group selection and data collection; market trends for executive and director compensation; equity compensation; a risk assessment of our compensation programs; and input on this Compensation Discussion and Analysis.
Other Compensation Policies and Practices
Employment arrangements. Although our named executive officers are employed “at-will” and their employment can be terminated at any time for any reason with or without cause, we have entered into employment agreements or offer letters with each of our named executive officers to establish an initial base salary and eligibility to participate in our employee benefit programs.
Anti-hedging and pledging policies. Under our insider trading policy, our employees, including our executive officers, and non-employee directors are prohibited from the following transactions: entering into hedging or monetizing transactions or similar arrangements with respect to our securities, including collars, equity swaps, exchange funds and forward contracts; holding our securities in a margin account or pledging our securities as collateral for a loan, unless approved in advance; short selling our securities; and engaging in any transaction in publicly traded options in our securities, including puts or calls or other derivative securities.
Compensation risk considerations. The compensation committee has reviewed our compensation policies and practices, in consultation with its external compensation consultant, to assess whether they encourage our employees to take inappropriate risks. After reviewing and assessing our compensation philosophy, policies, and practices, including the mix of fixed vs. variable and short- vs. long-term compensation, overall pay and incentive structures, the risk mitigating features built into our programs, and the independent board oversight of our programs, the compensation committee has determined that any risks arising from our compensation policies and practices for our employees are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the company as a whole.
Tax deductibility considerations. Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally disallows public companies to take a tax deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes for compensation in excess of $1 million paid in a year to a covered employee. Once an individual has been determined to be a covered employee, the deduction limitation applies indefinitely. While Pinterest is not subject to Section 162(m) under transition rules for newly public companies, in approving the amount and form of compensation for our named executive officers, the compensation committee considers all elements of the cost of providing such compensation, including the potential impact of Section 162(m) in the future. However, the compensation committee believes that our stockholders’ interests are best served by retaining flexibility to award compensation that may result in non-deductible compensation expense. Therefore, the compensation committee has the discretion to pay compensation that is not deductible by virtue of the deduction limit of Section 162(m).
Accounting considerations. In approving the amount and form of compensation for our named executive officers, the compensation committee considers the impact of FASB ASC Topic 718, which requires us to measure and recognize the compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to our employees and directors, including RSUs and RSAs that may be settled for shares of our Class A and Class B common stock, based on the grant date fair value of these awards.
Compensation Committee Report
The compensation committee has reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis contained in this proxy statement. Based on their review and discussion, the compensation committee has recommended to the board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this proxy statement and incorporated into the company’s 2021 annual report on Form 10-K.
Members of the Compensation Committee
Leslie Kilgore (Chair)
Gokul Rajaram
Andrea Wishom