Summary of differences with NYSE standards
As a Luxembourg company listed on the NYSE, the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A.B. de C.V. (the Mexican Stock Exchange), and the Borsa Italiana S.p.A. (the Italian Stock Exchange), the Company is required to comply with some, but not all, of the corporate governance standards of these exchanges. The Company, however, believes that its corporate governance practices meet, in all material respects, the corporate governance standards that are generally required for controlled companies by all of the exchanges on which the Company’s securities trade.
The following is a summary of the significant ways that the Company’s corporate governance practices differ from the corporate governance standards required for foreign controlled companies by the NYSE. The Company’s corporate governance practices may differ in non-material ways from certain other standards required by the NYSE that are not detailed here.
Non-management directors’ meetings
Under NYSE standards, non-management directors must meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management present and, if such group includes directors who are not independent, a meeting should be scheduled once per year including only independent directors. Neither Luxembourg law nor the Company’s articles of association require the holding of such meetings and the Company does not have a set policy for these meetings. For additional information on board meetings, see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Directors and Senior Management – Board of Directors”.
In addition, NYSE-listed companies are required to provide a method for interested parties to communicate directly with non-management directors as a group. While the Company does not have such a method, it has set up a compliance line for investors and other interested parties to communicate their concerns directly to the members of our audit committee, all of whom are non-management, independent directors.
Audit committee composition
Under NYSE standards, listed U.S. companies are required to have an audit committee composed of independent directors that satisfy the requirements of Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the Company’s articles of association, as supplemented by the audit committee’s charter, for as long as the Company’s shares are listed on at least one regulated market, the Company must have an audit committee composed of at least three members, the majority of whom must qualify as independent directors (as defined in the Company’s articles of association), provided, however, that the composition and membership of the audit committee shall satisfy such requirements as are applicable to, and mandatory for, audit committees of issuers such as the Company under any law, rule or regulation applicable to the Company (including, without limitation, the applicable laws, rules and regulations of such regulated market or markets). The Company’s audit committee, which currently consists of three members, complies with such requirements. In accordance with NYSE standards, the Company has an audit committee entirely composed of independent directors for purposes of the Exchange Act Rule 10A-3(b)(1). For more information on the Company’s audit committee see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees– Board Practices – Audit Committee”.
Under NYSE standards, all audit committee members of listed U.S. companies are required to be financially literate or must acquire such financial knowledge within a reasonable period and at least one of its members shall have experience in accounting or financial administration. In addition, if a member of the audit committee is simultaneously a member of the audit committee of more than three public companies, and the listed company does not limit the number of audit committees on which its members may serve, then in each case the board must determine whether the simultaneous service would prevent such member from effectively serving on the listed company’s audit committee and shall publicly disclose its decision. Luxembourg law provisions on audit committee membership require only that at least one member of the audit committee have competence in accounting or auditing matters. The board of directors of the Company has determined that Ms. Tiuba, the committee’s chairperson, qualifies as “audit committee financial expert” under applicable SEC rules and has competence in accounting or auditing matters, as required by applicable Luxembourg law. In addition, the membership of the audit committee as a whole has sufficient relevant knowledge of the business and financial experience to properly discharge its functions. The audit committee has the authority, from time to time and as it deems necessary, to engage persons that meet all of the attributes of a financial expert as consultants. See “Audit Committee Financial Expert”.
Standards for evaluating director independence
Under NYSE standards, the board is required, on a case-by-case basis, to express an opinion with regard to the independence or lack of independence of each individual director. Neither Luxembourg law nor the Company’s articles of association requires that the board of directors express such an opinion. In addition, the definition of “independent” under the NYSE rules differs in some non-material respects from the definition contained in the Company’s articles of association. For more information on the Company’s independent directors and the definition of “independent” under the Company’s articles of association see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Directors and Senior Management – Board of Directors” and “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Board Practices – Audit Committee”.
Audit committee responsibilities
Pursuant to the Company’s articles of association, the audit committee shall assist the board of directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to the integrity of its consolidated financial statements, the effectiveness of its systems of internal control, risk management and internal audit over financial reporting and the independence and performance of the external auditors. The audit committee is required to review and, where applicable, approve material transactions between the Company or its subsidiaries and related parties and also perform the other duties entrusted to it by the board. The NYSE requires certain matters to be set forth in the audit committee charter of U.S. listed companies.
The Company’s audit committee charter provides for many of the responsibilities that are expected from such bodies under the NYSE standard and in accordance with applicable Luxembourg law, including the Audit Reform Law; however, due to the Company’s equity structure and holding company nature, the charter does not contain all such responsibilities, including provisions related to procedures for the receipt and treatment of complaints (although the Company has established such procedures), funding for payment of administrative expenses and compensation to advisors (although the audit committee has the authority to engage outside advisors), setting hiring policies for employees or former employees of external auditors, and an annual performance evaluation of the audit committee. For more information on the Company’s audit committee see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Board Practices – Audit Committee”.
Standards for approval of related-party transactions
The Company is subject to Luxembourg laws governing approval and disclosure of material related party transactions, including the Shareholders’ Rights Law; and the Company’s articles of association and the Audit Committee charter require the Audit Committee to review material transactions with related parties to determine whether their terms are consistent with the interests of the Company and its shareholders and with market conditions. In addition, recently amended NYSE standard on related-party transactions requires all NYSE-listed companies’ audit committees (or another independent body of the board of directors) to conduct a reasonable prior review and oversight of all related party transactions for potential conflicts of interest and to prohibit such a transaction if it determines it to be inconsistent with the interests of the company and its shareholders. The rule defines the term “related party transaction” by reference to the disclosure requirements for annual reports under the Exchange Act. The materiality threshold applicable to foreign private issuers differs to the one applicable to U.S companies. For further details on the approval process for related party transactions, see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Board Practices – Audit Committee”.
Shareholder voting on equity compensation plans
Under NYSE standards, shareholders must be given the opportunity to vote on equity-compensation plans and material revisions thereto, except for employment inducement awards, certain grants, plans and amendments in the context of mergers and acquisitions, and certain specific types of plans. The Company does not currently offer equity-based compensation to its directors, senior management or employees, and therefore does not have a policy on this matter. For more information on directors’ compensation see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Compensation”.
The Shareholders’ Rights Law requires the Company to adopt a Compensation Policy setting forth the principles and guidelines for purposes of determining the compensation payable to the members of the Company’s board of directors and the managing director or chief executive officer. Such Compensation Policy must be submitted to the non-binding vote of the shareholders. In addition, the Shareholders’ Rights Law provides that the Company must prepare an annual report describing the compensation paid to directors and the chief executive officer for the performance of their duties and submit such report to the shareholders for approval. The Compensation Policy and Compensation Report must be available on the Company’s website. For more information on the Compensation Policy and the 2023 Compensation Report see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Compensation”.
Disclosure of corporate governance guidelines
NYSE-listed companies must adopt and disclose corporate governance guidelines. Neither Luxembourg law nor the Company’s articles of association require the adoption or disclosure of corporate governance guidelines. The Company’s board of directors follows corporate governance guidelines consistent with its equity structure and holding company nature, but the Company has not codified them and therefore does not disclose them on its website.
Code of business conduct and ethics
Under NYSE standards, listed companies must adopt and disclose a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers and employees, and promptly disclose any waivers of the code for directors or executive officers. Neither Luxembourg law nor the Company’s articles of association require the adoption or disclosure of such a code of conduct. The Company, however, has adopted a code of conduct that applies to all directors, officers and employees that is posted on its website and which complies with the NYSE’s requirements, except that it does not require the disclosure of waivers of the code for directors and officers. In addition, it has adopted a supplementary code of ethics for senior financial officers, which is also posted on our website. See “Code of Ethics”.
Chief Executive Officer certification
A chief executive officer of a U.S. company listed on the NYSE must annually certify that he or she is not aware of any violation by the company of NYSE corporate governance standards. In accordance with NYSE rules applicable to foreign private issuers, the Company’s chief executive officer is not required to provide the NYSE with this annual compliance certification. However, in accordance with NYSE rules applicable to all listed companies, the Company’s chief executive officer must promptly notify the NYSE in writing after any of our executive officers becomes aware of any noncompliance with any applicable provision of the NYSE’s corporate governance standards. In addition, the Company must submit an executed written affirmation annually and an interim written affirmation upon the occurrence of any of the events listed in the foreign private issuer interim written affirmation form by the NYSE.