Compensation policy

On 18 August 2011, the Board of Directors issued the Group regulation “Compensation standards” for Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG and its Group companies (revised on 1 February 2021). The Group regulation is based on: the current version of the Ordinance on Banks and Investment Firms (Banking Ordinance) of 22 February 1994, in particular Appendix 4.4; EU Directive 2013/36/EU (CRD IV) of 26 June 2013; Regulation No. 575/2013 (CRR) of 26 June 2013; Delegated Regulation No. 527/2014 of 12 March 2014; Delegated Regulation No.  2021/923 of 25 March 2021; Delegated Regulation No. 2016/861 of 18 February 2016; and EBA Guideline “EBA/GL/2015/22” of 27 June 2016. These legal provisions are applied to the LLB Group in a way and to a degree that is commensurate with its size and internal organisation as well as the type, scope and complexity of its business.

The Group regulation “Compensation standards” regulates the framework for the Group-wide compensation policy, in particular in regard to its alignment to risk management. It stipulates the basis, values and objectives and sets out the minimum requirements for the design of the compensation systems. In addition, it regulates Group-internal and Group-external reporting as well as related responsibilities. The Group regulation applies particularly to those persons who are identified as risk takers in a process that is carried out annually. To implement the Group regulation “Compensation standards” at Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG, the Board of Directors has also issued the separate regulation “Compensation standards” (revised on 1 February 2021).

As a company exempt from Art. 12, Para. 2 of the OaEC, Liechtensteinische Landesbank has not stipulated any regulations concerning compensation, participation and loans. The Group companies issue company-specific compensation guidelines that take into consideration the applicable (special) legal regulations. Deviations from the Group regulation are only permitted if they stem from prevailing law or special legal regulations.

The compensation policy is in line with the business strategy as well as with the targets and values of the LLB Group and is based on the following principles:

• Sustainability and risk adjustment: Compensation practices must contribute to long-term corporate development. They must support risk management and the pursuit of both sustainable increases in the company’s value as well as long-term client and employee retention. Compensation policy has to offer incentives in a manner that allows for adequate risk behaviour by individual persons in order to counteract any conflicts of interest.
  Compensation policy is so designed to be consistent with and promote sound and effective risk management with respect to sustainability risks. Specifically, the compensation structure does not encourage excessive risk‐taking with respect to sustainability risks. This is ensured, among other things, by adequately addressing risks with regard to sustainability aspects and business performance. The LLB Group applies these principles also to corresponding target agreements with relevant persons.
• Foundation of trust:The design of the compensation regulations and processes is based on a mutual foundation of trust between employees and employers. This is necessary because there are time differences between the provision of the performance and the acceptance of responsibility on the one hand, and the payment of the compensation on the other. Furthermore, a performance appraisal has subjective elements. Accordingly, the voluntary nature of the payment of the variable component must be ensured and attention must be drawn to the scope of discretion in this respect.
• Performance and success orientation: Compensation practices also have to reward both individual performance and company-related performance. The focus on the Group’s success promotes, and is in line with, the LLB Group’s long-term interests. Acknowledging individual performance serves performance motivation, the management of individual performance contributions towards achieving company targets as well as the retention of top performers.
• Simplicity, clarity and comprehensibility: The compensation regulations and models are to be kept simple, clear and comprehensible. Employees as well as third parties should be able to easily understand the basic concepts.
• Fair compensation in accordance with responsibilities and management level: The determination of compensation also has to consider the workload as well as the degree of responsibility and reflect the different management level requirements in a clear and fair manner.
• Group orientation: Compensation has to promote Group orientation. It aims to further commitment towards Group success and increased identification with the Group through employee participation in the long-term development of value and in shared ownership by means of an appropriate share option scheme.
• Freedom from discrimination: All decisions concerning the employment relationship, including decisions on compensation, are based on the qualifications, the performance and the conduct of the individual or on other legitimate, objective corporate considerations.

The compensation policy forms the basis for the compensation standards stipulated in appropriate regulations and for the compensation model. The compensation standards set out the objectives, processes and requirements for the design of the compensation. They also contain rules for the alignment between compensation and risk management. For employees who receive a variable component of compensation, the compensation model specifies the ratio between fixed and variable portions and the allocation mechanism for the variable portion.