Amendments


Title: Corporate Governance Best-Practice Principles for TWSE/GTSM Listed Companies(2012.11.22)
Date:
Article 24       A TWSE/GTSM listed company shall appoint independent directors in accordance with its articles of incorporation not less than two in number and not less than one-fifth of the total number of directors.
    Independent directors shall possess professional knowledge and there shall be restrictions on their shareholdings and the positions they may concurrently hold. They shall maintain independence within the scope of their directorial duties, and may not have any direct or indirect interest in the company.
    A TWSE/GTSM listed company shall, in accordance with Article 192-1 of the Company Act, adopt a candidate nomination system for election of the independent directors and expressly stipulate such system in the articles of incorporation; and the shareholders shall elect the directors from among the nominees listed in the roster of director candidates. Independent and non-independent directors shall be elected at the same time but on separate ballots pursuant to Article 198 of the Company Act.
    If a TWSE/GTSM listed company and its group enterprises and organizations, and another company and its group enterprises and organizations nominate for each other any director, supervisor or managerial officer as a candidate for an independent director of the other, the TWSE/GTSM listed company shall, at the time it receives the nominations for independent directors, disclose the fact and explain the suitability of the candidate for independent director. If the candidate is elected as an independent director, the TWSE/GTSM listed company shall disclose the number of votes cast in favor of the elected independent director.
     The "group enterprises and organizations" in the preceding paragraph comprise the subsidiaries of the TWSE/GTSM listed company, any foundation to which the TWSE/GTSM listed company's cumulative direct or indirect contribution of funds exceeds 50 percent of its endowment, and other institutions or juristic persons that are effectively controlled by the company.
    Change of status between independent directors and non-independent directors during their term of office is prohibited.
    If an independent director is released for any reason, resulting in a number of directors lower than that required under paragraph 1 or the articles of incorporation, a by-election for independent director shall be held at the next shareholders meeting. In the event that all the independent directors have been released, the company shall convene a special shareholders meeting to hold a by-election within 60 days from the date on which the vacancies arose.
    Where a TWSE/GTSM listed company has created the position of managing director, the managing directors shall include no less than one independent director, and no less than one-fifth of the managing director seats shall be held by independent directors.
    The professional qualifications, restrictions on both shareholding and concurrent positions held, determination of independence, method of nomination and other requirements with regard to the independent directors shall be set forth in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Act, the Regulations Governing Appointment of Independent Directors and Compliance Matter for Public Companies, and the rules and regulations of the Taiwan Stock Exchange or GreTai Securities Market.
Article 26       A TWSE/GTSM listed company shall stipulate the scope of duties of the independent directors and empower them with manpower and physical support related to the exercise of their power. The company or other board members shall not restrict or obstruct the performance of duties by the independent directors.
    A TWSE/GTSM listed company shall stipulate the remuneration of the directors in its articles of incorporation or approve the same in a shareholders meeting. The remuneration of the directors shall fully reflect the personal performance and the long-term management performance of the company, and shall also take the overall operational risks of the company into consideration. Different but reasonable remuneration from that of other directors may be set forth for the independent directors.
    When a TWSE/GTSM listed company, under its articles of incorporation, or by resolution of its shareholders meeting, or by order of the competent authority, sets aside a certain proportion of earnings as special reserve, such allocation shall be made after the allocation of legal reserve and before the distribution of director and supervisor compensation and employee bonuses, and the company shall provide in the articles of incorporation the method to be adopted for distributing earnings when reversal of the special reserve is added into the undistributed earnings.
Article 44       A supervisor shall be familiar with the relevant laws and regulations, understand the rights, obligations, and duties of directors of the company and the functions, duties, and operation of each department, and attend meetings of the board of directors to supervise the operations and to state his/her opinions when appropriate so as to control or discover any abnormal situation early on.
    A TWSE/GTSM listed company shall stipulate the supervisor's remuneration in its articles of incorporation or by an approval in a shareholders meeting.