Governance Information • Sep 1, 2021
Governance Information
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JOINT STOCK COMPANY "VEF"
Corporate Governance Report For year 2020
| I INTRODUCTION |
3 |
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| II PRINCIPLES OF GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE |
4 |
| SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING |
4 |
| 1. Ensuring shareholders' rights and participation at shareholders' meetings 4 |
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| 2. Participation of members and member candidates of the Issuer's management institutions at | |
| shareholders' meetings 6 |
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| BOARD | 7 |
| 3. Obligations and responsibilities of the Board 7 |
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| 4. Board composition and requirements for board members 8 |
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| 5. Identification of interest conflicts in the work of board members 9 |
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| COUNCIL | 10 |
| 6. Obligations and responsibilities of the council 10 |
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| 7. Council composition and requirements for council members 11 |
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| 8. Identification of interest conflicts in the work of council members 12 |
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| DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION |
13 |
| 9. Transparency of the Issuer's business 13 |
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| 10. Investor relations 14 |
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| INTERNAL CONTROL AND RISK MANAGEMENT |
15 |
| 11. Principles of the Issuer's internal and external control 15 |
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| 12. Audit Committee 16 |
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| REMUNERATION POLICY |
17 |
| 13. General principles, types and criteria for setting remuneration 17 |
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| 14. Remuneration Report 19 |
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Joint Stock Company VEF (hereinafter Company or VEF) Corporate Governance Report for 2020 (hereinafter the Report) has been prepared in compliance with Article 15.14 of "Nasdaq Riga" Rules on Listing and Trading of Financial Instruments on the Markets Regulated by the Exchange, Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations on their Implementation issued by the Nasdaq Riga (publicly available: http://www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com/files/riga/corp_gov_May_2010_final_EN.pdf), and Law on Financial instruments market Article 56.2 . The Report has been prepared by VEF Management Board and reviewed by VEF Supervisory Council.
The Report discloses the information on the compliance with the corporate governance principles in 2020 based on the "comply or explain" principle as recommended in the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations on their Implementation issued by the "Nasdaq Riga". In 2020 VEF complied with most of the corporate governance principles referred to in the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations on their Implementation issued by the "Nasdaq Riga".
Information mentioned in the Article 56.2Par Two Clause 5. and 7. and Article 56.1Par One Clauses 3.,4., 6., 8. and 9 of Law on Financial instruments market are provided in the Annual Report of VEF, which is published at internet home page of AS "Nasdaq Riga": www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com.
The Report has been submitted to the Nasdaq Riga together with VEF Annual Report for 2020.
Gints Feņuks Chairman of the Management Board
______________________
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Tamāra Kampāne Member of the Management Board
Riga, 2020
Shareholders realize their right to participate in the management of the Issuer at shareholders' meetings. In compliance with legal acts the Issuers shall call the annual shareholders' meeting as minimum once a year. Extraordinary shareholders' meetings shall be called as required.
The Issuers shall ensure equal attitude towards all the shareholders – holders of one category of shares. All shareholders shall have equal rights to participate in the management of the Issuer – to participate at shareholders' meetings and receive information that shareholders need in order to make decisions.
1.1. It shall be important to ensure that all the holders of shares of one category have also equal rights, including the right to receive a share of the Issuer's profit as dividends or in another way in proportion to the number of the shares owned by them if such right is stipulated for the shares owned by them.
According to the Articles of Association VEF has issued shares of one category and all shares of one category have the rights to receive dividends, liquidation quota and voting rights in the shareholders' meeting; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.2. The Issuer shall prepare a policy for the division of profit. In the preparation of the policy, it is recommended to take into account not only the provision of immediate benefit for the Issuer's shareholders by paying dividends to them but also the expediency of profit reinvesting, which would increase the value of the Issuer in future. It is recommended to discuss the policy of profit division at a shareholders' meeting thus ensuring that as possibly larger a number of shareholders have the possibility to acquaint themselves with it and to express their opinion on it. The Report shall specify where the Issuer's profit distribution policy is made available.
VEF Shareholders' meeting makes a decision on the payment of dividends, though considering that the Company has large accumulated losses from previous years, there is not worked out a policy of the profit distribution.
1.3. In order to protect the Issuer's shareholders' interest to a sufficient extent, not only the Issuers but also any other persons who in compliance with the procedure stipulated in legislative acts call, announce and organize a shareholders' meeting are asked to comply with all the issues referred to in these Recommendations in relation to calling shareholders' meetings and provision of shareholders with the required information.
In 2020 VEF provided audited annual report to shareholders before announcing the meeting, therefore VEF complies with the issues referred to in these Recommendations in relation to calling shareholders' meetings and provision of shareholders with the required information.
1.4. Shareholders of the Issuers shall be provided with the possibility to receive in due time and regularly all the required information on the relevant Issuer, participate at meetings and vote on agenda issues. The Issuers shall carry out all the possible activities to achieve that as many as possible shareholders participate at meetings; therefore, the time and place of a meeting should not restrict the attendance of a meeting by shareholders. Therefore, it should not be admissible to change the time and place of an announced shareholders' meeting shortly before the meeting, which thus would hinder or even make it impossible for shareholders to attend the meeting.
VEF discloses information according to the Law on Financial Instruments Market and the rules issued by "Nasdaq Riga". VEF announces the general meetings of shareholders at least 30 days advance, at first publishing relevant information in Latvian and English at the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga" and then publishing relevant notifications about calling up the general meetings of shareholders at least one newspaper, as well as by sending the information to Nasdaq CSD SE, which then transmits the information further to financial instruments account operators.
VEF provides every person, who is entitled to vote at the general meetings of shareholders, with the notification about calling up the general meetings of shareholders, form of power of attorney in computerized way, and ensures that form of power of attorney is also available at the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga" after the notification about calling up the general meetings of shareholders is given.
The draft decisions of the shareholders meeting are available at least 14 days before the shareholders meeting at first publishing them in Latvian and English at the central storage of regulated information and then at internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga". If at the shareholders meeting it is planned to make decision about amendments in the constitutive documents of the company, the draft amendments in Latvian and English are distributed at least 30 days before the meeting by publishing relevant information in Latvian and English at the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga". Considering relatively small size of the company, VEF has not created the company's website in 2020. VEF invites shareholders in due time to submit and include in the draft decisions shareholders proposals for election of members of the Council and the audit committee, as well as other proposals of shareholders, if received.
VEF considers that until now the time and place of the shareholders meetings –the company's office, has not restricted the attendance of a meeting by shareholders, as the time and place of the meetings are chosen considering predictable amount of shareholders, which could attend the meeting. VEF has never changed the time and place of the announced shareholders meeting;
Considering Covid-19 pandemic in Annual General Meeting of shareholders in 2020 VEF provided possibility for shareholders to vote in written before the meeting.
1.5. The Issuers shall inform their shareholders on calling a shareholders' meeting by publishing a notice in compliance with the procedure and the time limits set forth in legislative acts. The Issuers are asked to announce the shareholders' meeting as soon as the decision on calling the shareholders' meeting has been taken; in particular, this condition applies to extraordinary shareholders' meetings. The information on calling a shareholders' meeting shall be published also on the Issuer's website on the Internet, where it should be published also at least in one foreign language. It is recommended to use the English language as the said other language so that the website could be used also by foreign investors. When publishing information on calling a shareholders' meeting, also the initiator of calling the meeting shall be specified.
See explanation for Clause 1.4. VEF applies this best practice provision.
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1.6. The Issuer shall ensure that compete information on the course and time of the meeting, the voting on decisions to be adopted, as well as the agenda and draft decisions on which it is planned to vote at the meeting is available in due time to the shareholders. The Issuers shall also inform the shareholders whom they can address to receive answers to any questions on the arrangements for the shareholders' meeting and the agenda issues and ensure that the required additional information is provided to the shareholders.
See explanation for Clause 1.4. VEF partly applies this best practice provision.
1.7. The Issuer shall ensure that at least 14 (fourteen) days prior to the meeting the shareholders have the possibility to acquaint themselves with the draft decisions on the issues to be dealt with at the meeting, including those that have been submitted additionally already after the announcement on calling the meeting. The Issuer shall ensure the possibility to read a complete text of draft decisions, especially if they apply to voting on amendments to the Issuer's statutes, election of the Issuer's officials, determination of their remuneration, division of the Issuer's profit and other issues.
See explanation for Clause 1.4. VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.8. In no way may the Issuers restrict the right of shareholders to nominate representatives of the shareholders for council elections. The candidates to the council and candidates to other offices shall be nominated in due time so that the information on the said persons would be available to the shareholders to the extent as stipulated in Clause 1.9 of this Section as minimum 14 (fourteen) days prior to the shareholders' meeting.
See explanation for Clause 1.4. VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.9. Especially, attention should be paid that the shareholders at least 14 (fourteen) days prior to the shareholders' meeting have the possibility to acquaint themselves with information on council member candidates and audit committee member candidates whose approval is planned at the meeting. When disclosing the said information, also a short personal biography of the candidates shall be published.
See explanation for Clause 1.4. VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.10. The Issuer may not restrict the right of shareholders to consult among them during a shareholders' meeting if it is required in order to adopt a decision or to make clear some issue.
VEF does not restrict the right of shareholders to consult among themselves during a shareholders' meeting if it is required in order to adopt a decision or to make clear some issue; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.11. To provide shareholders with complete information on the course of the shareholders' meeting, the Issuer shall prepare the regulations on the course of shareholders' meeting, in which the agenda of shareholders' meeting and the procedure for solving any organizational issues connected with the shareholders' meeting (e.g., registration of meeting participants, the procedure for the adoption of decisions on the issues to be dealt with at the meeting, the Issuer's actions in case any of the issues on the agenda is not dealt with, if it is impossible to adopt a decision etc.). The procedures adopted by the Issuer in relation to participation in voting shall be easy to implement.
At the shareholders meetings of VEF the chairman of the meeting which is elected according to the Commercial law, suggests to determine the regulations for the discussions and decision making during the shareholders' meeting which is in force only in case the shareholders meeting approves them with majority of votes; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.12. The Issuer shall ensure that during the shareholders' meeting the shareholders have the possibility to ask questions to the candidates to be elected at the shareholders' meeting and other attending representatives of the Issuer. The Issuer shall have the right to set reasonable restrictions on questions, for example, excluding the possibility that one shareholder uses up the total time provided for asking of questions and setting a time limit of speeches.
See explanation for Clause 1.11. VEF applies this best practice provision.
1.13. When entering the course and contents of discussions on the agenda issues to be dealt with at the shareholders' meeting in the minutes of shareholders' meeting, the chairperson of the meeting shall ensure that, in case any meeting participant requires it, particular debates are reflected in the minutes or that shareholder proposal or questions are appended thereto in written form.
At the shareholders meetings of VEF the secretary (recorder) takes minutes of the meeting.
The minutes of the meeting are signed by the chairman of the meeting, secretary and at least one shareholder, who is entitled to approve that the minutes of the meeting, are correct. The list of shareholders and the documents related to the meeting are attached to the minutes; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
Shareholders' meetings shall be attended by the Issuer's board members, auditors, and as possibly many council members.
2.1. The attendance of members of the Issuer's management institutions and auditor at shareholders' meetings shall be necessary to ensure information exchange between the Issuer's shareholders and members of management institutions as well as to fulfill the right of shareholders to receive answers from competent persons to the questions submitted. The attendance of the auditor shall not be mandatory at shareholders' meetings at which issues connected with the finances of the Issuer are not dealt with. By using the rights to ask questions shareholders have the possibility to obtain information on the circumstances that might affect the evaluation of the financial report and the financial situation of the Issuer.
VEF members of the Boardas well as members of the Council participates in the shareholders meetings; considering Covid-19 pandemic in Annual General Meeting of shareholders in 2020 auditor was not present, therefore, VEF partly applies this best practice provision.
2.2. Shareholders' meetings shall be attended by the Issuer's official candidates whose election is planned at the meeting. This shall in particular apply to council members. If a council member candidate or auditor candidate is unable to attend the shareholders' meeting due to an important reason, then it shall be admissible that this person does not attend the shareholders' meeting. In this case, all the substantial information on the candidate shall be disclosed before the shareholders' meeting.
VEF invites to participate at the shareholders meetings official candidates whose election is planned at the meeting. If a Council member candidate or auditor candidate is unable to attend the shareholders' meeting due to an important reason, VEF at its best effort discloses all the substantial information on the candidate before the shareholders' meeting; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
2.3. During shareholders' meetings, the participants must have the possibility to obtain information on officials or official candidates who do not attend the meeting and reasons thereof. The reason of non-attendance should be entered in the minutes of shareholders' meeting.
During shareholders' meetings of VEF, the participants have the possibility to obtain information on officials or official candidates who do not attend the meeting and reasons thereof. In the minutes of the meeting the information on officials who attend and who do not attend the meeting are recorded; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
The board is the Issuer's executive institution, which manages and represents the Issuer in its everyday business, therefore the Issuer shall ensure that it is efficient, able to take decisions, and committed to increase the value of the company, therefore its obligations and responsibilities have to be clearly determined.
The Issuers shall clearly and expressively determine the obligations and authorities of the board and responsibilities of its members, thus ensuring a successful work of the board and an increase in the Issuer's value.
3.1. The board shall have the obligation to manage the business of the Issuer, which includes also the responsibility for the realization of the objectives and strategies determined by the Issuer and the responsibility for the results achieved. The board shall be responsible for the said to the council and the shareholders' meeting. In fulfillment of its obligations, the board shall adopt decisions guided by interests of all the shareholders and preventing any potential conflict of interests.
According to the Articles of Association, the Board of VEF consists of three members. All members of the Board, including the chairman of the Board, have rights to represent the company only together with at least one other member of the Board. The decisions of the Board of VEF are made at the meetings of the Board, by at least two of the members voting "for". Referring to the Commercial law, members of the Board of VEF fulfill their duties as honest and careful master. Quarterly the Board in writing reports on its activities to Council and at the end of the year to the shareholders meeting. The Board informs the Council
also about other important aspects of activities of the Company; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
3.2. The powers of the board shall be stipulated in the Board Regulations or a similar document, which is to be published on the website of the Issuer on the Internet. This document must be also available at the registered office of the Issuer.
Considering the size of the company, VEF has not worked out the Management Board Regulations. The powers of the Management Board of VEF are defined in the articles of association of VEF and the Commercial Law.
3.3. The board shall be responsible also for the compliance with all the binding regulatory acts, risk management, as well as the financial activity of the Issuer.
According to the Commercial law, the Board of VEF is executive institution which manages and represents the company. The Board superintends and manages the company's business. It is responsible for commercial activities of the company, as well as for the accounting which complies with the legislation. The Board manages the property of the company and acts with its assets according to the laws, articles of association and decisions of the shareholders meetings; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
The Board of VEF currently acts accordingly in order to execute VEF strategy. VEF has worked out internal system, which provide performance of corporate strategies, work plan, risk control procedure, assessment and advancement of annual budget and business plans, ensuring control on the fulfillment of plans and the achievement of planned results. Similarly VEF selects senior managers, determine their remuneration and control their work and their replacement, if necessary, complying with the adopted personnel policy. The Board of VEF timely and qualitative submits all the reports, ensuring also that the internal audits are carried out and the disclosure of information is controlled. The internal audit is carried out by the chief accountant of the company; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
3.5. In annual reports, the board shall confirm that the internal risk procedures are efficient and that the risk management and internal control have been carried out in compliance with the said control procedures throughout the year.
In annual reports, the Board confirms that the internal risk procedures are efficient and that the risk management and internal control have been carried out in compliance with the determined control procedures throughout the year; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
3.6. It shall be preferable that the board submits decisions that determine the objectives and strategies for achievement thereof (participation in other companies, acquisition or alienation of property, opening of representation offices or branches, expansion of business etc) to the Issuer's council for approval.
The Board of VEF has developed and with the permission of the Council approved VEF Strategy; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
A board composition approved by the Issuer shall be able to ensure sufficiently critical and independent attitude in assessing and taking decisions.
4.1. In composing the board, it shall be observed that every board member has appropriate education and work experience. The Issuer shall prepare a summary of the requirements to be set for every board member, which specifies the skills, education, previous work experience and other selection criteria for every board member.
The Council of VEF observes that every Board member has appropriate education and work experience before they are elected, as well as sets the requirements for every Board member, which specifies the skills, education, previous work experience and other selection criteria. All the members of the Board of VEF have appropriate education and previous experience in respective area; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
4.2. On the Issuer's website on the Internet, the following information on every Issuer's board member shall be published: name, surname, year of birth, education, office term, position, description of the last three year's professional experience, number of the Issuer's or its parent companies/subsidiaries shares owned by the member, information on positions in other capital companies.
Considering the size of the company, there was not developed website for VEF in 2020, though accordingly to Law on Financial instruments market and rules of JSC "Nasdaq Riga" the information about members of Management Board has published in accordance with legislative acts.
4.3. In order to fulfill their obligations successfully, board members must have access in due time to accurate information on the activity of the Issuer. The board must be capable of providing an objective evaluation on the activity of the Issuer. Board members must have enough time for the performance of their duties.
The Board of VEF on an ongoing basis follows the commercial activities of the company. Quarterly the Board in writing reports about its activities to Council but at the end of the year to the shareholders meeting, providing objective evaluation on the activity of VEF; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
4.4. It is not recommended to elect one and the same board member for more than four successive terms. The Issuer has to evaluate whether its development will be facilitated in the result of that and whether it will be possible to avoid a situation where greater power is concentrated in hands of one or a number of separate persons due to their long-term work at the Issuer. If, however, such election is admitted, it shall be recommended to consider to change the field of work of the relevant Board member at the Issuer.
Consider small size of the company members of the Board of VEF has been elected for more than four successive terms; therefore, VEF does not applies this best practice provision.
Every board member shall avoid any interest conflicts in his/her work and be maximally independent from any external circumstances and willing to assume responsibility for the decisions taken and comply with the general ethical principles in adopting any decisions connected with the business of the Issuer.
5.1. It shall be the obligation of every board member to avoid any, even only supposed, interest conflicts in his/her work. In taking decisions, board members shall be guided by the interests of the Issuer and not use the cooperation offers proposed to the Issuer to obtain personal benefit.
While taking decisions, the Members of the Board of the VEF are guided by the interests of the company and they do not use the cooperation offers proposed to the VEF to obtain personal benefit; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
5.2. On the occurrence of any interest conflict or even only on its possibility, a board member shall notify other board members without delay. Board members shall notify on any deal or agreement the Issuer is planning to conclude with a person who has close relationship or is connected with the board member in question, as well as inform on any interest conflicts occurred during the validity period of concluded agreements.
For the purposes of these Recommendations the following shall be regarded as persons who have close relationship with a board member: spouses, a relative, including kinship of second degree or brother-in-law of first degree, or persons with whom the board member has had a common household for at least one year. For the purposes of these recommendations the following shall be regarded as persons who are connected with a board member: legal persons where the board member or a closely related to him/her person is a board or council member, performs the tasks of an auditor or holds another managing office in which he or she could determine or affect the business strategy of the respective legal entity.
On the occurrence of any interest conflict or even only on its possibility, the Board member of the VEF is notifying other Board members without delay. Board members of the VEF is notifying on any deal or agreement the company is planning to conclude with a person who has close relationship or is connected with the Board member in question, as well as is informing on any interest conflicts occurred during the validity period of concluded agreements; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
5.3. Board members should not participate in taking decisions that could cause an interest conflict.
Board members are not participating in taking decisions that could cause an interest conflict; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
In compliance with legal acts a council is the institution that supervises the Issuer and represents interests of shareholders between meetings in cases stipulated in the law and in the statutes of the Issuer, supervises the work of the board.
The objective of the Issuer's council is to act in the interests of all the shareholders, ensuring that the value of the Issuer grows. The Issuer shall clearly determine the obligations of the council and the responsibility of the council members, as well as ensure that individual council members or groups thereof do not have a dominating role in decision making.
6.1 The functions of the council shall be set forth in the council regulation or a document equated thereto that regulates the work of the council, and it shall be published on the Issuer's website on the Internet. This document shall be also available at the Issuer's office.
The Council of VEF consists of five members, who are elected for the three year term of the Council. Considering the size of the company, VEF has not worked out the Supervisory Board Regulations. The functions of the Management Board of VEF are defined in the articles of association of VEF and the Commercial Law.
6.2 The supervision carried out by the council over the work of the board shall include supervision over the achievement of the objectives set by the Issuer, the corporate strategy and risk management, the process of financial accounting, board's proposals on the use of the profit of the Issuer, and the business performance of the Issuer in compliance with the requirements of regulatory acts. The council should discuss every of the said matters and express its opinion at least annually, complying with frequency of calling council meetings as laid down in regulatory acts, and the results of discussions shall be reflected in the minutes of the council's meetings.
The Council of VEF on the ongoing basis carries out supervision of the Board including supervision over the achievement of the objectives set by the company, the corporate strategy and risk management, the process of financial accounting, Board's proposals on the use of the profit of the company, and the business performance of the company in compliance with the requirements of regulatory acts. The Council discusses every of the said matters and express its opinion, complying with frequency of calling Council meetings as laid down in regulatory acts, and the results of discussions is reflected in the minutes of the Council's meetings; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
6.3 The council and every its member shall be responsible that they have all the information required for them to fulfill their duties, obtaining it from board members and internal auditors or, if
necessary, from employees of the Issuer or external consultants. To ensure information exchange, the council chairperson shall contact the Issuer's board, inter alia the board chairperson, on a regular basis and discuss all the most important issues connected with the Issuer's business and development strategy, business activities, and risk management.
The Council of VEF has all the information required for it to fulfill its duties. The chairman of the Council of VEF at least once a month meets chairman of the Board in order to discuss all the most important issues connected with the company's business and development strategy, business activities, and risk management; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
6.4 When determining the functions of the council, it should be stipulated that every council member has the obligation to provide explanations in case the council member is unable to participate in council meetings. It shall be recommended to disclose information on the council members who have not attended more than a half of the council meetings within a year of reporting, providing also the reasons for non-attendance.
Usually the member of the Council in due time informs chairman of the Council in due time, if he/she is unable to participate in Council meeting, providing also the reasons for non-attendance; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
The council structure determined by the Issuer shall be transparent and understandable and ensure sufficiently critical and independent attitude in evaluating and taking decisions.
7.1 The Issuer shall require every council member as well as council member candidate who is planned to be elected at a shareholders' meeting that they submit to the Issuer the following information: name, surname, year of birth, education, office term as a council member, description of the last three year's professional experience, number of the Issuer's or its parent companies/subsidiaries shares owned by the member, information on positions in other capital companies. The said information shall be published also on the Issuer's website on the Internet, providing, in addition to the said information, also the term of office for which the council member is elected, its position, including also additional positions and obligations, if any.
VEF requires above mentioned information from members of the Council. Considering the size of the company, there has not developed website for VEF in 2020, though accordingly to Law on Financial instruments market and rules of JSC "Nasdaq Riga" the information about members of Supervisory Board has published in accordance with legislative acts.
7.2 When determining the requirements for council members as regards the number of additional positions, attention shall be paid that a council member has enough time to perform his or her duties in order to fulfill their duties successfully and act in the interests of the Issuer to a full extent.
7.3 In establishing the Issuer's council, the qualification of council members should be taken into account and assessed on a periodical basis. The council should be composed of individuals whose knowledge, opinions and experience is varied, which is required for the council to fulfill their tasks successfully.
7.4 Every council member in his or her work shall be as possibly independent from any external circumstances and have the will to assume responsibility for the decisions taken and comply with the general ethical principles when taking decisions in relation to the business of the Issuer.
VEF appeals the Council members in their work to be as independent as possible from any external circumstances and to assume responsibility for the decisions taken and comply with the general ethical principles when taking decisions in relation to the business of the company; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
7.5 It is impossible to compile a list of all the circumstances that might threaten the independence of council members or that could be used in assessing the conformity of a certain person to the status of an independent council member. Therefore, the Issuer, when assessing the independence of council members, shall be guided by the independence criteria of council members specified in the Annex hereto.
The Council members of VEF are nominated for election in the Council and acting in compliance with the Commercial Law, according to which the Council members are independent and unaffected in the decision-making process.
7.6 It shall be recommended that at least a half of council members are independent according to the independence criteria specified in the Annex hereto. If the number of council members is an odd number, the number of independent council members may be one person less than the number of the council members who do not conform to the independence criteria specified in the Annex hereto.
7.7 As independent shall be considered persons that conform to the independence criteria specified in the Annex hereto. If a council member does not conform to any of to the independence criteria specified in the Annex hereto but the Issuer does consider the council member in question to be independent, then it shall provide an explanation of its opinion in detail on the tolerances permitted.
See explanation for Clause 7.5.
7.8 The conformity of a person to the independence criteria specified in the Annex hereto shall be evaluated already when the council member candidate in question has been nominated for election to the council. The Issuer shall specify in the Report who of the council members are to be considered as independent every year.
See explanation for Clause 7.5.
Every council member shall avoid any interest conflicts in his/her work and be maximally independent from any external circumstances. Council members shall comply with the general ethical principles in adopting any decisions connected with the business of the Issuer and assume responsibility for the decisions taken.
8.1 It shall be the obligation of every council member to avoid any, even only supposed, interest conflicts in his/her work. When taking decisions, council members shall be guided by the interests of the Issuer and not use the cooperation offers proposed to the Issuer to obtain personal benefit.
8.2 On the occurrence of any interest conflict or even only on its possibility, a council member shall notify other council members without delay. Council members shall notify on any deal or agreement the Issuer is planning to conclude with a person who has close relationship or is connected with the council member in question, as well as inform on any interest conflicts occurred during the validity period of concluded agreements.
For the purposes of these recommendations the following shall be regarded as persons who have close relationship with a council member: spouses, a relative, including kinship of second degree or brother-in-law of first degree, or persons with whom the council member has had a common household for at least one year. For the purposes of these recommendations the following shall be regarded as persons who are connected with a council member: legal persons where the council member or a closely related to him/her person is a board or council member, performs
the tasks of an auditor or holds another managing office in which he or she could determine or affect the business strategy of the respective legal entity.
On the occurrence of any interest conflict or even only on its possibility, the Council member is notifying other Council members without delay; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
8.3 A council member who is in a possible interest conflict should not participate in taking decisions that might be a cause of an interest conflict.
A Council member who is in a possible interest conflict is not participating in taking decisions that might be a cause of an interest conflict; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
Good practice of corporate governance for an Issuer whose shares are included in the market regulated by the Stock Exchange means that the information disclosed by the Issuer has to provide a view on the economic activity of the Issuer and its financial results. This facilitates a justified determination of the price of financial instruments in public circulation as well as the trust in finance and capital markets. Disclosure of information is closely connected with investor relations (hereinafter – the IR), which can be defined as the process of developing Issuer's relations with its potential and existing investors and other parties interested in the business of the Issuer.
The information disclosed by the Issuers shall be provided in due time and allowing the shareholders to assess the management of the Issuer, to get an idea on the business of the company and its financial results, as well as to take grounded decisions in relation to the shares owned by them.
9.1 The structure of corporate governance shall be established in a manner that ensures provision of timely and exhaustive information on all the substantial matters that concern the Issuer, including its financial situation, business results, and the structure of owners.
The structure of corporate governance of VEF is established in a manner that ensures provision of timely and exhaustive information on all the substantial matters that concern the company, including its financial situation, business results, and the structure of owners; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
9.2 The information disclosed shall be checked, precise, unambiguous and prepared in compliance with high-quality standards.
VEF applies this best practice provision.
9.3 The Issuers should appoint a person who would be entitled to contact the press and other mass media on behalf on the Issuer, thus ensuring uniform distribution of information and evading publication of contradictory and untruthful information, and this person could be contacted, if necessary, by the Stock Exchange and investors.
VEF has appointed the chief accountant as the person who is entitled to contact the press and other mass media on behalf on the company, thus ensuring uniform distribution of information and evading publication of contradictory and untruthful information, and this person could be contacted, if necessary, by the Stock Exchange and investors; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
9.4 The Issuers should ensure timely and compliant with the existing requirements preparation and disclosure of financial reports and annual reports of the Issuer. The procedure for the preparation of reports should be stipulated in the internal procedures of the Issuer.
VEF ensures timely preparation and disclosure of unaudited quarterly financial reports..
Considering that financial instruments of the Issuers are offered on a regulated market, also such activity sphere of the Issuers as investor relations (hereinafter – the IR) and the development and maintaining thereof is equally important, paying special attention to that all the investors have access to equal, timely and sufficient information.
10.1 The main objectives of the IR are the provision of accurate and timely information on the business of the Issuer to participants of finance market, as well as the provision of a feedback, i.e. receiving references from the existing and potential investors and other persons. In the realization of the IR process, it shall be born in mind that the target group consists not only of institutional investors and finance market analysts. A greater emphasis should be put on individual investors, and more importance should be attached to informing other interested parties: employees, creditors and business partners.
10.2 The Issuer shall provide all investors with equal and easily accessible important information related to the Issuer's business, including financial position, ownership structure and management. The Issuer shall present the information in a clear and understandable manner, disclosing both positive and negative facts, thus providing the investors with a complete and comprehensive information on the Issuer, allowing the investor to assess all information available before the decision making.
10.3 A number of channels shall be used for the information flow in the IR. The IR strategy of the Issuer shall be created using both the possibilities provided by technologies (website) and relations with mass media and the ties with the participants of finance market. Considering the development stage of modern technologies and the accessibility thereof, the Internet is used in the IR of every modern company. This type of media has become one of the most important means of communications for the majority of investors.
Considering the size of the company, there was not developed website for VEF in 2020, however all the relevant information is disclosed using the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga".
Considering the size of the company, there was not developed website for VEF in 2020, however all the relevant information is disclosed using the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga".
Considering the size of the company, there was not developed website for VEF in 2020, however all the relevant information is disclosed using the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga".
The purpose of internal control and risk management is to ensure efficient and successful work of the Issuer, the truthfulness of the information disclosed and conformity thereof to the relevant regulatory acts and business principles. Internal control helps the board to identify the shortcomings and risks in the management of the Issuer as well as facilitates that the council's task - to supervise the work of the board is fulfilled efficiently.
To ensure successful work of the Issuer, it shall be necessary to plan regular its controls and to determine the procedure of internal and external (audit) control.
11.1 To ensure successful operation, the Issuer shall control its work on a regular basis and define the procedure of internal control.
VEF has defined the procedure of internal control; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
11.2 The objective of risk management is to ensure that the risks connected with the commercial activity of the Issuer are identified and supervised. To ensure an efficient risk management, it shall be necessary to define the basic principles of risk management. It is recommended to
characterize the most essential potential and existing risks in relation to the business of the Issuer.
VEF has characterized the most essential potential and existing risks in relation to the business of the company; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
11.3 Auditors shall be granted access to the information required for the fulfillment of the auditor's tasks and the possibility to attend council and board meetings at which financial and other matters are dealt with.
VEF applies this best practice provision.
11.4 Auditors shall be independent in their work and their task shall be to provide the Issuer with independent and objective auditing and consultation services in order to facilitate the efficiency of the Issuer's business and to provide support in achieving the objectives set for the Issuer's management by offering a systematic approach for the assessment and improvement of risk management and control processes.
VEF applies this best practice provision.
11.5 It shall be recommended to carry out an independent internal control at least annually in order to assess the work of the Issuer, including its conformity to the procedures approved by the Issuer.
The chief accountant of VEF constantly performs independent audits in order to evaluate activities of the VEF, including compliance with approved procedures. Also the external auditor approved by the general meeting of shareholders performs independent audits in order to evaluate activities of the VEF, including compliance with approved procedures; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
11.6 When approving an auditor, it is recommended that the term of office of one auditor is not the same as the term of office of the board.
Each year the general meeting of shareholders of VEF approves the auditor for the audit for the next year's Annual report; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
The Audit Committee shall be established by a resolution of the Issuer's shareholders' meeting, and its operations and scope of responsibilities shall be set as guided by the legislation.
12.1 The functions and responsibility of the Audit Committee should be specified in the regulation of the committee or a comparable document.
Considering the size of the company, the functions of the Audit Committee is executed by the Supervisory Council.
12.2 To assure an efficient functioning of the Audit Committee, it is recommended that at least three of its members have adequate knowledge in accounting and financial reporting, because issues related to the Issuer's financial reports and control are in the focus of the Audit Committee's operations.
Considering the size of the company, the functions of the Audit Committee is executed by the Supervisory Council.
12.3 All Audit Committee members shall have access to the information about the accounting principles practiced by the Issuer. Board shall advise the audit Committee as to the approaches to significant and unusual transactions, where alternative evaluations are possible, and shall ensure that the Audit Committee has access to all information that has been specified in the legislation.
All Supervisory Council members have access to the information about the accounting principles practiced by VEF. The Board advises the Supervisory Council as to the approaches to significant and unusual transactions, where alternative evaluations are possible, and ensures that the supervisory Council has
access to all information that has been specified in the legislation; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
12.4 The Issuer shall ensure that its officials, board members and staff release the information to the Audit Committee that is necessary for its operations. The Audit Committee should also be entitled to carry out an independent investigation in order to identify, within its scope, any violations in the Issuer' activities.
VEF ensures that its officials, the Board members and staff release the information to the Supervisory Council that is necessary for its operations. The Supervisory Council is also entitled to carry out an independent investigation in order to identify, within its scope, any violations in the VEF s' activities; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
12.5 Within its scope, the Audit Committee shall adopt resolutions, and is accountable to the shareholders' meeting for its operations.
VEF applies this best practice provision. The Supervisory Council reports to the shareholders meeting, including execution of the functions of the Audit Committee.
The policy of the remuneration of board and council members – type, structure and amount of remuneration - is one of the spheres where persons involved has a potentially greater risk to find themselves in an interest conflict situation. To avoid it, the Issuer shall develop a clear remuneration policy, specifying general principles, types and criteria for the remuneration to be awarded to the board or council members.
13.1 The Issuers are called on to develop a remuneration policy in which the main principles for setting the remuneration, possible remuneration schemes and other essential related issues are determined. While preparing the remuneration policy Issuer should ensure that the remuneration of management and supervisory board members is proportionate to the remuneration of the Issuer's executive and managing directors and other employees.
The Board of VEF with cooperation with the Council has developed and approved remuneration policy and it its approved by the Shareholders meeting; therefore, VEF applies this best practice provision.
13.2 Without limiting the role and operations of the Issuer's management bodies responsible for setting remuneration to the board and council members, the drafting of the remuneration policy should be made a responsibility of the Issuer's board, which during the preparation of a draft policy should consult with the Issuer's council. In order to avoid conflicts of interest and to monitor the management board remuneration policy, the Issuer should appoint a responsible person having sufficient experience and knowledge in the field of remuneration for development of the remuneration policy.
See comment on Clause 13.1.
13.3 Should the remuneration policy contain a remuneration structure with a variable part in the form of the Issuer's shares or share options or any other payments, including premiums, it should be linked to previously defined short-term and long-term goals and performance criteria. If remuneration depends on fulfillment of short-term goals only, it is not likely to encourage an interest in the company's growth and improved performance in the long-term. The scope and structure of the remuneration should depend on the business performance of the company, share price and other Issuer's events.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options. The remuneration policy of VEF does prescribes fixed part and variable part of the salary, payment of which depends on the execution of the certain plans and achievement of the goals; therefore, VEF partly applies this best practice provision.
13.4 While setting the variable part of remuneration, Issuer should set limits on the variable component(s). The non-variable part of remuneration should be sufficient to allow the Issuer to withhold variable part of remuneration when necessary.
The variable part of the remuneration depends on the performance of VEF and is related to the fulfilment of short-term and long-term goals. The variable part of the remuneration is paid taking into account the overall financial situation in VEF, and it is based on the performance of the particular member of the Management Board or Supervisory Council. The variable part of the remuneration includes cash bonus and may be higher than the fixed part of the remuneration. 16. It is only the variable part of the remuneration which shall be subject to the evaluation of performance of VEF and personal contribution of the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Council. The variable part of the remuneration is based on the evaluation of an individual's performance in combination with overall performance of VEF. The variable part of the remuneration shall not be granted more frequently than once per quarter depending on the quarterly and annual results. The variable part of the contribution may not be reclaimed or suspended; therefore, VEF does not applies this best practice provision.
13.5 Where a variable part of remuneration provides Issuer's shares, share options or any other acquisition rights thereof, it should be desirable to prescribe a minimum non-used period of time.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options.
13.6 Remuneration policy should include provisions that permit the Issuer to reclaim variable part of remuneration that were awarded on the basis of data which subsequently proved to be manifestly misstated. Such provision should be included in contracts concluded between the respective executives and the Issuer.
VEF has not included such a precondition in the remuneration policy and the contracts of VEF.
13.7 Remuneration schemes that include Issuer's shares as remuneration may theoretically cause loss to the Issuer's existing shareholders because the share price might drop due to a new issue of shares. Therefore, prior to the preparation and approval of this type of remuneration, it shall be required to assess the possible benefits or losses.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options
13.8 When preparing the remuneration policy where a variable part is in the form of the Issuer's shares or share options, the Issuer shall be obliged to disclose information on how the Issuer plans to ensure the amount of shares to be granted in compliance with the approved remuneration schemes– whether it is planned to obtain them by buying on a regulated market or by issuing new shares.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options.
13.9 While drafting the remuneration policy and envisaging awarding options entitling to the Issuer's shares, the Stock Exchange rules regarding distribution of share options should be taken into account.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options.
13.10 While setting remuneration principles with regard to board and council members, they should include general approach as to compensations, if any, in cases when contracts with the said officials are terminated (termination payments). Termination payments should not be paid if the termination is due to inadequate performance.
According to the Articles of Association of VEF, the term of office both for Management Board and Supervisory Council is 3 (three) years. A member of the Management Board may be revoked with a Supervisory Council's decision. A member of the Management Board may be revoked provided there is an important reason. In any event, an important reason shall be a gross exceeding of one's powers, nonperformance or undue performance of the duties, inability to manage VEF, damage caused to the interests
of VEF, as well as a motion of censure by the meeting of shareholders. A member of the Supervisory Council may be revoked any time with a decision of the meeting of shareholders VEF follows general approach as to compensations, if any, in cases when contracts with the said officials are terminated (termination payments).
13.11 It is recommended to set an adequate maximum amount of the termination payments which should not be higher than two years of the non-variable part of remuneration.
The remuneration policy of VEF does prescribes amount of the termination payments and follow legislation requirements regarding this issue.
A clear and complete report on the remuneration policy with regard to the management body members of the Issuer should be made available to the shareholders. Public disclosure of the said information would allow the existing and potential shareholders to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the Issuer's approach the remuneration issues; consequently, the Issuer's responsible body shall draft and made public the Remuneration Report.
The Management Board of VEF shall draft a clear and understandable annual report on remuneration granted to or paid out during the past financial year, or to which each present and former member of the Management Board or Supervisory Council is entitled to for the past financial year (hereinafter - the Remuneration Report). The Remuneration Report shall comprise information allowing to identify each member of the Management Board or Supervisory Council (at least name, surname and position), as well
as the following information on the remuneration to each member of the Management Board and Supervisory Council:
1) total remuneration in a breakdown by parts of remuneration, and the percentage of the fixed and variable parts;
2) an explanation as to the compliance of total remuneration with the remuneration policy, how this has promoted the long-term performance of VEF, and how the criteria of performance indicators of VEF have been applied when determining the remuneration;
3) changes in the period of the last five financial years, allowing comparison, in respect of the remuneration to the Management Board and Supervisory Council, overall performance of VEF, as well as average remuneration of a VEF equivalent employees working full-time (excluding members of the Management Board and Supervisory Council);
4) remuneration received from another VEF Group company within the meaning of the law On the Annual Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements;
5) applied temporary derogations, including the description of the nature of the exceptional case and a reference to the specified parts of the remuneration policy to which temporary derogations have been applied.
If any of the aforementioned requirements has not been applied or is not relevant, it should be explicitly stated in the Remuneration Report.
The Remuneration Report shall not disclose personal information on the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Council in the meaning of Article 9, Paragraph 1 of the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation), nor information related to the family status of members of the Management Board and Supervisory Council. In this case, the Remuneration Report shall disclose the parts of the remuneration related to the family status by specifying the remuneration amount only, without disclosing the grounds for its granting.
14.3 The Management Board of VEF shall draft the Remuneration Report as a separate part of the annual financial statement and shall submit it to the meeting of shareholders, to be reviewed together with all other constituent parts of the annual financial statement. In the Remuneration Report, the Management Board shall offer its explanation how the voting of the meeting of shareholders and the opinions of shareholders of the previous Remuneration Report have been taken into account.To avoid overlapping of information, the Issuer, while preparing its Remuneration Report, may omit the information required in Items 14.2 1) to 7) above, provided it is a part of the Issuer's Remuneration Policy document. In such case, Remuneration Report should have a reference to the Remuneration Policy, together with an indication where it is made available.
The Management Board of VEF shall ensure that the Remuneration Report be posted on the central storage of regulated information and internet home page of "Nasdaq Riga" after the meeting of shareholders .Considering relatively small size of the company, VEF has not created the company's website in 2020..
14.4 If the Issuer believes that, as a result of following the provisions of Item 14.2 of these Recommendations sensitive business information might become public to the detriment of the Issuer's strategic position, the Issuer may not disclose such information and give the reasons.
See explanation for Clause 14.2.
14.5 The following remuneration and other benefits related information about each board and council member should be disclosed:
3) Remuneration paid as profit distribution or bonus, and the reasons for awarding such remuneration;
See explanation for Clause 14.2.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the savings or contributions to pension schemes of private pension funds.
14.8 Remuneration schemes involving awarding with the Issuer's shares, share options or any other tools resulting in ownership of the Issuer's shares shall be approved by the annual general meeting of shareholders. Shareholders' meeting, while resolving on approval of the remuneration scheme, need not resolve on its application to concrete individuals.
The remuneration policy of VEF does not prescribe remuneration in the form of the VEF's shares or share options.
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