Working methods of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board decides on the composition of the Executive Board. It oversees the management of the company by the Executive Board and provides advice on corporate governance; in all cases, this also includes in particular matters relating to sustainability. The Supervisory Board is involved in fundamental and important decisions. Measures and transactions of fundamental importance require the approval of the Supervisory Board in accordance with the Executive Board’s rules of procedure. Its other main tasks include the examination and adoption of the annual financial statements and the approval of the consolidated financial statements.
The tasks and internal organisation of the Supervisory Board and its committees are based on the law, the articles of association and the rules of procedure of the Supervisory Board, which are available on HHLA’s website at www.hhla.de/corporategovernance and www.hhla.de/supervisory-board. The GCGC also contains recommendations on the Supervisory Board’s work. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board coordinates the work of the Supervisory Board and represents its interests externally.
Supervisory Board members are obligated to act in the company’s interests. No member of the Supervisory Board is permitted to pursue personal interests when making decisions or to utilise business opportunities open to the company for personal gain. Conflicts of interest must be immediately disclosed to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board provides information on conflicts of interest and their treatment in its Report of the Supervisory Board. If a member of the Supervisory Board has significant conflicts of interest that are not merely temporary, this should result in the termination of their mandate. Consultancy agreements or any other contracts for services or works between a member of the Supervisory Board and the company require the approval of the Supervisory Board. There were no such agreements in the 2023 financial year.
The members of the Supervisory Board are covered by the company’s existing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (D&O insurance).