Governance framework

The Company’s corporate governance framework, and its core component parts, are explained below:

 

Shareholders

The owners of the Company to whom the Board is ultimately responsible.


Articles of Association

Chair

Responsible for the leadership of the Board and ensuring that it operates and governs effectively.

Board

Collectively responsible for the long-term sustainable success of the Company, by providing effective leadership, establishing the Company’s purpose, values and commitment to safety, monitoring its culture, setting the Company’s strategy and overseeing its delivery within a system of internal control, setting the Company’s risk appetite and reviewing its principal and emerging risks and taking other decisions reserved to it. Responsible for taking into account the interests of a range of stakeholders and other factors in accordance with their duties, including under section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006. Further information about the Board’s activities can be found in the latest Corporate Governance Report, available on our Corporate Governance page.

Board Committees

Committees operate under the delegated authority of the Board and within formal terms of reference. Their key responsibilities are set out below:

Nominations Committee Reviews the structure, size, composition and effectiveness of the Board and its Committees. Oversees succession planning for the Board and senior management, the development of talent and the promotion of diversity, and makes recommendations to the Board for the nomination of new Directors.
Audit Committee Reviews and monitors the Group’s financial accounting and reporting processes and the integrity of published financial statements. Reviews the Group’s system of internal control, including the effectiveness of its internal audit function and the independence and effectiveness of its external auditor.
Sustainability Committee Reviews and monitors the Group’s strategies, policies, standards and performance in relation to the Group’s sustainability specifically by reference to environmental and social matters, and the governance thereof.
Remuneration Committee Reviews and recommends to the Board the framework and policy for the remuneration of the Chair, Executive Directors and senior management. Makes decisions within that framework and implements that policy.
Further information about the activities of the Board’s principal Committees can be found on our Committees Page.

Disclosure Committee

Committee comprised of the Chair, the Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Chief Financial Officer operating under the delegated authority of the Board and within formal terms of reference. It acts to maintain procedures and controls for the identification, treatment and disclosure of inside information in accordance with applicable laws and compliance of disclosed information with the UK Listing Rules and DTRs.

Board Executive Committee

A Committee comprised of the Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Chief Financial Officer operating under the delegated authority of the Board and within formal terms of reference. It acts to review and approve various matters, including bids and contracts, acquisitions and disposals, financing arrangements, and capital and operating expenditure within the levels reserved to it.

Group Executive Committee

An advisory and reporting body to the Group Chief Executive Officer comprised of divisional management and Group heads of function. It acts to review and oversee the safety, operational and financial performance of the Group and discuss, formulate and approve proposals in respect of strategy and operational performance for onward consideration by the Board or its Committees.

Corporate Governance