Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000036
Chunk: 13

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 13
---
 like the one contained in Article Eleventh of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation (Certificate of Incorporation or Certificate) historically has been intended to facilitate corporate governance stability and provide protection against self-interested action by large stockholders by requiring broad stockholder consensus to make certain fundamental changes. 
 As corporate governance standards have evolved, many stockholders and commentators now view a supermajority requirement as limiting the Board’s accountability to stockholders and the ability of stockholders to effectively participate in corporate governance.                                                                                                                                           |     |                                             |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |     | The Board recommends a voteFORthis proposal |

| The following four proposals were submitted by stockholders. If the proponent of each proposal, or the proponent’s representative, is present at the annual meeting and presents the proposal for a vote, then the proposal will be voted on at the annual meeting. |     |                                                                                 |     |                                                 |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |     | 4Simple Majority Vote                                                           
 4Disclose Assumptions Underlying Continued Reliance on Fossil Fuel-Based Energy |     | 4Conduct a Net Zero Audit                       
 4Report on Respecting Workforce Civil Liberties |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |     | The Board recommends a voteAGAINSTeach proposal                                 |     |                                                 |

#### Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement11
Governance

| The Board, acting upon the recommendation of the Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee, has nominated 13 of the Directors currently serving for re-election to the Southern Company Board of Directors.                                                                                                                                               |     |                                                         |     |                 |     |                       |     |                       |
| Janaki Akella                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
 Shantella E. Cooper                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
 Anthony F. Earley, Jr.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
 James O. Etheredge                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |     |                                                         |     | David J. Grain  
 Donald M. James 
 John D. Johns   |     | Dale E. Klein         
 David E. Meador       
 William G. Smith, Jr. |     | Kristine L. Svinicki  
 Lizanne Thomas        
 Christopher C. Womack |
| Each nominee, if elected, will serve until the 2026 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are elected and qualified.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
 The proxies named on the proxy form will vote each properly executed proxy form for the election of the 13 Director nominees, unless otherwise instructed. If any named nominee becomes unavailable for election, the Board may substitute another