The Ethics Committee was created in the wake of the reform of Sacem’s Statutes and Rules and Regulations, following the enactment of the Order of 22 December 2016 transposing the European Directive of February 2014 on collective management.
The Ethics Committee is an arm of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board. Its objective is to anticipate, identify, manage and control conflicts of interest, whether existing or potential, involving directors, members of the Supervisory Board, members of the Statutory Committee, the CEO, the members of regulatory Committees and Committees created by the Board of Directors.
It receives their annual declarations of interests and ensures that the rules of eligibility to join the Board of Directors, the Supervisory Board and the statutory Programmes Committee are respected.
The Ethics Committee is composed of 3 Independent Qualified Persons from outside the society, appointed by the officers of the Board of Directors and the members of the Supervisory Board for a renewable three-years term. In 2023: Colette Bouckaert, Bruno Cotte and Oliver Schrameck.
Every year, and no later than March 1st, the directors and members of the Supervisory Board and the Chief Executive Officer will submit to the Ethics Committee an annual declaration containing the following information:
- any interests they have in the Society.
- any remuneration received by them during the preceding financial year from the Society, including those in the form of benefits, in kind or otherwise.
- any remuneration received by them from the company, during the preceding financial year, in the form of royalties
- any activities and positions held outside the company.
- any actual or potential conflict between their personal interests, or those of their immediate family, and those of the Society. Their obligations, or those of their immediate family, with regard to such interests and any obligations they have, or that their immediate family have, towards - any other natural or legal person.
The Ethics Committee has the power to propose the dismissal of a member by the General Assembly, following a period of suspension, if deemed necessary.
The Ethics Committee may take this action themselves or be requested to do so by the Board of Directors, a director, the Supervisory Board, a member of the Supervisory Board or the Chief Executive Officer.
In the event of a proven conflict of interest, the Ethics Committee will propose appropriate remedial measures after hearing an explanation from the person concerned.