Directors’ Remuneration for 2021

Non-executive Directors’ remuneration for 2021

Executive Directors’ remuneration for 2021

Notes to the table: Single total figure of remuneration for Executive Directors (audited)

Annual bonus

As disclosed in section “Directors’ Remuneration Policy”, the annual bonus is intended to reward delivery of short-term operational targets.

All targets are derived from Shell’s annual operating plan.

Determination of the 2021 annual bonus

The table below summarises the 2021 annual bonus scorecard measures including their weightings, targets and outcomes. The mathematical scorecard outcome for 2021 was 1.32. This was adjusted downwards by the REMCO to reflect the number of fatalities in the year to 1.29. Please refer to pages 166-167 for a commentary on the scorecard outcome.

Accordingly, the REMCO decided the final bonus outcome for the CEO should be €2,560,000, which is 129% of target and 64% of maximum. The REMCO decided the final bonus outcome for the CFO should be €1,600,000, which is 129% of target and 64% of maximum.

LTIP Vesting

In 2019, Ben van Beurden was granted a conditional LTIP award of 340% (maximum 680%) of base salary and Jessica Uhl an award of 270% (maximum 540%), excluding share price movement and dividends.

In making the vesting decision, the REMCO considered Shell’s performance over the three-year vesting period. On the relative measures, Shell ranked fourth on total shareholder return (TSR), and fifth on cash flow from operations (CFFO) and return on average capital employed (ROACE), leading to a nil vesting outcome on each of the relative measures. On the absolute measures, Shell exceeded the free cash flow (FCF) target of $82 billion, generating $87.5 billion over the performance period, and substantively met all of the four energy transition performance targets. (See below for more details.)

The REMCO also noted the impact of the decline in share price between award and vesting on the overall outcome. The REMCO further reflected on the overall single outcome for the CEO. The REMCO decided that the outcome was consistent with the target opportunity and intended operation of the plan under the remuneration policy and no adjustment to the vesting outcomes was required.

Accordingly, the REMCO decided that the LTIP should vest at 49% without the use of discretion. This is illustrated below.

See section "Directors’ Remuneration Report" for more detail.

Vesting of the energy transition performance condition

The energy transition condition supports delivery of Shell’s net carbon intensity (NCI) target (measured by Shell’s Net Carbon Footprint (NCF) methodology). This is a broad metric which consists of a mix of strategic measures that set the foundations for Shell achieving our longer-term ambitions in the energy transition, as well as Shell’s success in reducing the NCI of all energy products sold. The outcome was intended to be determined holistically by the REMCO, after taking advice from the Safety, Environment and Sustainability Committee (SESCo), taking account of performance against quantifiable targets but also with regard to Shell’s wider progress in the energy transition beyond the defined measures.

The metrics for the first LTIP cycle (2019-2021) were focused on laying the foundations for Shell’s future growth, building the customer base and developing the organisational capability to deliver against the key strategic ways of decarbonising Shell’s business: growing a power business, developing lower-carbon energy products and developing emission sinks.

Build a material Power business: The first cycle of the LTIP was orientated toward creating the foundations on which a material power business can be built: entering new markets to access customers, and developing new commercial pathways by creating a funnel of renewable power capacity options and then converting those options to realised investments. The REMCO considered that this target had substantively being met. Noting the movement into new markets for direct power sales to end customers through acquisitions such as ERM in Australia (now trading as Shell Energy), and the expansion of the North American renewables power business with the acquisition of Inspire. Strong progress has also been made on renewables, with a funnel of installed renewable capacity and pipeline of options well ahead of what was expected in 2019 following the acquisition of solar and energy storage developer, Savion. Demonstrable progress was made on converting those options into the renewable energy projects that a lower-carbon energy future will require, for example with the CrossWinds joint venture in the Netherlands.

Advanced biofuels technology: Biofuels are expected to play an important role in energy transition, providing a key decarbonisation lever for sectors that will continue to need to use liquid fuels. This element of the LTIP measure reflects our strategy, which is to prove multiple technology platforms that can be subsequently replicated at pace, with performance assessed based on Shell developing or taking an equity position in commercial scale biofuels projects. The initial target was focussed on taking the first steps to implement this strategy, and the REMCO considered this had been met in full through Enerkem Varennes, a biofuels plant in Québec, Canada, that will produce low-carbon fuel and chemicals from non-recyclable waste, and LanzaJet, which will produce jet fuel from ethanol from a plant in Georgia in the US.

Developing emissions sinks: The development of systems that capture and absorb carbon are required as part of the global response to climate change. The target for the first LTIP cycle was based on setting the foundations to develop future commercial value chains and REMCO considered this element of the LTIP measure had been met in full. This was through the Northern Lights project in Norway, with the REMCO noting that this project provided the opportunity to build the commercial knowledge and organisational capacity for future carbon capture projects. The REMCO also took account of the significant progress made on investment in the nature based solutions (NBS), which will make a big contribution to Shell reaching net-zero emissions, with nine investments in NBS projects that are verified by recognised carbon credit standards over the performance period.

Net carbon intensity: Finally, the REMCO paid particular attention to the outcome on the metric based on the NCI reduction. This a comprehensive metric covering the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from all energy products sold by Shell and provides a concrete marker of Shell’s success in decarbonising. The REMCO believes that Shell remains the only major energy company to tie executive pay to a target for reducing the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions intensity from the sale of all energy products. The outcome of this metric is a reduction of 2.5% against a target range of 2-3%. This target has evolved over time to reflect the decarbonisation actions necessary to meet our longer-term NCI targets (NCI reduction targets for later LTIP cycles are 2020-2022: 3-4%, 2021-2023: 6-8%, 2022-2024 9-12%, compared to the 2016 base year).

Further detail is available in section "Climate Change and Energy Transition.

The REMCO considered the alignment to the financial statements and the enhancement of the quality of our emissions data when making their decision.

After taking advice from the SESCo REMCO decided the energy transition performance condition should vest at 180%.

The overall vesting outcome, including an illustration of the impact of share price movement and accrued dividends, is set out below. The CEO and CFO’s vested awards are subject to a further three-year holding period which extends beyond their tenure as Executive Director.

In determining the final pay outcomes, the REMCO also considered the personal performance of the Executive Directors.

Personal performance 2019 – 2021

It has been a challenging period for business as the world has grappled with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and, for the energy sector in particular, as society accelerates towards a future of cleaner energy. Responding to these challenges has demanded strong leadership which both the CEO and CFO have provided. The REMCO acknowledges the exceptional personal contributions made by both the CEO and CFO in delivering a very strong set of financial results, coupled with a number of key strategic and organisational developments in 2021. This includes an updated strategy, Powering Progress, the first shareholder advisory vote on Shell’s Energy Transition Report and the implementation of a new organisational structure (Project Reshape). This culminated with the simplification, an important step, which the Board believes will strengthen Shell’s competitiveness and accelerate both shareholder distributions and delivery of its strategy to become a net-zero emissions energy business.

The REMCO considered the single-figure outcomes for the CEO and CFO. It noted that the overall remuneration outcomes were higher than in 2020, by 26% for the CEO and 24% for the CFO. The REMCO was satisfied that these single-figure outcomes represented a fair level of remuneration.

In finalising its remuneration decisions for 2021, the REMCO considered a range of factors, including:

• Shell’s performance in 2021 and over the LTIP performance period 2019-2021;
• The impact of the fatalities on the formulaic scorecard outcome, and further downwards adjustment applied by the REMCO on the bonus scorecard;
• the ongoing leadership shown by the CEO and CFO in continuing to set out a clear strategic direction for Shell in the energy transition and delivering the organisational redesign necessary to deliver on those strategic promises;
• a range of other factors taking account of Shell’s performance beyond the formulaic outcomes of defined pay architecture, including safety, ethics and compliance, and feedback from the Audit Committee and the Safety, Environment and Sustainability Committee (SESCo);
• the final LTIP vesting outcome;
• the CEO’s and CFO’s remuneration compared with the variable pay outcomes for the general workforce;
• the alignment of the CEO and CFO with the shareholder experience through their high shareholding requirements; and
• the personal performance of the Executive Directors.

After reflecting on the above factors, the REMCO was satisfied that the remuneration policies had operated as intended.

Pension

In 2021, Ben van Beurden’s pension arrangements comprised a defined benefit plan with a maximum pensionable salary of €100,861; and a net pay defined contribution pension plan with a 2021 employer contribution of 27% of salary in excess of €100,861. He has the option of taking cash as an alternative to pension contributions (in either case subject to income tax). He elected to take his benefit in the form of contributions up to and including November 2021.

The employer contribution levels were in line with those applicable to other Netherlands-based employees. Under the Dutch pension regulations applicable to the pension arrangement in which the CEO participates, the contribution rate increases with age and is shown below. At December 31, 2021, the average employer contribution rate for Netherlands employees who participate in the net pay defined contribution pension arrangement on the same terms as Ben van Beurden was 22%.

After relocating to the UK, from December 31, 2021, the CEO is eligible to participate in the UK Shell Pension Plan, with a contribution rate of 20%, or to take this as a pension cash alternative. The UK Shell Pension Plan and associated pension cash alternative are available to new employees in the UK at the same contribution levels and currently around half of the UK employees participate in these arrangements. The majority of the remainder participate in a legacy defined benefit plan which closed to new members from March 2013.

Jessica Uhl is a member of the Shell US retirement benefit arrangements, which include the Shell Pension Plan (a defined benefit plan), and a defined contribution plan where she receives an employer contribution of 10% of salary. This is the same as the average employer contribution rate for US employees, which was 10%. As for all other pre-2013 members of the Shell Pension Plan, she has an annual choice of two accrual formulas with different forms of benefits, one in the form of a lifetime annuity and the other allowing for a lump-sum payment. She elected to accrue benefits for 2021 under the former. Around 9,000 out of 15,000 Shell US employees have the option of choosing between the two formulas. These arrangements are the same for all employees who joined Shell US at the same time as Jessica Uhl. The difference in Jessica Uhl’s pension provision, compared with other employees who joined before 2013, is that because she is an Executive Director her bonus is not pensionable. For other relevant US employees the bonus is pensionable. She also has a deferred Dutch defined benefit pension plan, as a result of a previous Shell assignment on local Dutch terms and conditions.

The REMCO believes these arrangements are aligned with corporate governance developments in the UK which emphasise the desirability of Executive Directors’ pension arrangements being the same as those for the general employee population.

Scheme interests awarded in 2021

The measures and weightings applying to LTIP awards made in 2021 were: energy transition (20%), FCF (20%), TSR (20%), ROACE growth (20%) and growth in cash flow from operating activities (20%).

Absolute measures

Energy transition

The energy transition condition supports the delivery of Shell’s net carbon intensity (NCI) target (calculated using Shell’s Net Carbon Footprint (NCF) methodology).

The condition consists of a mix of leading and lagging measures that help establish the basis for achieving Shell’s longer-term strategic ambitions. They are as follows:

Lagging measure – a measure of our progress in meeting our ambition:

• Reducing the carbon intensity of all energy products sold: a target for reducing the NCI of the energy products Shell sells (a carbon intensity measure that takes into account the full life-cycle emissions of products, including customers’ emissions associated with using them).

Leading measures – Shell will use these to reduce our NCI in the future:

• The growth of our Power business: all scenarios recognise that one of the main ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions is to use more electricity, produced via lower-carbon means such as renewables and gas-fired power generation. Our ambition is to expand our Power business through selective investments in generation and by reselling power generated by others.
• Offer more lower-carbon energy products: biofuels are expected to play a valuable role in the changing energy mix. They are likely to be one of the main ways to reduce carbon emissions in sectors that need to keep using liquid fuels for a significant number of years, such as some segments of transport and industry.
• The development of systems to capture and absorb carbon: carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) and carbon sinks, such as nature-based solutions, need to be part of the global response to climate change.

Shell has set targets for each element. Progress in the energy transition is not expected to be linear because it will reflect the pace of change of society as a whole and the speed at which Shell makes progress with its strategic business objectives. As a result, targets have been set as ranges. These targets are commercially sensitive, so they will not be disclosed until the end of the performance period (or until they are no longer considered commercially sensitive). An update on our performance in relation to the measures set for the 2019 LTIP is provided on page 180.

The vesting outcome for the part of the LTIP weighted to the energy transition condition ranges from 0% to 200% of award. The REMCO, at its sole discretion, will determine vesting outcomes after considering achievement against the target ranges and feedback from the SESCo. The REMCO will consider, in relation to each element, progress over the performance period relative to short-term aims that encourage progress towards Shell’s long-term NCI ambition. The starting point for determining the vesting outcome will be how many of the targets have been met for each of the four areas. One out of four will equal 40%, two will equal 100%, three will equal 150%, and 200% will be awarded for scoring four out of four. It is important to note that performance against these elements will serve simply as a starting point for the REMCO, which will also take into account any other considerations it deems appropriate, including (without limitation) the relative importance of these elements in meeting the long-term ambition announced by Shell. For example, the REMCO may decide to allocate a greater importance to overall performance in relation to the NCI than the other three elements. The REMCO believes this approach is appropriate, given the uncertainties around the speed and direction of progress in the energy transition. The REMCO will fully disclose and explain the application of any discretion.

FCF

The FCF performance condition supports the delivery of our cash flow priorities, which are to service and reduce debt, pay dividends, buy back shares and make future capital investments.

The target for FCF, along with the ranges for threshold and outstanding performance, will be set by reference to Shell’s annual operating plans, being the aggregate of our plan FCF targets over the three-year performance period. Given that FCF is heavily influenced by the volatility of oil and gas prices, the annual operating plans are updated each year to set an annual target to reflect a changing oil price premise. As a result, FCF targets are set annually for each annual operating plan and will only be disclosed in aggregate retrospectively after the three-year period. The REMCO has considered setting a three-year target at the outset, but it believes such an approach would require adjustments for the oil and gas price premise and other matters at the end of the period, given the unpredictability and volatility in oil and gas prices. The REMCO has a long-standing no-adjustments policy which leads it to believe that a more appropriate approach is to set the target based on the aggregation of the annual operating plans.

The amounts payable under this measure will range from 20% of the available maximum, for threshold performance, to full vesting for outstanding performance. A straight-line vesting schedule will apply for performance between threshold and outstanding.

Relative measures

The relative measures are based on our performance on a number of key financial measures against the our closest comparators.

For relative measures, we rank growth based on the data points at the end of the performance period compared with those at the beginning of the period, using publicly reported data.

• TSR, calculated in US dollars using a 90-day averaging period, 45 days either side of the start and end of the performance period;
• ROACE growth. For this purpose, to facilitate the comparison, the calculation of ROACE differs from that described in “Performance indicators” because there is no adjustment for after-tax interest expense; and
• growth in cash flow from operating activities.

Each relative measure affects vesting independently, with the amounts payable ranging from 0% to 200%, in accordance with the following vesting schedule:

• ranking first equals 200% vesting for the LTIP element weighted to that measure;
• ranking second equals 150% vesting for the LTIP element weighted to that measure;
• ranking third equals 80% vesting for the LTIP element weighted to that measure; and
• ranking fourth or fifth equals 0% vesting for the LTIP element weighted to that measure.

TSR Underpin

If the TSR ranking is fourth or fifth, the level of the award that can vest on the basis of the other measures will be capped at 50% of the maximum.

Performance update on FCF

2020 LTIP award

At December 31, 2021, FCF performance is above target, with a below-threshold outcome for 2020 of $20.8 billion (target $38 billion) balanced by a strong performance in 2021 of $40.3 billion (target $9 billion). As one year of FCF performance remains, and 77.5% of the award is subject to relative and energy transition performance conditions, this does not reflect the potential vesting of the award.

2021 LTIP award

At December 31, 2021, FCF performance, $40.3 billion for 2021, is above target ($9 billion). As two years of FCF performance remain, and 80% of the award is subject to relative and energy transition performance conditions, this does not reflect the potential vesting of the award.