3. Board of Directors

At the end of 2020, the Board of Directors was composed of six non-executive, independent members. The composition of the Board of Directors should reflect strategic requirements, the company’s targets, geographical presence and corporate culture. The Board of Directors should be diverse in every respect, i.e. in terms of gender, nationality, geographical/regional experience and business experience.

Albert M. Baehny graduated with a degree in biology from the University of Fribourg (CH). In 1979, he started his career in the research department of Serono-Hypolab. His further career comprised various marketing, sales, strategic planning and global management positions with Dow Chemical Europe (1981–1993), Ciba-Geigy/Ciba SC (1994–2000), Vantico (2000–2001) and Wacker Chemie (2001–2002). For more than 20 years, Albert M. Baehny gathered relevant knowledge and expertise with global business responsibility. Before joining Geberit, he was Senior Vice President of Wacker Specialties. At Geberit he was Head of Group Executive Area Marketing and Sales Europe from 2003 to 2004. From 2005 until the end of 2014, Albert M. Baehny was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Geberit Group. He has been Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2011. From November 2019 to October 2020, he was also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) a. i. at Lonza.

Albert M. Baehny was not a member of any Management Board of a Geberit Group company in the three years preceding the reporting period. Apart from his Board of Directors’ mandate, he does not have any significant business relations with the Geberit Group.

3.3 Regulations in the Articles of Incorporation concerning the number of permissible activities in accordance with Art. 12 Para. 1 Clause 1 OaEC

Members of the Board of Directors may hold up to five mandates in profit-oriented legal entities and up to five mandates in non-profit-oriented legal entities or charitable legal entities outside the Geberit Group.

Mandates of a member of the Board of Directors in legal entities which are controlled by the company, or which control the company, as well as mandates held by such member in their capacity as a member of the Board of Directors of the company, or held by order and on behalf of the company or legal entities controlled by it, shall not count as mandates in legal entities outside the Geberit Group.

Mandates of a member of the Board of Directors of the company in legal entities outside the Geberit Group which are under common control, as well as mandates held by such member in their capacity as a member of the supreme governing body or of the group management of a legal entity outside the Geberit Group or held by order and on behalf of such legal entity or legal entities controlled by it, shall be deemed one mandate outside the Geberit Group.

Mandates held by a member of the Board of Directors in their main activity as a member of the group management of a legal entity outside the Geberit Group or held by order and on behalf of such legal entity or legal entities controlled by it, shall not count as mandates within the meaning of this provision.

Mandates in the sense of Art. 24 of the Articles of Incorporation are mandates in supreme governing bodies or in an advisory board of legal entities that are required to be recorded in the Commercial Register or in a corresponding foreign register.

The current Articles of Incorporation can be viewed online at www.geberit.com/investors/downloads/publications.

3.4 Elections and terms of office

The term of office for a member of the Board of Directors is one year and ends at the closing of the following ordinary General Meeting. Members of the Board of Directors are elected on an individual basis. Re-election is possible.

In addition to the members of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board of Directors is also elected by the General Meeting. The term of office for the Chairman of the Board of Directors is also one year and ends at the closing of the following ordinary General Meeting. Re-election is possible. If the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors is vacant, the Board of Directors is to appoint a new Chairman of the Board of Directors from among its members for the remaining term of office.

The members of the Nomination and Compensation Committee are elected annually and on an individual basis by the General Meeting. Only members of the Board of Directors are eligible. Their term of office ends at the closing of the following ordinary General Meeting. Re-election is possible.

The members of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board of Directors and members of the Committees retire from their positions at the next ordinary General Meeting following their 70th birthday.

Hartmut Reuter (Chairman) and Eunice Zehnder-Lai were re-elected to the Nomination and Compensation Committee at the ordinary General Meeting on 1 April 2020. Werner Karlen was newly elected to the Nomination and Compensation Committee. The constitution subsequent to the ordinary General Meeting 2020 resulted in the following composition of the Audit Committee: Felix R. Ehrat (Chairman), Bernadette Koch, Hartmut Reuter. Hartmut Reuter continues to hold the office of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Hartmut Reuter will not be standing for re-election at the ordinary General Meeting in 2021 after 13 years on the Board of Directors of Geberit AG. Within the context of succession planning, the Geberit AG Board of Directors will nominate Thomas Bachmann as a new member of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors and all remaining members of the Board of Directors will be standing for re-election for a further year.

The following changes in the Board of Directors and committees are planned following the departure of Hartmut Reuter:

• Subject to her re-election as a member of the Board of Directors, Eunice Zehnder-Lai, will take over the office of Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors.
• Thomas Bachmann will be nominated to become a new member of the Nomination and Compensation Committee at the General Meeting 2021.
• Subject to her re-election as a member of the Nomination and Compensation Committee, Eunice Zehnder-Lai will be appointed Chairperson of the Nomination and Compensation Committee.
• Werner Karlen will join the Audit Committee.
• The composition of the committees is otherwise to remain unchanged.

3.5 Internal organisational structure

The organisation of the Board of Directors is governed by law, the company’s Articles of Incorporation and the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG (see also 3.6 Definition of areas of responsibility).

As a result of the entry into force of the OaEC on 1 January 2014 and in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the members of the Nomination and Compensation Committee are each to be elected annually and on an individual basis by the General Meeting. After each ordinary General Meeting, the Board of Directors elects the Vice Chairman from among its members, as well as the Chairman of the Nomination and Compensation Committee and the Chairman and the members of the Audit Committee.

The Board of Directors meets whenever business so requires, but at least four times a year generally for a day each (2020: nine meetings or telephone conferences). Each meeting that took place in 2020 lasted three and a half hours on average, and each telephone conference 15 minutes. Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairman or, in the event of his incapacity, by the Vice Chairman. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Secretary, who need not be a member of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors may invite members of the Group Executive Board to attend meetings of the Board of Directors. During the reporting year, one or more members of the Group Executive Board took part in the nine meetings for the most part. The internal auditors did not take part in any meetings of the Board of Directors. None of the meetings involved the participation of external consultants or external auditors.

The Board of Directors shall be quorate if a majority of its members are present. Attendance can also be effected via telephone or electronic media. Resolutions are passed with the majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

The regular meetings of the Board of Directors and committees are scheduled early, so that as a rule all members participate in person or via telephone.

The participation rate for meetings of the Board of Directors in 2020 was 98%.

The Board of Directors has formed two committees composed exclusively of non-executive and independent Board members:

Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC)

The compensation and nomination tasks and responsibilities are combined in this Committee.

The Nomination and Compensation Committee consists of three independent, non-executive members of the Board of Directors. The members of the Nomination and Compensation Committee are elected individually and annually by the ordinary General Meeting. The Chairman of the Nomination and Compensation Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors. If the Nomination and Compensation Committee is not complete, the Board of Directors is to appoint members to fill the corresponding position(s) for the remaining term of office. As a result, Thomas M. Hübner was replaced by Bernadette Koch in the Nomination and Compensation Committee as of 5 October 2019 following his death at the beginning of October 2019. The Nomination and Compensation Committee shall be quorate if a majority of its members are present. Resolutions are passed with the majority of votes cast. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

At the ordinary General Meeting on 1 April 2020, Werner Karlen was newly elected to the Nomination and Compensation Committee in place of Bernadette Koch. The members of the Nomination and Compensation Committee as of 31 December 2020 were Hartmut Reuter (Chairman), Werner Karlen and Eunice Zehnder-Lai. The committee meets at least three times a year generally for a half day each (2020: four meetings). Each meeting that took place in 2020 lasted three hours on average, and the telephone conference 30 minutes. During the reporting year, one or more members of the Group Executive Board took part in the four meetings. The internal auditors did not take part in any meetings of the Nomination and Compensation Committee. None of the meetings involved the participation of external consultants or external auditors.

The participation rate for meetings in 2020 was 92%.

The Nomination and Compensation Committee supports the Board of Directors in fulfilling its duties specified by law and the Articles of Incorporation in the area of the compensation and personnel policy of the Geberit Group. The powers and duties of the Nomination and Compensation Committee are based on the following principles:

1. Preparation and periodical review of the Geberit Group’s compensation policy and principles and personnel policy, performance criteria related to compensation and periodical review of their implementation, as well as submission of the respective proposals and recommendations to the Board of Directors.
2. Preparation of all relevant decisions of the Board of Directors in relation to the nomination and compensation of the members of the Board of Directors and of the Group Executive Board, as well as submission of the respective proposals and recommendations to the Board of Directors.

The overall responsibility for the duties and competencies assigned to the Nomination and Compensation Committee remains with the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors may delegate further powers and duties to the Nomination and Compensation Committee in respect of nomination, compensation and related matters.

The organisation, detailed responsibilities, functioning and reporting of the Nomination and Compensation Committee are stipulated in the Organisational Regulations for the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC) of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG.

Audit Committee (AC)

The Audit Committee consists of three independent, non-executive members of the Board of Directors. They are appointed annually by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors appoints a member of the Audit Committee as Chairman. The Audit Committee shall be quorate if a majority of its members are present. Resolutions are passed with the majority of votes cast. The CEO and CFO as well as the internal and external auditors attend the meetings if necessary. In 2020, the CEO and CFO attended each meeting of the Audit Committee, at least in part. The internal auditors took part in all meetings, and the external auditors in two meetings. None of the meetings involved the participation of external consultants. Furthermore, the committee is entitled to hold meetings exclusively with representatives of the external as well as the internal auditors. The Audit Committee has direct access to the internal auditors and can obtain all the information it requires within the Geberit Group and consult the responsible employees.

As of 31 December 2020, the Audit Committee was composed of Felix R. Ehrat (Chairman), Bernadette Koch and Hartmut Reuter. It meets at least twice a year, generally for a half day each (2020: six meetings). Each meeting that took place in 2020 lasted two and a half hours on average, and each telephone conference 30 minutes.

The participation rate for meetings in 2020 was 100%.

The Audit Committee supports the Board of Directors in fulfilling its duties specified by law, in particular in the areas of financial control (supervision of the internal and external auditors and monitoring of financial reporting) and ultimate supervision of the persons entrusted with the management (internal control system). The Audit Committee determines the scope and planning of the internal audit and coordinates them with those of the external audit. For every meeting, the internal auditors provide a comprehensive report on all audits carried out and the measures to be implemented. The external auditors take part in two of the meetings. In the first meeting of the year, they present their report on the financial statements. The second meeting, which takes place in the third quarter, focuses on the planning of the upcoming audit of the financial statements and developments in the regulatory environment. The Audit Committee monitors the implementation of the conclusions of the audit. In addition, the Audit Committee assesses the functionality of the internal control system, including risk management (see also 3.7 Information and control instruments vis-à-vis the Group Executive Board). The Audit Committee supports the Board of Directors with corporate governance and compliance issues, monitors the relevant corporate governance and compliance aspects and develops them further. The overall responsibility for the duties and competencies assigned to the Audit Committee remains with the Board of Directors.

The organisation, detailed responsibilities, functioning and reporting of the Audit Committee are set out in the Organisational Regulations for the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG.

The current Articles of Incorporation as well as the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG (including the Definition of Areas of Responsibility), the Nomination and Compensation Committee and the Audit Committee can be viewed online at www.geberit.com/investors/downloads/publications.

3.6 Definition of areas of responsibility

Pursuant to Swiss Corporate Law and Art. 17 of the Articles of Incorporation at Geberit AG, the Board of Directors has the following non-transferable and irrevocable responsibilities:

• The ultimate management of the Company and the giving of the necessary directives
• The establishment of the organisation
• The structuring of the accounting system and the financial controls, as well as the financial planning
• The appointment and removal of the persons entrusted with the management and the representation
• The ultimate supervision of the persons entrusted with the management, in particular in view of compliance with the law, Articles of Incorporation, regulations and directives
• The preparation of the annual report and of the remuneration report as well as the preparation of the General Meeting and the implementation of its resolutions
• The notification of the judge in case of overindebtedness

The Board of Directors determines the strategic objectives and the general resources for achieving these, and decides on major business transactions. Further areas of responsibility of the Board of Directors are set out in the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG and the Supplement to the Organisational Regulations.

To the extent legally permissible and in accordance with its Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG, the Board of Directors has assigned the operational management to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The individual duties assigned to the CEO are governed in particular by the Supplement to the Organisational Regulations. The CEO is authorised to further delegate powers to individual members of the Group Executive Board and/or to other executives of the Geberit Group.

As of the end of 2020, the Group Executive Board is composed of the Chief Executive Officer and five other members. The members of the Group Executive Board are appointed by the Board of Directors based on the proposal of the Nomination and Compensation Committee.

The Articles of Incorporation and/or the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG regulate the duties and powers of the Board of Directors as a governing body, the Chairman and the committees. The Organisational Regulations also define the rights and duties of the Group Executive Board, which are set forth in more detail in the Internal Regulations for the Group Executive Board. The Supplement to the Organisational Regulations contains a detailed list of the decision-making powers and Group management duties.

The current Articles of Incorporation as well as the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG, the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC) and the Audit Committee (AC) can be viewed at www.geberit.com/investors/downloads/publications.

3.7 Information and control instruments vis-à-vis the Group Executive Board

At every meeting of the Board of Directors, individual members of the Group Executive Board inform the Board of Directors of current business developments and major business transactions of the Group or Group companies. Between meetings, the Board of Directors is comprehensively informed in writing about current business developments and the company’s financial situation on a monthly basis. Essentially, this report contains key statements on the Group and market development, information and key figures on the Group sales and profit development (in January, April, July and October, it contains statements only on sales development and not on profit development), statements on sales development in the individual product lines and countries or regions as well as an analysis on the share price development. The more extensive quarterly report additionally contains the expectations of the operational management on the development of results until the end of the financial year, information on the development of the workforce and liquidity and on the investments made, the composition of the shareholders as well as market expectations in regard to the business development.

Furthermore, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer are in contact at regular intervals with respect to all major issues of corporate policy. Each member of the Board of Directors may individually demand information with respect to all matters of the Group or Group companies.

Based on the Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG and the Organisational Regulations of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee has implemented a comprehensive system for monitoring and controlling the risks associated with the business activities. This process includes risk identification, analysis, control and reporting. Operationally, the Group Executive Board is res­ponsible for controlling risk management. In addition, res­ponsible persons are designated in the company for significant individual risks. These res­ponsible parties decide on specific actions for risk mitigation and monitor their implementation. Every other year, the Internal Audit department issues a risk report for the attention of the Board of Directors. Significant risks are also constantly discussed in the meetings of the Group Executive Board and Board of Directors, which take place on a regular basis (see Risk management). For information on the management of financial risks, refer to  Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, 4. Risk assessment and management. For information on other risks recorded in the reporting year and how they are dealt with, refer to Risk management.

The Internal Audit department at Geberit performs independent, objective auditing services in order to ensure that Geberit complies with applicable laws and internal directives and procedures. Functionally, the Internal Audit department reports to the Audit Committee. Administratively, the Internal Audit department reports to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The Audit Committee checks and approves the auditing plan from the Internal Audit department and significant changes made to it. The Internal Audit department reports to the Audit Committee at every meeting on completed audits and on the status of the implementation of findings and optimisation proposals of previous audits.

The Organisational Regulations of the Board of Directors of Geberit AG, the Organisational Regulations of the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC) and the Organisational Regulations of the Audit Committee can be viewed online at www.geberit.com/investors/downloads/publications.