EX-97 6 ef20015292_ex97.htm EXHIBIT 97

Exhibit 97

SENSIENT TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Policy: Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation
 
Effective: December 1, 2023



PURPOSE:

In accordance with the applicable rules of The New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual (the “NYSE Rules”), Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 10D-1 promulgated under the Exchange Act (“Rule 10D-1”), the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Sensient Technologies Corporation (the “Company”) has adopted this policy (the “Policy”) to provide for the recovery of erroneously awarded Incentive-Based Compensation from Executive Officers. All capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Section 4 below.

POLICY:
 

1.
Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation

A.      In the event of an Accounting Restatement, the Company will reasonably promptly recover the Erroneously Awarded Compensation Received during the Clawback Period in accordance with NYSE Rules and Rule 10D-1 as follows:


(i)
After an Accounting Restatement, the Compensation and Development Committee of the Board (the “Committee”) shall determine the amount of any Erroneously Awarded Compensation Received by each Executive Officer and shall promptly notify each Executive Officer with a written notice containing the amount of any Erroneously Awarded Compensation and a demand for repayment or return of such compensation, as applicable.


(a)
For Incentive-Based Compensation based on (or derived from) the Company’s stock price or total shareholder return, where the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in the applicable Accounting Restatement: (i) the amount to be repaid or returned shall be determined by the Committee based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the Accounting Restatement on the Company’s stock price or total shareholder return upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation was Received; and (ii) the Company shall maintain documentation of the determination of such reasonable estimate and provide the relevant documentation as required to the NYSE.

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(ii)
The Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, the timing and method for promptly recouping Erroneously Awarded Compensation hereunder, which may include, without limitation: (a) seeking reimbursement of all or part of any cash or equity-based award; (b) cancelling prior cash or equity-based awards, whether vested or unvested or paid or unpaid; (c) cancelling or offsetting against any planned future cash or equity-based awards; (d) forfeiture of deferred compensation, subject to compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder; and (e) any other method authorized by applicable law or contract. Subject to compliance with any applicable law, the Committee may affect recovery under this Policy from any amount otherwise payable to the Executive Officer, including amounts payable to such individual under any otherwise applicable Company plan or program, including base salary, bonuses, or commissions and compensation previously deferred by the Executive Officer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as set forth in Section 1(B) below, in no event may the Company accept an amount that is less than the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation in satisfaction of an Executive Officer’s obligations hereunder.


(iii)
To the extent that the Executive Officer has already reimbursed the Company for any Erroneously Awarded Compensation Received under any duplicative recovery obligations established by the Company or applicable law, such reimbursed amount shall be credited to the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation that is subject to recovery under this Policy.


(iv)
To the extent that an Executive Officer fails to repay all Erroneously Awarded Compensation to the Company when due, the Company shall take all actions reasonable and appropriate to recover such Erroneously Awarded Compensation from the applicable Executive Officer. The applicable Executive Officer shall be required to reimburse the Company for any and all expenses reasonably incurred (including legal fees) by the Company in recovering such Erroneously Awarded Compensation in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence.

B.      Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to take the actions contemplated by Section 1(A) above if the Committee determines that recovery would be impracticable and either of the following two conditions are met:


(i)
The Committee has determined that the direct expenses paid to a third party to assist in enforcing the Policy would exceed the amount to be recovered. Before making this determination, the Company must make a reasonable attempt to recover the Erroneously Awarded Compensation, document such attempt(s), and provide such documentation to the NYSE; or

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(ii)
Recovery would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to employees of the Company, to fail to meet the requirements of Section 401(a)(13) or Section 411(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and regulations thereunder.

C.      This Policy applies to Incentive-Based Compensation received by an Executive Officer (i) after beginning service as an Executive Officer; (ii) if that person served as an Executive Officer at any time during the performance period for such Incentive-Based Compensation; and (iii) while the Company had a listed class of securities on a national securities exchange. The terms of this Policy shall apply to any Incentive-Based Compensation that is Received by Executive Officers on or after the Effective Date, even if such Incentive-Based Compensation was approved, awarded, granted, or payable to Executive Officers prior to the Effective Date.


2.
Prohibition of Indemnification

The Company shall not be permitted to insure or indemnify any Executive Officer against (i) the loss of any Erroneously Awarded Compensation that is repaid, returned, or recovered pursuant to the terms of this Policy, or (ii) any claims relating to the Company’s enforcement of its rights under this Policy. Further, the Company shall not enter into any agreement that exempts any Incentive-Based Compensation that is granted, paid, or awarded to an Executive Officer from the application of this Policy or that waives the Company’s right to recovery of any Erroneously Awarded Compensation, and this Policy shall supersede any such agreement (whether entered into before, on, or after the Effective Date).


3.
Miscellaneous

A.      This Policy shall be administered by the Committee, and any determinations made by the Committee shall be final and binding on all affected individuals. The Committee is authorized to interpret and construe this Policy and to make all determinations necessary, appropriate, or advisable for the administration of this Policy and for the Company’s compliance with NYSE Rules, Section 10D, Rule 10D-1, and any other applicable law, regulation, rule, or interpretation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or NYSE promulgated or issued in connection therewith. Subject to any limitation at applicable law, the Committee may authorize and empower any officer or employee of the Company to take any and all actions necessary or appropriate to carry out the purpose and intent of this Policy (other than with respect to any recovery under this Policy involving such officer or employee).

B.      The Committee may amend this Policy from time to time in its discretion and shall amend this Policy as it deems necessary. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3 to the contrary, no amendment or termination of this Policy shall be effective if such amendment or termination would (after taking into account any actions taken by the Company contemporaneously with such amendment or termination) cause the Company to violate any federal securities laws, SEC rule, or NYSE rule.

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C.      This Policy shall be binding and enforceable against all Executive Officers and, to the extent required by applicable law or guidance from the SEC or NYSE, their beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives. The Committee intends that this Policy will be applied to the fullest extent required by applicable law. Any employment agreement, equity award agreement, compensatory plan, or any other agreement or arrangement with an Executive Officer shall be deemed to include, as a condition to the grant of any benefit thereunder, an agreement by the Executive Officer to abide by the terms of this Policy. Any right of recovery under this Policy is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other remedies or rights of recovery that may be available to the Company under applicable law, regulation, or rule or pursuant to the terms of any policy of the Company or any provision in any employment agreement, equity award agreement, compensatory plan, agreement, or other arrangement.


4.
Definitions

For purposes of this Policy, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

A.      Accounting Restatement” means an accounting restatement of the Company’s financial statements due to the material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements (i.e., a “Big R” restatement), or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period (i.e., a “little r” restatement). For the avoidance of doubt, an out-of-period adjustment (i.e., when the error is immaterial to the previously issued financial statements and the correction of the error is also immaterial to the current period) does not trigger a compensation recovery under this Policy.

B.      Clawback Period” means, with respect to any Accounting Restatement, the three completed fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Restatement Date (as defined below), and if the Company changes its fiscal year, any transition period of less than nine months within or immediately following those three completed fiscal years.

C.      Erroneously Awarded Compensation” means, with respect to each Executive Officer in connection with an Accounting Restatement, the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation Received by the Executive Officer that exceeds the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation that otherwise would have been Received had it been determined based on the restated amounts, computed without regard to any taxes paid.

D.      Executive Officer” means each individual who is currently or was previously designated as an “officer” of the Company as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act. For the avoidance of doubt, the identification of an executive officer for purposes of this Policy shall include each executive officer who is or was identified pursuant to Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K, as well as the principal financial officer and principal accounting officer (or, if there is no principal accounting officer, the controller).

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E.      Financial Reporting Measures” means measures that are determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing the Company’s financial statements, and all other measures that are derived wholly or in part from such measures. Stock price and total shareholder return (and any measures that are derived wholly or in part from stock price or total shareholder return) shall, for purposes of this Policy, be considered Financial Reporting Measures. For the avoidance of doubt, a Financial Reporting Measure need not be presented in the Company’s financial statements or included in a filing with the SEC.

F.          Incentive-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is granted, earned, or vested based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a Financial Reporting Measure. For the avoidance of doubt, Incentive-Based Compensation does not include annual salary, compensation awarded based on completion of a specified period of service, or compensation awarded based on subjective standards.

G.      NYSE” means the New York Stock Exchange.

H.      Received” means, with respect to any Incentive-Based Compensation, actual or deemed receipt, and Incentive-Based Compensation shall be deemed received in the Company’s fiscal period during which the Financial Reporting Measure specified in the Incentive-Based Compensation award is attained, even if the payment or grant of the Incentive-Based Compensation to the Executive Officer occurs after the end of that period.

I.        Restatement Date” means the earlier to occur of (i) the date the Board, a committee of the Board, or the officers of the Company authorized to take such action if Board action is not required, concludes, or reasonably should have concluded, that the Company is required to prepare an Accounting Restatement, or (ii) the date a court, regulator, or other legally authorized body directs the Company to prepare an Accounting Restatement.

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Exhibit A

ATTESTATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF POLICY FOR THE RECOVERY OF ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED COMPENSATION

By my signature below, I acknowledge and agree that:


I have received and read the attached Policy for the Recovery of Erroneously Awarded Compensation (this “Policy”).


In the event of any inconsistency between this Policy and the terms of any employment agreement to which I am a party, or the terms of any compensation plan, program, or agreement under which any compensation has been granted, awarded, earned, or paid, the terms of this Policy shall govern.


I hereby agree to abide by all of the terms of this Policy both during and after my employment with the Company, including, without limitation, by promptly repaying or returning any Erroneously Awarded Compensation to the Company as determined in accordance with this Policy.





Signature:






Printed Name:






Date: