Company: GWW
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0001104659-25-015730
Chunk: 114

Company: W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 114
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 Illinois law, Directors may only be elected by the votes of a majority of the shares of Grainger common stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. Moreover, in accordance with the Company’s Criteria for Membership on the Board of Directors, any Director standing for re-election (including the 12 nominees standing for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting) who fails to receive the required majority vote is expected to tender their resignation for consideration by the BANC. The BANC will consider the resignation and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors concerning the acceptance or rejection of the resignation. The Board will then take formal action on the BANC’s recommendation within 90 days after the results of the Director election at the 2025 Annual Meeting are certified. Following the Board’s decision on the BANC’s recommendation, the Company will publicly disclose the Board’s decision. What voting standard applies to the ratification of the appointment of the independent auditor? Ratification of the appointment of the independent auditor requires the affirmative votes of a majority of the shares of Grainger common stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting. What voting standard applies to the advisory vote on the compensation of the NEOs? Although the shareholders’ vote is advisory and therefore non-binding, the vote on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers (Say on Pay)—Grainger’s five highest paid executive officers whose compensation is discussed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis in this proxy statement—is determined by the affirmative votes of a majority of the shares of Grainger common stock present or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the 2025 Annual Meeting.

| ​ | CORPORATEGOVERNANCE | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 1:ELECTION OFDIRECTORS | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 2:RATIFY THEINDEPENDENTAUDITOR | ​ | ​ | EXECUTIVECOMPENSATION | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 3:SAY ON PAY | ​ | ​ | PROPOSAL 4: APPROVALAND ADOPTION | ​ | ​ | QUESTIONS ANDANSWERS | ​ | ​ | APPENDICES | ​ |

TABLE OF CONTENTS

| ​ | invest.grainger.com | ​ | ​ | 81 | ​ | ​ | ● | ​ |

What voting standard applies to the vote on the amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation to eliminate cumulative voting? Approval of the amendment to the Restated Articles of Incorporation to eliminate cumulative