Declaration of Conformity

2023 Joint Declaration of Conformity by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board of Klöckner & Co SE pursuant to Section 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act on the German Corporate Governance Code

Except for the deviation listed below, Klöckner & Co SE had complied with all recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code in the version of April 28, 2022 (published on June 27, 2022 in the Federal Gazette) since the last Declaration of Conformity dated December 13, 2022 and will comply with those in future:

C.10:
Pursuant to provision C.7 of the Code it may indicate a lack of independence with respect to the company if a member of the Supervisory Board belongs to it for more than 12 years. Prof. Vogel is a member of the Supervisory Board as of May 31, 2006, is its chairman and the chairman of its presidium (being the committee responsible for the remuneration of the Management Board). Albeit the Management Board and the Supervisory Board see no indication for a lack of independence with respect to Prof. Vogel, against the background of provision C.7 of the Code and as a matter of precaution, a deviation is declared with regard to Recommendation C.10.

In the view of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board it is in the interest of the company that Prof. Vogel is a member of the Supervisory Board of the company and serves as its chairman and the chairman of the presidium, even if the term stated in the Code is exceeded. The value of Prof. Vogel for the work of the Supervisory Board should be beyond any doubt. Beside his professional and personal qualifications as well as his experience, particularly as chairman of supervisory bodies, Prof. Vogel also has, due to the long term of his membership to the Supervisory Board, a notably deep knowledge of the company. Furthermore, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board appreciate the continuity represented by Prof. Vogel – particularly against the background of the personal changes within the Management Board during the last years.

Apart from that, with respect to Prof. Vogel, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, both do not share the concern behind the provision C.7 of the Code that there is an increased risk of conflicts of interest the longer a person belongs to the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board continuously monitors the occurrence of potential conflicts of interest with regard to all of its members. Until now, with respect to Prof. Vogel no situation giving rise to a risk of conflict of interest has occurred and there is no reason at hand why such risk should be assumed solely because a certain term of membership is exceeded.

Duisburg/Germany, December 08, 2023

The Supervisory Board             The Management Board