EX-99.2 5 a2171710zex-99_2.htm EX-99.2
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EXHIBIT 99.2

The Dow Chemical Company and Subsidiaries
PART II, Item 9A. Controls and Procedures



ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company's Disclosure Committee and the Company's management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to paragraph (b) of Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in the Company's internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 that was conducted during the last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. The Company's internal control framework and processes are designed to provide reasonable assurance to management and the Board of Directors regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

       The Company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:

    pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the Company;
    provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded properly to allow for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and Directors of the Company;
    provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company's assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements; and
    provide reasonable assurance as to the detection of fraud.

       Because of its inherent limitations, a system of internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance and may not prevent or detect misstatements. Further, because of changing conditions, effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting may vary over time.

       Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting and concluded that, as of December 31, 2005, such internal control is effective. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO") in Internal Control – Integrated Framework.

       The Company's independent auditors, Deloitte & Touche LLP, with direct access to the Company's Board of Directors through its Audit Committee, have audited the consolidated financial statements prepared by the Company. Their report on the consolidated financial statements is included in Part II, Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. Management's assessment of the Company's internal control over financial reporting has been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, as stated in their report included herein.

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Management's Process to Assess the Effectiveness of Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting

To comply with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Company followed a comprehensive compliance process across the enterprise to evaluate its internal control over financial reporting, engaging employees at all levels of the organization. Dow's effective internal control begins with a strong ethics and compliance "tone-at-the-top" of the Company, and is supported by all employees throughout the organization, who operate within clearly defined roles and responsibilities with strict adherence to delegation of authority limits. To further heighten internal control awareness across the Company during 2005, Dow required mandatory internal control training for approximately 20,000 employees around the globe.

       Management's conclusion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting is based on a thorough and comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the five elements of COSO. Multiple inputs were considered as the basis for management's conclusion – including self-assessments of the control activities within each work process, assessments of entity-level controls, and internal control attestations from significant nonconsolidated joint ventures and external service providers, as well as from key Dow management. In addition, the Company's internal control processes contain self-monitoring mechanisms, and proactive steps are taken to correct deficiencies as they are identified. The Company also maintains an effective internal auditing program that independently assesses the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting within each of the five COSO elements.

/s/ ANDREW N. LIVERIS
  /s/ GEOFFERY E. MERSZEI
Andrew N. Liveris
President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman-Elect
  Geoffery E. Merszei
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

/s/ FRANK H. BROD


 

 
Frank H. Brod
Corporate Vice President and Controller
   

February 8, 2006

 

 

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
The Dow Chemical Company:

We have audited management's assessment, included in the accompanying Management's Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that The Dow Chemical Company and subsidiaries (the "Company") maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. The Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management's assessment and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

       We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating management's assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinions.

       A company's internal control over financial reporting is a process designed by, or under the supervision of, the company's principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company's board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company's assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

       Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Also, projections of any evaluation of the effectiveness of the internal control over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

       In our opinion, management's assessment that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2005, based on the criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

       We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15 (a) 2. as of and for the year ended December 31, 2005 of the Company and our report dated February 8, 2006 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements and financial statement schedule.

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
   
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Midland, Michigan
February 8, 2006
   

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PART II