On 16 December 2021, Centrica plc (“the Company”), issued a notice convening a General Meeting of the Company ("GM") to be held at 9:00am on 13 January 2022 at Heathrow/Marriott Hotel, Ditton Road, Langley, Slough SL3 8PT (the "Notice of GM").
Since the Company issued the Notice of GM, the Company has been closely monitoring the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. In view of the currently exceptionally high rates of COVID-19 (“COVID”) in England and growing pressure on public health services as a result, the Company has reviewed the arrangements for the GM with a view to protecting the health and safety of our shareholders, employees and other potential attendees.
The health and safety of the Company’s shareholders is of paramount concern to the Directors. Therefore, in the interests of shareholders' own safety and the safety of others, the Company considers the most responsible approach in the current public health circumstances is to strongly advise shareholders to appoint the Chair of the GM as their proxy or attend the GM remotely rather than attending the GM in person.
Shareholders’ views remain very important to us and therefore shareholders are encouraged to submit questions in advance of the GM or attend and participate in the GM remotely via live webcast on the Lumi platform. Shareholders can participate remotely by following the instructions provided in the Virtual Meeting Guide available on the Company’s website which includes details for how to submit votes and questions on the day when participating remotely.
Instructions for submitting proxy votes are contained within the Notice of GM. To be valid, your proxy instruction must, as previously stated in the Notice of GM, be received by Equiniti by no later than 9.00 am on Tuesday, 11 January 2022 or 9.00 am on Monday 10 January in respect of shares held in FlexiShare or the Share Incentive Plan.
Shareholders may also submit questions in advance of the meeting until 6.30 pm on Monday 10 January 2022 via the online question form on our website.
Any shareholders still intending to attend the GM in person are requested to note the following health and safety measures which will be in effect:
- all attendees will be required to declare a negative COVID lateral flow test taken within 24 hours of arrival at the GM before being admitted to the GM (lateral flow tests are available free of charge from pharmacies or can be ordered online at: www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests);
- unless exempt, all attendees will be required to wear a face mask covering the nose and mouth at all times;
- all attendees are requested to follow signage and layout protocols at the venue designed for social distancing purposes; and
- all attendees must follow good hygiene practices at all times.
The Company reserves the right to refuse admission to the GM to any attendees not adhering to the above measures and/or any other reasonable requirements of the Company that are in the interests of maintaining health and safety of attendees.
Shareholders are also reminded that, as set out in the Notice of GM and also in the interests of minimising the public health risks from COVID:
- no refreshments will be provided; and
- Directors will not be available to meet with shareholders before or after the GM (shareholders are further informed that, in the circumstances and for the reasons set out in this update, the majority of Directors will not be attending the meeting in person at the venue).
If circumstances change, including if regulations are introduced to prohibit or further restrict public gatherings or Government guidance changes, the Company reserves the right to take further steps in respect of attendance at the GM. To the extent the Company does make further changes to the arrangements for the GM, the Company will notify shareholders via its website and (where appropriate) via a Regulatory Information Service. Shareholders are therefore encouraged to check Centrica’s website and the latest U.K. Government guidance before finalising any travel arrangements to attend the GM in person.
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