Board of Directors

Members of the Board of Directors are elected individually for a term until the end of the next AGM. At the AGM of April 19, 2023, Matthias Bichsel and Hanne Birgitte Breinbjerg Sørensen did not stand for re-election. All other members were re-elected. Suzanne Thoma was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors. In addition, Prisca Havranek-Kosicek, Hariolf Kottmann and Per Utnegaard were elected as new members of the Board of Directors. The Board consists of seven members. Except for Suzanne Thoma, who was also appointed the company’s CEO as of November 1, 2022, and became the Executive Chair, none of the members of the Board of Directors has ever held an executive position at Sulzer.

Apart from Executive Chair Suzanne Thoma, all members of the Board of Directors are non-executive. None of the non-executive members of the Board of Directors have ever belonged to the management of a Sulzer company or to the Executive Committee, nor do any significant business relationships exist between members of the Board of Directors and Sulzer Ltd or any subsidiary of Sulzer Ltd.

Elections and terms of office

The Articles of Association stipulate that the Board of Directors of Sulzer Ltd shall comprise five to nine members. Each member is elected individually. The term of office for members of the Board of Directors lasts until the next AGM. At the AGM of April 19, 2023, four Board members were re-elected to the Board of Directors. Matthias Bichsel and Hanne Birgitte Breinbjerg Sørensen did not stand for re-election. Prisca Havranek-Kosicek, Hariolf Kottmann and Per Utnegaard were elected as additional members of the Board of Directors. The Board consists of seven members: one from Cyprus/Israel, one from Norway, one from Austria, one from Germany, one from France/Switzerland and two from Switzerland. Professional expertise and international experience played a key role in the selection of the members. The members of the Board of Directors and their CVs can be viewed below. Details of the former members of the Board of Directors can be found in the Corporate Governance chapter of the company’s Annual Report 2022.

According to the Board of Directors and Organization Regulations, no Board member may serve for more than twelve consecutive terms of office. In exceptional circumstances, the Board can extend this limit.

Internal organization

The Board of Directors constitutes itself, except for the Chair of the Board of Directors who is elected by the Shareholders’ Meeting. The Board of Directors appoints from among its members the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors, the Lead Independent Director and the members and the chairs of the board committees, except for the members of the Remuneration Committee, who are elected by the Shareholders’ Meeting. There are currently five standing board committees (for their constitution, see below):

The Board of Directors and Organization Regulations and the relevant Committee Regulations, which are published under corporate governance (see "Regulations"), define the division of responsibilities between the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. They also define the authorities and responsibilities of the Chair of the Board of Directors and of the five standing board committees.

Executive Chair and Lead Independent Director

The Board of Directors appointed its Chair, Suzanne Thoma, as Executive Chair of Sulzer as of November 1, 2022. In this role, she assumed operational management of the company and also took over the responsibilities of the CEO.

Following the 2023 AGM, Markus Kammüller was appointed as Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director ensures, on behalf of the Board of Directors, that the rules of good corporate governance are adhered to in the decision-making of the Board. In this context, the Lead Independent Director may call for and chair meetings of the non-executive Board members whenever required. He also acts as a point of contact for members of the Board to discuss matters regarding the company’s corporate governance that they would like to raise in the absence of the Executive Chair.

CVs of members of the Board of Directors

Operating principles of the Board of Directors and its committees

All decisions are made by the full Board of Directors. For each application, written documentation is distributed to the members of the Board of Directors prior to the meeting. The Board of Directors and the committees meet as often as required by the circumstances. The Board of Directors meets at least five times per year; the Audit Committee, the Remuneration Committee, the Nomination Committee, and the Strategy and Sustainability Committee meet at least twice per year and the Governance Committee meets at least once a year. In 2023, the Board held seven meetings, one additional meeting for the constitution of the Board after the AGM and one video/conference call lasting an average of three and a half hours. For further details, see the table below. The CFO and the Group General Counsel or the Secretary of the Board of Directors also generally attend the Board meetings in an advisory role. Other members of the Executive Committee are invited to attend Board meetings as required to discuss the midterm planning, the strategy and the budget, as well as division-specific items (such as large investments and acquisitions). In exceptional cases, external consultants (e.g., legal advisors, management consultants or executive compensation experts) are also invited for the presentation or discussion of specific agenda items in meetings of the Board of Directors or any of its committees.

The committees do not make any decisions, but rather review and discuss the matters assigned to them and submit the required proposals to the full Board of Directors for a decision. At the next full Board meeting following the committee meeting, the chairs of the committees report to the full Board of Directors on all matters discussed, including key findings, opinions and recommendations.

Board of Directors

Additional mandates of members of the Board of Directors outside the Sulzer Group

According to Sulzer’s Articles of Association, the maximum number of additional mandates held by members of the Board of Directors outside the Sulzer Group is ten (of which a maximum of four mandates may be with listed companies) (§ 33). Exceptions (e.g., for mandates held at the request of Sulzer or mandates in associations) are defined in the Articles of Association (§ 33, paragraphs a, b and c). All members of the Board of Directors are within the limits of external mandates prescribed by the company’s Articles of Association.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee (members listed above) assesses the midyear and annual consolidated financial statements and activities of the internal and statutory auditor, including effectiveness and independence, as well as the cooperation between the two bodies. It also assesses the Internal Control System (ICS), risk management and compliance; at least one meeting per year is dedicated to risk management and compliance. The Audit Committee is also charged with discussing the report on non-financial matters, or any other similar report that the Board or the company's management chooses to establish. The CFO, the Group General Counsel, the Head of Group Internal Audit (who is also the Secretary of this committee) and the external auditor-in-charge attend the meetings of the Audit Committee. The Executive Chair may attend the meeting unless advised otherwise by the Head of Internal Audit. In 2023, the Audit Committee held five regular meetings: one in February, two in July, one in September and one in December. The meetings lasted, on average, two hours. The statutory auditor attended all of these meetings. Internal experts, such as the Group General Counsel and the Heads of Group Internal Audit, Group Corporate Finance, Group Accounting, Group IT, Group Compliance and Risk Management, and Group Tax, gave presentations to the Audit Committee in 2023.

In February, the Audit Committee is informed of compliance exposures as a result of periodic risk assessments, and it receives an overview of compliance cases under investigation. In September, the Audit Committee is briefed on the present state of risk management within the company and on the results of the risk management process – a process to systematically identify and evaluate significant risks and introduce countermeasures. In the same meeting, an update on Sulzer’s compliance approach, including the respective ongoing – and planned – activities, is provided. The major current compliance cases (if any) are reported to and discussed by the Audit Committee regularly. The regulations of the Audit Committee can be viewed at www.sulzer.com/ac-regulations.

Nomination Committee

The Nomination Committee (members listed above) assesses the criteria for the election and re-election of Board members and the nomination of candidates for the top two management levels and deals with succession planning. The Executive Chair and the Chief Human Resources Officer attend the meetings of the Nomination Committee. In 2023, three regular meetings were held in January, July and September, lasting an average of one hour. The regulations of the Nomination Committee are available at www.sulzer.com/nc-regulations.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee (members listed above) assesses the compensation systems and recommends compensation for the members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee (including bonus targets for the latter) on behalf of the Board of Directors and in accordance with its specifications. It carries out broad-based compensation benchmarks with an international comparison group, supported by studies of consulting firms such as Mercer and Willis Towers Watson, and it scrutinizes the work of internal and external consultants. The members of the Remuneration Committee are elected by the Shareholders’ Meeting. In 2023, four regular meetings were held in January, July, September and December, lasting an average of fifty-five minutes. The regulations of the Remuneration Committee can be viewed at www.sulzer.com/rc-regulations.

Strategy and Sustainability Committee

The Strategy and Sustainability Committee (members listed above) advises the Board of Directors on strategic matters (such as material acquisitions, divestitures, alliances and joint ventures), strategic planning, definition of development priorities, and the company’s sustainability initiatives and objectives as well as on other relevant public policy matters. In 2023, four regular meetings and one extraordinary meeting took place in January, April, July, September and November, lasting an average of two hours. The regulations of the Strategy and Sustainability Committee can be viewed at www.sulzer.com/ssc-regulations.

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee (members listed above) advises the Board of Directors with respect to check and balances in the executive chair model, oversees the compliance with the Swiss Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance as well as legal and regulatory requirements and periodically reviews the principles of corporate governance. In 2023, one meeting took place in December, lasting one hour. The regulations of the Governance Committee can be viewed at www.sulzer.com/gc-regulations.

Division of powers between the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee

The Board of Directors has largely delegated executive management powers to the Executive Committee. However, it is still responsible for matters that cannot be delegated in accordance with art. 716a CO. These matters include corporate strategy, the approval of midterm planning and the annual budget, as well as key personnel decisions and the preparation of the annual report and the compensation report. Pursuant to art. 964a et seqq. CO, the Board of Directors is also responsible for the report of non-financial matters. Furthermore, the Board of Directors remains responsible for acquisition and divestiture decisions involving a transaction value exceeding CHF 30 million; investments in fixed assets exceeding CHF 15 million; major corporate restructurings; approval of dispute settlements with an impact on operating income of more than CHF 20 million; approval of research and development projects exceeding CHF 10 million, as well as other matters relevant to the company; and decisions that must be made by the Board of Directors by law. The competency regulations and the nature of the collaboration between the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee can be viewed in the Board of Directors and Organization Regulations at www.sulzer.com/BoD-organizational-regulations.

Information and control instruments

Each member of the Board of Directors receives financial information in advance of the Board meetings, in addition to the midyear and annual financial statements. These updates include information about the balance sheet, the income and cash flow statements, and key figures for the company and its divisions. They incorporate comments on the respective business results and a rolling forecast for the current business year. The Executive Chair and the CFO report at every Board meeting on business developments and all matters relevant to the company; once each year, the Board receives the forecasted annual results. During these Board meetings, the Chairs of the committees also report on all matters discussed by their committees and on the key findings and assessments, and they submit proposals accordingly. Each year, the Board of Directors discusses and approves the budget for the following year and the midterm plan, which is also subject to periodic review. In addition, the Board of Directors receives a status update on investor relations on a regular basis.

Group Internal Audit

Group Internal Audit reports functionally directly to the Chair of the Audit Committee, but administratively to the CFO. Meetings between Group Internal Audit and the statutory auditor take place regularly. They are used to prepare for the meetings of the Audit Committee, to review the interim and final reports of the statutory auditor, and to plan and coordinate internal and external audits. Group companies are audited by Group Internal Audit based on an audit plan that is approved by the Audit Committee. Depending on the risk category, such audits are carried out on a rotational basis either annually or every second, third or fourth year. Group Internal Audit carried out 53 audit assignments (including audit follow-up reviews and internal controls testing) in the year under review. One of the focal points is the internal control system (ICS). The results of each audit are discussed in detail with the companies and (where necessary) the divisions concerned, and key measures are agreed upon. The Executive Chair, the members of the Audit Committee, the CFO, the Group General Counsel as well as the respective Division President and other line managers of the audited entity receive a copy of the audit report. Significant findings and recommendations are also presented to and discussed with the Executive Committee and the Group General Counsel. A follow-up process is in place for all Group internal audits, which allows efficient and effective monitoring of how the improvement measures are being implemented. Each year, the Head of Group Internal Audit compiles a report summarizing activities and results. This report is distributed to members of the Board of Directors and the members of the Executive Committee, and it is presented to the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee. It is discussed in both committees and, thereafter, reported to the Board of Directors.

Risk management and compliance

Sulzer has established and implemented a comprehensive, value- and risk-based compliance program that focuses on prevention, detection and response. It consists of the following main elements:

Strong values and building up a strong ethical and compliance culture

Sulzer puts a high priority on conducting its business with integrity, in compliance with all applicable laws and internal rules (“a clean deal or no dealˮ), and on accepting only reasonable risks. Sulzer follows a zero-tolerance compliance approach. The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee firmly believe that compliant and ethical behavior in all aspects and on all levels is a precondition for successful and sustainable business. The ethical tone is set at the top, carried through to the middle and transmitted throughout the entire organization. Sulzer also fosters a speak-up culture and encourages employees to address potentially non-compliant behaviors. Retaliation against whistleblowers acting in good faith is not tolerated.

Risk assessment

As part of Sulzer’s integrated risk management process, compliance risks are assessed regularly and mitigated with appropriate and risk-based actions. The results are discussed both with the management and with the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee dedicates at least one full meeting per year to risk management and compliance. An overview of the main risks and corresponding mitigation measures is provided in the chapter “Risk management” of this corporate governance report.

Internal rules and tools

Sulzer has a Code of Business Conduct, which can be viewed in 18 languages at www.sulzer.com/governance (under “Code of Business Conductˮ). Every employee of the company (including employees of newly acquired businesses) has to confirm in writing that he or she has read and understood this code, and will comply with it. Every member of the Sulzer Management Group (approximately 80 managers), the heads of the operating companies, the headquarters, regional and local compliance officers as well as the legal entity finance heads must reconfirm this compliance commitment in writing annually. 

Rules

Although Sulzer follows a behavior- and principle-based approach, compliance directives and processes have been implemented as elements of the governance framework. Sulzer focuses on the major compliance risks. For example:

Tools

Sulzer has a compliance hotline and an incident reporting system that provides employees with one of many options for reporting (potential) violations of laws or internal rules. Reports can be made anonymously or openly via a free hotline or a dedicated website. The company has a directive that sets clear rules for internal investigations. Further tools are available to all employees on Sulzer’s intranet (e.g., presentations addressing the major exposures, draft agreements, sales and procurement handbooks with compliance-specific explanations and standard clauses). Sulzer has a compliance risk assessment process in place to identify and assess potential compliance risks on a local entity level and to define appropriate measures. For newly acquired companies, Sulzer sets up a post-merger integration process consisting of a systematic post-merger compliance risk analysis, which provides the foundation for risk-based mitigation actions.

Organization

Since 2013, Sulzer has had a Legal, Compliance and Risk Management Group function (headed by the Group General Counsel). Within this organization, a line reporting structure is in place for the three regions: Americas (AME); Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and Asia-Pacific (APAC). The local Compliance Officers ultimately report – via Regional Compliance Officers and the Chief Compliance Officer – to the Group General Counsel. In addition, the headquartered Compliance and Risk Management team steers and runs the group-wide compliance program and all compliance investigations. To ensure the consistent rollout of Group Compliance initiatives, the compliance organization uses direct reporting lines. The Group General Counsel informs the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee regularly about legal matters and key changes in legislation that may affect Sulzer, as well as on important litigation. Twice a year, the Audit Committee receives a report about any pending or threatened litigation with worst-case exposure exceeding CHF 0.5 million. Further information on reports to the Audit Committee is provided in the “Audit Committeeˮ section above.

Awareness building and trainings

Sulzer puts substantial effort into training its employees. Training is carried out through e-learning programs (new programs are rolled out and existing programs are updated every year), in person or through web conferences. In 2023, Sulzer employees completed 17’932 compliance e-learning courses.

Controls and sanctions

The Group Function Legal supports the audits done by Group Internal Audit following the same audit process. The Group Function Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) organized five external health and safety compliance audits. The results of each of these audits were discussed directly with the responsible managers, and an agreement was reached on any improvements required. Audit actions are reported in a central repository (Group tool) that enables the follow-up and tracking of closures. Any significant issues identified during these audits are included in Group Internal Audit’s reporting package to the Audit Committee. Risks relating to environment, safety and health (ESH) form part of the annual ESH audit plan, which is reported to the Audit Committee once a year. Apart from these formal audits, internal investigations (triggered by reports from the compliance hotlines, e-mails, telephone calls or other avenues of communication) were carried out during 2023 and at least nine employees had to leave Sulzer because of violations of Sulzer’s Code of Business Conduct. Others received warnings or faced other disciplinary measures. However, most of the reports received concerned non-material issues.

Continuous improvement

It is Sulzer’s goal to constantly improve its compliance and risk management approach. Findings of audits and internal investigations are assessed, internal processes and rules are adjusted, and training modules are improved. Sulzer always reviews compliance violations to determine whether they are rooted in a process weakness. If that is found to be the case, the process will be improved and risk-mitigating measures will be taken.

Capital Structure

Executive Committee