Board Committees
The Boards will have at all times an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, Nominating & Governance Committee, and a Health, Environmental Safety & Security Committee. All of the members of these committees will be independent directors under the criteria established by the applicable Exchanges. Committee members will be appointed by the Boards upon recommendation of the Nominating & Governance Committee with consideration of the desires of individual directors. Committee assignments and the designation of committee chairs should be based on the director’s knowledge, interests and areas of expertise. The Boards do not favor mandatory rotation of committee assignments or chairs. The Boards believe experience and continuity are more important than rotation. Committee members and chairs should be rotated only if rotation is likely to increase committee performance.
Each committee will have its own charter. The charters will set forth the purposes, goals and responsibilities of the committees as well as qualifications for committee membership, procedures for committee member appointment and removal, committee structure and operations and committee reporting to the Boards. The charters will also provide that each committee will annually evaluate its performance.
The Chairman of each committee, in consultation with the committee members, will determine the frequency and length of the committee meetings consistent with any requirements set forth in the committee’s charter. The Chairman of each committee, in consultation with the appropriate members of the committee and management, will develop the committee’s agenda. At the beginning of the year each committee will establish a schedule of agenda subjects to be discussed during the year (to the degree these can be foreseen). The schedule for each committee will be furnished to all directors.
The Boards and each committee have the power to hire independent legal, financial or other advisors as they may deem necessary, without consulting or obtaining the approval of any officer of the Companies in advance. The Companies shall provide the Committees with sufficient resources to perform their duties.
The Boards may, from time to time, establish or maintain additional committees as necessary or appropriate.