Corporate Governance Report 2023
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT
This Corporate Governance Report has been prepared as an independent document in relation to the Annual Report. Information in accordance with Chapter 6, Section 6 of the Annual Accounts Act, Section 2, Paragraphs 3-6, can be found in the
Operations and governance of
Shareholders exercise their decision-making rights at the Annual General Meeting (as well as at possible extraordinary meetings), which is the Company's high‐ est decision-making authority. The Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board of Directors are appointed by the Annual General Meeting while the President is appointed by the Board of Directors.
The Company's accounts as well as the administration of the Board of Directors and the President are reviewed by auditors appointed by the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting adopts principles for the appointment of the Nomination Committee, which formulates proposals to the Annual General Meeting prior to the election and setting of fees for the Board of Directors and auditors. In addition to laws, regulations and the Code,
Shareholders
Ownership and share capital
On
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting considers resolutions regarding: dividends, adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, discharge of liability for Board members and the President, election of Board members, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and auditors, approval of fees to the Board members and au‐ ditors, adoption of executive remuneration guidelines, and, when applicable, adoption of principles for appointing the Nomination Committee. At the Annual General Meeting, shareholders have the opportunity to ask questions about the Company. All Board members, management and the auditors are normally present at the meeting to answer such questions.
The 2023 Annual General Meeting was held on
The Annual General Meeting re-elected Board members Jörgen Zahlin, who was also elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors,
Some of the Annual General Meeting's other resolutions were that:
in accordance with the proposal by the Board of Directors, to pay a dividend of
to pay Board fees totaling
to approve the Board of Directors' report regarding compensation pursuant to Chapter 8, Section 53 a of the Swedish Companies Act.
to authorize the Board of Directors, on one or several occasions and not later than the 2024 Annual General Meeting, to make decisions regarding the transfer of treasury shares for the purpose of financing smaller corporate acquisitions.
Annual General Meeting 2024
78
Nomination Committee
As resolved by the Annual General Meeting, the Nomination Committee must consist of four members, who, in addition to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, shall include representatives for each of the three largest shareholders in the Company in terms of voting rights, as of
The Nomination Committee is tasked with: submitting to the Annual General Meeting its nominations for Chairman of the Board of Directors and other Board members accompanied by a justified statement regarding the proposal, proposing fees for the Board of Directors and the auditors and any remuneration for committee work, proposing auditors and nominating an individual to serve as the chairman of the Annual General Meeting. The Nomination Committee is also charged with assessing the independence of Board members in relation to the Company and major shareholders.
When preparing its proposal for the Board of Directors before the Annual General Meeting 2023 and 2024, the Nomination Committee applied the following di‐ versity policy. As a whole, the Board of Directors must have an appropriate combined competence and experience for the activities that are conducted to be able to identify and understand the risks that the business entails. The Nomination Committee strives to achieve diversity on the Board. The objective of the di‐ versity policy is that the Board of Directors shall consist of members with varying industry experience, competence, geographical background and with a vary‐ ing educational and professional background, which together contribute to an independent and critical questioning of the Board, and an even gender distribu‐ tion shall be sought. The Annual General Meeting 2023 decided to appoint Board members in accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal, which means that five members were elected, of which one woman and four men. As far as the Nomination Committee's ambitions of a more even gender distribu‐ tion are concerned, it has not been possible to achieve this, but the Nomination Committee's continued ambition is to create a more even gender distribution on the Board.
As a basis for its proposals to the 2024 Annual General Meeting, the Nomination Committee assessed whether the Board of Directors has a suitable composi‐ tion and meets the requirements on the Board of Directors imposed by the Company's operations, position and conditions in other regards. The assessment was based on material including relevant sections of the evaluation of the Board's work performed under the Chairman's guidance.
The Board of Directors and its work
Composition
Under the Articles of Association, the Board of Directors of
Rules of procedure of the Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is appointed by
Work of the Board of Directors in 2023
During 2023, the Board of Directors held 13 meetings, of which one per capsulam. According to the rules of procedure, the Board of Directors shall meet on five occasions per year, in addition to its statutory meeting. Additional meetings shall be held as necessary. One of the meetings during the year is regularly held at one of
Independent |
||||||||
of company |
Independent |
|||||||
The Board of Directors, attendance 2023 |
Atten- |
Committee |
Atten- |
Board- |
Fee audit- |
& companies |
of larger |
|
Elected |
dance |
work |
dance |
fees |
committee |
management |
owners |
|
Remuneration & |
3 of 3 |
|||||||
Jörgen Zahlin, chairman |
2013 |
13 of 13 Audit Committee |
5 of 5 |
460,000 |
40,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Remuneration & |
3 of 3 |
|||||||
Petter Stillström |
2012 |
13 of 13 Audit Committee |
5 of 5 |
230,000 |
40,000 |
Yes |
No |
|
|
2006 |
13 of 13 Audit Committee |
5 of 5 |
230,000 |
80,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mats O Paulsson |
2020 |
13 of 13 |
230,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
Monika Gutén |
2022 |
13 of 13 |
230,000 |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
Ida Strömberg (E) |
2022 |
13 of 13 |
||||||
79
Evaluation of the Board of Directors' work
The Chairman ensures that the Board of Directors and its work are evaluated annually and that the result of the evaluation is passed on to the Nomination Committee. The evaluation is made by the Board of Directors itself using a questionnaire where their work within a number of areas are judged. The Chairman of the Board summarizes the evaluation used as the base for a discussion within the Board of Directors regarding the development of the Board of Directors' work. The purpose is to examine how the Board of Directors´ work can be more efficient and to clarify potential need of additional skills in the Board of Directors.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee monitors corporate governance, financial reporting, ESG aspects (Environmental, Social and Governance), risk management and compli‐ ance with external and internal regulations. They identify and report relevant questions for the Board of Directors' decision and supports the Board of Directors in its work to carry out its responsibility within the areas auditing and internal control, as well as to quality-assure
Each year, the Company's auditors formulate a proposed audit policy and present this to the Audit Committee. Once the proposal has been reviewed and com‐ mented on by the Committee, a final proposal is submitted for approval by the Board of Directors. The work is focused on assuring the quality and accuracy of financial accounting and reporting, internal financial control efforts, as well as the Group's compliance with applicable regulations. In addition, the Audit Committee has recurring contact with the Company's auditor with the purpose of generating an ongoing exchange of information and to assess the auditor's efforts. The Committee may establish guidelines concerning what services, other than auditing services, which
The Audit Committee consists of
The Audit Committee met five times in 2023. Meetings of the Audit Committee are minuted and reported orally at Board meetings.
Remuneration Committee
The tasks of the Remuneration Committee include preparing the Board's decisions regarding proposed guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives. The current guidelines are published on
The Remuneration Committee shall also follow and evaluate programs for variable remuneration of Company management, the application of guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives and applicable remuneration structures and remuneration levels in the Company. The Remuneration Committee's members are independent in relation to the Company and executive management. In the Board's handling of and decisions on remuneration-related issues, the President or other members of Company management do not attend if they are concerned by the issues.
Members of the Remuneration Committee are the Chairman of the Board Jörgen Zahlin and Petter Stillström. The work of the Committee is regulated by a spe‐ cial set of instructions adopted by the Board of Directors as part of its agenda. The meetings of the Remuneration Committee are reported orally to the Board of Directors.
Board remuneration
The fees for the Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting are determined by the Annual General Meeting on the basis of the Nomination Committee's proposal. Employee representatives to the Board of Directors do not receive Board members' fees. In accordance with a resolution by the 2023 Annual General Meeting, a fee of
Group management
Group management of
Remuneration principles for senior executives
The annual general meeting 2020 resolved on the guidelines for executive remuneration. The individuals who are members of the group management of
A review of the guidelines for the remuneration of senior executives was conducted ahead of the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The review resulted in the 2024 Annual General Meeting being proposed to resolve on the following minor changes compared with previously applicable guidelines:
clarify that senior executives' targets are measured on a business unit rather than on a business area
variable cash compensation is measured by the Group's operating margin or operating result and the underlying operating margin or operating result of the business unit
other benefits may not exceed 15 percent of the fixed annual cash salary
80
The guidelines' promotion of
Types of remuneration, etc.
The remuneration shall be on market terms and may consist of the following components: fixed cash salary, variable cash remuneration, pension benefits and other benefits. Additionally, the general meeting may - irrespective of these guidelines - resolve on, among other things, share-related or share price-related remuneration.
Fixed cash salary
The fixed cash salary for the senior executives within
Variable cash remuneration
The variable cash remuneration shall be based on predetermined, well-defined and measurable financial criteria for the group and the relevant business area and may amount to not more than fifty (50) percent of the total fixed cash salary during the measurement period for the criteria. The criteria for variable cash remuneration shall mainly relate to the group's and the business area's respective underlying operating result and, in addition, individual criteria may be estab‐ lished. The criteria shall be designed so as to contribute to
Pension benefits
For the CEO and other senior executives, pension benefits shall be premium defined. Variable cash remuneration shall not qualify for pension benefits. The pension premiums for premium defined pension shall amount to not more than 30 percent of the fixed annual cash salary.
Other benefits
Other benefits may include, for example, life insurance, health and medical insurance, company cars and housing allowance. Such benefits may amount to not more than 10 percent of the fixed annual cash salary.
Foreign employments
For employments governed by rules other than Swedish, pension benefits and other benefits may be duly adjusted for compliance with mandatory rules or es‐ tablished local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines.
Criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration, etc.
The remuneration committee shall prepare, monitor and evaluate matters regarding variable cash remuneration. After the measurement period for the criteria for awarding variable cash remuneration has ended, it shall be determined to which extent the criteria have been satisfied. Evaluations regarding fulfilment of financial criteria shall be based on established financial information for the relevant period. Remuneration to the CEO shall be resolved by the Board of Directors. Remuneration to other senior executives shall be resolved by the CEO, after consulting the remuneration committee.
Variable cash remuneration can be paid after the measurement period has ended or be subject to deferred payment. The Board of Directors shall have the pos‐ sibility, under applicable law or contractual provisions, to in whole or in part reclaim variable remuneration paid on incorrect grounds (claw-back).
Employment term and termination of employment
The notice period may not exceed twelve months if notice of termination of employment is made by the company. Fixed cash salary during the period of notice and severance pay may together not exceed an amount equivalent to the fixed cash salary for twelve months for the CEO and other senior executives. The peri‐ od of notice may not exceed six months without any right to severance pay when termination is made by the executive.
Salary and employment conditions for employees
In the preparation of the Board of Directors' proposal for these remuneration guidelines, salary and employment conditions for employees of the company have been taken into account by including information on the employees' total income, the components of the remuneration and increase and growth rate over time, in the remuneration committee's and the Board of Directors' basis of decision when evaluating whether the guidelines and the limitations set out herein are reasonable.
The decision making process to determine, review and implement the guidelines
The Board of Directors has established a remuneration committee. The committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' decision to propose guide‐ lines for executive remuneration. The Board of Directors shall prepare a proposal for new guidelines at least every fourth year and submit it to the general meeting. The guidelines shall be in force until new guidelines are adopted by the general meeting. The remuneration committee shall also monitor and evalu‐ ate programs for variable remuneration for the executive management, the application of the guidelines for executive remuneration as well as the current re‐ muneration structures and compensation levels in the company. The members of the remuneration committee are independent of the company and its execu‐ tive management. The CEO and other members of the executive management do not participate in the Board of Directors' processing of and resolutions re‐ garding remuneration-related matters in so far as they are affected by such matters.
Derogation from the guidelines
The Board of Directors may temporarily resolve to derogate from the guidelines, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the derogation and a derogation is necessary to serve the company's long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure the company's financial viability. As set out above, the remuneration committee's tasks include preparing the Board of Directors' resolutions in remuneration-related matters. This includes any resolu‐ tions to derogate from the guidelines.
81
Provisions of the Articles of Association on appointment and discharge of directors and amendment of the Articles of Association
There are no provisions in the Articles of Association on appointment and discharge of directors and amendment of the Articles of Association. In accordance with the provisions in the Companies Act, directors are elected by the Annual General Meeting for the period extending until the close of the first Annual General Meeting after that at which they were elected, and amendments to the Articles of Association are determined by the Annual General Meeting in accor‐ dance with the regulations set out in the Companies Act.
Auditors
At the 2023 Annual General Meeting, the auditing firm Öhrlings
Board of Directors' report regarding internal control
The purpose of internal control of financial reporting is to provide reasonable assurance regarding quality and reliability in the external financial reporting and to ensure that the reports are prepared in accordance with accepted accounting standards, applicable laws and provisions and other requirements for listed companies. To ensure this, the Company had the COSO (
Internal control function
The Board of Directors and the Audit Committee follow up
Control environment
The company has applied a whistleblower policy, which means that all employees have the possibility to anonymously report if they discover improprieties or illegal actions that affect vital interests for
Risk assessment
The risk assessment is based on a risk review that is updated annually and reported to the Audit Committee. Based on the results of this review, focus is set for the internal control work in the future.
Control activities
The risks identified with regard to financial reporting are managed through the Company's control activities, such as authorization controls in IT systems and signature authentication. Detailed economic analysis of business performance including follow-up against business plans and forecasts supplements opera‐ tions-specific controls and provides an overall assessment of reporting quality.
Information and communication
The Group maintains channels of information and communication that serve to safeguard completeness and accuracy in financial reporting. Policies, manuals and job descriptions are available on the company intranet and/or in printed form. Information, both external and internal, is governed by an information poli‐ cy and an insider policy with guidelines. Responsibilities, routines and rules are dealt with here. These are continuously evaluated to ensure that information to the stock market is of high quality and in accordance with current stock exchange rules. Financial information such as interim reports, annual reports and sig‐ nificant events are published through press releases and on the website. Internally, the intranet is the main source of information. Accounting manuals and in‐ structions for financial reporting are available on the intranet.
Sustainability report
Follow-up
The Board and the Audit Committee review all external financial reports before they are formally approved by the Board. The Audit Committee receives ongo‐ ing reports from the auditors on internal control and follows up on significant issues. The Board receives a monthly written report dealing with sales, operating results, market development and other essential information about the business and also has a review of current financial reports as a standing item at all meetings. Group management analyzes the financial development within the Group's business areas on a monthly basis. In general, at all levels in the organi‐ zation, ongoing follow-up takes place through comparisons with the previous year, budget and plans as well as through evaluation of key figures.
82
Board of directors and auditors
Jörgen Zahlin
Chairman
Bo1964
Member of the Board since 2013 (Chairman since 2019)
Other assignments
President and CEO in
Previous experience
Active in the
Education
Engineer
Number of shares
19 000
Shares in close association
0
Monika Gutén
Board member
Bo1975
Member of the Board since 2022
Other assignments
Investment Director for Industry Products at
Previous experience
Vice President, Acquisition Parts & Services at
Education
Number of shares
1,000
Shares in close association
0
Board Member
Bo1962
Member of the Board since 2006
Other assignments
Previous experience
Positions within the
Education
Number of shares
3,282
Shares in close association
0
Mats O Paulsson
Board Member
Bo1958
Member of the Board since 2020
Other assignments
Chairman of
Previous experience
CEO of
Education
Number of shares
50,000
Shares in close association
0
Petter Stillström
Board member
Bo1972
Member of the Board since 2012
Other assignments
President and board member of
Previous experience
Active within corporate finance,
Education
Number of shares
70 000 (via endowment insurance)
Shares in close association
3,260,000
Ida Strömberg
Employee Representative Bo1981
Member of the Board since
Other assignments
Account Manager Industry at
Previous experience
Experience in sales in the steel industry since 2003.
Number of shares
0
Shares in close association
0
AUDITORS Öhrlings
AB
Cecilia Andrén Dorselius
Authorized Public Accountant Öhrlings
Partner in charge in the company since 2022
83
Group Management
President and CEO
Managing Director,
Bo1975
Employed since 2016
Previous experience
CEO Ineos Styrolution (2011-2016), Operations Manager Disab Vaccuum Technology (2006-2011) and different posi‐ tions at
Education
Number of shares
5,490
Shares in close association
0
Christoffer Franzén
CFO
Bo1977
Employed since 2020
Previous experience
Senior Finance Business Partner within
Education
Number of shares
2,305
Shares in close association
0
Managing Director,
Bo1959
Employed since 2005
Previous experience
Sales Director in BE Group Finland (2005-
2012), Sales Director in
(2003-2005), General Manager Materials
Management & Distribution in
Education
Number of shares
0
Shares in close association
0
The information regarding Board members' and Group Management's holding of shares and other financial instruments in
84
AUDITOR'S REPORT ON THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT
This is a literal translation of the Swedish original report included in
To the general meeting of the shareholders in
Engagement and responsibility
It is the board of directors who is responsible for the corporate governance statement for the year 2023 on pages 78-82 and that it has been prepared in accor‐ dance with the Annual Accounts Act.
The scope of the audit
Our examination has been conducted in accordance with FAR's auditing standard
Opinions
A corporate governance statement has been prepared. Disclosures in accordance with chapter 6 section 6 the second paragraph points 2-6 the Annual Accounts Act and chapter 7 section 31 the second paragraph the same law are consistent with the annual accounts and the consolidated accounts and are in accordance with the Annual Accounts Act.
Malmö,
Öhrlings
Cecilia Andrén Dorselius |
|
Authorized Public Accountant |
Authorized Public Accountant |
Partner in charge |
85
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