 2008 

Floating rate (USD) 
Average interest rate 
Fixed rate (USD) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (HKD) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (SEK) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (GBP) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (EUR) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (JPY) 
Average interest rate 

Total  

2009 
£m 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
14.0 
2.9% 
– 
– 
– 
– 

14.0 

2010 
£m 

30.2 
3.2% 
– 
– 
14.1 
3.2% 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

44.3 

2011 
£m 

99.2 
3.4% 
– 
– 
22.2 
2.2% 
16.0 
2.7% 
38.0 
3.3% 
35.2 
3.5% 
11.4 
1.3% 

222.0 

2012 
£m 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

2013+ 
£m 

– 
– 
137.4 
6.7% 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

137.4 

Carrying
amount
£m

129.4
–
137.4
–
36.3
–
16.0
–
52.0
–
35.2
–
11.4
–

417.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
107

Annual Report 2008 107

28 Financial instruments (continued) 
Of the other borrowings of £3.9m, disclosed in note 17, all of them fall due for repayment over the next six to ten years.

The table below provides information about the contractual maturities and interest rate profile of the Group’s senior term loans at  
31 December 2007. 

Liabilities 2007 

Floating rate (USD) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (HKD) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (SEK) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (GBP) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (EUR) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (JPY) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (NOK) 
Average interest rate 
Floating rate (SGD) 
Average interest rate 

Total  

2008 
£m 

– 
– 
11.2 
3.8% 
2.3 
5.1% 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

13.5 

2009 
£m 

35.6 
4.1% 
29.0 
3.9% 
18.0 
5.0% 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

82.6 

2010 
£m 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

2011 
£m 

32.9 
4.4% 
43.0 
4.0% 
1.8 
5.2% 
6.0 
5.5% 
29.5 
5.2% 
11.1 
1.4% 
8.3 
5.8% 
2.0 
3.3% 

Carrying
amount 
£m

68.5
–
83.2
–
22.1
–
6.0
–
29.5
–
11.1
–
8.3
–
2.0
–

134.6 

230.7

Of the other borrowings of £0.5m at 31 December 2007, £0.2m fell due for repayment in 2008 and the other £0.3m over the next two to 
ten years.

The following are the contractual maturities of financial liabilities including interest:

2008 

Non-derivative financial liabilities 
Senior term loans and notes 
Other loans 
Trade payables 

Derivative financial liabilities 
Interest rate swaps used for hedging 
Forward exchange contracts: 
  Outflow 
  Inflow 

Total 

2007 

Non-derivative financial liabilities
Senior term loans 
Other loans 
Trade payables 

Derivative financial liabilities 
Interest rate swaps used for hedging 
Forward exchange contracts: 
  Outflow 
  Inflow 

Carrying  Contractual 
cash flows 
amount 
£m 
£m 

6 months 
or less 
£m 

6-12 
months 
£m 

417.7 
3.9 
54.0 

475.6 

507.6 
5.2 
54.0 

566.8 

16.0 
0.1 
54.0 

70.1 

16.0 
0.1 
– 

16.1 

1-2 
years 
£m 

61.9 
0.2 
– 

62.1 

2-5   More than
5 years
£m

years 
£m 

256.6 
0.7 
– 

257.3 

157.1
4.1
–

161.2

5.3 

1.2 

1.5 

1.9 

4.5 

– 
– 

4.5 

17.5 
(17.5) 

5.3 

17.5 
(17.5) 

1.2 

71.3 

480.1 

572.1 

Carrying  Contractual 
cash flows 
amount 
£m 
£m 

6 months 
or less 
£m 

230.7 
0.5 
43.1 

274.3 

261.5 
0.7 
43.1 

305.3 

11.7 
0.1 
43.1 

54.9 

– 
– 

1.5 

17.6 

6-12 
months 
£m 

11.7 
0.1 
– 

11.8 

– 
– 

1.9 

64.0 

1-2 
years 
£m 

92.0 
0.1 
– 

92.1 

0.7 

– 
– 

0.7 

0.7 

0.2 

0.2 

0.2 

0.1 

10.6 
(10.6) 

0.7 

10.6 
(10.6) 

0.2 

55.1 

– 
– 

0.2 

12.0 

– 
– 

0.2 

92.3 

– 
– 

0.1 

146.4 

0.7 

– 
– 

0.7 

–

–
–

–

258.0 

161.2

2-5 
years 
£m 

More than
5 years
£m

146.1 
0.2 
– 

146.3 

–
0.2
–

0.2

–

–
–

–

0.2

Total 

275.0 

306.0 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
108

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

28 Financial instruments (continued) 
Cash flow hedges
The following table indicates the periods in which the cash flows associated with derivatives that are cash flow hedges are expected to 
occur and expected to impact the profit or loss.

Interest rate swaps used for hedging – liabilities

2008 

2007 

Carrying 
Expected 
amount  cash outflows 
£m 

£m 

6 months 
or less 
£m 

4.5 

0.7 

5.3 

0.7 

1.2 

0.2 

6-12 
months 
£m 

1.5 

0.2 

1-2 
years 
£m 

1.9 

0.2 

2-5 
years 
£m 

0.7 

0.1 

More than
 5 years
£m

–

–

(c) Interest rate risk
(i) Hedging
The Group adopts a policy of ensuring that between 33% and 67% of its exposure to changes in interest rates on borrowings is on a fixed 
rate basis. Interest rate swaps, denominated in various currencies and an interest rate cap have been entered into to achieve an appropriate 
mix of fixed and floating rate exposure within the Group’s policy. The swaps mature over the next three years and have fixed swap rates 
ranging from 1.1% to 4.8%. At 31 December 2008, the Group had interest rate swaps with a notional contract amount of £136.6m 
(2007: £55.4m) and an interest rate cap with a notional value of £19.6m (2007: £14.7m).

The Group designates interest rate swaps and interest rate caps as hedging instruments in cash flow hedges and states them at fair value. 

The net fair value of swaps and caps at 31 December 2008, was £4.5m (2007: £0.7m) comprising liabilities of £4.5m (2007: £0.7m). These 
amounts were recognised as fair value derivatives.

Under the interest rate swap agreements, the Group agrees with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between 
fixed rate and floating rate interest amounts calculated by reference to an agreed notional principal amount. 

(ii) Profile
The information about the contractual maturities and interest rate profile of the Group’s borrowings is shown in section (b) liquidity risk. 

The interest rate profile of the Group’s short-term deposits and cash at 31 December 2008 is set out below:

Financial assets 

Short-term deposits and cash*: 
  Sterling 
  US dollar 
  Chinese renminbi 
  Hong Kong dollar 
  Euro 
  Other currencies 

Total cash and cash equivalents 

Effective 

At floating 
interest rates    interest rates 
£m 

  Total carrying
amount and
fair value 
£m

Interest free 
£m 

1.0% 
0.3% 
1.5% 
0.3% 
1.5% 
Various 

5.7 
22.0 
33.5 
4.3 
8.5 
29.4 

103.4 

0.5 
1.9 
0.7 
0.1 
1.2 
5.5 

9.9 

6.2
23.9
34.2
4.4
9.7
34.9

113.3

 *Short-term deposits are overnight deposits bearing interest at rates fixed daily in advance.

The interest rate profile of the Group’s short-term deposits and cash at 31 December 2007 was as follows:

Financial assets 

Short-term deposits and cash* 
  Sterling 
  US dollar 
  Chinese renminbi 
  Hong Kong dollar 
  Euro 
  Other currencies 

Total cash and cash equivalents 

 *Short-term deposits are overnight deposits bearing interest at rates fixed daily in advance.

Effective 

At floating 
interest rates    interest rates 
£m 

  Total carrying
amount and
fair value 
£m

Interest free 
£m 

5.6% 
5.2% 
1.8% 
3.9% 
3.8% 
Various 

(6.2) 
16.3 
17.0 
1.2 
1.5 
14.2 

44.0 

– 
– 
– 
– 
6.8 
7.8 

14.6 

(6.2)
16.3
17.0
1.2
8.3
22.0

58.6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
109

Annual Report 2008 109

28 Financial instruments (continued) 
(iii) Sensitivity
At 31 December 2008, it is estimated that a general increase of three percentage points in interest rates would decrease the Group’s profit 
before tax by approximately £2.6m (2007: £2.7m at a three percentage point increase and £1.2m at a one percentage point increase).  
A three percentage point increase has been used in the current year compared to a one percentage point increase in the prior year 
accounts sensitivity analysis to reflect the current economic environment. Interest rate swaps have been included in this calculation.  
This analysis assumes all other variables remain constant. 

(d) Foreign currency risk
The net assets of foreign subsidiaries represent a significant portion of the Group’s shareholders’ funds and a substantial percentage of the 
Group’s revenue and operating costs are incurred in currencies other than sterling. Because of the high proportion of international activity, 
the Group’s profit is exposed to exchange rate fluctuations. Two types of risk arise as a result: (i) translation risk, that is, the risk of adverse 
currency fluctuations in the translation of foreign currency operations and foreign assets and liabilities into sterling and (ii) transaction risk, 
that is, the risk that currency fluctuations will have a negative effect on the value of the Group’s commercial cash flows in various currencies.

(i)Profile
The foreign currency profile of the trade receivables and payables at the balance sheet date were as follows:

2008 

Trade receivables 

Trade payables 

2007 

Trade receivables 

Trade payables 

Carrying 
amount 
£m 

219.4 

54.0 

147.5 

43.1 

Sterling 
£m 

US dollar 
£m 

26.4 

7.7 

18.1 

6.4 

64.8 

12.8 

41.1 

9.2 

Chinese 
renminbi 
£m 

23.8 

11.0 

14.5 

8.2 

Hong 
Kong 
dollar 
£m 

11.7 

4.1 

9.2 

3.0 

Euro 
£m 

30.5 

7.7 

20.0 

6.3 

Other
currencies
£m

62.2

10.7

44.6

10.0

(ii) Recognised assets and liabilities
Changes in the fair value of forward exchange contracts that economically hedge monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies  
and for which no hedge accounting is applied are recognised in the income statement. At 31 December 2008, the fair value of forward 
exchange contracts was £nil (2007: £nil).

(iii) Hedge of net investment in foreign subsidiaries
The Group’s foreign currency denominated loans are designated as a hedge of the Group’s investment in its respective subsidiaries.  
The carrying amount of these loans at 31 December 2008 was £365.7m (2007: £224.7m).

A foreign exchange loss of £110.9m (2007: loss of £3.2m) was recognised in the translation reserve in equity on translation of these loans 
to sterling.

(iv) Sensitivity
It is estimated that a general increase of ten percentage points in the value of sterling against the dollar (the main currency impacting the 
Group) would have decreased the Group’s profit before tax for 2008 by approximately £10.8m (2007: £7.3m at a ten percentage point 
increase and £0.8m at a one percentage point increase). A ten percentage point increase has been used in the current year compared  
to a one percentage point increase in the prior year accounts sensitivity analysis to reflect the current economic environment. The forward 
exchange contracts have been included in this calculation. This analysis assumes all other variables remain constant. 

(e) Fair values
The table below sets out a comparison of the book values and corresponding fair values of all the Group’s financial instruments by class. 

Financial assets 
Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade receivables 
Available-for-sale asset 

Financial liabilities 
Interest bearing loans and borrowings 
Interest rate swaps used for hedging 
Trade payables 

2008 
Book value 
£m 

2008 
Fair value 
£m 

2007 
Book value 
£m 

2007
Fair value
£m

113.3 
219.4 
4.4 

337.1 

421.6 
4.5 
54.0 

480.1 

113.3 
219.4 
4.4 

337.1 

414.3 
4.5 
54.0 

472.8 

58.6 
147.5 
– 

206.1 

231.2 
0.7 
43.1 

275.0 

58.6
147.5
–

206.1

231.2
0.7
43.1

275.0

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
110

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

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Notes to the financial statements

28 Financial instruments (continued) 
(f) Estimation of fair values
The major methods and assumptions used in estimating the fair values of the Group’s financial instruments are summarised below.

(i) Interest rate swaps and caps used for hedging
Bank valuations are used to estimate the fair value of interest rate swaps and caps used for hedging. Valuations are tested by considering 
the equivalent swap rate as at 31 December and calculating the difference in interest earned at this rate compared to the original swap 
rate and cap.

(ii) Forward exchange contracts
The fair value of forward exchange contracts is based on their quoted market price, if available. If a quoted market price is not available, 
the fair value is estimated by discounting the difference between the contractual forward price and the current forward price for the 
residual maturity of the contract using a risk free interest rate.

(iii) Interest bearing loans and borrowings
The fair value of the floating interest bearing loans and borrowings is equal to the book value, since the floating interest rates were reset 
just prior to the year end. The fair value of the fixed rate interest bearing loans and borrowings has been calculated based on the present 
value of future principal and interest cash flows, discounted at the market rate at the reporting date. 

(iv) Trade receivables and payables
For trade receivables and payables with a remaining life of less than one year, the notional amount is deemed to reflect the fair value.  
All others are estimated as the present value of future cash flows discounted at the market rate of interest at the reporting date.

(v) Available-for-sale financial assets
The fair value of available-for-sale financial assets is determined by reference to their quoted closing bid price at the reporting date.

(vi) Interest rates used for determining fair value
Prevailing market interest rates at the reporting date are used to discount future cash flows to determine the fair value of financial assets 
and liabilities.

29 Contingent liabilities

Guarantees, letters of credit and performance bonds 

2008 
£m 

8.9 

2007
£m

7.1

Litigation
From time to time, the Group is involved in various claims and lawsuits incidental to the ordinary course of its business, including claims  
for damages, negligence and commercial disputes regarding inspection and testing and disputes with employees and former employees. 
The Group is not currently party to any legal proceedings other than ordinary litigation incidental to the conduct of business.

The outcome of litigation to which the Intertek Group companies are party cannot be readily foreseen as in some cases the facts are 
unclear or further time is needed to properly assess the merits of the case. However, based on information currently available, the Directors 
consider that the cost to the Group of an unfavourable outcome arising from such litigation is unlikely to have a materially adverse effect 
on the financial position of the Group in the foreseeable future. 

Tax
The Group operates in more than 100 countries and is subject to wide range of complex tax laws and regulations. At any point in time it  
is normal for there to be a number of open years in any particular territory which may be subject to enquiry by local authorities. Where  
the effect of the laws and regulations is unclear, estimates are used in determining the liability for the tax to be paid on past profits which 
are recognised in the financial statements. The Group considers the estimates, assumptions and judgements to be reasonable but this can 
involve complex issues which may take a number of years to resolve. The final determination of prior year tax liabilities could be different 
from the estimates reflected in the financial statements. 

 30 Related parties
Identity of related parties
The Group has a related party relationship with its associates (see note 32) and with its key management.

Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries and between subsidiaries have been eliminated on consolidation and are not 
discussed in this note.

Transactions with associates
As stated in note 12, the Group holds a 40% interest in the associate, Allium LLC, a company registered in the US and a 49% interest in 
the associate Euro Mechanical Instrument Services LLC (Abu Dhabi), a company registered in the United Arab Emirates. 

Allium LLC and its subsidiaries manufacture testing equipment which it sells to certain Intertek Group companies. In 2008, sales by Allium 
Group companies to Intertek Group companies amounted to £0.6m (2007: £0.9m). Intertek Group companies had lent dollar equivalent 
£1.9m to Allium LLC as at 31 December 2008 (2007: £1.4m) against which there was a Group provision of £1.2m (2007: £1.2m).  
Interest on these loans was charged during 2008 at an average rate of 5.6% (2007: 6.5%). Intertek Group companies owed £0.1m at  
31 December 2008 (2007: £0.1m) to Allium LLC in respect of purchases of testing equipment. 

Euro Mechanical Instrument Services LLC (Abu Dhabi) provides calibration services to the oil industry. This company had no material 
transactions with Intertek Group companies in the year.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 Related parties (continued)
Transactions with key management personnel 
Key management personnel compensation, including the Group’s Executive Directors, is shown in the table below: 

Short-term benefits 
Post-employment benefits 
Equity-settled transactions 

Total  

111

Annual Report 2008 111

2008 
£m 

4.6 
0.3 
1.5 

6.4 

2007
£m

2.3
0.2
0.7

3.2

More detailed information concerning Directors’ remuneration, shareholdings, pension entitlements, share options and other long-term 
incentive plans is shown in the audited part of the Remuneration Report. 

Richard Nelson is engaged by the Group as a Non-Executive Director under the terms of a letter of appointment for an initial period  
of 3 years commencing on 8 April 2005 and extended for a further 2 years on 7 March 2008. Under the terms of the same letter of 
appointment Richard Nelson is entitled to remuneration of £1,000 per working day for any special project work agreed in advance by the 
Chairman. In 2008, Richard Nelson received remuneration of £nil (2007: £1,000) for special project work.

Apart from the above, no member of key management had a personal interest in any business transactions of the Group.

31 Post Balance Sheet Events
(a) Details of all acquisitions made after 31 December 2008 are given in note 26(h). 

(b) At a Board meeting on 6 March 2009, the Directors proposed a dividend of 13.7p per ordinary share, which if approved, is payable to 
shareholders on 19 June 2009.

32 Principal operating subsidiaries and associated companies 
The Group comprises 217 subsidiary companies and two associated companies. As permitted by Section 231(5) of the Companies Act 
1985, only the holding companies and the principal subsidiaries whose results or financial position, in the opinion of the Directors, 
principally affect the figures of the Group in 2008 and 2007 have been shown below. A full list of subsidiaries will be attached to the 
Company’s Annual Return filed with the Registrar of Companies. All the subsidiaries were consolidated at 31 December 2008. 

Country of 
incorporation 

Activity by 
division* 

Percentage of ordinary
shares held in 
2008 and 2007

Group 

Company

Company name 

Intertek Testing Services Holdings Limited 
Intertek Holdings Limited 
Intertek Testing Services UK Limited 
Intertek Finance plc 
Intertek Testing Management Limited 
Intertek International Limited 
ITS Testing Services (UK) Limited 
ITS Testing Holdings Canada Limited 
Intertek Testing Services Limited Shanghai 
Intertek Testing Services Shenzhen Limited 
Testing Holdings France EURL 
Testing Holdings Germany GmbH 
ITS Hong Kong Limited 
Yickson Enterprises Limited 
Intertek Testing Services Taiwan Limited 
Kite Overseas Holdings BV 
Testing Holdings Sweden AB 
Semko AB 
ITS NA Inc 
Intertek USA Inc 
Testing Holdings USA Inc 
Genalysis Laboratory Services Pty Ltd  

England and Wales 
England and Wales 
England and Wales 
England and Wales 
England and Wales 
England and Wales 
England and Wales 
Canada   
China 
China 
France 
Germany 
Hong Kong 
Hong Kong 
Taiwan   
Netherlands 
Sweden  
Sweden  
USA 
USA 
USA 
Australia  

Country of 
incorporation 

Associates 

Allium LLC 
EMIS, Abu Dhabi (acquired 2008) 

USA 
United Arab Emirates 

Holding company 
Holding company 
Holding company 
Finance 
Management company 
GS, IS 
OCA, AS 
Holding company 
CG, C&E, GS, IS, M 
CG, C&E, IS 
Holding company 
Holding company 
CG, C&E, OCA, GS, IS 
Holding company 
CG, C&E, OCA 
Holding company 
Holding company 
C&E 
C&E, IS 
OCA, AS, IS 
Holding company 
Minerals 

Principal  
activity by 
division* 

CG 
OCA 

100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
85 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 

100
100
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Percentage of ordinary
shares held in 
2008 and 2007

Group 

40 
49 

Company

–
–

 *Consumer Goods (CG), Commercial & Electrical (C&E), Oil, Chemical & Agri (OCA),Government Services (GS), Analytical Services (AS), Industrial Services (IS) and Minerals (M). 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
112

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

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112 www.intertek.com

Intertek Group plc – Company Balance Sheet

As at 31 December 2008 

Fixed assets 
Investments in subsidiary undertakings 

Current assets 
Debtors due after more than one year 
Debtors due less than one year 

Cash at bank and in hand 

Creditors due within one year 
Other creditors 

Net current assets 

Total assets less current liabilities 

Creditors due after more than one year 
Other creditors 

Net assets 

Capital and reserves 
Called up share capital 
Share premium  
Profit and loss account 

Shareholders’ funds – equity 

Notes 

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

(d) 

284.7 

280.9

(e) 
(f) 

8.8 –
1.5 

10.3 
0.3 

10.6 

0.4

0.4
10.1

10.5

(g) 

(3.2) 

(1.9)

7.4 

8.6

292.1 

289.5

(h) 

(4.2) 

(9.2)

287.9 

280.3

(i) 
(i) 
(i) 

1.6 
249.9 
36.4 

287.9 

1.6
247.3
31.4

280.3

The financial statements on pages 112 to 115 were approved by the Board on 9 March 2009 and were signed on its behalf by:

Wolfhart Hauser  
Director   

Bill Spencer
Director

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
113

Annual Report 2008 113

Notes to the Company financial statements

(a) Accounting policies – Company 
The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the 
Company’s financial statements, except as noted below.

Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards and under the historical 
cost accounting rules.

Under Section 230(4) of the Companies Act 1985 the Company is exempt from the requirement to present its own profit and loss account.

The Company is exempt from the requirement to prepare a cash flow statement on the grounds that it is included in the consolidated 
accounts which it has prepared. 

Foreign currencies
Transactions in foreign currencies are recorded using the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and 
liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date. All foreign exchange 
differences are taken to the profit and loss account. 

Taxation
The charge for taxation is based on the profit for the year and takes into account taxation deferred because of timing differences between 
the treatment of certain items for taxation and accounting purposes. 

Deferred tax is recognised, without discounting, in respect of all timing differences between the treatment of certain items for taxation and 
accounting purposes, which have arisen but not reversed by the balance sheet date, except as otherwise required by FRS 19. Deferred tax 
assets in respect of timing differences are only recognised to the extent that it is more likely than not there will be suitable taxable profits 
to offset the future reversal of these timing differences.

Classification of financial instruments issued by the Company
Following the adoption of the presentation requirements of FRS 25, financial instruments issued by the Company are treated as equity  
(i.e. forming part of shareholders’ funds) only to the extent that they meet the following two conditions:

(i) they include no contractual obligations upon the Company to deliver cash or other financial assets or to exchange financial assets or 
financial liabilities with another party under conditions that are potentially unfavourable to the Company; and

(ii) where the instrument will or may be settled in the Company’s own equity instruments, it is either a non-derivative that includes no 
obligation to deliver a variable number of the Company’s own equity instruments, or is a derivative that will be settled by the Company’s 
exchanging a fixed amount of cash or other financial assets for a fixed number of its own equity instruments.

To the extent that this definition is not met, the proceeds of issue are classified as a financial liability. Where the instrument so classified 
takes the legal form of the Company’s own shares, the amounts presented in these financial statements for called up share capital and 
share premium account exclude amounts in relation to those shares.

Finance payments associated with financial liabilities are dealt with as part of interest payable and similar charges. Finance payments 
associated with financial instruments that are classified as part of shareholders’ funds are dealt with as appropriations in the reconciliation 
of movements in shareholders’ funds.

Dividends on shares presented within shareholders’ funds 
Dividend income is recognised in profit or loss on the date that the Company’s right to receive payment is established.

Dividends unpaid at the balance sheet date, are only recognised as a liability at that date to the extent that they are appropriately 
authorised and are no longer at the discretion of the Company. Unpaid dividends that do not meet these criteria are disclosed in the notes 
to the financial statements.

Investments in subsidiaries
Investments in subsidiaries are stated at cost less any provisions for impairment.

Intercompany financial guarantees
When the Company enters into financial guarantee contracts to guarantee the indebtedness of other companies in the Group, the 
Company considers these to be insurance arrangements and accounts for them as such. In this respect the Company treats the guarantee 
contract as a contingent liability, until such time as it becomes probable that the Company will be required to make a payment under the 
guarantee. 

Share-based payments
Intertek Group plc runs a share ownership programme that allows Group employees to acquire shares in the Company. In order to 
encourage share ownership, a share option scheme for senior management was established in March 1997. This option programme  
was discontinued in 2006 and was replaced by a new Long Term Incentive Plan.

As permitted by FRS 20, the Company has applied the requirements of this standard to all share-based payment awards granted after 
7 November 2002.

The fair value of options and share awards granted to employees of the Company is recognised as an employee expense with a 
corresponding increase in equity. As the Company has no employees, there is no recognition of an employee expense nor the corresponding 
increase in equity. However, the Company grants options and awards over its own shares to the employees of its subsidiaries and therefore 
the Company recognises an increase in the cost of investment in its subsidiaries, equivalent to the equity-settled share-based payment 
charge recognised in its subsidiary’s financial statements, with the corresponding credit being recognised directly in equity.

114

Client: Intertek

Date: 05-03-2009

Project: Annual Report 2008

ID No: C14294

Page no:

WI No: Verbal

Operator: .../ac/dw/ac/dw/sc/dw/wf;ac;sc

Proof Reader: 

114 www.intertek.com

Notes to the Company financial statements

(a) Accounting policies – Company (continued)
The fair value is measured at grant date and is spread over the period during which the employee becomes unconditionally entitled to the 
options. The fair value granted is measured using the Black-Scholes model. This method, in calculating the fair value, takes into account 
various factors including the expected volatility of the shares, the dividend yield and the risk free interest rate.

The fair value of shares granted under the Long Term Incentive Plan is also measured using the Black-Scholes method and is spread over 
the period during which the employee becomes unconditionally entitled to the shares.

See note 27 in the Group financial statements for further information on the share schemes. 

(b) Profit and loss account
Amounts paid to the Company’s auditor and their associates in respect of services to the Company, other than the audit of the Company’s 
financial statements, have not been disclosed as the information is required instead to be disclosed on a consolidated basis.

The Company does not have any employees.

Details of the remuneration of the Directors are set out in the Remuneration Report.

(c) Dividends
The aggregate amount of dividends comprises:

Final dividend paid in respect of prior year but not recognised as a liability in that year 
Interim dividends paid in respect of the current year 

Aggregate amount of dividends paid in the financial year 

The aggregate amount of dividends proposed and recognised as liabilities as at 31 December 2008 is £nil (2007: £nil).

(d) Investment in subsidiary undertakings

Cost and net book value 
At 1 January 
Additions 
Additions due to share-based payments 

At 31 December  

2008 
£m 

19.2 
11.2 

30.4 

2007
£m

16.1
9.1

25.2

2008 
£m 

2007
£m

280.9 
0.5 
3.3 

284.7 

277.4
0.5
3.0

280.9

During the year, the Company subscribed £0.5m into the share capital of its segregated account in Leeward Insurance Company Limited, 
registered in Bermuda. This is the insurance captive for the Group.

The Company has granted options over its own shares and made share awards to the employees of its direct and indirectly-owned 
subsidiaries, and as such, the Company recognises an increase in the cost of investment in subsidiaries of £3.3m (2007: £3.0m). Please see 
note 32 in the Group financial statements for details of the principal operating subsidiaries.

The other two direct subsidiary undertakings at 31 December 2008 were Intertek Testing Services Holdings Limited and Intertek Holdings 
Limited, both of which are holding companies, incorporated in the United Kingdom and registered in England and Wales. All interests are 
in the ordinary share capital of the companies and both companies are wholly owned. In the opinion of the Directors, the value of the 
investments in subsidiary undertakings is not less than the amount at which the investments are stated in the balance sheet.

There is no impairment to the carrying value of these investments.

(e) Debtors due after more than one year 

Amounts owed by Group undertakings 

2007
£m

2008 
£m 

8.8 –

The amounts owed by Group undertakings represent long-term loans due in two to five years, which carry interest based on the 
denomination of the borrowing currency.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
(f) Debtors due within one year

Corporation tax 
Amounts owed by Group undertakings 

(g) Creditors due within one year

Amounts owed to Group undertakings 
Accruals and deferred income 

(h) Creditors due after more than one year

Amounts owed to Group undertakings 

2008 
£m 

0.4 –
1.1 

1.5 

2008 
£m 

3.0 
0.2 

3.2 

2008 
£m 

4.2 

The amounts owed to Group undertakings represent long-term loans due in two to five years, which carry interest based on the 
denomination of the borrowing currency.

(i) Shareholders’ funds – equity

At 1 January 2007 
Profit for the financial year 
Dividends 
Credit in relation to share-based payments 
Shares issued 

At 31 December 2007 
Profit for the financial year 
Dividends 
Credit in relation to share-based payments 
Shares issued 

At 31 December 2008 

115

Annual Report 2008 115

2007
£m

0.4

0.4

2007
£m

1.8
0.1

1.9

2007
£m

9.2

Total
£m

288.7
8.9
(25.2)
3.0
4.9

280.3
32.1
(30.4)
3.3
2.6

Share  
capital 
£m 

Share 
premium 
£m 

Profit
and loss 
£m 

1.6 
– 
– 
– 
– 

1.6 
– 
– 
– 
– 

1.6 

242.4 
– 
– 
– 
4.9 

247.3 
– 
– 
– 
2.6 

249.9 

44.7 
8.9 
(25.2) 
3.0 
– 

31.4 
32.1 
(30.4) 
3.3 
– 

36.4 

287.9

Details of share capital are set out in note 20 and details of share options are set out in note 27 to the Group financial statements.

A profit and loss account for Intertek Group plc has not been presented as permitted by Section 230(4) of the Companies Act 1985.  
The profit for the financial year, before dividends paid to shareholders of £30.4m (2007: £25.2m) was £32.1m (2007: £8.9m) which was 
mainly in respect of dividends received from subsidiaries.

(j) Related party transactions
Under FRS 8: Related Party Disclosures, the Company has taken advantage of the exemption from disclosing transactions with other  
Group companies.

(k) Contingent liabilities
The Company is a member of a group of UK companies that are part of a composite banking cross guarantee arrangement. This is a joint 
and several guarantee given by all members of the Intertek UK cash pool, guaranteeing the total gross liability position of the pool which 
was £17.7m at 31 December 2008 (2007: £29.2m).

From time-to-time, in the normal course of business, the Company may give guarantees in respect of certain liabilities of  
subsidiary undertakings.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
116 www.intertek.com

Corporate and Shareholder Information

116

Shareholders’ Enquiries and Electronic 
Communications www.shareview.co.uk
Any shareholders with enquiries relating to their 
shareholding should, in the first instance, contact 
our Registrars, Equiniti.

Shareholders who would prefer to view 
documentation electronically can elect to receive 
automatic notification by email each time the 
Company distributes documents, instead of 
receiving a paper version of such documents, by 
registering a request at the website,
www.shareview.co.uk.

There is no fee for using this service and you will 
automatically receive confirmation that a request 
has been registered. Should you wish to change 
your mind or request a paper version of any 
document in the future, you may do so by 
contacting the Registrar by email or by post.

To access www.shareview.co.uk, you will need to 
have your shareholder reference available when you 
first log in, which may be found on your dividend 
voucher, share certificate or form of proxy. The 
facility also allows shareholders to view their holding 
details, find out how to register a change of name 
or what to do if a share certificate is lost, as well as 
download forms in respect of changes of address, 
dividend mandates and share transfers.

Share dealing service
A share dealing service for the purchase or sale of 
shares in Intertek is available through JPMorgan 
Cazenove, whose details are as follows:

JPMorgan Cazenove (postal service)
20 Moorgate
London
EC2R 6DA
t:  +44 20 7155 5328

ShareGift
The Orr Mackintosh Foundation operates a charity 
share donation scheme for shareholders with small 
parcels of shares whose value makes it uneconomic 
to sell them. Details of the scheme are available 
from:

ShareGift at www.sharegift.org
t:  +44 20 7930 3737.

Share price information
Information on the Company’s share price is 
available from the investor pages of  
www.intertek.com.

Board of Directors
Vanni Treves, Chairman*
Richard Nelson, Deputy Chairman*
David Allvey*
Christopher Knight*
Debra Rade*
Wolfhart Hauser, Chief Executive Officer
Mark Loughead, Chief Operating Officer
William Spencer, Chief Financial Officer 

*Non-Executive Directors

Company Secretary
Fiona Evans

Investor Relations
e: investor@intertek.com
t: +44 20 7396 3400

Registrars
Equiniti
Aspect House,
Spencer Road,
Lancing, West Sussex
BN99 6DA
t: 0871 384 2653
t: +44 121 415 7047 (outside UK)
web address: www.equiniti.com

Auditors
KPMG Audit Plc
PO Box 486
8 Salisbury Square
London EC4Y 8BB
t: +44 20 7311 1000

Registered Office
Intertek Group plc
25 Savile Row
London W1S 2ES
t: +44 20 7396 3400
f: +44 20 7396 3480
www.intertek.com

Registered number: 4267576

ISIN: GB0031638363

London Stock Exchange
Support Services
FTSE 250
Symbol: ITRK

Brokers
JPMorgan Cazenove
20 Moorgate
London EC2R 6DA
t: +44 20 7588 2828

Goldman Sachs International
Peterborough Court
133 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2BB
t: +44 20 7774 1000

117

Annual Report 2008 117

31 December 2008

9 March 2009

15 May 2009

3 June 2009

5 June 2009

19 June 2009

3 August 2009

November 2009

Financial Calendar

  Financial year end 

  Results announced 

  Annual General Meeting 

  Ex-dividend date for final dividend 

  Record date for final dividend 

  Final dividend payable 

  Interim results announced 

  Interim dividend payable 

Contact Information

Intertek Group plc
Head Office 
25 Savile Row 
London 
W1S 2ES 
United Kingdom

t: +44 20 7396 3400
f: +44 20 7396 3480 
e: info@intertek.com

www.intertek.com

Our Regional Contacts

Oil, Chemical & Agri
Americas
t: +1 713 407 3500
f: +1 713 407 3594

Europe
t: +44 1708 680200
f: +44 1708 680264

Asia
t: +65 6222 3889
f: +65 6221 5876

Commercial & Electrical
Americas
t: +1 800 967 5352
f: +1 800 813 9287

Europe
t: +46 8 750 0000
f: +46 8 750 6030

Asia
t: +86 21 6127 8200
f: +86 21 5426 2346

Minerals
Americas
t: +1 888 400 0084
f: +1 713 407 3594

Europe
t: +44 1708 680200
f: +44 1708 680264

Asia
t: +61 8 9251 8164
f: +61 8 9251 8110

Analytical Services
Americas
t: +1 713 407 3500
f: +1 713 407 3594

Europe
t: +44 161 721 5247
f: +44 161 721 1654 

Asia
t: +65 6222 3889
f: +65 6221 5876

Government Services
Americas
t: +1 305 513 3000
f: +1 305 513 3001

Europe
t: +44 1277 223400
f: +44 1277 220127

Asia
t: +852 2310 9923
f: +852 2370 2284

Consumer Goods
Americas
t: +1 630 481 3111
f: +1 630 481 3101

Europe
t: +33 232 09 36 36
f: +33 232 09 36 37

Asia
t: +852 2173 8888
f: +852 2786 1903

Industrial
Americas
t: +1 713 475 4022
f: +1 713 477 9524

Europe
t: +39 02 95383833
f: +39 02 95383832

Asia
t: + 81 3 5245 0648
f: + 81 3 5245 0480

BC4

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