Vilmorin & Cie - Annual report 2017-2018

Vilmorin & Cie and its SHAREHOLDERS 6 ANNUAL REPORT Vilmorin & Cie 234 2017-2018 Since November 2014, the letters have also included a thematic dossier providing insights into Vilmorin & Cie’s strategy. After presenting the theme of innovation until June 2017, with a particular focus on plant biotechnologies* or on major strategic crops such as tomato and wheat, the November 2017 letter marked the beginning of a new collection whose theme is the internationalization of Vilmorin & Cie’s activities. A focus was thus placed on Vilmorin & Cie’s presence in North America. Vilmorin & Cie takes advantage of its annual presence at the Actionaria Fair to distribute its letter to shareholders present on the stand. And finally, every January, Vilmorin & Cie publishes a special letter on the Annual General Meeting looking back on the highlights of this event. The shareholder’s Guide Every year Vilmorin & Cie publishes a shareholder’s guide in French, the content of which is more concise than the annual report. Apart from a presentation of the Company’s activity and strategy and the evolution of the share on the stock market, it presents five good reasons for becoming a Vilmorin & Cie shareholder. The shareholder’s guide is sent out by letter to almost 1,000 individual Shareholders and is also available on request from the Company’s Finance Department. “L’Essentiel” This summary document provides a brief overview in French of Vilmorin & Cie’s business activity, its development model and track record on the Paris stock market. It is handed out at the Actionaria Fair and shareholders’ meetings, and can be consulted and downloaded on Vilmorin & Cie’s website. Meetings Thematic conferences Organized for the first time in 2014, thematic conferences are intended for current and also potential shareholders who wish to delve deeper into one of Vilmorin & Cie’s strategic topics. This morning of privileged exchanges gives the shareholders the opportunity to understand Vilmorin & Cie’s strategy better, through a pedagogical presentation. The objective is to inform and explain, while encouraging dialog through the time devoted to questions and answers. Key topics are dealt with such as innovation (including plant biotechnologies* and GMOs*), international strategy, Vilmorin & Cie’s activities in Africa, and some of the specific aspects of the seed profession. Shareholders’ meetings In 2017-2018, Vilmorin & Cie exchanged with its Shareholders at a meeting held in Strasbourg. The Company will continue to organize these privileged moments of exchange with its Shareholders during the course of 2018-2019. They provide an opportunity to present the Company, its activities, its business and its strategy, while answering numerous questions. The Actionaria Fair Vilmorin & Cie, a faithful participant in the Actionaria Fair in Paris for more than ten years, was present at this event in November 2017, with very positive results once again both in terms of participation and the quality of the exchanges. It is an important event in the Company’s communication strategy with regard to its individual Shareholders, and Vilmorin & Cie’s management, financial communication team and members of the Consultative Committee for Shareholders are all present. Last year’s Actionaria was marked by Vilmorin & Cie’s presence at the Chairmen’s Agora. The Company will be present once again for the 2018 fair. The Actionaria Fair is also an opportunity for moments of exchange between Vilmorin & Cie’s Shareholders and the Company’s management, present at the stand, prior to the Annual General Meeting. Annual General Meeting of Shareholders Vilmorin & Cie’s Annual General Meeting, a highlight in its relations with its Shareholders, is a time of listening and exchanging, shared with the Board of Directors. The Shareholders can thus participate actively in the group’s important decisions by voting, whatever the number of shares held. Shareholders have the possibility of voting on the Internet, before the Annual General Meeting, on the secure voting platform VOTACCESS. Shareholders who so wish can also benefit from an electronic notification, i.e. to receive their invitation to attend the Annual General Meeting by e-mail. The Annual General Meeting deliberating on the annual financial statements for 2017-2018 will take place on December 7, 2018 in Paris. Detailed information concerning General Meetings is presented on page 239. The Consultative Committee for Shareholders The Consultative Committee for Shareholders (CCS) was formed in the spring of 2010 with the objective of contributing to the development strategy for individual Shareholders. It makes proposals to Vilmorin & Cie on the expectations of individual Shareholders and thus on improving financial communication. The duration of the mandate for individual Shareholder members on the Committee is two years, and they may be re-elected. As part of the partial renewal of its Committee, Vilmorin & Cie welcomed three new individual Shareholders during fiscal year 2017-2018. Recruitment was based on applications received following the call for applications published in the January 2018 letter to shareholders and on the Company’s website. The members of the CCS and the financial communication team then made the selection. 6.4. Relations with Shareholders