Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000036
Chunk: 39

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-04-11
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 39
---
 long-term performance goals.

The Compensation and Talent Development Committee believes that our compensation programs effectively align executive pay with performance by:

4 Placing the vast majority (90%) of the CEO’s total compensation at risk

4 Striking the right balance between short- and long-term results

4 Selecting appropriate performance metrics, including market-based measures such as relative TSR, long-term value creation metrics such as EPS and ROE, progress in meeting GHG reduction goals (for the CEO, the CFO and the COO), annual operational goals and individual performance goals that drive achievement of our long-term business strategy

4 Regularly monitoring the alignment between corporate performance and compensation payouts

At our 2024 annual meeting, we received 95% support of votes cast on our executive compensation program.

Throughout 2024 and into 2025, we continued our robust stockholder outreach program. Our independent Directors, including our Lead Independent Director, have participated in key engagements. Feedback from our stockholders is carefully considered by the Compensation and Talent Development Committee in making compensation decisions.

Stockholders are voting to approve, on an advisory basis, the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the stockholders approve the compensation of the named executive officers described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Summary Compensation Table and the other compensation tables and accompanying narrative in the proxy statement.”

Although it is non-binding on the Board, the Compensation and Talent Development Committee will review and consider the vote results when making future decisions about the executive compensation program. We currently conduct annual advisory votes to approve executive compensation, and we expect to conduct the next advisory Say on Pay vote at our 2026 annual meeting.

#### 40Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement

### Compensation Discussion and Analysis
What you will find in this CD&A

| Letter from the Compensation and Talent Development Committee                                                                                                                                       
 The Compensation and Talent Development Committee (Compensation Committee or Committee) describes its key focus areas and its pay decisions for the year                                            |     | 42 |
| CEO Pay for Performance and Alignment with Stockholder Interests                                                                                                                                    
 We demonstrate how CEO pay is aligned with our performance and stockholder interests                                                                                                                |     | 43 |
| Stockholder Outreach and Say on Pay Response                                                                                                                                                        
 We describe what we heard from investors on executive compensation topics from our outreach efforts and how the Committee responded to the input                                                    |     | 45 |
| Executive Compensation Program                                                                                                                                                                      
 We describe the details of our executive compensation program, including base salary, short- and long-term incentive awards and benefits                                                            |     |