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The shareholder-elected FirstService Board of Directors is responsible for stewardship of the Company.
The purpose of this mandate (“Mandate“) of the board of directors (the “Board“) of FirstService Corporation (the “Company“) is to provide guidance to Board members as to their duties and responsibilities. The responsibilities of the Board described herein are pursuant to, and subject to, the provisions of applicable statutes and the constating documents of the Company, and do not impose any additional responsibilities or liabilities on the directors at law or otherwise.
The Board is responsible for the stewardship of the Company. This requires the Board to oversee the conduct of the business and affairs of the Company. The Board discharges some of its responsibilities directly and discharges others through committees of the Board. The Board is not responsible for the day-to-day management and operation of the Company’s business, as this responsibility has been delegated to management. The Board is, however, responsible for supervising management in carrying out this responsibility.
The Board consists of directors elected by the shareholders as provided for in the Company’s constating documents and in accordance with applicable law and any policies adopted from time to time by the Board. From time to time, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall review the size of the Board to ensure that its size facilitates effective decision-making by the Board in the fulfillment of its responsibilities.
Each member of the Board must act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company, and must exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances. A director is responsible for the matters under “Role and Responsibilities of the Board” below as well as for other duties as they arise in the director’s role.
All members of the Board shall have suitable experience and skills given the nature of the Company and its businesses and have a proven record of sound judgment. Directors are to possess characteristics and traits that reflect:
Directors are expected to commit the time and resources necessary to properly carry out their duties. Among other matters, directors are expected to adequately prepare for and attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings. New directors are expected to understand fully the role of the Board, the role of the committees of the Board and the contribution individual directors are expected to make.
If at any point the Chair of the Board (the “Chair“) is not independent, the Board shall also appoint one of its members as a lead independent director (the “Lead Director“), which lead independent director shall be independent, and have the duties and responsibilities, as set out in the Position Description for the Lead Director.
Members of the Board shall carry out their responsibilities objectively, honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company. Directors of the Company are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. Directors are also expected to set the standard for Company-wide ethical conduct and ensure ethical behaviour and compliance with laws and regulations. If an actual or potential conflict of interest arises, a director shall promptly inform the Chair or Lead Director and shall refrain from voting or participating in discussion of the matter in respect of which he has an actual or potential conflict of interest. If it is determined that a significant conflict of interest exists and cannot be resolved, the director should resign.
Directors are expected to act in accordance with applicable law, the Company’s constating documents, the Company’s Code of Ethics and Conduct and other policies applicable to directors as are adopted from time to time.
The Board shall meet in accordance with a schedule established each year by the Board and at such other times as the Board may determine. Meeting agendas shall be developed in consultation with the Chair or Lead Director. Board members may propose agenda items through communication with the Chair or Lead Director. The Chair is responsible for ensuring that a suitably comprehensive information package is sent to each director in advance of each meeting. At the discretion of the Board, members of management and others may attend Board meetings, except for separate meetings of the independent directors of the Board.
Directors are expected to be fully prepared for each Board meeting, which requires them, at a minimum, to have read the material provided to them prior to the meeting. At Board meetings, each director is expected to take an active role in discussion and decision-making. To facilitate this, the Chair is responsible for fostering an atmosphere conducive to open discussion and debate.
Independent directors shall have the opportunity to meet at appropriate times without management present at regularly scheduled meetings. The Chair or, if the Chair is not independent, the Lead Director shall be responsible for presiding over meetings of the independent directors. Independent directors may propose agenda items for meetings of independent directors members through communication with the Chair or Lead Director.
The Board is responsible for approving the Company’s goals, objectives, and strategies. The Board is also responsible for overseeing the implementation of appropriate risk assessment systems to identify and manage principal risks of the Company’s business.
In addition to the other matters provided in this Mandate, including the matters delegated to Board committees as set out below, the Board is also responsible for the following specific matters:
A director has an important and positive role as a representative of the Company. A director is also expected to participate in outside activities that enhance the Company’s image for investors, employees, customers, and the public.
The Board recognizes the importance of having procedures in place to ensure the effective and independent operation of the Board. In addition to the policies and procedures provided elsewhere in this Mandate and in the position descriptions of the Chair and the Lead Director of the Board, the Board has adopted the following procedures:
The Board shall oversee and monitor the Company’s policies and practices related to its environmental, social, and governance (“ESG“) program, including management of climate-related risks and opportunities and alignment of the ESG strategy with the Company’s overall business strategy. The Board will satisfy itself that the Company has developed and implemented appropriate ESG standards in the conduct of its operations. At least annually, the Board shall verify the Company’s compliance with any applicable legal and regulatory requirements related to ESG disclosure and review any ESG report prepared by the Company.
Subject to limits on delegation contained in corporate law applicable to the Company, the Board has the authority to establish and carry out its duties through committees and to appoint directors to be members of these committees. The Board assesses the matters to be delegated to committees of the Board and the constitution of such committees annually or more frequently as circumstances require. From time to time, the Board may create ad hoc committees to examine specific issues on behalf of the Board.
The Board has established the following committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Executive Compensation Committee, and (3) Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The respective responsibilities of each of the foregoing committees are set forth in the applicable committee mandate.