Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000036
Chunk: 60

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 60
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-in-Control Protections

4 We believe that change-in-control protections allow management to focus on potential transactions that are in the best interest of our stockholders.

4 Change-in-control protections include severance pay and, in some situations, vesting or payment of incentive awards.

4 We provide certain severance payments if there is a change in control of the Company and a termination of the executive’s employment (either involuntary termination not for cause or voluntary termination for good reason), often called a “double trigger”.

4 Severance payment for the CEO is three times the sum of base salary plus PPP opportunity (either at target or, if greater, paid out based on the average achievement from the three prior fiscal years). For the other NEOs, severance is two times the sum of base salary plus PPP opportunity (either at target or, if greater, paid out based on the average achievement from the three prior fiscal years). No excise tax gross-up would be provided.

Perquisites

4 We provide limited perquisites to our executive officers, consistent with the Company’s goal of providing market-based compensation and benefits.

4 The Committee recognizes that permitting limited personal use of system aircraft for certain executives allows them to continue to perform their duties in a safe, secure environment and promotes safe and effective use of their time. For 2024, the Committee approved personal use of system aircraft for Mr. Womack. Amounts are included in the Summary Compensation Table.

4 No tax assistance is provided on executive perquisites to executive officers of the Company, except on certain relocation-related benefits that are generally available to all employees.

#### Compensation Governance

#### Equitable Compensation for all Employees
Our compensation system is designed to promote equitable compensation throughout the entirety of each employee’s tenure. To help ensure compensation is fair and consistent, we have adhered to several key strategies:

4 We pay market-competitive rates. We use highly reliable data sources and rigorous compensation analysis to help ensure alignment to the market.

4 We adhere to the pay for performance philosophy which allows managers to reward employees based on performance within established controls.

4 We utilize several additional measures to promote fairness and consistency, including strong market data and job pricing, well-defined salary structures, comprehensive merit and incentive processes — along with clear procedures for employees to voice concerns.

4 When appropriate, pay adjustments may occur in accordance with an employee’s performance or changes in responsibilities. Adjustments may also occur with ad hoc market-based changes or as the result of an annual pay review.

#### Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement59

### Compensation Discussion and