Directors' Reports and Financial Statements - DCC plc

DCC plc Annual Report & Accounts 2000Corporate GovernanceThe Board of DirectorsDirectors: The Board of DCC consists of five executive and three non-executive Directors and the roles of the Chairman andChief Executive are separate. The Board has appointed Tony Barry as the senior independent Director. Brief biographies ofthe Directors are set out underneath their photographs on pages 4 and 5. All of the Directors bring independent judgementto bear on issues of strategy, risk, performance, resources, key appointments and standards. Directors are subject to reelectionat least every three years.AccountsBoard Procedures: The Board holds regular meetings (normally at least six per annum) and there is contact betweenmeetings as required in order to progress the Group’s business. The Directors receive regular and timely information in aform and quality appropriate to enable the Board to discharge its duties. The Board has a formal schedule of mattersspecifically reserved to it for decision, which covers key areas of the Group’s business including approval of financialstatements, budgets (including capital expenditure), acquisitions and dividends. Certain additional matters are delegated toBoard Committees. There is an established procedure for Directors in the furtherance of their duties to take independentprofessional advice if they consider this necessary. All Directors have access to the advice and services of the CompanySecretary who is responsible to the Board for ensuring that Board procedures are followed and that applicable rules andregulations are complied with. The Board gives consideration as to whether new Directors require additional training fortheir role.Board Committees: There are three principal Board Committees with formal terms of reference: the Audit Committee, theNomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee. The Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committeecomprise the three non-executive Directors. The Nomination Committee comprises the non-executive Directors and theChief Executive/Deputy Chairman. All of the non-executive Directors are considered by the Board to be independent ofmanagement and free of any relationships which could interfere with the exercise of their independent judgement.Directors’ RemunerationThe Board’s report on Directors’ remuneration is set out on pages 34 to 37.30Relations with ShareholdersDCC attaches considerable importance to shareholder communications and has a well-established investor relationsfunction. There is regular dialogue with institutional investors and shareholders as well as presentations after the interimand preliminary results. Results announcements are sent promptly to all shareholders and published on the Company’s website at www.dcc.ie. The web site contains additional information for investors which is regularly updated.At the Company’s Annual General Meeting the Group Chief Executive makes a presentation and answers questions on theGroup’s business and its performance during the prior year.The 1999 Annual Report and AGM notice were sent to shareholders 20 working days before the meeting and the level ofproxy votes cast on each resolution, and the numbers for and against, were announced at the meeting. Similararrangements have been made for the 2000 Annual Report and AGM. The 2000 AGM will be held on 3 July 2000 at 11.00amat the Berkeley Court Hotel, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4.Accountability and AuditAudit Committee: The written terms of reference of the Audit Committee deal clearly with its authority and duties whichinclude, inter alia, consideration of the appointment of the external auditors and their fees, review of the scope and resultsof the work performed by both internal and external auditors and review of the Group’s system of internal control.Internal ControlThe Company has complied with the Combined Code provisions in respect of internal control by reporting on internalfinancial control in accordance with the guidance for Directors on internal control and financial reporting issued by theRutteman Committee in December 1994, as permitted by the transitional rules of the Irish and London Stock Exchanges.The updated guidance for Directors on internal control published by the Turnbull Committee in September 1999 extends theexisting requirement in respect of internal financial control to cover all controls including financial, operational andcompliance controls and risk management. The procedures necessary to implement this guidance have been establishedand have been fully operational since 1 April 2000.