The management report is an integral part of the ECB's Annual Accounts and is designed to provide readers with contextual information related to the financial statements. Given that the ECB's activities and operations are undertaken in support of its policy objectives, the ECB's financial position and result should be viewed in conjunction with its policy actions. To this end, the management report presents the ECB's main tasks and activities, as well as their impact on its financial statements. Furthermore, it analyses the main developments in the balance sheet and the profit and loss account during the year and includes information on the ECB's net equity. Finally, it describes the risk environment in which the ECB operates, providing information on the specific risks to which the ECB is exposed, and the risk management policies used to mitigate risks.