Executive Compensation Certification

Why is Executive Compensation so Tricky? Discover the secrets and earn a valuable certification.

Most organizations are wrestling with executive compensation plans in 2024. As executives demand higher pay, organizations strive to reduce costs. At the same time, social justice conversations have shined a bright spotlight on pay inequity.

Executive compensation is one of the most powerful – and expensive – tools your organization has for driving performance, fostering alignment, creating accountability, and communicating priorities to stakeholders. It is subject to significant oversight by boards, in-depth public disclosure, and intense scrutiny by investors and government regulators. You must show your organization’s sound governance by responding to the concerns of stakeholders and avoiding this frequent lightning rod for criticism.

Learn how the accomplish these goals and advance your career by participating in our five-session certification program:

Session 1 - Executive Compensation in a Total Rewards Strategy

• Who is an executive?
• Elements of executive rewards
• Developing an executive rewards strategy
• Base salary considerations
• Market survey benchmarking
• Performance measures, goals, metrics, and assessments

Session 2 - Taxation/Regulations, and Executive Benefits and Perquisites

• Forms of taxation
• Section 162(m) million dollar cap
• SEC rules and regulations
• Proxy disclosures
• Primary regulatory influences
• Introduction to short-term incentives
• Strategic definitions of executive benefit programs
• Examples of perquisites offered to executives
• Golden parachutes for executives
• Introduction to long-term incentives

Session 3 - Executive Short-Term Incentives

• Short-term incentive approaches
• Basis for setting goals and performance measures
• Short-term incentive design framework for executives for all employees
• Pragmatic applications
• Step-by-step methodologies
• Specific design examples and case studies

Session 4 - Executive Long-Term Incentives (Part One)

• Long-term incentive programs, cash- and equity-based
• Stock Options
• Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs)
• Restricted Stock
• Performance Shares

Session 5 - Executive Long-Term Incentives (Part Two)

• Performance Unit Plans
• Equity valuation methodologies
• Pragmatic applications of long-term incentive programs
• Specific design examples and case studies