This is the first year in which the Company has been subject to the Tabakslat Code relating to Dutch Corporate Governance (the “Code”). The Company agrees with the aims of the Code and seeks to achieve general compliance with it. During the course of the year a number of changes to the rules and regulations of the Company were developed with, and approved by the Supervisory Board and shareholders, and have been implemented. These changes were made in order to comply more fully with the provisions of the Code.
At the AGM, changes to the Articles of the Company were approved by the shareholders. The shareholders also approved a Corporate Governance Compliance Policy and Remuneration Policy. Subsequently, new rules for the Supervisory Board and Management Board were approved by the Supervisory Board, together with rules for Audit, Remuneration and Appointment Committees. A number of corporate policies relating to business, financial conduct and whistle-blowing have also been approved by the Supervisory Board and implemented and can be found on the Company’s corporate website.
For the avoidance of doubt this report relating to corporate governance is supplied by way of information only and not in purported satisfaction of Dutch law or regulation. As is appropriate, full reports and information required pursuant to Dutch law and regulation will be incorporated into the Company’s Dutch report which will be published later in the Spring. However, as the following issues have been the subject of recent discussion with the shareholders and were issues highlighted in the Company’s Remuneration and Compliance Policies, we specifically draw your attention to the following;
|