Communications to the Board of Directors
Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate directly with the Company’s non-management directors using the email and postal addresses that are included in the Company’s annual proxy statement and posted on its website.
Size and Composition of the Board
Size of the Board
The Board believes that a range of seven through 12 directors, as currently provided by the by-laws of the Company, allows the Board to function most effectively in its decision-making and promotes discussion and participation by individual Board members. The Board also believes that this range allows the Board enough flexibility to add outstanding candidates to the Board. There are currently ten directors. All Board members stand for re-election annually. The Company does not have a classified or staggered board.
Mix of Inside and Outside Directors
The Board believes that a substantial majority of directors should be independent. Nine of Colgate’s ten directors are independent and only the Chairman, President and CEO is a member of Colgate management.
Definition of Independence for Outside Directors
The Board believes that an independent director should be free of any relationship with Colgate or its senior management that may in fact or appearance impair the director’s ability to make independent judgments or compromise the director’s objectivity and loyalty to stockholders. Based on this principle, the Board has adopted director independence standards that outline the types of relationships, both personal and professional, between directors and the Company, its senior management and other directors that, if present, would preclude a finding of independence. These standards, which are stricter than those required by the New York Stock Exchange, guide the Board’s annual affirmative determinations of independence. A copy of these standards is available on the Company’s website.
Former Chief Executive Officer's Board Membership
The Board believes that the Board membership of a former CEO is a matter to be decided in each individual instance when the CEO offers his or her resignation from the Board of Directors. Under the by-laws of the Company, no former CEO may be re-elected to the Board after reaching age 65 (unless a majority of the non-employee directors approves such service).
Board Membership Criteria
On the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Board has adopted a written statement of the criteria for Board membership, which is used by the committee in evaluating individual director candidates. This statement takes into account the current needs of the Company and the qualities needed for Board membership, including experience in business, education and public service fields, international experience, educational achievement, strong moral and ethical character, diversity and other criteria. A copy of these criteria is available on the Company’s website.
Selection of New Director Candidates
The Board selects new director candidates based on the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, which is made up entirely of independent directors, identifies, screens and recruits potential candidates for membership on the Board of Directors, taking into account the needs of the Company and the Board at the time. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommended by stockholders, evaluating them in the same manner in which the committee evaluates candidates recommended by others.