Ecolab Inc. 2023 Stock Incentive Plan, effective May 4, 2023
Exhibit (10.1)
ECOLAB INC.
2023 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(Effective May 4, 2023)
The purpose of the Ecolab Inc. 2023 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to advance the interests of Ecolab Inc. (the “Company”) and its stockholders by enabling the Company and its Subsidiaries to attract and retain qualified individuals through opportunities for equity participation in the Company, and to reward those individuals who contribute to the achievement of the Company's economic objectives.
The following terms will have the meanings set forth below, unless the context clearly otherwise requires:
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Before a termination by the Participant under this Section 2.13 will constitute termination for Good Reason, the Participant must give the Company a notice of termination within 30 calendar days of the occurrence of the event that constitutes Good Reason. The notice must set forth in reasonable detail the specific reason for the termination and the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of employment under the provision indicated. Failure to provide such notice within such 30-day period shall be conclusive proof that the Participant does not have Good Reason to terminate employment.
For purposes of this Section 2.13, Good Reason shall exist only if the Company or applicable Subsidiary fails to remedy the event or events constituting Good Reason within 30 calendar days after receipt of the notice of termination from the Participant. If the Participant determines Good Reason for termination exists and timely files a notice of termination, such determination shall be presumed to be true and the Company will have the burden of proving that Good Reason does not exist.
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Participants in the Plan will be those Eligible Recipients who, in the judgment of the Committee, have contributed, are contributing or are expected to contribute to the achievement of economic objectives of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Eligible Recipients may be granted from time to time one or more Incentive Awards, singly or in combination or in tandem with other Incentive Awards, as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. Incentive Awards will be deemed to be granted as of the date specified in the grant resolution of the Committee, which date will not be earlier than the date the Committee approved the grant resolution and will be indicated as the grant date of any related agreement with the Participant.
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An Eligible Recipient may be granted one or more Stock Unit Awards under the Plan, and such Stock Unit Awards will be subject to such terms and conditions, consistent with the other
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provisions of the Plan, as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee may impose such restrictions or conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, to the payment, issuance, retention and/or vesting of such Stock Unit Awards as it deems appropriate, including, without limitation, (i) the achievement of one or more of the Performance Criteria; and/or that (ii) the Participant remain in the continuous employ or service of the Company or a Subsidiary for a certain period. The agreement evidencing a Stock Unit Award shall either (i) provide that in all cases payment of the Stock Unit Award will be made within two and one-half months following the end of the Eligible Recipient’s tax year during which receipt of the Stock Unit Award is no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, or (ii) contain terms and conditions necessary to avoid adverse tax consequences specified in Section 409A of the Code.
An Eligible Recipient may be granted one or more Performance Awards under the Plan, and such Performance Awards will be subject to such terms and conditions, if any, consistent with the other provisions of the Plan, as may be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, the achievement of one or more of the Performance Criteria. The agreement evidencing a Performance Award shall either (i) provide that in all cases payment of the Performance Award will be made within two and one-half months following the end of the Eligible Recipient’s tax year during which receipt of the Performance Award is no longer subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, or (ii) contain terms and conditions necessary to avoid adverse tax consequences specified in Section 409A of the Code.
The Committee shall determine and set forth in each award agreement whether (i) any Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted in such award agreement will become or continue to become exercisable and/or remain exercisable and (ii) any Restricted Stock Awards, Stock Unit Awards or Performance Awards granted in such award agreement vest and/or continue to vest or become free of restrictions and conditions to payment, as the case may be, on and after the date that a Participant ceases to be employed by or to provide services to the Company or any Subsidiary (including as a Non-Employee Director), whether by reason of death, Disability, Retirement, voluntary or involuntary termination of employment or services, or otherwise. The date of termination of a Participant’s employment or services will be determined in accordance with Section 12.3(c).
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14.2Effect of a Change in Control. Unless otherwise provided in an agreement evidencing an Incentive Award, the following provisions shall apply to outstanding Incentive Awards in the event of a Change in Control.
(a)Continuation, Assumption or Replacement of Incentive Awards. In the event of a Change in Control, the surviving or successor entity (or its parent corporation) may continue, assume or replace Incentive Awards outstanding as of the date of the Change in Control (with such adjustments as may be required or permitted by Section 4.3), and such Incentive Awards or replacements therefore shall remain outstanding and be governed by their respective terms, subject to Section 14.2(d) below. A surviving or successor entity may elect to continue, assume or replace only some Incentive Awards or portions of Incentive Awards. For purposes of this Section 14.2(a), an Incentive Award shall be considered assumed or replaced if, in connection with the Change in Control and in a manner consistent with Sections 409A and 424 of the Code, either (i) the contractual obligations represented by the Incentive Award are expressly assumed by the surviving or successor entity (or its parent corporation) with appropriate adjustments to the number and type of securities subject to the Incentive Award and the exercise price thereof that preserves the intrinsic value of the Incentive Award existing at the time of the Change in Control, or (ii) the Participant has received a comparable equity-based award that preserves the intrinsic value of the Incentive Award existing at the time of the Change in Control and
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provides for a vesting or exercisability schedule that is the same as or more favorable to the Participant.
(b)Acceleration of Incentive Awards. If and to the extent that outstanding Incentive Awards under the Plan are not continued, assumed or replaced in connection with a Change in Control, then (i) outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights issued to the Participant that are not yet fully exercisable shall immediately become exercisable in full (immediately prior to and contingent upon the Change in Control) and shall remain exercisable in accordance with their terms, (ii) all unvested Restricted Stock Awards, Stock Unit Awards and Performance Awards will become immediately fully vested and non-forfeitable; and (iii) any Performance Criteria applicable to Restricted Stock Awards, Stock Unit Awards and Performance Awards will be deemed to have been satisfied at the target level of performance specified in connection with the applicable Incentive Award.
(c)Payment for Incentive Awards. If and to the extent that outstanding Incentive Awards under the Plan are not continued, assumed or replaced in connection with a Change in Control, then the Committee may terminate some or all of such outstanding Incentive Awards, in whole or in part, as of the effective time of the Change in Control in exchange for payments to the holders as provided in this Section 14.2(c). The Committee will not be required to treat all Incentive Awards similarly for purposes of this Section 14.2(c). The payment for any Incentive Award or portion thereof terminated shall be in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Committee) of the consideration that would otherwise be received in the Change in Control for the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Incentive Award or portion thereof being terminated, or, if no consideration is to be received by the Company’s stockholders in the Change in Control, the Fair Market Value of such number of shares immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control, over (ii) the aggregate exercise price (if any) for the shares of Common Stock subject to the Incentive Award or portion thereof being terminated. If there is no excess, the Incentive Award may be terminated without payment. Any payment shall be made in such form, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Committee determines in its discretion, which may or may not be the same as the form, terms and conditions applicable to payments to the Company’s stockholders in connection with the Change in Control, and may include subjecting such payments to vesting conditions comparable to those of the Incentive Award surrendered.
(d)Termination After a Change in Control. If and to the extent that Incentive Awards are continued, assumed or replaced under the circumstances described in Section 14.2(a), and if within two years after the Change in Control a Participant experiences an involuntary termination of employment or other service for reasons other than Cause, or terminates his or her employment or other service for Good Reason, then (i) outstanding Options and Stock Appreciation Rights issued to the Participant that are not yet fully exercisable shall immediately become exercisable in full and shall remain exercisable in accordance with their terms, (ii) all unvested Restricted Stock Awards, Stock Unit Awards and Performance Awards will become immediately fully vested and non-forfeitable; and (iii) any Performance Criteria applicable to Restricted Stock Awards, Stock Unit Awards and Performance Awards will be deemed to have been satisfied at the target level of performance specified in connection with the applicable Incentive Award.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any agreements entered into pursuant to the Plan, the Company will not be required to issue any shares of Common Stock under this Plan, and a Participant may not sell, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to Incentive Awards granted under the Plan, unless (a) there is in effect with respect to such shares a registration statement under the Securities Act and any applicable securities laws of a state or foreign jurisdiction or an exemption from such registration under the Securities Act and applicable state or foreign securities laws, and (b) there has been obtained any other consent, approval or permit from any other U.S. or foreign regulatory body which the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable. The Company may condition such issuance, sale or transfer upon the receipt of any representations or agreements from the parties involved, and the placement of any legends on certificates representing shares of Common Stock, as may be deemed necessary or advisable by the Company in order to comply with such securities law or other restrictions.
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It is intended that the Plan and all Incentive Awards hereunder be administered in a manner that will comply with Section 409A of the Code, including the final regulations and other guidance issued by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service with respect thereto. The Committee is authorized to adopt rules or regulations deemed necessary or appropriate to qualify for an exception from or to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (including any transition or grandfather rules relating thereto). Notwithstanding anything in this Section 18 to the contrary, with respect to any Incentive Award subject to Section 409A of the Code, no amendment to or payment under such Incentive Award will be made unless permitted under Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or rulings issued thereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if any amount shall be payable with respect to any Incentive Award hereunder as a result of a Participant’s “separation from service” at such time as the Participant is a “specified employee” (as those terms are defined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code) and such amount is subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, then no payment shall be made, except as permitted under Section 409A of the Code, prior to the first day of the seventh calendar month beginning after the Participant’s separation from service (or the date of his or her earlier death). The Company may adopt a specified employee policy that will apply to identify the specified employees for all deferred compensation plans subject to Section 409A of the Code; otherwise, specified employees will be identified using the default standards contained in the regulations under Section 409A of the Code.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, none of the Company, the Committee nor any other person involved with the administration of this Plan shall in any way be responsible for ensuring the exemption of any Incentive Award from, or compliance by any Incentive Award with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code. By accepting an Incentive Award under this Plan, each Participant acknowledges that neither the Company, the Committee nor any other person involved with the administration of this Plan has any duty or obligation to design or administer the Plan or Incentive Awards granted thereunder in a manner that minimizes a Participant’s tax liabilities, including the avoidance of any additional tax liabilities under Section 409A of the Code.
The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time. In addition to the authority of the Committee to amend the Plan under Section 3.2(e), the Board may amend the Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable in order that Incentive Awards under the Plan will conform to any change in applicable laws or regulations or in any other respect the Board may deem to be in the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that no such amendments to the Plan will be effective without approval of the Company’s stockholders if: (i) stockholder approval of the amendment is then required pursuant to Section 422 of the Code or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange; or (ii) such amendment seeks to modify Section 3.2(d) hereof. No termination, suspension or amendment of the Plan may adversely affect any outstanding Incentive Award without the consent of the affected Participant; provided, however, that (i) this sentence will not impair the right of the Committee to take whatever action it deems appropriate under Sections 3.2(c), 4.3 and 14 of the Plan, and (ii) no consent of any affected Participant shall be required if such amendment is necessary to comply with
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applicable law or stock exchange rules.
The Plan shall became effective as of the date on which it was approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”). The Plan will terminate at midnight on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date and may be terminated prior to such time by Board action. No Incentive Award will be granted after termination of the Plan. Incentive Awards outstanding upon termination of the Plan may continue to be exercised, earned or become free of restrictions, according to their terms.
(a)Incentive Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to the Company’s Policy on Reimbursement of Incentive Payments, as may be amended from time to time, and any other future clawback policy that may be approved by the Company. In addition, the Committee may specify in an agreement evidencing an Incentive Award that the Participant’s rights, payments, and benefits with respect to such Award will be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture or recovery by the Company upon the occurrence of certain specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance conditions of an Incentive Award. Such events may include termination of employment or other service for Cause; violation of any material Company or Subsidiary policy; breach of noncompetition, non-solicitation or confidentiality provisions that apply to the Participant; a determination that the payment of the Incentive Award was based on an incorrect determination that financial or other Performance Criteria were met or other conduct by the Participant that is detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company or its Subsidiaries.
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(b)Incentive Awards and any compensation associated therewith may be made subject to forfeiture, recovery by the Company or other action pursuant to any compensation recovery policy adopted by the Board or the Committee at any time, including in response to the requirements of Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any implementing rules and regulations thereunder, or as otherwise required by law. Any agreement evidencing an Incentive Award may be unilaterally amended by the Committee to comply with any such compensation recovery policy.
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