Ceres Inc.

“Our accounting and auditing firm sends the organization a questionnaire to fill out for preparing the form 990. This questionnaire is prepared and reviewed by the finance team. Then, our accounting and auditing firm prepares the draft 990, with the information gathered in the questionnaire provided by the finance team, and sends a draft to the organization. The finance team reviews this draft and emails to the full board for its review prior to its filing. The audit committee reviews comments received from board members and when satisfied accepts the 990. Afterwards the 990 is filed.”

“The organization has a written conflict of interest policy. As part of the board training, when joining the ceres board, the new board member is provided with the ceres board policies which contain the written conflict of interest policy. In this package is included the form "conflict of interest statement (cis)" where they are required to disclose any conflict of interest that may exist with the organization. Once a year, the board members complete this cis form. Also, as part of the governance compliance the board members are required to inform to any of the board co-chairs of ceres any material change that develops during the year in the information contained in the foregoing statement.”

“The executive committee of the board annually reviews and approves the ceo's compensation. A member of that committee gathers data from salary surveys from comparable sized nonprofits and brings that information back to the committee for its deliberations. The committee then decides on the appropriate compensation level for the coming year and any bonus warranted for the prior year. This is then conveyed with a recommendation to the full board in an executive session and the vote taken to approve the recommended compensation. The ceo is responsible for assessing the appropriate levels of other key employees. Compensation is based on performance, level of responsibility, cost of living factor, inflation, and to some degree the nonprofit market in boston (salary survery studies). The executive committee of the board is provided by the ceo a summary of salaries paid to officers and key employees (coo, cfo and chief development officer) of comparable organizations with data that was drawn from 990's and salary surveys. The averages are compared to proposed salaries for equivalent ceres staff. The executive committee advises the ceo if they have concerns about any of the proposed salary levels.”

“The form 990, audited financial statements and annual report are available at http://www.ceres.org/about-us/financials. The organization provides copies of its financial statements and governing documents upon request. Ceres' form 990 is also available via guidestar, and the massachusetts attorney general's website.”

“Sect. A - officers,dir.,trustees,key employees,highest compensated employees on july 14, 2011, the board of directors voted to change ceres' fiscal year end to october 31. The main reason for the change is to better align ceres' grant and planning cycles. As a result, the 2014 fiscal year presented is a 12-month year ending on october 31, 2014. Form 990 irs instructions, part vii, page 24 - indicate that in general: all organizations are required to complete part vii, and when applicable, schedule j (form 990), for certain persons. Compensation must be reported for the calendar year ending with or within the organization's tax year. This requires reporting of wages from form w-2 for the calendar year 12/31/13 for the organizational fiscal tax year ending 10/31/14.”

“On july 14, 2011, the board of directors voted to change ceres' fiscal year end to october 31. The main reason for the change is to better align ceres' grant and planning cycles. As a result, the 2014 fiscal year presented is a 12-month year ending on october 31, 2014.”

“Ceres' mission is mobilizing investor and business leadership to build a thriving, sustainable global economy. Ceres is known for its unique ability to bring diverse interests together to find positive solutions to complex environmental and social challenges. For example, over the past 12 years ceres has co-hosted six investor summits at the united nations, bringing together hundreds of leading u.s. And global investors to examine and respond to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change. Ceres introduced the concept of "climate risk" to world business leaders and mobilizes institutional investors managing trillions of dollars in assets through its investor network on climate risk (incr). Ceres is known for its unique ability to convene powerful market players and institutions with diverse interests to consider and develop positive solutions to complex issues. For example, in january 2014 at the united nations, ceres brought together 500 leading global investors as well as key policymakers and business executives at the investor summit on climate risk: financing the clean energy future.”