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Compensation architecture for the Board of Directors

The compensation of the Board of Directors is fixed and does not contain any performance-based variable component. This ensures that the Board of Directors is truly independent in fulfilling its supervisory duties towards the Executive Committee.

The compensation of the Board of Directors is governed by a compensation regulation, is reviewed by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) annually and, if necessary, adjusted by a decision of the full Board of Directors based on a proposal by the NRC.

The compensation of the Board of Directors consists of a fixed cash component and a restricted share unit (RSU) component with a fixed grant value. Each RSU represents a right to receive a Sulzer share free of charge after a certain period, as further detailed below. Further, Board members are entitled to a lump sum to cover business expenses. The RSU component strengthens the long-term alignment of the interests of the Board members with those of the shareholders. To reinforce the focus of the Board of Directors on the long-term strategy and to strengthen its independence from the Executive Committee, the compensation of the Board of Directors contains no performance-related elements and Board members are not entitled to pension benefits.

The amount of compensation for the Chairman and for the other members of the Board of Directors is determined based on the relevant compensation benchmarks. The compensation reflects the responsibility and complexity of their respective function, the professional and personal requirements placed on them, and the expected time required to fulfill their duties. The ongoing Board compensation structure and amounts are described in the table below:

Annual compensation of the Board of Directors1)

in CHF

 

Cash component (net of social security contributions)

 

Grant value of restricted share units (net of social security contributions)

 

Lump-sum expenses

Base fee for Board Chairmanship 2)

 

420’000

 

250’000

 

10’000

Base fee for Board Vice Chairmanship

 

100’000

 

155’000

 

5’000

Base fee for Board membership

 

70’000

 

125’000

 

5’000

Additional committee fees:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Committee Chairmanship

 

60’000

 

 

 

 

Committee membership

 

35’000

 

 

 

 

1) Compensation for the period of service (from AGM to AGM).

2) The Chairman of the Board of Directors does not receive additional remuneration for committee activities.

The members of the Board of Directors are remunerated for their service during their term of office (from AGM to AGM). The cash remuneration is paid in quarterly installments for Board members and monthly installments for the Chairman; the expense lump sum is paid out in December and the RSU are granted once a year. The number of RSU is determined by dividing the fixed grant value by the volume-weighted average share price of the last ten trading days before the grant date, which lies between the date of the publication of the year-end results and the Annual General Meeting. One-third of the RSU each vest after the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant date respectively.

Upon vesting, one vested RSU is converted into one share of the company. The vesting period for RSU granted to the members of the Board of Directors ends no later than on the date on which the member steps down from the Board. Although the value of the RSU grant is fixed (at grant), it then fluctuates with the share price during the vesting period, which means that the value at vesting can differ from the value at grant.