6.2.2 Information referred to in Article L.22-10-9 (I.) of the French Commercial Code relating to all compensation paid during, or awarded for, the 2021 financial year to corporate officers in respect of their duties (global ex post vote)

As mentioned in the introduction, Article L.22-10-34 (I.) of the French Commercial Code provides for a shareholder vote on the information referred to in Article L.22-10-9 (I.) of the French Commercial Code relating to all compensation paid during, or awarded for, the 2021 financial year to corporate officers in respect of their duties.

As a result, this information will be submitted for shareholders' approval at the General Meeting of May 11, 2022 under the 10th resolution. If the resolution is rejected by the General Meeting, the Board of Directors will submit a revised compensation policy, taking into account the shareholder vote, for approval at the next General Meeting. Payment of the amounts allocated to the directors for their duties for the current financial year would be suspended until the revised compensation policy has been approved. Once payment has been reinstated, it would include the arrears accumulated since the previous General Meeting.

If the revised compensation policy is not approved by shareholders, the suspended amount would not be paid, and the same conditions as those applied after the rejection of the initial resolution would be applied again.

It is specified that information relating to the 2020 financial year, or any other prior financial year, is given for information and comparison purposes only and is not subject to a shareholder vote at the General Meeting of May 11, 2022.

 

Information relating to the members of the Board of Directors (excluding the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer)

On the recommendation of the Compensation, Appointments and CSR Committee, at its meeting of February 21, 2022, the Board of Directors allocated the annual fixed amount of compensation awarded to directors by the General Meeting (formerly known as “directors’ fees”), based in particular on each director’s attendance rate at Board of Directors’ meetings and at meetings of any committee of which he or she is a member. The compensation allocation method must include a variable portion (representing the largest part of each director’s compensation).

It is reminded that for the 2021 financial year, and in accordance with the compensation policy for members of the Board of Directors approved by the Combined General Meeting of May 11, 2021 (11th resolution), the principles governing allocation were as follows:

  • the duties of Board members are compensated with a fixed portion of a flat amount and with a variable portion based on the number of Board meetings attended in the previous financial year, which exceeds the amount of the fixed portion;
  • the duties of Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors are compensated with an additional fixed portion of a flat amount;
  • the duties of members of a Board Committee are compensated with a variable portion based on the number of Committee meetings attended the previous financial year, with Audit and Risks Committee members entitled to a larger variable portion than members of the other committees;
  • the duties of committee Chairman are compensated with a fixed portion of a flat amount defined for each of the committees, with the Chairman of the Audit and Risks Committee entitled to a larger fixed portion than that awarded to the other committee Chairmen;
  • directors who also hold the position of Chairman of the Board, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Officer or Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Company are not entitled to any compensation for their duties as members of the Board of Directors.

The Combined General Meeting of May 11, 2021 (12th resolution) set the total annual compensation payable to directors for serving on the Board at €800,000.

In accordance with these principles:

  • the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer does not receive any compensation for serving on the Board of Directors;
  • each member of the Board of Directors receives a fixed portion of a flat amount of €15,000, plus a variable portion in an amount of €4,200 per Board meeting attended;
  • the Vice-Chairman of the Board receives an additional fixed portion of a flat amount of €15,000;
  • each member of the Audit and Risks Committee receives a variable portion of €6,500 per Committee meeting attended, and each member of the other committees receives a variable portion of €5,500 per Committee meeting attended;
  • in addition, the Chairman of the Audit and Risks Committee receives a fixed portion of a flat amount of €17,000 and the other committee Chairmen receive a fixed portion of a flat amount of €15,000.

The employee-representative directors have agreed to receive just 75% of the compensation awarded in their capacity as director, with the remaining 25% to be paid by the Company to the Social and Economic Council as an exceptional annual endowment.