Company: ATO
Filing Date: 2025-12-09
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0000731802-25-000061
Chunk: 8

Company: ATMOS ENERGY CORP
Filing Date: 2025-12-09
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 8
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 and they generally meet in a private session with the Chairman and the President and CEO at regularly scheduled Board meetings.

#### Board Engagement
The Board welcomes the regular attendance at each Board meeting of the Company’s executive officers who are not members of the Board. Additionally, the Board (both as a whole and each director individually) and each Board committee has complete access to the Company’s management. The Board encourages the executive officers to bring non-executive managers to Board meetings, from time to time, who can provide additional insight into the items being discussed because of personal involvement in these areas as well as represent non-executive managers with future potential that the senior management believes should be given exposure to the Board.

#### Corporate Governance Guidelines
In accordance with, and pursuant to, the corporate governance standards of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), the Board has adopted and periodically updates our Corporate Governance Guidelines, which govern the structure and proceedings of the Board and contain the Board’s position on many governance issues. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on our website at https://www.atmosenergy.com/company/corporate-responsibility-reports .

#### 18Atmos Energy
Corporate Governance and Other Board Matters

#### Board Leadership Structure
The Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that our Board has the right to exercise its discretion to either separate or combine the offices of the Chairman of the Board and the CEO. This decision is based upon the Board’s determination of what is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, in light of the circumstances and taking into consideration succession planning, skills and experience of the individuals filling those positions, and other relevant factors. The current leadership structure is based on the experienced leadership provided by a Chairman of the Board (currently Mr. Cocklin) and a full-time President and CEO (currently Mr. Akers), with both positions being subject to oversight and review by the Company’s independent directors. The Board recognizes that if the circumstances change in the future, other leadership structures might also be appropriate and it has the discretion to revisit this determination of the Company’s leadership structure.

The Board’s leadership structure is designed so that independent directors exercise oversight of the Company’s management and key issues related to strategy and risk. Only independent directors serve on our Audit Committee, HR Committee, and Governance Committee, and all standing Board committees are chaired by independent directors. Additionally, independent directors regularly hold executive sessions of the Board led by the Lead Director (defined below) outside the presence of the Chairman, the President and CEO or any other Company employee, and they generally meet in