The Human Resources Committee comprises the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and two Supervisory Board members from among the shareholders and two from the employees. The Chairman of the Supervisory board is the Chair of the Human Resources Committee. The Human Resources Committee prepares the personnel decisions of the Supervisory Board. The Human Resources Committee decides on behalf of the Supervisory Board (with the exception of rules relating to salary and pay) on the signing, amendment or termination of employment contracts with members of the Executive Board, other legal business for Executive Board members in line with Section 112 of the German Stock Corporations Act, approval of essential business in line with Point 4.3.4 Sentence 3 of the German Corporate Governance Code, consent to the external posts held by an Executive Board member in line with Section 88 of the German Stock Corporations Act, and consent for other secondary and additional employment, in particular acceptance of Supervisory Board mandates or any mandates in comparable controlling bodies for commercial companies outside the Group, award of loans to the persons specified in Sections 89, 115 of the German Stock Corporations Act and approval of contracts with Supervisory Board members in line with Section 114 of the German Stock Corporations Act. The Human Resources Committee regularly advises on long-term succession planning for the Executive Board. The Committee considers this planning in the context of the company s own management planning.