Introduction
OEM International AB (the company) applies the Swedish Code of Corporate Governance (the Code) in accordance with the NASDAQ Stockholm's rules for issuers. The Code is aimed at creating good prerequisites for an active and conscientious owner role and constitutes an element in the self-regulation of Swedish enterprise. It is based on the "comply or explain" rule, which means that non-compliance with a term of the Code is not a breach provided there is an acceptable reason that can be explained. OEM International has noted a non-conformance with the rules of the Code concerning the Nomination Committee. The non-conformance is explained in detail under the heading Nomination Committee.
Division of responsibilities
The purpose of corporate governance is to create a clear division of roles and responsibilities between the owners, the Board of Directors and the executive management. Corporate governance in OEM is based on the Swedish Companies Act and other legislation and regulations, the rules applicable to companies listed on the stock exchange, the Articles of Association of the company, the internal governing instruments of the Board of Directors, the Swedish Code of Corporate Governance and other internal guidelines and regulations.
Shareholders
OEM International AB is a public company and was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange in December 1983. OEM International AB had 8,363 shareholders at the end of 2024. The ten largest shareholders controlled 69% of the share capital and 89% of the voting rights at year-end. The following shareholders had, directly or indirectly, shareholdings representing at least one-tenth of the number of voting rights for all shares in the company: Orvaus AB 27.7%, Siv Franzén 21.3% and Agne Svenberg 18.3%.
The Group's executive team holds regular business reviews under the leadership of the Managing Director. The Managing Director and members of Group management are presented on page 39 of this Annual Report and on the company's website (under About OEM/Group Executive Team).
Auditors
As required by the Articles of Association, the company must have at least one auditor appointed by the Annual General Meeting and, if the auditor is not an auditing firm, it must also have a deputy auditor. The company's auditors work according to an audit plan and report their observations to company management teams, the Group's executive team, the Audit Committee and the Board of Directors both during the course of the audit and in connection with the adoption of the annual financial statements. Internal procedures and control systems are reviewed as and when required. A final review of the annual financial statements and the Annual Report is carried out in January and February. A review is conducted in the interim report for the third quarter. An account of the remuneration of the auditors, including the fees for consulting services, is presented in Note 6. The auditors are required to continually assess their independence before deciding whether to undertake an engagement to provide consulting services
An account of the audit is reported to the shareholders in the form of an auditor’s report and other opinions, which constitute a recommendation to the shareholders on various items of business for resolution at the annual general meeting. The Auditor’s Report contains proposals for adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet for the Parent Company and the Statement of Comprehensive Income and the Statement of Financial Position for the Group, the appropriation of the company's profit and the discharge of the members of the Board and the Managing Director from liability.
The scope of the audit includes assessing compliance with the Articles of Association, the Swedish Companies Act, the Swedish Annual Accounts Act and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), issues related to measurement of items recognised in the Statement of Financial Position/Balance Sheet for the Group/the Parent Company.
The company's auditors meet with the Audit Committee three times a year and once a year with the Board. The company's auditors also attend the Annual General Meeting to explain and give opinions on the audit work.
At the 2024 Annual General Meeting, Öhrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers AB was appointed as the company's auditor until the conclusion of the 2025 Annual General Meeting. Frida Wengbrand was appointed as the principal auditor. Öhrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers AB performs the audit of OEM International AB and most of the subsidiaries.
Internal control and risk management regarding financial reporting for the 2024 financial year
As required by the Swedish Annual Accounts Act, the Board of Directors must annually submit a presentation of the most important elements of the company's system for internal control and risk management with regard to its financial reporting. Pursuant to the Swedish Companies Act, the Board of Directors is responsible for internal control. This responsibility includes an annual assessment of the financial reporting submitted to the Board and stipulates requirements regarding its contents and presentation in order to ensure the quality of the reporting. This requirement means that the financial reporting must be fit for its purpose and appropriate and apply the applicable accounting rules, acts and regulations and any other requirements placed on listed companies. The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that there is an adequate system for internal control, which covers all essential risks of errors in financial reporting. OEM's system for internal control comprises the control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information, communication and follow-up.
Control environment
OEM builds and organises its operations on decentralised profit and budget responsibilities. The basis for internal control in a decentralised organisation is a firmly-established process, aimed at defining goals and strategies for each organisation. Defined decision-making channels, powers and responsibilities are communicated through internal instructions and through guidelines and policies adopted by the Board of Directors. These documents set out the division of responsibilities and duties between the Board of Directors and the Managing Director and within the operational activities. They also include a financial policy, a manual for economic and financial reporting and instructions for each closing of the books. A Group-wide reporting system is used for the Group's year-end procedures.
Risk assessment
OEM has established procedures for handling risks that are deemed by the Board and the company's management to be essential for the internal control regarding financial reporting. The Group's exposure to a number of different market and customer segments and the division of its operations into some 30 companies ensures a significant spread of risk. The risk assessment is carried out based on the Group's Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Comprehensive Income in order to identify the risk for significant errors. The greatest risks for the OEM Group as a whole are related to inventories and trade receivables.
Control activities
OEM has established a number of control activities based on risk assessments that have been carried out. The activities are both preventive and ascertaining and include transaction-related checks, such as rules regarding authorisations and investments, and clear payment procedures, as well as analytical checks performed by the Group's controller organisation and central financial function. There are also various control activities related to the management of the purchase, logistics and sales processes. Controllers and financial managers on all levels in the Group have a key role with regard to integrity, competence and ability to create the environment that is required to achieve transparent and fair financial reporting. An important overall control activity is the monthly performance follow-up, which is carried out via the internal reporting system and which the Board of Directors analyses and comments on as part of its internal work. This involves comparing performance against set targets and previous results and reviewing a number of key ratios. Each company in the Group has an active Board where the majority of the companies have someone from the Group's management team as chairperson. The Group management makes regular visits to the subsidiaries that are subject to financial follow-up.
Information, communication and follow-up
Internal information and external communications are regulated at an overall level.
Relevant steering documents and instructions are available on the Group's intranet.
The Group has a whistleblowing procedure. Employees can anonymously contact an independent third party and report any actual or suspected breaches of the law, company policies, etc. All reports are logged and a summary of the concerns and the actions taken are regularly reported to the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors receives comments from the Managing Director concerning the state of the business and the development of the operations on a monthly basis. The Board of Directors also deals with all quarterly financial statements, as well as the annual report prior to their publication.
The financial situation is discussed at each Board meeting. The members of the Board then have an opportunity to pose questions to the company's management.
The company's auditors attend Audit Committee meetings three times a year and Board meetings once a year and present their observations. The members of the Board then have an opportunity to pose questions. Every year, the Board takes a position on significant risk areas and assesses the internal control.
Furthermore, OEM's management continuously assesses the internal control regarding financial reporting, above all, through own analysis, by asking questions and taking part in the work of the control function.
Internal audit
The company and the Group have a relatively simple legal and operating structure and working steering and internal control systems. The Board continuously follows up the different Group companies' assessments of internal control, among other things, through contacts with the company's auditors. The Board has therefore decided not to have a separate internal audit.