Symantec 2009 Annual Report Download - page 18

DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS AND COMMUNICATION WITH DIRECTORS
Criteria for Nomination to the Board
The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider candidates submitted by Symantec stockholders, as
well as candidates recommended by directors and management, for nomination to the Board. The goal of the
Nominating and Governance Committee is to assemble a Board that offers a variety of perspectives, knowledge and
skills derived from high-quality business and professional experience. The Nominating and Governance Committee
annually reviews the appropriate skills and characteristics required of directors in the context of the current
composition of the Board, our operating requirements and the long-term interests of our stockholders. The
Nominating and Governance Committee has generally identified nominees based upon suggestions by outside
directors, management and executive recruiting firms.
Process for Identifying and Evaluating Nominees
The Nominating and Governance Committee considers candidates by first evaluating the current members of
the Board who intend to continue in service, balancing the value of continuity of service with that of obtaining new
perspectives, skills and experience. If the Nominating and Governance Committee determines that an opening
exists, it identifies the desired skills and experience of a new nominee, including the need to satisfy rules of the SEC
and NASDAQ.
The Nominating and Governance Committee generally will evaluate each candidate based on the extent to
which the candidate contributes to the range of talent, skill and expertise appropriate for the Board generally, as well
as the candidate’s integrity, business acumen, diversity, availability, independence of thought, and overall ability to
represent the interests of Symantec’s stockholders. The Nominating and Governance Committee does not assign
specific weights to particular criteria, and no particular criterion is necessarily applicable to all prospective
nominees. Although the Nominating and Governance Committee uses these and other criteria as appropriate to
evaluate potential nominees, it has no stated minimum criteria for nominees. We have from time to time engaged,
for a fee, a search firm to identify and assist the Nominating and Governance Committee with identifying,
evaluating and screening Board candidates for Symantec and may do so in the future.
Stockholder Proposals for Nominees
The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider potential nominees properly submitted by stock-
holders. Stockholders seeking to do so should provide the information set forth in our corporate Bylaws regarding
director nominations. The Nominating and Governance Committee will apply the same criteria for candidates
proposed by stockholders as it does for candidates proposed by management or other directors.
To be considered for nomination by the Nominating and Governance Committee at next year’s annual meeting
of stockholders, submissions by stockholders must be submitted by mail and must be received by the Corporate
Secretary no later than April 14, 2010 to ensure adequate time for meaningful consideration by the Nominating and
Governance Committee. Each submission must include the following information:
• the full name and address of the candidate;
• the number of shares of Symantec common stock beneficially owned by the candidate;
• a certification that the candidate consents to being named in the proxy statement and intends to serve on the
Board if elected; and
• biographical information, including work experience during the past five years, other board positions, and
educational background, such as is provided with respect to nominees in this proxy statement.
Information regarding requirements that must be followed by a stockholder who wishes to make a stockholder
nomination for election to the Board for next year’s annual meeting is described in this proxy statement under
“Additional Information — Stockholder Proposals for the 2010 Annual Meeting.”
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