Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements Off-balance sheet arrangements are obligations the Company has with nonconsolidated entities related to transactions, agreements or other contractual arrangements. The Company holds variable interests in joint ventures accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The Company is not the primary beneficiary of these joint ventures and therefore is not required to consolidate these entities (see Note 24 to the Consolidated Financial Statements). In addition, see Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding the transfer of financial assets. Guarantees arise during the ordinary course of business from relationships with customers, committed accounts receivable facilities and nonconsolidated affiliates when the Company undertakes an obligation to guarantee the performance of others if specific triggering events occur. Additional information related to guarantees can be found in the “Guarantees” section of Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Fair Value Measurements See Note 20 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to fair value measurements of pension and other postretirement benefit plan assets; see Note 22 for information related to other-than-temporary impairments; and, see Note 23 for additional information concerning fair value measurements. OTHER MATTERS Recent Accounting Guidance See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for a summary of recent accounting guidance. Critical Accounting Estimates The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make judgments, assumptions and estimates that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements describes the significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. Following are the Company’s accounting policies impacted by judgments, assumptions and estimates: Litigation The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims arising out of the normal course of business including product liability, patent infringement, employment matters, governmental tax and regulation disputes, contract and commercial litigation and other actions. The Company routinely assesses the legal and factual circumstances of each matter, the likelihood of any adverse outcomes to these matters, as well as ranges of probable losses. A determination of the amount of the reserves required, if any, for these contingencies is made after thoughtful analysis of each known claim. The Company has an active risk management program consisting of numerous insurance policies secured from many carriers covering various timeframes. These policies may provide coverage that could be utilized to minimize the financial impact, if any, of certain contingencies. The required reserves may change in the future due to new developments in each matter. For further discussion, see Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation Union Carbide is and has been involved in a large number of asbestos-related suits filed primarily in state courts during the past four decades. These suits principally allege personal injury resulting from exposure to asbestos- containing products and frequently seek both actual and punitive damages. The alleged claims primarily relate to products that Union Carbide sold in the past, alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products located on Union Carbide’s premises, and Union Carbide’s responsibility for asbestos suits filed against a former Union Carbide subsidiary, Amchem Products, Inc. ("Amchem"). Each year, Ankura Consulting Group, LLC ("Ankura") performs a review for Union Carbide based upon historical asbestos claims, resolution and asbestos-related defense and processing costs, through the terminal year of 2049. Union Carbide compares current asbestos claim and resolution activity, including asbestos-related defense and processing costs, to the results of the most recent Ankura study at each balance sheet date to determine whether the asbestos-related liability continues to be appropriate. For additional information, see Part I, Item 3. Legal Proceedings; Asbestos-Related Matters of Union Carbide Corporation in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; and Notes 1 and 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. 57