Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form Type: PRE 14A
Source: 0000092122-25-000032
Chunk: 34

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-03-31
Form: PRE 14A
Chunk 34
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 key talent indicators for the overall workforce, including employee engagement and recruiting and talent development programs.

The Board annually reviews succession plans for senior management and the CEO, including both a long-term succession plan and an emergency succession plan. To assist the Board, the CEO annually provides his assessment of senior leaders and their potential to succeed in key senior management positions. The evaluation is done in the context of the business strategy with a focus on risk management.

#### 34Southern Company2025 Proxy Statement

#### Governance

#### Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
We have a robust system for identifying potential related person transactions.

4 Our Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our Code of Ethics, which includes policies relating to conflicts of interest. The Code of Ethics requires that all employees, officers and Directors avoid conflicts of interest, defined as situations where the person’s private interests conflict, or even appear to conflict, with the interests of the Company as a whole.

4 We conduct a review of our financial systems to identify potential conflicts of interest and related person transactions.

4 At least annually, each Director and executive officer completes a detailed questionnaire that asks about any business relationship that may give rise to a conflict of interest and all transactions in which the Company or one of its subsidiaries is involved and in which the executive officer, a Director or a related person has a direct or indirect interest.

4 We have a Contract Manual and other formal written procurement policies and procedures that guide the purchase of goods and services, including requiring competitive bids for most transactions above $100,000 or approval based on documented business needs for sole sourcing arrangements.

The approval and ratification of any related person transaction would be subject to these written policies and procedures which include:

4 a determination of the need for the goods and services;

4 preparation and evaluation of requests for proposals;

4 controls and guidance regarding the evaluation of the proposals;

4 negotiation of contract terms and conditions; and

4 execution of contracts by authorized individuals.

As appropriate, applicable contracts are also reviewed by individuals in the legal, accounting and/or risk management services departments prior to being approved by the authorized individual. The authorized individual will vary depending on the department requiring the goods and services and the dollar amount of the contract.

In addition to the above procedures, the Board has adopted a written policy pertaining to the approval or ratification of related person transactions by the Nominating, Governance and Corporate Responsibility Committee.

In 2024, Mr. Scott Kuczynski, the son of Steven E. Kuczynski, an executive officer who retired from the Company in 2024