Decision- making process to determine the remuneration

By virtue of CEB’s Group Remuneration Policy, the key elements of the governance structure for the fixing, execution and evaluation of the remuneration management are as follows: CEB’s Supervisory Board is responsible for the establishment, execution and evaluation of the Group Remuneration Policy and the Supervisory Board monitors the proper implementation of this by the Managing Board. The HR & Remuneration Committee (a subcommittee of the Supervisory Board – described in more detail below) meets at least each quarter and prepares the decision-making process for the Supervisory Board, taking into account the long-term interests of all stakeholders of CEB.

 

Remuneration of Identified Staff (defined in the Group Remuneration Policy and determined as described in the Assessment of Identified Staff procedure) is determined by the Supervisory Board. The remuneration of the other employees is determined and implemented by the Managing Board  and supervised by the HR & Remuneration Committee. For senior managers in control functions, remuneration is directly supervised by the HR & Remuneration Committee.

 

As a general principle, CEB’s Group Remuneration Policy authorizes the Supervisory Board to adjust the variable remuneration of (a group of) Employees – as defined in such Policy, if continuation on the same level would have an unfair and unintended effect. Moreover, the Supervisory Board has the  right to reclaim the variable component of remuneration granted to Employees, if it turns out that such a variable was based on inaccurate data. Such reclaim is allowed until two years after the award of the variable pay.

 

Link between performance and pay
One of the key elements of CEB’s Group Remuneration Policy is the description of the appraisal process. In this paragraph, a summary is given of this process:

 

On the basis of pre-determined and assessable objectives, comprising financial and non-financial elements, and also on the basis of competences and general indicators, an Employee’s overall performance assessment is determined, at least once per year. The non-financial objectives form a substantial portion (with a minimum of 50%) of the total set of objectives for an employee.

Objective-setting

Each year, the Managing Board formulates its own objectives (financial and non-financial) and presents them for approval to the Supervisory Board. The approved objectives are then assigned (partially) to the relevant Identified Staff and Employees. Pursuant to the Group Remuneration Policy, financial objective-setting for Employees in control functions may not be based on the commercial objectives of CEB, i.e. the objectives of these Employees are set independent from the financial targets and/or results of the business they control.

 

Performance Assessment

Financial performance of an employee is assessed in the context of CEB’s financial stability and own funds requirements as well as the long-term interests of the shareholders and other stakeholders.

Financial performance shall be evaluated on the basis of (a) divisional/ departmental profitability, calculated on financial criteria such as Net Income and (b) the department’s attribution/claim to the  risk profile of CEB.

Via a web-based performance management system, an overall ‘performance score’ is generated. The three performance categories are competences, general indicators and objectives. For the overall score, the following weighted percentages apply per category: competences 30%, general indicators 20% and objectives 50%. The end score is a figure between 1 and 5 – whereby 5 is excellent.

Performance evaluation of Identified Staff takes into account performance over several years and appraisals for Employees in control functions take into account the ‘countervailing function’ of these staff members.

 

Most important characteristics of remuneration system

 

Apart from the governance structure and appraisal process, the CEB Group Remuneration Policy also incorporates rules and guidelines for the setting and determination of fixed and variable remuneration for Employees.

As a rule in CEB, fixed salary levels are conservatively aligned in comparison to similar functions in banking and the industry, nationally and internationally.

One of the basic principles for granting variable pay (if any at all) is that variable pay may never exceed 100% of the fixed salary, and that guaranteed variable remuneration to Identified Staff is not allowed.

 

Phantom Share Plan

In CEB’s Phantom Share Plan the terms and conditions for the granting of Phantom Shares to Identified Staff are laid down. The Plan entails that variable remuneration awarded to an Identified Staff will be for 60% unconditional and for 40% deferred. If an Identified Staff member is awarded a total of more than
€ 300.000 gross (or equivalent), 40% will be unconditional and for 60% deferred. At least 50% of the variable remuneration (deferred or unconditional) is in the form of financial instruments whose value is determined by/ derived from the value of CEB shares: Phantom Shares. These financial instruments are rights – not shares.

The deferred part of the variable remuneration vests over a period of 3 years. Furthermore, vested Phantom Shares (whether deferred or unconditional) are subject to a retention period of 1 year. Vesting and exercise of the Phantom Shares is subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions. For example, the holder’s performance score (see paragraph (ii) above) must exceed a certain limit.

 

Most important parameters & motivation for variable remuneration

Pursuant to the Group Remuneration Policy, the granting of variable remuneration ‘at all’ depends on CEB’s performance in a year. Additionally, the requirement applies that the granting of variable remuneration may not restrict CEB’s possibilities to reinforce its regulatory capital, its solvency ratio or its own funds.

CEB has no other non-cash benefits/non-cash variable remuneration elements.