Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000032
Chunk: 29

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 29
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 only Director that is not independent is Mr. Womack, Chairman, President and CEO of the Company. The Board previously determined that Dr. Ernest J. Moniz and Mr. E. Jenner Wood III were independent while they served on the Board during 2024.

#### Independent Director Nominees
4 Janaki Akella

4 Shantella E. Cooper

4 Anthony F. Earley, Jr.

4 James O. Etheredge

4 David J. Grain

4 Donald M. James

4 John D. Johns

4 Dale E. Klein

4 David E. Meador

4 William G. Smith, Jr.

4 Kristine L. Svinicki

4 Lizanne Thomas

#### 30Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement

#### Governance

#### Board and Committee Self-Evaluation Process
The Board and each of its committees have a robust annual self-evaluation process.

| 1 |     | Board Evaluation          |     | The Lead Independent Director, in conjunction with the Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee, oversees the annual self-assessment process on behalf of the Board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2 |     | Committee Evaluations     |     | The charter of each committee of the Board also requires an annual performance evaluation, which traditionally is overseen by the chair of each committee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 3 |     | Interviews and Discussion |     | The Board self-evaluation process involves completion of a written questionnaire by each Board member, followed by an interview of each Director conducted by an independent third party. The independent third party reviews the results of the evaluation process with the Lead Independent Director. The Lead Independent Director leads a discussion with the full Board to review the results of the self-evaluation and identify follow up items. 
 The committee self-evaluation process involves a review and discussion for each committee. The process is led by the chair of each committee and is conducted in executive session.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| 4 |     | Outcome                   |     | The objective is to allow the Directors to share their perspectives and consider adjustments or enhancements in response to the feedback.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |

As a result of the Board’s self-evaluation processes in recent years and its positive experience with the expansion of virtual Board and committee meeting technology, the Board has restructured its meeting schedule to leverage virtual technology for its committee meetings and to hold its Board meetings in person to use the Directors’ time most effectively.

#### Board and Committee Responsibilities

#### Oversight of Strategy and Risk
The