UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.    )

Filed by the Registrant  ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

SEALED AIR CORPORATION

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

N/A

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

April 14, 2022

Dear Fellow Stockholder:

It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Sealed Air Corporation to be held on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern daylight time. This year’s Annual Meeting will again be a “virtual meeting” conducted via live audio webcast to facilitate broad stockholder attendance and equal participation, from any location around the world, at no cost. Each stockholder will be able to participate in the Annual Meeting by accessing a live webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022 and entering the 16-digit control number included on the stockholder’s Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card. Stockholders will also be able to vote their shares and submit questions via the Internet during the meeting by participating in the webcast.

During the Annual Meeting, stockholders will be asked to elect the entire Board of Directors and to ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as our independent auditor for 2022. We also will be asking stockholders to approve, by an advisory vote, our 2021 executive compensation as disclosed in the Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting. These matters are important, and we urge you to vote in favor of the election of each of the director nominees, the ratification of the appointment of our independent auditor, and the approval of our 2021 executive compensation.

We are again furnishing proxy materials to our stockholders over the Internet. This e-proxy process expedites stockholders’ receipt of proxy materials, lowers our costs and reduces the environmental impact of the Annual Meeting. Today we sent to most of our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access our Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and our 2021 Annual Report to Stockholders, as well as how to vote via the Internet. Other stockholders will receive copies of the Proxy Statement, a proxy card and the 2021 Annual Report by mail or e-mail.

It is important that you vote your shares of common stock at the virtual meeting or by proxy, regardless of the number of shares you own. You will find the instructions for voting on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card. We appreciate your prompt attention.

The Board of Directors invites you to participate in the Annual Meeting so that management can discuss business trends with you, listen to your suggestions and answer your questions. Thank you for your continuing support, and we look forward to joining you at Sealed Air’s 2022 Annual Meeting.

Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Sealed Air Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Sealed Air”), will hold its Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) on May 26, 2022, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern daylight time. The Annual Meeting will again be conducted as a virtual meeting via live audio webcast. Each stockholder may participate in the Annual Meeting, including casting votes and submitting questions, by accessing the live audio webcast at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022 and then using the 16-digit control number provided on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card being delivered to the stockholder. Online check-in to the Annual Meeting webcast will begin at 7:45 a.m., Eastern daylight time, and stockholders are encouraged to allow ample time to log in to the meeting webcast and test their computer audio system. There will be no physical location for the Annual Meeting.

The purposes for the Annual Meeting are to consider and vote upon:

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on March 28, 2022 as the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Sealed Air is making available or mailing its 2021 Annual Report to all stockholders of record as of the record date. Additional copies of the 2021 Annual Report are available upon written request to the Corporate Secretary at Sealed Air Corporation, 2415 Cascade Pointe Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208.

Because it is important that as many stockholders as possible be represented at the Annual Meeting, stockholders should review the attached Proxy Statement promptly and carefully and then vote. A stockholder may vote by following the instructions for voting set forth on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card. A stockholder who receives a paper copy of the proxy card by mail will also receive a postage-paid, addressed envelope that can be used to return the completed proxy card. A stockholder who joins the Annual Meeting may vote electronically at the Annual Meeting.

Sealed Air will maintain a list of stockholders of record as of the record date at Sealed Air’s corporate headquarters, 2415 Cascade Pointe Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina, for a period of ten days prior to the Annual Meeting.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Angel S. Willis

Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Charlotte, North Carolina

April 14, 2022

Participation in the Virtual Annual Meeting

The Board of Directors considers the appropriate format of our annual meeting of stockholders on an annual basis. This year the Board again chose a virtual meeting format for the Annual Meeting to facilitate broad stockholder attendance and equal participation, from any location around the world, at no cost. The virtual meeting format will allow our stockholders to engage with us at the Annual Meeting from any geographic location, using any convenient internet-connected devices, including smart phones and tablets, as well as laptop or desktop computers. We will be able to engage with all stockholders as opposed to just those who can afford to travel to an in-person meeting. The virtual format allows stockholders to submit questions and comments during the meeting.

The live audio webcast of the Annual Meeting will be available for listening by the general public, but participation in the Annual Meeting, including voting shares and submitting questions, will be limited to stockholders. To ensure they can participate, stockholders and proxyholders should visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022 and enter the 16-digit control number included on their Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card. If you wish to participate in the meeting and your shares are held in street name, you must obtain, from the broker, bank or other organization that holds your shares, the information required, including a 16-digit control number, in order for you to be able to participate in, and vote at, the Annual Meeting.

Stockholders can vote their shares and submit questions via the Internet during the Annual Meeting by accessing the annual meeting website at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022. Following adjournment of the formal business of the Annual Meeting, we will address appropriate questions from stockholders regarding Sealed Air in the order in which the questions are received. If we receive substantially similar questions, we will group those questions together and provide a single response to avoid repetition. Additional information regarding the submission of questions during the Annual Meeting can be found in our 2022 Annual Meeting Rules of Conduct and Procedure, available at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022.

		Sealed Air Corporation 2415 Cascade Pointe Boulevard Charlotte, North Carolina 28208

Proxy Statement Dated April 14, 2022

2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Sealed Air Corporation, a Delaware corporation, is furnishing this Proxy Statement and related proxy materials in connection with the solicitation by its Board of Directors of proxies to be voted at its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and any adjournments. Sealed Air Corporation is providing these materials to the holders of record of its common stock, par value $0.10 per share, as of the close of business on March 28, 2022 and is first making available or mailing the materials on or about April 14, 2022.

The Annual Meeting is scheduled to be held by webcast as follows:

Your vote is important. Please see the detailed information that follows.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. Certain statements contained in this Proxy Statement are or may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. We use words such as “anticipate,” “believe, “expect,” “future,” “intend” “strive,” “seek,” “goal,” “may,” “will,” “continue,” “target” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. All statements other than purely historical information, including statements regarding our operating model, plans and strategies and our environmental, social and governance goals, made in this document are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the uncertainties and risks discussed in our 2021 Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Information Referenced in this Proxy Statement. Website references throughout this document are provided for convenience only, and the content of the referenced websites, including the content on our Company website, is not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of this Proxy Statement or incorporated into this Proxy Statement or into any of our other filings with the SEC.

This summary highlights information about Sealed Air and the Annual Meeting. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting. References in this Proxy Statement to “Sealed Air,” “SEE,” and “Company,” and to “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms, refer to Sealed Air Corporation.

Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Annual Meeting Agenda

How to Cast Your Vote

You can vote by any of the following methods:

 

Until 11:59 p.m., EDT, on May 25, 2022

 

				Internet: www.proxyvote.com
				Telephone: +1-800-454-8683 if you beneficially own shares held in “street name” +1-800-690-6903 if you are the stockholder of record
				By Mail: Completed, signed and returned proxy card

 

At the Annual Meeting on May 26, 2022

 

				Internet: By joining the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SEE2022 if you are the stockholder of record or if you hold a proxy from the broker, bank or other nominee holding your shares in street name

If you participate in our 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan, you may use the proxy card to provide voting instructions to Fidelity Management Trust Company, as trustee, and your completed, signed card must be delivered to the trustee by 11:59 p.m., Eastern daylight time, on May 23, 2022.

Our Purpose

We are in business to protect, to solve critical packaging challenges, and to make our world better than we find it.

We are a leading global provider of packaging solutions integrating high-performance materials, automation, equipment and services. SEE designs and delivers packaging solutions that preserve food, protect goods, automate packaging processes, and enable e-commerce and digital connectivity for packaged goods. Our packaging solutions are designed to help customers automate their operations to be increasingly touchless and more resilient, safer, less wasteful, and enhance brand engagement with consumers.

We deliver our packaging solutions to an array of end markets including fresh proteins, foods, fluids, medical and healthcare, e-commerce, logistics and omnichannel fulfillment operations, and industrials. We serve customers across 114 countries/territories directly and through a diversified distribution network. We aim to deliver savings to our customers and accelerate payback on their investments. We invest in technology and innovation that transform our industry toward a more sustainable future.

Our Vision

To become a world-class, digitally-driven company automating sustainable packaging solutions.

We are building the SEE Solutions Ecosystem from our operations to our customers’ operations and to consumers, with Automation, Digital and Sustainability driving growth.

SEE Operating Model: Accelerating to World-Class

We expect the execution of our strategy and the power of the SEE Operating Engine to deliver higher, above market performance. As a result, we have raised our SEE Operating Model annual growth goals as set forth below.

Our Strategy

SEE caring, high-performance people + digital growth culture

We are bringing people together with a future that is more digitally connected. We prioritize our people and recognize the importance they play in realizing our purpose. Through digital platforms, we are accelerating our efforts to retain, attract and motivate top talent, train our leadership teams, develop future leaders, shape a caring, high-performance organization and culture, and drive top benchmark employee engagement.

Creating SEE Touchless Automation^™ experience

With our SEE Automation^™ solutions, we aim to solve our customers’ automation needs while creating significant return on their investments through savings and increased productivity. We have focused on increasing our equipment offerings which help our customers automate packaging processes. In addition, through our SEE Operating Engine, we are automating our own operations to make them more sustainable and generate productivity savings.

Digital transformation from innovate to solve in our ecosystem

We have launched the MySEE digital e-commerce platform to make doing business with SEE easier and more efficient. We are investing in automation and digital technologies that enhance performance, efficiency and monitoring in customers’ and our own operations. We are developing smart packaging that can enable traceability and deliver digital content. We are investing in digital printing to drive customer savings, generate demand and enhance brand image and shelf impact. We are accelerating our digital transformation by partnering with leading digital companies.

Best solutions, at the right price, and make them sustainable

Sustainability is embedded in our purpose and vision. We have set ambitious environmental goals aimed to lead the industry towards a better future. We are designing high-performance packaging materials with recyclability in mind, to make sustainability more affordable, and to create a pathway for a circular economy. We are transforming our operations and our customers’ operations with SEE Touchless Automation^™ which aims to improve efficiency, eliminate waste, simplify processes, and create a safer working environment.

Purpose driven capital allocation to create value for our shareholders and society

Our capital allocation strategy fuels the SEE Operating Engine and is rooted in economic value add with the goal to drive profitable, above market organic growth, and attractive returns on invested capital. We invest through capital expenditures, research and development, acquisitions, and other investments aligned with our strategy. SEE Ventures is embedded in our capital allocation strategy, through which we invest in entrepreneurial and disruptive technologies that present opportunities to accelerate innovation and increase speed to market. In addition, dividends and share repurchases are used to return capital to shareholders.

SEE Operating Engine Fueled by the 4P’S

People + Digital: SEE caring, high-performance culture

Leveraging the power of operating as One SEE, driving productivity, swarming challenges and opportunities; creating a digital connection between people and the customer experience, both internally and externally; rewarding value creation, executing talent strategies to develop, retain and attract top talent; focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leadership and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) excellence.

Performance: World-class

Outperform the markets we serve through our SEE Operating Engine; create customer references by offering the best service and being “at the table and online” with our customers; execute a purpose-driven capital allocation mindset.

Platforms: Best Solutions, right price, make them sustainable

Focus on leading solutions that generate customer savings; SEE Touchless Automation^™ — doing more with less by investing and working smarter; aiming to create significant customer savings.

Processes: SEE Operating Engine

Embed SEE Operating Engine into everything we do, thereby eliminating waste, automating and simplifying processes, and removing people from harm’s way.

Sustainability: Make our world better than we find it

Drive environmental, social, and governance excellence by focusing on achieving goals that aim to make our world better than we find it. SEE is dedicating innovation, research and development resources to design or advance packaging materials to be recyclable or reusable and contain more recycled and or renewable content and has announced a goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions within our operations by 2040.

2021 Highlights

In 2021, we delivered strong sales and earnings, overcoming dramatic inflationary, supply, and COVID challenges. Our results are a testament to our culture, people, and the powerful SEE Operating Engine.

Environmental, Social and Governance Highlights

Sustainability Is in Everything We Do and Fueling Our Growth

At SEE, environmental sustainability is integrated in our business strategy. Our priorities and commitments represent what we believe is important for creating a future that is more sustainable.

Accelerating the Advancement of a Circular Economy

We are working to achieve our 2025 Sustainability and Materials Pledge aimed to increase materials circularity in the industry through innovation, reducing plastic and other materials waste and collaborating for change.

Investment in Innovation. Dedicating innovation, research and development resources to design or advance packaging materials to be recyclable or reusable and contain more recycled and or renewable content.

Reduce Plastic and Other Materials Waste. Committing to ambitious targets of recycled content across all packaging solutions which maximize post-consumer recycled content.

Collaborate for Change. Building strategic partnerships, combining talent, resources and experience to scale solutions that drive a circular economy. SEE is a member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and an active participant in the American Chemistry Council.

Mitigating Climate Change

Sealed Air has set a goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions for its global operations by 2040. The Company will continue to reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions through investments in renewable energy and by increasing efficiencies across its operations.

Preserving Resources

We focus on reducing water use, energy use, and waste in our operations and throughout the supply chain while innovating, manufacturing and delivering high-performance packaging solutions.

SEE Ventures — Investing in a Sustainable Future

SEE Ventures is part of our capital allocation strategy focused on investing in early-stage disruptive technologies and new business models for growth. Our SEE Ventures investment portfolio includes those that advance plastic recycling and a circular economy.

SEE Caring, High-Performance Culture

At Sealed Air, we are developing a caring, high-performance culture that is guided by our purpose and focuses on creating long-term value for our stakeholders and society.

Culture Council Leading Transformation

In 2021, the Company created the Culture Council to assist in leading our culture transformation. The Culture Council is focused on executing six workstreams designed to further embed our high-performance culture throughout our organization.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: promoting a diverse, equitable, trusting and inclusive culture for all employees.

SEE Operating Engine: capturing our transformation successes into an operating engine that continues to reinvent our business from within.

Operational Excellence: pursuing continuous improvement opportunities.

SEE Academy: nurturing a learning culture that thrives on personal growth and development, strengthening our capabilities to deliver world-class results.

Total Wellbeing and Experience: strengthening our people through total wellbeing, physical and mental health, social, career, financial and community impact.

Community Impact: establishing a framework and resources to encourage active involvement in global philanthropic efforts, to empower local community engagement and to scale social impact in our communities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strengthening Our Culture

On our journey to world class, we are committed to creating a diverse workplace where each person feels valued and respected. Our individual, unique perspectives and inclusive culture will make our world better than we find it. It’s our responsibility to help drive the change we want to see. We are pledging to:

As of December 31, 2021, 25% of our global employee base are female and 34% of our U.S. workforce belong to racial and ethnic minority groups. We provide our consolidated EEO-1 report and additional information on our diversity, equity and inclusion actions on our website at https://www.sealedair.com/company/our-company/diversity-equity-and-inclusion.

Pro-Active Stockholder Engagement

We regularly engage with current and prospective stockholders. In 2021 we engaged with stockholders representing approximately 64% of our outstanding shares, and we discussed subjects such as long-term strategy, financial performance, acquisitions and divestitures, major trends and issues affecting the Company’s businesses, industry dynamics, executive compensation, sustainability, and environmental, social and governance matters. See “Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis—2021 Say-on-Pay Vote & Stockholder Outreach” for more information regarding stockholder engagement efforts relating to our executive compensation program.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee oversees the Company’s stockholder engagement activities. The feedback received from our stockholder engagement efforts is communicated to and considered by the Board, and our engagement activities have produced valuable feedback that helps inform our decisions and our strategy, when appropriate.

Code of Conduct and Ethics as the Foundation of Our Culture

Our Code of Conduct was approved by the Board and applies to our directors, officers, employees, suppliers and other third-party business partners. Our employees are required to review the Code of Conduct annually and affirm their adherence in writing. Employees receive regular online education as part of enhanced global ethics and compliance programs. This training includes required and monitored courses for employees in specific roles based on associated risk and function. The topics of online courses include the Code of Conduct, anti-bribery, anti-corruption, conflicts of interest, workplace respect and others. The Integrity Committee, with executive and senior leader membership, oversees the Company’s ethics and integrity programs. The Audit Committee regularly receives updates on matters relating to such programs.

Additional information on our environmental, social and governance efforts is available on our website at www. sealedair.com/company/sustainability.

Proposal 1. Election of Directors

Nominees

We are asking stockholders to elect the following eight director nominees. Each of the nominees currently serves as a director of Sealed Air. Information in the table is as of April 14, 2022.

Nominee Composition

Nominee Skills and Experience

Executive Leadership

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Global Business

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Finance and Accounting

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Manufacturing and Industry Experience

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Environmental and Sustainability

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Strategic Planning

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Corporate Governance

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Risk Management

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Technology, Science and Innovation

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Human Resources

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Proposal 2. Ratification of Appointment of Independent Auditor for 2022

We are asking stockholders to ratify the Audit Committee’s retention of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as our independent auditor to examine and report on our consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.

Proposal 3. Approval of 2021 Executive Compensation on an Advisory Basis

We are asking for stockholder approval, on an advisory basis in accordance with SEC rules, of the 2021 compensation of our “named executive officers” as disclosed under “Executive Compensation” in this Proxy Statement, including the disclosures set forth thereunder in “—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” and the compensation tables and related narrative discussion.

2021 Executive Total Target Direct Compensation Mix

* “Performance-Based” means AIP + PSU

Key Elements of Our Executive Compensation Program

The following table summarizes the main components of our executive compensation program for our named executive officers.

Key Compensation Policies and Practices

The Organization and Compensation Committee believes that our executive compensation program follows best practices aligned to long-term stockholder interests, as summarized below:

Board of Directors Overview

Under our Bylaws and the Delaware General Corporation Law, our business and affairs are managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, which delegates some of its responsibilities to its Committees. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board periodically reviews the size of the Board to ensure that the number of directors most effectively supports our Company. We have a strong commitment to diversity of background and experience among our directors, as described below under “— Board Diversity” and “Proposal 1. Election of Directors — Director Qualifications.”

Board Leadership Structure

Independence of Directors

Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines adopted by the Board and the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, the Board of Directors must consist of a majority of independent directors. The Board annually reviews the independence of all non-employee directors. The Board has established categorical standards consistent with the corporate governance standards of the NYSE to assist it in making determinations of the independence of Board members. We have posted a copy of our Standards for Director Independence on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights. These categorical standards require that, to be independent, a director may not have any material relationship with Sealed Air. Even if a director meets all categorical standards for independence, the Board reviews other relationships with Sealed Air in order to conclude that each independent director has no material relationship with Sealed Air either directly or indirectly.

The Board has determined that the following director nominees are independent: Elizabeth M. Adefioye, Zubaid Ahmad, Françoise Colpron, Henry R. Keizer, Harry A. Lawton III, Suzanne B. Rowland and Jerry R. Whitaker. The Board has also determined that Michael P. Doss and Neil Lustig, who are current directors but are not standing for re-election to the Board at the 2022 Annual Meeting, are independent, and that Dr. Jacqueline B. Kosecoff, who retired from the Board effective as of the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, was independent while she served as a director.

Board Oversight of Strategy

Oversight of Sealed Air’s business strategy and planning is a key responsibility of the Board. The Board has dedicated one Board meeting each year to an in-depth review of Sealed Air’s long-term strategic plan. The Board also regularly reviews strategy-related matters at other Board meetings throughout the year, such as key market trends, innovation and the competitive landscape. To monitor management’s execution of Sealed Air’s strategic goals, the Board receives regular updates and is actively engaged in dialogues with management.

Board Oversight of Sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Matters

We recognize sustainability and ESG as strategic business imperatives at Sealed Air and have made them an integral part of our strategy and business. Recognizing the importance of these matters, the Board designated the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee with the responsibility of overseeing our sustainability strategies and other matters concerning ESG and public policy issues affecting Sealed Air. The Board also designated the Organization and Compensation Committee with the responsibility of overseeing our workforce and people management strategies, including matters relating to corporate culture, employee engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion in furtherance of our ESG related strategies.

The Board is highly engaged in assessing sustainability and ESG matters affecting Sealed Air. The Board and its committees regularly discuss Sealed Air’s sustainability and ESG matters with management. In 2021, such discussions included matters related to corporate culture, sustainability and circular economy, carbon neutrality, climate and natural disaster responses, diversity, equity and inclusion, employee health and safety, materiality assessment, stakeholder engagement, community impact, as well as ESG reporting and governance.

For highlights of our ESG initiatives, see “2022 Proxy Summary—Environmental, Social and Governance Highlights.”

Board Oversight of Risk

The Board of Directors is actively involved in oversight of risks that could affect Sealed Air. The Board has delegated oversight of certain specific risk areas to Committees of the Board. For example, the Audit Committee oversees cybersecurity risk management as well as our major financial risk exposures and the steps we have taken to monitor and control such exposures, while the Organization and Compensation Committee considers risks arising in connection with the design of the Company’s compensation programs and succession planning. The risk oversight responsibility of each Board Committee is described in its committee charter available at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/committee-composition. The Board as a whole, however, is responsible for oversight of our risk management processes and our enterprise risk management program. The Board regularly discusses risk management with management and among the directors during meetings.

Cybersecurity risk oversight is a top priority for the Board. While the Board has delegated the specific responsibility of cybersecurity risk oversight to the Audit Committee, the Board is actively involved in overseeing cybersecurity risk management, both through presentations given by management during Board meetings as well as regular reports from the Audit Committee on its cybersecurity risk oversight activities. Normally, management is scheduled to provide cybersecurity updates at one Board meeting and three Audit Committee meetings each year. Sealed Air maintains a security awareness program that includes annual mandatory training, frequent phishing simulations, and acknowledgment of information security and acceptable use policies. Furthermore, individuals supporting the information security program are required to hold certifications demonstrating proficiency in the support of relevant technologies and controls.

The Board has been actively engaged in overseeing management’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, COVID-19 has been a recurring topic at Board meetings.

Board Diversity

Our Board is committed to seeking director candidates to achieve a mix of directors that enhances the diversity of background, skills and experience on the Board, including with respect to age, gender, international background, race, ethnicity and specialized experience.

We recently formalized our longstanding commitment to Board diversity by adopting the “Rooney Rule,” under which the Board is committed to seeking out qualified diverse candidates, including women and minority candidates, to include in the pools from which nominees for the Board are considered.

Since 2019, we have added three new female directors and two new ethnic minority directors to the Board. Our director nominees represent 38% in gender diversity and 25% in race and ethnic diversity.

Board Meetings, Committee Membership and Attendance

The Board generally holds four regular meetings per year and meets on other occasions when circumstances require. Directors spend additional time preparing for Board and Committee meetings, and we may call upon directors for advice between meetings. We encourage our directors to attend director education programs.

Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines, we expect directors to regularly attend meetings of the Board and of all Committees on which they serve and to review the materials sent to them in advance of those meetings. We also expect nominees for election at each annual meeting of stockholders to attend the annual meeting. All of our directors who were then serving as director attended the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that the Board will meet regularly in executive session without management in attendance. The Chairman of the Board presides at each executive session. The Chairman’s designee or the chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee serves as the presiding director if the Chairman of the Board is unable to serve.

During 2021 the Board held seven meetings. Each current director attended at least 95% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and all committees of the Board on which he or she served during 2021.

Board Committees and Membership

The Board maintains an Audit Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and an Organization and Compensation Committee. The members of these Committees consist only of independent directors. The Board also maintains an Executive Committee, which is comprised of the Chairman of the Board serving as chair of the Executive Committee, the CEO and the chairs of the other standing Committees. The Executive Committee may act on behalf of the Board when convening a meeting of the full Board is impractical. The Executive Committee did not meet in 2021.

The Board has adopted charters for each of the Committees, which are reviewed annually by the Committees and the Board. The Committee charters are available on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/committee-composition.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Each of Ms. Colpron, Mr. Doss, Mr. Lawton and Mr. Lustig, as well as Dr. Kosecoff, who retired from the Board effective as of the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, served on the Compensation Committee during 2021. During 2021 none of the members of the Compensation Committee was an officer or employee of Sealed Air or any of its subsidiaries, and no executive officer of Sealed Air served on the board of directors of any entity whose executive officers included a director of Sealed Air.

Board and Committee Evaluations

The Board and each committee annually conduct a self-evaluation to review and assess the overall effectiveness of the Board, each committee and the directors, including with respect to strategic oversight, board structure and operation, interactions with and evaluation of management, governance policies and committee structure and composition. The process includes detailed written surveys as well as individual, private meetings between each director and the Chairman. Committee self-assessments of performance are shared with the full Board. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also reviews the Corporate Governance Guidelines each year in light of changing conditions and shareholders’ interests and recommends appropriate changes to the Board for consideration and approval. Matters with respect to Board composition, the nomination of directors, Board processes and topics addressed at Board and committee meetings are also considered as part of our self-assessment process. As appropriate, these assessments result in updates or changes to our practices as well as commitments to continue existing practices that our directors believe contribute positively to the effect functioning of our Board and its committees.

Hedging Policy

Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines and other policies, all Sealed Air Corporation directors, executive officers and certain other key executives are prohibited from hedging and speculative trading of Sealed Air securities. They may not purchase or sell puts, calls, options or other derivative securities based on Sealed Air securities and may not enter hedging or monetization transactions such as zero-based collars and forward sale contracts, in which the holder continues to own the underlying security without all the risks or rewards of ownership. In addition, other than permitted loans from our 401(k) plan, such persons may not purchase Sealed Air securities on margin or borrow against any account in which Sealed Air securities are held, subject, in the case of executive officers and other key executives, to exceptions as may be granted by the Organization and Compensation Committee.

Corporate Governance Materials

The Board of Directors has adopted and operates under Corporate Governance Guidelines that reflect our current governance practices in accordance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, including those of the SEC and the NYSE. The Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights.

In addition to our Corporate Governance Guidelines, other information relating to corporate governance at Sealed Air is available on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights, including our: (i) Bylaws; (ii) Code of Conduct applicable to all directors, officers and employees of Sealed Air and its subsidiaries; (iii) Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Executives; (iv) Related-Person Transactions Policy and Procedures; (v) Standards for Director Independence; (vi) Qualifications for Nomination to the Board; and (vii) Policy and Procedure for Stockholder Recommendations for Nominations to the Board.

Communicating with Directors

Stockholders and other interested parties may communicate directly with the non-management directors of the Board of Directors by writing to

Non-Management Directors

c/o Corporate Secretary at Sealed Air Corporation

2415 Cascade Pointe Boulevard

Charlotte, North Carolina 28208

or by sending an email to directors@sealedair.com. In either case, the Chairman of the Board will be notified of all such correspondence as appropriate and will communicate with the other directors as appropriate about the correspondence. We have posted information on how to communicate with the non-management directors on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/contact-the-board.

Under our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board of Directors reviews any relationships or transactions that might constitute a conflict of interest for a director. Under its charter, the Audit Committee reviews and, if appropriate, approves conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest involving our senior financial executives, as well as oversees the investigation of and acts, or recommends action of the Board, on any other violations or potential violations of our Code of Conduct or Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Executives by executive officers.

The Board has adopted a Related-Person Transactions Policy and Procedures, which we refer to below as the Related-Person Policy. The current Related-Person Policy is posted on Sealed Air’s website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights. The Related-Person Policy provides for the review of all relationships and transactions in which Sealed Air and any of its executive officers, directors and five-percent stockholders or their immediate family members are participants to determine whether to approve or ratify such relationships or transactions, as well as whether such relationships or transactions might affect a director’s independence or must be disclosed in our Proxy Statement. All such transactions or relationships are covered if the aggregate amount may exceed $120,000 in a calendar year and the person involved has a direct or indirect interest other than solely as a director or a less than 10 percent beneficial ownership interest in another entity. The Related-Person Policy includes a list of certain types of pre-approved relationships and transactions. Determinations whether to approve or ratify any other relationship or transaction are based on the terms of the transaction, the importance of the relationship or transaction to Sealed Air, whether the relationship or transaction could impair the independence of a non-employee director, and whether the relationship or transaction would present an improper conflict of interest for any director or executive officer of Sealed Air, among other factors. Information on relationships and transactions is requested in connection with annual questionnaires completed by each of our executive officers and directors.

Under the Related-Person Policy, the Audit Committee has the responsibility to review and, if appropriate, approve or ratify all relationships and transactions covered under the Related-Person Policy, although the Board has delegated to the chair of the Audit Committee and to our CEO the authority to approve or ratify specified transactions. In making determinations under the Related-Person Policy, the Audit Committee shall consult with the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee as it deems appropriate. No director can participate in any discussion or approval of a relationship or transaction involving himself or herself (or one of his or her immediate family members). The Related-Person Policy provides that if material information about a previously reviewed transaction changes, our management must convey such information to the Audit Committee at its next meeting. In addition, if management becomes aware of a transaction that should have been reviewed under the Related-Person Policy, management must report the information to the Audit Committee promptly, and the Audit Committee will review the transaction in accordance with the Related-Party Policy and evaluate all options, including approving, ratifying, amending, terminating or rescinding such transaction. There were no related-person transactions that were referred to the Audit Committee in 2021.

During 2021 annual compensation for non-employee directors consisted of the following components: annual or interim retainers paid at least 50% in shares of common stock; committee fees paid in cash; and other fees for special assignments or director education programs paid in cash. A director may defer payment of annual or interim retainers until retirement from the Board of Directors, as described below. The following table shows the total compensation for non-employee directors during 2021:

Director Compensation Processes

Our director compensation program is intended to enhance our ability to motivate, retain and attract non-employee directors of exceptional ability and to promote the common interest of directors and stockholders in enhancing the value of our common stock.

The Board of Directors reviews director compensation at least annually based on recommendations by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

Independent Non-Employee Director Compensation Consultant

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee engaged Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc., or FW Cook, until October 2021, and Pearl Meyer & Partners LLC, or Pearl Meyer, since then as consultants for director compensation. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board base their determinations on director compensation on recommendations from FW Cook and Pearl Meyer, commercially available survey data related to

general industry director compensation trends at companies of comparable size and our peer group companies, as well as other relevant factors. FW Cook and Pearl Meyer also served as the independent consultant to the Compensation Committee on executive compensation.

Board Retainers

Under the 2014 Incentive Plan, each non-employee director who is elected at an annual meeting of stockholders receives an annual retainer for serving as a director. The Board sets the amount of the annual retainer prior to the annual meeting based on the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

The 2014 Incentive Plan gives the Board the flexibility to set annual retainers based on a fixed number of shares of common stock, a fixed amount of cash, or a combination of shares of common stock and cash. In late 2020, based on peer company data provided by FW Cook, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommended and the Board approved 2021 annual retainers in the amount of (a) $224,000 payable in shares of common stock and $160,000 payable in cash (or in shares of common stock at the election of the Chairman of the Board) for the independent Chairman of the Board, and (b) $140,000 payable in shares of common stock and $100,000 payable in cash (or in shares of common stock at the election of each director) for each other non-employee director.

The chair of the Audit Committee receives an annual fee of $25,000, and other members of the Audit Committee receive annual fees of $10,000. The chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee receives an annual fee of $15,000, and other members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee receive annual fees of $7,500. The chair of the Compensation Committee receives an annual fee of $20,000, and other members of the Compensation Committee receive annual fees of $10,000. Committee fees are paid quarterly in cash for each quarter served.

A non-employee director who is elected other than at an annual meeting is entitled to an interim retainer on the date of election. The interim retainer is a pro rata portion of the annual retainer to reflect less than a full year of service.

Form and Payment of Retainers

We pay at least half of each annual or interim retainer in shares of common stock or deferred stock units and the remainder in cash, except that each non-employee director may elect, prior to becoming entitled to the retainer, to receive the entire retainer in shares of common stock. For any portion of an annual or interim retainer denominated in cash but paid in shares of common stock, we calculate the number of shares of common stock to be issued by dividing the amount payable in shares of common stock by the fair market value per share. With respect to an annual retainer, the fair market value per share is the closing price of the common stock on the annual meeting date or, if no sales occurred on that date, the closing price on the most recent prior day on which a sale occurred. The number of shares issued as all or part of an interim retainer is determined based on the closing price of the common stock on the date of the director’s election to the Board of Directors or, if no sales occurred on that date, the closing price on the most recent prior day on which a sale occurred. If any calculation would result in a fractional share of common stock being issued, then we round the number of shares to be issued up to the nearest whole share.

We issue shares of common stock in payment of the stock portion of a retainer to the non-employee director promptly after he or she becomes entitled to receive it. We pay the cash portion of an annual retainer in a single payment shortly after the end of the calendar quarter during which the director is elected. We pay the cash portion of an interim retainer shortly after the end of the calendar quarter in which the non-employee director is elected, except that if the non-employee director is elected between April 1 and the next annual meeting of stockholders, then we pay the cash portion of the interim retainer shortly after the non-employee director is elected.

Deferred Compensation Plan

A non-employee director may defer all or part of the director’s annual retainer until the director retires from the Board. Each non-employee director may first elect to defer the stock portion of the annual retainer. If a non-employee director makes that election, he or she may also elect to defer the cash portion of the annual retainer.

A director receives stock units for his or her deferred stock, which will be converted to shares of our common stock following the director’s retirement from the Board. Directors are credited with dividend equivalents on their stock units, which are automatically converted into additional full or fractional stock units. Such stock units may not be transferred by a director and do not have voting rights.

We credit deferred cash to an unfunded cash account that earns interest quarterly at the prime rate less 50 basis points until paid. During 2021 none of the non-employee directors who participated in the Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors received above market earnings on his or her deferred cash or stock units.

A non-employee director may elect to receive the balances in his or her stock and cash accounts in a single payment or in five annual installments following retirement.

Restrictions on Transfer

A non-employee director may not sell, transfer or encumber his or her retainer shares while serving on the Board, except that a non-employee director may make gifts of such shares to family members or to trusts or other forms of indirect ownership so long as the non-employee director remains as a beneficial owner of the shares while the non-employee director remains a director of Sealed Air. The director has voting rights in respect of the retainer shares. The restrictions on the disposition of retainer shares terminate upon the occurrence of specified events related to a change in control of Sealed Air.

Other Fees and Arrangements

During 2021 non-employee directors who attended director education programs received a fee of $2,000 per day. All directors are entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with Board service, including attending Board or Committee meetings as well as director education programs. We pay these fees and reimbursements in cash; these payments are not eligible for deferral under the Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors described above.

2022 Director Compensation

In late 2021, based on the advice of Pearl Meyer, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommended, and the Board approved, fees payable to directors for 2022 in the same amounts as described under “Board Retainers.”

Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

In order to align the interests of directors and stockholders, we believe that our directors should have a significant financial stake in Sealed Air. To further that goal, we maintain stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors. The current stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors, which are part of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, specify that non-employee directors hold shares of common stock and stock units under our Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors equal in aggregate value to five times the amount of the annual retainer payable in cash, which equaled (a) for the Chairman of the Board, $800,000 for 2021 and 2022, and (b) for other directors, $500,000 for 2021 and 2022. The directors have five years following first election to achieve the guidelines. In the event of an increase in the amount of the annual retainer payable in cash, directors serving when the increase is approved by the Board of Directors have two years after such approval to achieve the increased guideline. As of March 28, 2022, all directors met the stock ownership guidelines for 2021, other than Ms. Adefioye, Mr. Ahmad and Ms. Rowland, who are within the initial five-year period allowed under the policy.

The Board has designated as nominees for election as directors the eight persons named below. Michael P. Doss and Neil Lustig, each of whom currently is a director, are not standing for re-election. As a result, they will step down from the Board and the size of the Board will be reduced to eight directors, effective at the Annual Meeting.

Each of the director nominees currently serves as a director of Sealed Air. Elizabeth M. Adefioye, who was appointed to the Board in March 2022, initially was identified by a third-party search firm hired by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and was appointed to the Board following evaluation and recommendation by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. All other nominees were elected by stockholders at our 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Each nominee presented below was recommended by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and nominated by the Board. Each director elected at the Annual Meeting will serve until our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until a successor is duly elected and qualified. Each director nominee has consented to being named in the Proxy Statement and to serving as a director, if elected.

Shares that are voted as recommended by the Board will be voted in favor of the election as directors of the nominees named below. If any nominee becomes unavailable for any reason or if a vacancy should occur before the election, which we do not anticipate, the shares represented by a duly completed proxy may be voted for a substitute nominee designated by the Board, unless the Board chooses to reduce its size.

The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” each of the eight nominees for election as directors.

Director Qualifications

The Board has adopted Qualifications for Nomination to the Board, a copy of which is posted on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights. The Qualifications provide that, in selecting directors, the Board of Directors should seek to achieve a mix of directors that enhances the diversity of background, skills and experience on the Board, including with respect to age, gender, international background, race, ethnicity and specialized experience. Directors should have relevant expertise and experience and be able to offer advice and guidance to our CEO based on that expertise and experience.

Also, a majority of directors should be independent under applicable NYSE listing standards, Board and Committee guidelines, and applicable laws and regulations. Each director is also expected to:

The Board has determined that, as a whole, it must have the right mix of characteristics, skills and diversity to provide effective oversight of Sealed Air. In connection with the Board’s annual self-assessment process, it reviews the diversity of skills and characteristics needed by the Board in its oversight of Sealed Air, as well as the effectiveness of the diverse mix of skills and experience. As part of the review process, the Board considers the skill areas represented on the Board, those skill areas represented by directors expected to retire or leave the Board in the near future, and recommendations of directors regarding skills that could improve the ability of the Board to carry out its responsibilities.

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

When the Board or its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has identified the need to add a new director with specific qualifications or to fill a vacancy on the Board, the chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will initiate a search to identify candidates who meet the Company’s “Qualifications for Nomination to the Board.” Such search may include seeking input from other directors and senior management, reviewing any candidates that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has previously identified, and, if necessary, hiring an external search firm.

The Board is committed to a policy of inclusiveness, and, as such, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, in performing its responsibilities to review director candidates and recommend candidates to the Board for election, considers in each search diversity of age, gender, international background, race, ethnicity and specialized experience, in addition to the other criteria set forth above under “—Director Qualifications” and such other factors as the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee deems appropriate.

We recently formalized our longstanding commitment to Board diversity by adopting the “Rooney Rule,” under which the Board is committed to seeking out qualified diverse candidates, including women and minority candidates, to include in the pools from which nominees for the Board are considered, invited for interviews and ultimately offered the opportunity to be appointed to the Board or stand for election to the Board.

Our director searches are conducted consistent with these priorities, and search firms with which we work are instructed accordingly.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will identify the initial list of candidates who satisfy the above criteria and otherwise qualify for membership on the Board. At least one member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (preferably the chair) and our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer will interview each qualified candidate; other directors will also interview the candidate if practicable. Based on a satisfactory outcome of those interviews, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will make its recommendation on the candidate to the Board.

Our Bylaws include a procedure that stockholders must follow in order to nominate a person for election as a director at an annual meeting of stockholders, other than a nomination submitted by a stockholder to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee in accordance with our Policy and Procedure for Stockholder Nominations to the Board, as described above under “Corporate Governance—Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.” The Bylaws require that timely notice of the nomination in proper written form, including all required information, be provided to the Corporate Secretary of Sealed Air. A copy of our Amended and Restated Bylaws is posted on our website at https://ir.sealedair.com/corporate-governance/highlights.

Information Concerning Nominees

The information appearing in the following table sets forth, as of April 14, 2022, for each nominee for election as a director:

There are no family relationships among any of our directors, nominees for director and executive officers.

Nominees for Election as Directors

Nominee Composition

Nominee Skills and Experience

Executive Leadership

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Global Business

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Finance and Accounting

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Manufacturing and Industry Experience

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Environmental and Sustainability

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Strategic Planning

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Corporate Governance

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Risk Management

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Technology, Science and Innovation

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Human Resources

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The following table sets forth, as of the record date of March 28, 2022 (or as otherwise indicated), the number of outstanding shares and the percentage of common stock beneficially owned:

The number of shares of common stock owned by each person is determined under the rules of the SEC. Under these rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares as to which the individual has sole or shared voting power or investment power and also any shares that the individual has the right to acquire within sixty days after the record date of March 28, 2022, or May 27, 2022, through the conversion of a security or other right. Unless otherwise indicated, each person has sole investment and voting power, or shares such power with a family member, with respect to the shares set forth in the following table. The inclusion in this table of any shares deemed beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership of those shares for any other purpose.

The address of all individuals listed above is c/o Sealed Air Corporation, 2415 Cascade Pointe Boulevard, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Our Compensation Discussion and Analysis, or CD&A, provides information on the goals and objectives of our executive compensation program including Sealed Air’s executive compensation philosophy, which focuses on incentivizing high-performance and value creation by aligning the interests of our Company, executives, and stockholders.

Our Named Executive Officers for 2021

This CD&A discusses the compensation provided to our named executive officers for 2021 (the “named executive officers” or “NEOs”):

2021 Summary of Business and Performance Results

Key Business Accomplishments in 2021

In 2021, we delivered strong sales and earnings, overcoming dramatic inflationary, supply, and COVID challenges. Our results are a testament to our culture, people, and the powerful SEE Operating Engine.

Key 2021 Compensation Actions, Decisions and Results

Stockholder Outreach

We had lower than normal stockholder support for our say-on-pay vote last year due to concerns over a one-time action we took in 2020 on a 2017 new hire award for our CEO. As a result, we reached out to stockholders representing approximately 74% of total shares outstanding to discuss perspectives on our executive compensation program and 2020 compensation decisions. In general, the stockholders we engaged with supported the design of our executive compensation program that demonstrates our pay for performance philosophy. See “2021 Say-on-Pay Vote & Stockholder Outreach” below for more information.

Execution of ESG Embedded in 2021 Performance

Sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance are strategic business imperatives at Sealed Air. In deciding base salary levels, target incentive awards, and annual incentive award payouts, the Compensation Committee considered the collective performance of the executive leadership team with respect to certain key strategic and operational goals, including Sealed Air’s sustainability and environmental, social and governance priorities. The Committee recognizes that performance on these strategic and operational goals contributed to Sealed Air’s strong financial performance and the compensation results in 2021. See “Environmental, Social and Governance Highlights” earlier in this proxy statement for more details.

2021 Incentive Compensation Payouts

Our financial performance drove the payouts for our 2021 annual incentive compensation awards and 2019-2021 performance share units (or PSUs):

2021 Annual Incentive Plan Results

2019 – 2021 Performance Share Unit Results