Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has overall responsibility for the organization and management of ASSA ABLOY and the Group. The Board of Directors addresses the Group’s overall objectives and strategies, Group policies, acquisitions and divestments as well as investments of major importance. Acquisitions and divestments with a value (on a debt-free basis) exceeding SEK 300 M are decided by the Board of Directors. This threshold amount presumes that the matter relates to acquisitions or divestments in accordance with the strategy agreed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors approves documents such as the Annual Report and Interim Reports, proposes a dividend to the Annual General Meeting, and makes decisions concerning the Group’s financial structure.
The Board of Directors’ other ongoing duties include:
- appointing, evaluating and if necessary dismissing the CEO,
- approving the CEO’s significant assignments outside the company,
- identifying how sustainability issues impact risks to, and business opportunities for, the company,
- establishing appropriate guidelines to govern the company’s conduct in society with the aim of ensuring long-term value-creating capability,
- ensuring that appropriate systems are in place for following up and controlling the company’s operations and the risks for the company associated with its operations,
- ensuring that there is satisfactory control of the company’s compliance with laws and other regulations relevant to the company’s operations, and its compliance with internal guidelines, and
- ensuring that external information provided by the company is transparent, accurate, relevant and reliable.
The Board of Directors annually establishes rules of procedure for the Board’s work. The rules of procedure state, among other things, how the Board’s work is to be distributed, including the specific role and duties of the Chairman, and the distribution of duties between the Board and the CEO. The rules of procedure include instructions for the CEO, instructions relating to financial reporting, sustainability reporting and internal control, and instructions to the Board’s Remuneration Committee and Audit Committee.
The Board of Directors has at least six ordinary meetings and one statutory meeting per year. An ordinary Board meeting is always held in connection with the company’s publication of its Year-end Report and Interim Reports. At least once a year the Board of Directors visits one of the Group’s operations, combined with a Board meeting. In addition, extraordinary Board meetings are held when necessary. All meetings follow an approved agenda. Prior to each meeting, a draft agenda, including documentation, is provided to all members of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors has a Remuneration Committee and an Audit Committee. The purpose of these Committees is to deepen and streamline the work of the Board of Directors and to prepare matters in these areas. The members of the Committees are appointed annually by the Board of Directors at the statutory Board meeting.