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148<br />
<strong>Solvay</strong> Global Annual Report 2007<br />
is measured against a set of predetermined<br />
region/business-sector/<br />
function goals as well as other<br />
executive-specific critical objectives<br />
approved by the Board of Directors.<br />
Long-term incentives<br />
The long-term incentive is delivered<br />
through periodic grants of stock<br />
options.<br />
Each year, the Board of Directors,<br />
upon the recommendation of the<br />
Compensation and Appointments<br />
Committee, sets the number of<br />
stock options that are granted<br />
respectively to the Chairman of the<br />
Executive Committee, the members<br />
of the Executive Committee and the<br />
other members of the “Office of the<br />
Executive Committee”. In determining<br />
the actual number of options to be<br />
granted to each group of General<br />
Managers, the Board is guided by<br />
prevailing long-term incentive levels<br />
and practices in the reference market.<br />
The options' strike price is equal<br />
to the average closing price of the<br />
<strong>Solvay</strong> share on Euronext Brussels<br />
during the 30 days preceding the<br />
start of the offer. The options expire<br />
eight years after the date of grant.<br />
They vest as from the first day of the<br />
year following the third anniversary<br />
of the grant and can be exercised<br />
during specified “open periods”.<br />
Other benefits<br />
The General Managers are entitled<br />
to retirement, death and disability<br />
benefits, as a rule, on the basis of the<br />
provisions of the plans applicable in<br />
their home country.<br />
Other benefits, such as medical care<br />
and company cars or car allowances,<br />
are also provided according to the<br />
rules applicable in the host country.<br />
The nature and magnitude of these<br />
other benefits are largely in line with<br />
the median market practice. The<br />
retained reference market is, as a<br />
rule, a blend of some 20 leading<br />
Belgian companies and Belgian<br />
subsidiaries of foreign-owned<br />
organisations generally considered<br />
as attractive employers by national<br />
and international executive talent<br />
and for which the representative<br />
benefit practices can be regarded<br />
as sufficiently in line with prevailing<br />
European standards at executive<br />
level.