Ford's corporate governance principles, code of ethics and charters for each committee set the governance framework for Ford's Board of Directors.
Ford's Board addresses significant business issues as a full group and through five committees: Audit, Compensation, Environmental and Public Policy, Finance, and Nominating and Governance. During 2007, five Directors served on the Environmental and Public Policy Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Homer Neal, an independent director. The Committee reviews environmental, public policy and sustainability issues facing the Company around the world. During 2007, Ford's Board of Directors met 11 times and the Environmental and Public Policy Committee met three times.
We have established a procedure for shareholders to submit accounting and other concerns to independent directors and to send other communications to the Board.
Under New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Listed Company rules, a majority of our directors must be independent directors. The NYSE rules also provide that no director can qualify as independent unless the Board affirmatively determines that the director has no material relationship with the listed company. Ford's standards in determining whether or not a director has a material relationship with the Company are contained in the Company's Corporate Governance Principles. Based on Ford's standards, nine of the Company's current 13 directors are independent. Two of Ford's Directors are women. One Director is African-American and one is Hispanic.
For more information on Ford's corporate governance practices, including the principles and policies that govern the conduct of the Board and the members of the Board, please see our Web site.