Company: LIN
Filing Date: 2025-04-30
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0000950170-25-060925
Chunk: 50

Company: LINDE PLC
Filing Date: 2025-04-30
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 50
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 component of the program, the HC Committee considers many factors including the degree of control senior management may have over certain factors that affect financial performance. Goals are established with the expectation that executives will be rewarded with higher payouts if actual performance exceeds targets. Factors considered in setting the threshold, target, and maximum financial performance goals for each financial measure include:

management’s operating plan, including expected year-over-year challenges in performance,

macro-economic trends and outlooks in each of the countries in which the Company operates,

foreign exchange rate trends and outlook,

expected industrial gases industry peer performance and that of the broader S&P 500 and leading European companies,

shifts in key customer markets, and

expected contribution from contracts already awarded and decisions or actions already made or taken.

Strategic and Non-Financial Performance Goals

In alignment with the Company’s compensation philosophy, the design of the annual variable compensation program balances the need for management to deliver annual results with the desire to meet multi-year growth expectations. Selected key strategic and non-financial performance objectives are included to recognize these critical measures of the Company’s health and potential for future success.

The program design includes a component measuring annual performance against pre-established goals related to reducing greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions. This component comprises 20% of the strategic non-financial performance payout.

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Executive Compensation Matters

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

The remainder of the strategic and non-financial goals are related to core values (weighted 60% of strategic non-financial performance) and the Company’s relative performance and strategic positioning, which accounts for the remaining 20%. Most of these strategic and non- financial goals are linked to quantitative and measurable objectives, although the HC Committee uses its judgment when determining the value awarded for goal achievement after a rigorous review of the results. The 2024 goals for these components were as follows:

| GOAL                                                                                                                                                               | ADDITIONAL DETAIL                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| •Zero fatalities with fatality potential event reduction                                                                                                           
 •No significant process safety or environmental events                                                                                                             
 •Best in class recordable injury, lost workday case and vehicle accident rates                                                                                     
 •Maintain world class performance in sustainability                                                                                                                
 •Drive a strong global compliance program and culture focusing on policies, procedures, training, reporting, accountability and verification via audit             
 •Strengthen leadership pipeline, including globally diverse talent, through a single succession planning and performance management approach across the enterprise | •Providing employees with a safe operating environment through investing in state of the art technology and by