Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
The Audit Committee has the responsibility to oversee the Company’s guidelines and policies to govern the process by which risk assessment and risk management are undertaken by management, including with respect to corporate governance, financial, accounting, operational, environmental, health and safety, regulatory and cybersecurity risks. In connection with the Audit Committee’s oversight responsibility, executive management briefs the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis on risks faced by the Company. Under the Audit Committee’s oversight, management maintains a commercial insurance program for the Company’s benefit covering casualty, property, workers’ compensation, well operations and cybersecurity risks, among others. The Compensation Committee has the responsibility to oversee that our incentive pay does not encourage unnecessary risk taking and to review and discuss the relationship between risk management policies and practices, corporate strategy and senior executive compensation.
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Initiatives
Affirmation of Our Commitment
At Matador, we are committed to creating long-term value in a responsible manner. This commitment extends across our operations and includes a dedication to excellence with respect to environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. Our guiding focus on good stewardship is reflected in our Code of Ethics and in our Corporate Governance Guidelines, which are reviewed annually by the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. See “Corporate Governance” on page 21 for additional information.
Oversight and Coordination of ESG Efforts
The Board and senior management understand the importance of ESG matters and of supporting the Company’s ongoing efforts in this area. Matador’s senior management and full Board receive regular updates on our ESG efforts and engage with us to pursue continuous improvement in this area.
The Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Committee leads the Board’s oversight of Matador’s sustainability practices. In conjunction with senior management, the committee has direct accountability to review and evaluate sustainability practices, risks and strategies and to make recommendations to the full Board regarding sustainability matters.
The Audit Committee also has responsibility through its role overseeing risk assessment and risk management processes, including with respect to operational, environmental, health and safety and regulatory risks.
Progress in Enhancing ESG Reporting
In continuing to raise the profile of the Company’s ongoing ESG-related initiatives externally, we recognize the growing value to stakeholders of consistent and comparable ESG disclosures. In early 2021, we retained Ms. Appel to conduct a review of industry ESG reporting practices and to serve as a dedicated single-focal point for our various ESG efforts.
In May 2021, Matador published sustainability metrics aligned with standards developed by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and in July 2021, Matador published an update providing supplemental information to the Company’s initial report on these SASB-aligned ESG metrics.
In December 2022, Matador issued its annual Sustainability Report, which was first issued in December 2021. This report highlights Matador’s continued progress and improvements in its operating practices, including the quantitative metrics aligned with the SASB standards noted above, and should provide Matador’s stakeholders and interested parties with a standardized platform for evaluating the Company’s recent performance and future progress. Matador’s annual Sustainability Report, including the SASB-aligned sustainability metrics, is available on the Company’s website at www.matadorresources.com/sustainability. Information included in our Sustainability Report or otherwise included on our website is not incorporated into this Proxy Statement.
28 Matador Resources Company | 2023 Proxy Statement