Recommendations on Foundation Governance – March 2022

Recommendation

1.1 It is recommended that the board of directors adopt principles for external communication that address the need for transparency and stakeholders’ needs and possibilities to obtain relevant up-to-date information about the circumstances of the foundation.

2.1.1 It is recommended that, in order to secure the activities of the commercial foundation in accordance with the purposes and interests of the foundation, the board of directors should, at least once a year, take a position on the overall strategy and distribution policy of the foundation on the basis of the articles of association.

2.1.2 It is recommended that the board of directors regularly address whether the foundation’s asset management is in line with the purpose of the foundation and its long- and short-term needs.

2.2.1 It is recommended that the chairman of the board of directors organise, convene and chair meetings of the board of directors in order to ensure effective board work and to establish the best conditions for the work of the board members, individually and collectively.

2.2.2 It is recommended that if the board of directors, in exceptional cases, asks the chairman of the board of directors to perform special activities for the commercial foundation which extend beyond the duties of chairman, a board resolution to that effect be passed to ensure that the board of directors maintains its independent, general management and control function. Appropriate allocation of responsibilities should be ensured between the chairman, the vice-chairman, the other members of the board of directors and the executive board, if any.

2.3.1 It is recommended that the board of directors regularly, and at least every second year, assess and stipulate the competences that the board of directors needs to possess in order to best perform the tasks incumbent upon the board of directors.

2.3.2 It is recommended that, with due respect of any right in the articles of association to make appointments, the board of directors approves a structured, thorough and transparent process for selection and nomination of candidates for the board of directors.

2.3.3 It is recommended that members of the board of directors are appointed on the basis of their personal qualities and competences, taking into account the collective competences of the board, and when composing and nominating new members of the board the need for introducing new talent is weighed against the need for continuity and the need for diversity in relation to commercial and grants experience, age and gender.

2.3.4 It is recommended that in the management commentary in the annual report and on the commercial foundation’s website, if any, there is an account of the composition of the board of directors, including its diversity, and that the following information is provided on each board member:

• the name and position of the member,
• the age and gender of the member,
• date of original appointment to the board whether the member has been re-elected, and expiry of the current election period,
• any special competences possessed by the member,
• other managerial positions held by the member, including positions on executive boards, boards of directors and supervisory boards and board committees in Danish and foreign foundations, enterprises and institutions, as well as other demanding organisation tasks,
• whether the member owns shares, options, warrants and similar in the foundation’s subsidiaries and/or associated companies,
• whether the member has been appointed by authorities/providers of grants etc., and
• whether the member is considered independent.

2.3.5 It is recommended that the majority of the members of the board of directors of the commercial foundation are not also members of the board of directors or executive board of the foundation’s subsidiary(ies), unless it is a fully owned actual holding company.

2.4.1 It is recommended that an appropriate proportion of the board of directors be independent.

If the board of directors (excluding employee representatives) is composed of

2.5.1 It is recommended that members of the board of directors be appointed for a minimum period of two years and a maximum period of four years.

2.5.2 It is recommended that an age limit for members of the board of directors be set, which is published in the management commentary or on the foundation’s website.

2.6.1 It is recommended that the board of directors establish an evaluation procedure in which the board of directors, the chairman and the contributions and performance of individual members are evaluated annually, and the result is discussed by the board of directors.

2.6.2 It is recommended that once a year the board of directors evaluate the work and performance of the executive board and/or the administrator (where relevant) in accordance with predefined clear criteria.

3.1.2 It is recommended that the financial statements provide information about the full remuneration received by each member of the board of directors and any executive board from the commercial foundation and from the foundation’s subsidiaries and associated companies. Furthermore there should be information on any other remuneration which members of the board of directors and any executive board have received for performing other work or tasks for the foundation, the foundation’s subsidiaries or associated companies, except for the remuneration of employee representatives as employees.