Statement re AGM Voting

RNS Number : 9321T

Britvic plc

24 July 2020

 

Britvic plc

("Britvic" or the "Company")

LEI: 635400L3NVMYD4BVCI53

24 July 2020

REPORT ON AGM VOTING

In response to the voting outcome on Resolution 7 (re-election of William Eccleshare) and Resolution 9 (re-election of Ian McHoul) at the Company's AGM held on 31 January 2020, the Board today provides the following information.

Following the AGM, Britvic plc has sought to actively engage with significant shareholders who lodged votes against these resolutions, in order to better understand the reasons behind their voting decisions.

The Board and Company are aware of the expanded focus on the number and nature of board commitments held by individual directors following the publication last year of the updated UK Corporate Governance Code, and that a number of institutional investors and proxy advisers have developed specific guidelines and policy positions with regard to this. 

The Board is confident that both William Eccleshare and Ian McHoul discharge their roles as non-executive directors effectively, and, in the case of Ian, Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee, notwithstanding their other board commitments. The Board has concluded that they are both active and effective independent non-executive directors on Britvic's Board, and they each have sufficient capacity to meet their respective commitments to the Company, both in respect of their day to day obligations to the Company and at times of increased demand.

The Board recognises investor concerns on the optimal level of director time commitments and will continue to monitor William and Ian's appointments, as it does for all Board members.

The Board remains fully committed to shareholder and broader stakeholder engagement and we welcome ongoing dialogue with all of our investors on this, and indeed any other issue or potential concern. The Company will continue to engage with relevant shareholders on this topic and will set out further details within the next Annual Report and Accounts.

For further information please contact:

Investors:

Steve Nightingale (Director of Investor Relations)     [phone]

Media:

Stephanie Macduff-Duncan (Head of Corporate Communications)               [phone]

Stephen Malthouse (Headland)                                                                         [phone]

 

END

 

 

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