Performance-based and fair remuneration for our employees is an important part of our personnel strategy. For that reason, we offer different remuneration elements intended to encourage employees to focus on Linde’s long-term strategic aims. Examples include a target- and performance-based remuneration structure at the managerial level and our global performance management system, which is designed to ensure a fair and comparable appraisal of staff and includes regular feedback between employees and line managers.
Another component of our system to measure performance are job evaluations of all management positions worldwide on a comparable basis. This encompasses transparency, equal treatment and payment at market level. Remuneration is also reviewed through internal and external comparisons of general market conditions and appropriateness.
Participation in the company's success
Variable remuneration components are based on the extent to which the Group meets its targets and on employees’ individual performance levels. By means of the Linde Long-Term Incentive Plan, managers may acquire Linde share options and thus participate directly in the company’s growth in value.
Remuneration payable to the Executive and the Supervisory Boards is disclosed in The Linde Group’s financial report in compliance with the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code.
Social benefits
In addition to financial remuneration and participation, we offer our employees various social benefits. These are organised at the local level and vary from site to site. They include in particular:
- Company pension plans
- Childcare subsidies
- Health insurance subsidies
- Medical screenings
- Preventative programmes such as seminars on avoiding burnout or preventing addiction
Linde offers employees in various countries company- and employee-financed pension schemes and healthcare benefits. Sustainability plays a key role in long-term benefit commitments, such as pension plans. The benefits should correspond to the social standards in the respective countries. However, the Group's companies also have to be able to fund these benefits in the long term. We have developed globally applicable rules for changing, introducing or concluding benefit packages in order to ensure both their compliance with local standards and their affordability for the Group's companies. Intervention in local benefit schemes must first be approved by the Global Pension Committee. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer as well as experts from the accounting, finance and human resources departments serve on this committee.