RWS AR 23 Final Single pages - Flipbook - Page 61
BOARD ENGAGEMENT WITH
STAKEHOLDERS
The Board is committed to enhancing engagement
and seeks to build honest, respectful and transparent
relationships with all of the Company’s stakeholders,
taking into consideration what matters to each group.
The risk management process and other routine Audit
Committee, Nomination Committee and Remuneration
Committee agenda items, as described later in this report
on pages 82 to 85, 86 to 87 and 88 to 94 respectively.
The interests of our stakeholder groups are considered
by the Board through a combination of:
Feedback from colleagues through responses to the
annual RWS engagement survey. More details are
provided below.
Regular reports and presentations at scheduled Board
and Committee meetings, including operational reports
presented by the Chief Executive O昀케cer, and updates
from the Chief Financial O昀케cer and other members of
senior management on a range of matters including:
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Strategy
Financial, treasury and tax matters
Capital allocation and shareholder returns
Health, safety and well-being
Speak-up policy
Risk, assurance and controls
Governance and business ethics
Cyber security
Colleague matters (including colleague engagement,
workforce and management diversity, gender pay gap,
workforce remuneration and related policies)
Markets
Operational performance
Suppliers
Community
Environment and sustainability
Client and investor feedback
Unscheduled Board and Committee meetings if the
Board needs to be informed of matters, or when a decision
is required before scheduled Board meetings – such as
trading updates, material events or M&A opportunities.
Regular brie昀椀ngs from Executive Directors, senior
management and subject matter experts, which include
details of engagement with stakeholders, strategy,
performance, local market and competitor positions,
operational and colleague matters, and client satisfaction
and business development.
A rolling agenda of matters which are considered by the
Board and Committees throughout the year, including
an annual strategy review which considers the purpose
of the Company and the strategy to be followed by the
Group, supported by a budget for the following year and a
medium-term 昀椀nancial plan.
Formal consideration of large contracts, acquisitions,
re昀椀nancing, share repurchase, dividends and other
matters, including any factors which are relevant to major
decisions taken by the Board through the year, in line with
the Delegation of Authority and Terms of Reference for
each Board Committee.
A focused approach to client engagement through both
face-to-face visits with our signi昀椀cant enterprise clients,
and the ‘voice of the customer’ programme insights,
tabled at Board meetings.
The Board also engages with stakeholders through news
releases and stock exchange announcements on a wide
range of matters, including regular trading updates,
half-year and full-year results reports and accompanying
presentations, changes to the Board, key leadership
appointments, material shareholdings, re昀椀nancing and
corporate transactions, acquisitions, contract awards and
losses, and operational updates from across the Group.
These news releases and stock exchange announcements
drive ad hoc engagement with stakeholders and are
available on the Company’s website.
Details of the Group’s key stakeholders, their key
concerns, and how the Board engages with them are set
out on the next pages.
OUR SHAREHOLDERS
Engagement with and receiving the support of
our shareholders is a key factor in achieving our
ambitions. We seek long-term relationships based on
transparency, honesty and clarity – all of which are
critical for building trust.
Our shareholders are concerned with a broad range of
issues, including how the Company has responded to and
is a昀昀ected by:
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Con昀氀icts and geopolitical events
Impact of economy-wide forces such as price in昀氀ation
Other operational and 昀椀nancial performance issues
Developments in our markets
Regulatory developments and the execution and
delivery of our strategy
Sustainability of our business
Impact RWS has on the communities we serve and the
environment in which we operate
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Capital return through share price appreciation and
distributions
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Evidence of good governance, positive contribution to
society and protection of the environment.
STRATEGIC REPORT
RWS Holdings plc — Annual Report 2023
61
