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1
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Listed
companies must have a majority of independent directors.
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We have a majority of "independent" directors
who qualify as such under the requirements set out in Section
303A.02 of the NYSE rules.
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2
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In order to
tighten the definition of "independent director" for purposes of
these standards:
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2(a)
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No director
qualifies as "independent" unless the board of directors
affirmatively determines that the director has no material
relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a
partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a
relationship with the company). Companies must identify which
directors are independent and disclose the basis for that
determination.
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2(b)
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In addition,
a director is not independent if:
(i) The director is, or has been
within the last three years, an employee of the listed company, or
an immediate family member is, or has been within the last three
years, an executive officer, of the listed company.
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(ii)
The director has received, or has an immediate family member who
has received, during any twelve-month period within the last three
years, more than $120,000 in direct compensation from the listed
company, other than director and committee fees and pension or
other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided
such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued
service).
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(iii)
(A) The director is a current partner or employee of a firm that is
the company's internal or external auditor; (B) the director has an
immediate family member who is a current partner of such firm;
(C) the director has an immediate family member who is a current
employee of such a firm and personally works on the listed
company's audit; or (D) the director or an immediate family member
was within the last three years a partner or employee of such a
firm and personally worked on the listed company's audit within
that time.
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(iv)
The director or an immediate family member is, or has been within
the last three years, employed as an executive officer of another
company where any of the listed company's present executive
officers at the same time serves or served on that company's
compensation committee.
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(v) The
director is a current employee, or an immediate family member is a
current executive officer, of a company that has made payments to,
or received payments from, the listed company for property or
services in an amount which, in any of the last three fiscal years,
exceeds the greater of $1 million, or 2% of such other company's
consolidated gross revenues.
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3
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To empower
non-management directors to serve as a more effective check on
management, the non-management directors of each listed company
must meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without
management.
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Non-management directors meet without
management before each quarterly Board
meeting.
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4(a)
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Listed
companies must have a nominating/corporate governance committee
composed entirely of independent directors.
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Kinross has a Nominating Committee and a
Corporate Governance Committee, both of which are entirely composed
of independent directors.
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4(b)
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The
nominating/corporate governance committee must have a written
charter that addresses:
(i) the committee's purpose and responsibilities
- which, at minimum, must be to: identify individuals qualified to
become board members, consistent with criteria approved by the
board, and to select, or to recommend that the board select, the
director nominees for the next annual meeting of shareholders;
develop and recommend to the board a set of corporate governance
guidelines applicable to the corporation; and oversee the
evaluation of the board and management; and
(ii) an annual performance evaluation of the
committee.
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Kinross' Nominating Committee and Corporate
Governance Committee have Charters that include these minimum
requirements. However, the function of evaluating management
has been delegated to the Compensation Committee.
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5(a)
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Listed
companies must have a compensation committee composed entirely of
independent directors.
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Kinross has a Compensation Committee composed
entirely of independent directors.
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5(b)
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The
compensation committee must have a written charter that
addresses:
(i) the committee's purpose and responsibilities
- which, at minimum, must be to have direct responsibility to:
(A)
review and approve corporate goals and objectives relevant to CEO
compensation, evaluate the CEO's performance in light of those
goals and objectives, and, either as a committee or together with
the other independent directors (as directed by the board),
determine and approve the CEO's compensation level based on this
evaluation; and
(B) make recommendations to the board with respect to non-CEO
executive officer compensation, and incentive-compensation and
equity-based plans that are subject to board approval; and
(C)
produce a compensation committee report on executive officer
compensation as required by the SEC to be included in the listed
company's annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K
filed with the SEC;
(ii) an annual performance evaluation of the
compensation committee.
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The Compensation Committee Charter includes
in substance all of these responsibilities and other additional
responsibilities. The Compensation Committee reports on
executive compensation in Kinross' annual proxy statement in
accordance with Form 51-102F6 of National Instrument
51-102.
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6
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Listed
companies must have an audit committee that satisfies the
requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act.
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Kinross has an Audit Committee which
satisfies the requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange
Act.
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7(a)
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The audit
committee must have a minimum of three members.
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Our Audit Committee is composed of at least
three members.
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7(b)
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In addition
to any requirement of Rule 10A-3(b)(1), all audit committee members
must satisfy the requirements for independence set out in Section
303A.02.
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All the members of our Audit Committee are
fully independent in accordance with these requirements.
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7(c)
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The audit
committee must have a written charter that addresses:
(i) the committee's purpose - which, at minimum,
must be to:
(A) assist board oversight of (1) the
integrity of the listed company's financial statements, (2) the
listed company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements,
(3) the independent auditor's qualifications and independence, and
(4) the performance of the listed company's internal audit function
and independent auditors; and
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Our Audit Committee has a written charter
that meets all NYSE requirements except for the variations outlined
below.
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(B) prepare an audit committee report as
required by the SEC to be included in the listed company's annual
proxy statement;
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The SEC does not specify an audit committee
report to be included in the proxy materials of a foreign private
issuer.
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(ii) an annual performance evaluation of the audit
committee; and
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(iii)
the duties and responsibilities of the audit committee - which, at
a minimum, must include those set out in Rule 10A-3(b)(2), (3), (4)
and (5) of the Exchange Act , as well as to:
(A)
at least annually, obtain and review a report by the independent
auditor describing: the firm's internal quality-control procedures;
any material issues raised by the most recent internal
quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by any
inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional
authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting one or
more independent audits carried out by the firm, and any steps
taken to deal with any such issues; and (to assess the auditor's
independence) all relationships between the independent auditor and
the listed company;
(B)
meet to review and discuss the listed company's annual audited
financial statements and quarterly financial statements with
management and the independent auditor, including reviewing the
company's specific disclosures under "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations";
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(C)
discuss the listed company's earnings press releases, as well as
financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts
and rating agencies;
(D)
discuss policies with respect to risk assessment and risk
management;
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The Risk Committee of the Board of Directors is responsible for
business and operational risks. The Audit Committee is
responsible for financial and internal control risks.
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(E) meet
separately, periodically, with management, with internal auditors
(or other personnel responsible for the internal audit function)
and with independent auditors;
(F)
review with the independent auditor any audit problems or
difficulties and management's response;
(G)
set clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the
independent auditors; and
(H)
report regularly to the board of directors.
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The Audit Committee Charter states that the
Audit Committee may meet with management, and/or the internal audit
function, and/or the independent auditors either individually or
collectively.
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7(d)
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Each listed
company must have an internal audit function.
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We have an internal audit
function.
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8
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Shareholders
must be given the opportunity to vote on all equity-compensation
plans and material revisions thereto, with limited exceptions.
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Except as disclosed in its annual management
information circular, amendments to Kinross' equity compensation
plans require shareholders' approval.
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9
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Listed
companies must adopt and disclose corporate governance
guidelines.
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Kinross complies with Canadian Multilateral
Instrument 52-110-Audit Committees which sets out detailed
requirements regarding the composition of the Audit Committee and
its responsibilities. Kinross has also adopted most
guidelines provided by Canadian National Policy
58-201-Corporate Governance Guidelines. Our
annual proxy circulars include disclosure of our corporate
governance practices.
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10
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Listed
companies must adopt and disclose a code of business conduct and
ethics for directors, officers and employees, and promptly disclose
any waivers of the code for directors or executive officers.
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We have a code of business conduct and
ethics, which is available on
our website or at www.sedar.com.
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11
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Listed
foreign private issuers must disclose any significant ways in which
their corporate governance practices differ from those followed by
domestic companies under NYSE listing standards.
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This list is posted in response to this
requirement and is available at www.kinross.com/corporate/governance-corp.html
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12(a)
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Each listed
company CEO must certify to the NYSE each year that he or she is
not aware of any violation by the company of NYSE corporate
governance listing standards, qualifying the certification to the
extent necessary.
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This does not apply to a foreign private
issuer.
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12(b)
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Each listed
company CEO must promptly notify the NYSE in writing after any
executive officer of the listed company becomes aware of any
material noncompliance with any applicable provisions of this
Section 303A.
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Kinross is subject to and will comply with
this requirement.
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12(c)
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Each listed
company must submit an executed Written Affirmation annually to the
NYSE. In addition, each listed company must submit an interim
Written Affirmation each time a change occurs to the board or any
of the committees subject to Section 303A. The annual and interim
Written Affirmations must be in the form specified by the NYSE.
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Kinross is subject to and will comply with
this requirement on an ongoing basis.
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13
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The
NYSE may issue a public reprimand letter to any listed company
that violates a NYSE listing standard.
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14
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Listed
companies must have and maintain a publicly accessible website.
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We maintain our website at www.kinross.com, which contains
copies of our Board and Committee charters, our code of business
conduct and ethics and various other corporate governance
materials.
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