Corporate Governance at Wienerberger

We are committed to the value-oriented and responsible management of the Wienerberger Group. This is an essential prerequisite for the implementation of the corporate strategy and the achievement or our corporate targets: the sustainable increase in enterprise value in accordance with ecological, social and economic aspects. As a listed company with international operations, Wienerberger undertakes to observe strict principles of good corporate governance and transparency and to pursue the further development of an efficient system of corporate control. We always act within the framework of Austrian law, the Austrian Corporate Governance Code, our articles of association, the rules of procedure of the Boards of the company, and our internal policies. 

Further information on Corporate Governance at Wienerberger can be found in our Wienerberger Annual Report starting on page 58.

Our lean organizational structure facilitates fast decision-making and efficient communication. The Managing Board and the senior management cooperate closely in determining the strategic orientation of the Group and its long-term capital allocation. The decisions are implemented by experienced and highly qualified local management teams. The Supervisory Board monitors all essential strategic projects. Alongside its supervisory and steering tasks, the Supervisory Board also fulfils an advisory function and thus shares the company’s entrepreneurial responsibility. The priority issues dealt with by the Supervisory Board include the budget, the corporate strategy, business performance, and risk and personnel management. In order to exercise its advisory and monitoring function in an efficient manner, the Supervisory Board has set up committees, which are mandated to work on specific topics and prepare the decisions to be taken by the full Supervisory Board. These include the Audit and Risk Committee, the Nomination Committee, and the Remuneration Committee. Given the growing importance of sustainability and the essential aspects to be addressed in this respect, a Sustainability and Innovation Committee was set up by the Supervisory Board as of January 1, 2020. It supports the Managing Board in revising and further developing the Group’s sustainability and innovation strategy and monitors its implementation. At the same time, the committee engages in an exchange of information with the Managing Board on recently adopted provisions and global trends in sustainability and innovation management.

In October 2002, Wienerberger was one of the first Austrian companies to commit to the Austrian Corporate Governance Code, which comprises strict rules regarding corporate governance and control as well as transparency. Wienerberger complies with all recommendations of the Code. Wienerberger complies with all Code rules, including the R-Rules - i.e. those rules for which a deviation from the recommendation does not have to be explained publicly - almost without any gaps. Only two C-Rules of the Code were handled somewhat differently in 2020 (for more details see Corporate Governance Report in our Wienerberger Annual Report starting on page 58).

Within the framework of ongoing efforts to improve its control system, Wienerberger regularly reviews all structures and processes relating to corporate governance. As part of the most recent review process in October 2020, the mode of working and the chairmanship of the Supervisory Board were evaluated with a view to changes in its structure, the work of its committees, and its agenda. The evaluation served to ensure that the Supervisory Board corresponds to international standards and meets the requirements of Austrian supervisory practice.

The annual remuneration report combines the policies for the remuneration of Wienerberger AG’s managing board and its supervisory board. It elaborates on the size and composition of their salaries and provides information on the shares held by the managing and the supervisory boards.

More information on this topic can be found in the documents on the issue of Remuneration Policy of the Supervisory Board and Management Board as well as Annex A to the Remuneration Policy for the Managing Board of Wienerberger AG. The Remuneration Policy was adopted in the course of the 151st Annual General Meeting and is valid from 2020 - 2024. Further information on the resolutions can be found here: 151st Annual General Meeting.

Wienerberger’s managing and supervisory boards freely publish information regarding their ownership of Wienerberger’s shares. The company and the Financial Market Authority will be informed any time the company’s financial instruments are bought or sold by members of the managing and supervisory boards, in accordance with Article 19 of the (EU) Regulation No. 596/2014.

Facilitating dialogue with political and commercial decision-makers is an important part of our corporate governance. We use the following eight principles, in accordance with the Lobbying and Advocacy Transparency Law (LobbyG, Lobbying- und Interessenvertretungs-Transparenz-Gesetz) as the basis for our lobbying activities. This Code of Conduct applies to all bodies, as well as employees, of Austrian companies, where Wienerberger AG holds the majority of its shares.

Here, you can find the list of Wienerberger AG’s lobbying: the Public, Austrian Lobbying and Advocacy Register.