The Group’s Parent company, Essity Aktiebolag (publ), is a holding company with the main task of owning and managing shares in a number of business group companies and performing Group-wide management and administrative functions. The company’s corporate registration number is 556325-5511 and it is domiciled in Stockholm, Sweden. The company’s address is PO Box 200, SE-101 23 Stockholm. In 2021, the Parent company recognized operating income of SEK 312m (265) and profit before appropriations and tax of SEK 2,280m (2,605). Investments in property, plant and equipment totaled SEK 1m (1) during the year. Cash and cash equivalents at year-end amounted to SEK 0m (0).
Research and development (R&D)
Research and development (R&D) costs during the year amounted to SEK –1,471m (–1,559), corresponding to about 1.2% of consolidated net sales. R&D is coordinated and conducted from a global perspective. Product development is carried out in close cooperation with the local units, as well as through direct collaboration with customers.
Holdings of treasury shares
Essity Aktiebolag (publ) holds no treasury shares.
Share distribution
In 2021, 320,104 Class A shares were converted to Class B shares. The proportion of Class A shares was 8.7% at year-end.
Dividend
The Board of Directors proposes an increase in the dividend of 4% to SEK 7.00 (6.75) per share or SEK 4,916m (4,741). The record date for entitlement to receive dividends is proposed as March 28, 2022 and payment is expected to be made on March 31, 2022. The Board is of the opinion that the company’s and the Group’s equity after the proposed dividend is sufficiently high in relation to the nature, scope and risks of the operations, solvency requirements, liquidity and financial position and provides scope for the company and the Group to fulfill its obligations and conduct desirable investments.
Sustainability report
Essity’s statutory sustainability report, in accordance with the requirements of the Swedish Annual Accounts Act, can be found in the chapters Risks and risk management, Climate-related risks and opportunities, Sustainability and Sustainability notes, Group in the Board of Directors’ Report. The company’s business model can be found in the chapter Business model. This sustainability report for Essity Aktiebolag (publ) encompasses the entire Group. Further information on the reporting principles for sustainability can be found in Note H1.
Guidelines for remuneration of senior executives
Guidelines agreed by the most recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) can be found in Note C2. The company’s application of the guidelines can be found in the remuneration report and in Note C2.
The Board has decided to propose the following new guidelines to the 2022 AGM concerning remuneration of senior executives in the Essity Group:
“These guidelines shall govern remuneration to directors, the President, vice presidents and other senior executives. The guidelines do not include remuneration decided upon by the General Meeting.
Successful implementation of the company’s business strategy and the fostering of the company’s long-term interests, including its sustainability, require that the company is able, through competitive remuneration on market terms, to recruit, incentivise and retain skilled employees. The total remuneration package must therefore be on market terms and competitive on the executive’s field of profession, and must be related to the executive’s responsibilities, powers and performance. The remuneration may comprise fixed salary, variable remuneration, other benefits and pension. The company’s business strategy is presented in the company’s Annual and Sustainability Report.
Variable remuneration shall be based on results relative to established short-term and long-term incentive program targets, which shall contribute to the objectives established by the company or to the performance of the company’s share. Remuneration shall be aimed at promoting the company’s business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability. Furthermore, variable remuneration shall be paid as cash remuneration and shall not be included in the basis for pension computation. The short-term element shall not exceed 100 per cent of annual fixed salary and the long-term element shall not exceed 100 per cent of annual fixed salary. The maximum variable remuneration level shall be determined per individual, taking into account the total remuneration in relation to the specific role, the local market, the terms of employment or the individual performance.
Short-term performance targets shall include either organic growth, product development, earnings, cash flow, capital efficiency, sustainability, return or individual targets or a combination thereof. Long-term performance targets shall include either sustainability, total shareholder return (TSR) or a combination thereof and – in order to create a long-term perspective – be combined with requirements for senior executives to use the compensation net of tax to invest in the Essity share with a minimum holding period of three years.
The company shall have the possibility to withhold payment of variable remuneration where necessary and possible according to law, provided there are special reasons for so doing and such a measure is necessary to meet the company’s long-term interests, including its sustainability. Furthermore, the company shall have the possibility provided by applicable law to demand repayment of any variable remuneration paid based on erroneous grounds.
Pension benefits shall be contribution-defined, and the annual premium shall not exceed 40 per cent of the fixed annual salary. The retirement age shall normally be 65.
Other, lesser benefits may include medical insurance, company car, fitness allowance as well as membership and service fees, training/education and other support.
A notice of termination period of not more than two years shall apply upon termination of the employment relationship where the termination is initiated by the company, and of not more than one year where the termination is initiated by the executive. There shall be no severance pay.
Matters relating to remuneration to senior executives shall be addressed by the Board’s Remuneration Committee and, with respect to the President, decided upon by the Board. The duties of the Remuneration Committee shall also include preparing Board decisions regarding proposals for guidelines for remuneration to senior executives, performing oversight as well as monitoring and assessing the application thereof. When the Board or the Remuneration Committee addresses and decides on remuneration-related matters, senior executives may not be present insofar as the matter relates to them. With respect to the calculation of variable remuneration, an audit certificate must be obtained before any decision is taken regarding payment. In the preparation of the remuneration guidelines, consideration has been given to salary and employment conditions for the company’s other employees, such as information regarding total remuneration, components of the remuneration as well as the increase in remuneration and the rate of increase over time, and the company’s equality of opportunity policy.
The Board may decide to temporarily deviate from the guidelines, wholly or in part, if there are special reasons for doing so in an individual case and deviation is necessary to satisfy the company’s long-term interests, including its sustainability. The duties of the Remuneration Committee include preparing Board decisions on remuneration issues, including decisions regarding deviations from the guidelines. With respect to employment relationships governed by rules other than Swedish rules, appropriate adjustments may take place with respect to pension benefits and other benefits to ensure compliance with such rules or local practice, whereupon the overarching purpose of these guidelines shall be attained as far as possible.
The guidelines shall not take precedence over mandatory terms of employment law legislation or collective agreements. Nor shall they apply to already executed agreements.
Other than editorial changes, these guidelines have been updated with respect to the Board of Directors’ proposal on implementation of a new cash-based long-term incentive program.
These guidelines shall apply from the 2022 Annual General Meeting until further notice.”
For information on the company’s calculated expenses for remuneration of senior executives, see Note C2.
