NOC Northrop Grumman Corp Holding Co

2017 Nominees for Director

Our Board has nominated 13 directors for election at the Annual Meeting. Each of the director nominees has consented to serve, and we do not know of any reason why any of them would be unable to serve, if elected. If a nominee becomes unavailable or unable to serve before the Annual Meeting (for example, due to serious illness), the Board may determine to leave the position vacant, reduce the number of authorized directors or designate a substitute nominee. If any nominee becomes unavailable for election to the Board, an event which is not anticipated, the proxyholders will have full discretion and authority to vote, or refrain from voting, for any other nominee in accordance with their judgment.

The following pages contain biographical and other information about each of the nominees. In addition, we have provided information regarding some of the particular experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the Board to conclude that each nominee should serve as a director.

Unless instructed otherwise, the proxyholders will vote the proxies received by them “for” the election of the director nominees listed below.

Mr. Wesley G. Bush was elected Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company effective January 1, 2010 and Chairman of the Board of Directors effective July 19, 2011. Mr. Bush served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from March 2007 through December 2009, as President and Chief Financial Officer from May 2006 through March 2007, and as Corporate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from March 2005 to May 2006. Following the acquisition of TRW Inc. (TRW) by the Company, he was named Corporate Vice President and President of the Space Technology sector. Mr. Bush joined TRW in 1987 and during his career with that company held various leadership positions, including President and CEO of TRW Aeronautical Systems. He is a director of Norfolk Southern Corporation. He serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including the Aerospace Industries Association, the Business-Higher Education Forum, Conservation International, INOVA Health Systems, the Naval Academy Foundation and the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Ms. Marianne C. Brown has served as Chief Operating Officer, Institutional and Wholesale Business, of Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. since December 2015, when it acquired SunGard Financial Systems. Prior to that, Ms. Brown was Chief Operating Officer of SunGard Financial Systems, a software and IT services provider, from February 2014 to November 2015. Prior to that, Ms. Brown was the CEO and president of Omgeo, a global financial services technology company, from March 2006 to February 2014. Before joining Omgeo, she was the CEO of the Securities Industry Automation Corporation. Ms. Brown began her career at Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and progressed through a series of positions of increasing responsibility culminating in her role as general manager of ADP’s Brokerage Processing Services business, which was subsequently spun off to become Broadridge Financial Solutions. Ms. Brown is a board member of Careers for People with Disabilities and is a Senior Advisor to Pro Mujer.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Mr. Victor H. Fazio was named Senior Advisor at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in May 2005 after serving as senior partner at Clark & Weinstock since 1999. Prior to that, Mr. Fazio was a Member of Congress for 20 years representing California’s third congressional district. During that time, he served as a member of the Armed Services, Budget and Ethics Committees and was a member of the House Appropriations Committee where he served as Subcommittee Chair or ranking member for 18 years. Mr. Fazio was a member of the elected leadership in the House from 1989 to 1998, including four years as Chair of his Party’s Caucus, the third ranking position. From 1975 to 1978, Mr. Fazio served in the California Assembly and was a member of the staff of the California Assembly Speaker from 1971 to 1975. He is a member of the board of directors of various private companies and non-profit organizations, including the United States Association of Former Members of Congress, the Campaign Finance Institute, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution Leadership Council, the Prevent Cancer Foundation and the National Parks Conservation Association.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Mr. Donald E. Felsinger is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sempra Energy. From July 2011 through his retirement in November 2012, he served as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sempra Energy, and from February 2006 through June 2011, he was Sempra’s Chairman and CEO. Prior to that, Mr. Felsinger was President and Chief Operating Officer of Sempra Energy from January 2005 to February 2006 and a member of the Board of Directors. From 1998 through 2004, he was Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Sempra Global. Prior to the merger that formed Sempra Energy, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Enova Corporation, the parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). Prior positions included President and Chief Executive Officer of SDG&E, Executive Vice President of Enova Corporation and Executive Vice President of SDG&E. Mr. Felsinger serves on the boards of Archer-Daniels-Midland (Lead Independent Director) and Gannett Co., Inc.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Ms. Ann M. Fudge served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Young & Rubicam Brands at WPP Group PLC from May 2003 to December 2006. Prior to that, she served in various leadership positions at Kraft Foods from 1986 to 2001, including President of Beverages, Desserts and Post Divisions, and President of Maxwell House Coffee and Kraft General Foods. From 1977 to 1986, Ms. Fudge held a variety of marketing positions at General Mills. She is a director of Unilever NV and Novartis AG, and served as a director of General Electric Company and Infosys Limited during the last five years. Ms. Fudge previously served as a director of Marriott International and Honeywell International. Ms. Fudge also serves as a trustee of WGBH Public Media and the Brookings Institution. Ms. Fudge also serves on the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, and as Chair of the U.S. Programs Advisory Panel of the Gates Foundation. Ms. Fudge previously served on the Simpson-Bowles Commission and the U.S. State Department Foreign Affairs Policy Board.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Mr. Bruce S. Gordon served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from June 2005 to March 2007. In 2003, Mr. Gordon retired from Verizon Communications Inc., where he had served as President, Retail Markets Group since 2000. Prior to that, Mr. Gordon served as Group President of the Enterprise Business Unit, President of Consumer Services, Vice President of Marketing and Sales and Vice President of Sales for Bell Atlantic Corporation (Verizon’s predecessor). He is a member of the board of directors of the Newport Festival Foundation and a member of the Executive Leadership Council. Mr. Gordon is a director of CBS Corporation, and served as the Non-Executive Chair of The ADT Corporation during the last five years. He currently serves as a diversity consultant to several Fortune 500 companies.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Mr. William H. Hernandez served as Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer of PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG), from 1995 until his retirement in 2009. Prior to that, he was PPG’s corporate controller from 1990 to 1994. Mr. Hernandez previously held a number of positions with Borg-Warner Corporation and Ford Motor Company. Mr. Hernandez is a certified management accountant and has taught finance and management courses at Marietta College. He is a member of the board of directors of Albemarle Corporation, Black Box Corporation and USG Corporation and served as director of Eastman Kodak during the last five years.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Ms. Madeleine A. Kleiner served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Hilton Hotels Corporation from January 2001 until February 2008. From 1999 through 2001, she served as a director of a number of Merrill Lynch mutual funds operating under the Hotchkis and Wiley name. Ms. Kleiner served as Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of H.F. Ahmanson & Company and its subsidiary, Home Savings of America, until the company was acquired in 1998, and prior to that was a partner at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher where she advised corporations and their boards primarily in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities transactions and compliance. Ms. Kleiner currently serves on the board of directors of Jack in the Box Inc. Ms. Kleiner is a member of the board of the New Village Charter School.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Mr. Karl J. Krapek served as President and Chief Operating Officer of United Technologies Corporation from 1999 until his retirement in January 2002. At United Technologies Corporation, he served for 20 years in various leadership positions, including Executive Vice President and director in 1997, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pratt & Whitney in 1992, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Carrier Corporation in 1990 and President of Otis Elevator Company in 1989. Prior to joining United Technologies Corporation, he was Manager of Car Assembly Operations for the Pontiac Motor Car Division of General Motors Corporation. In 2002, Mr. Krapek became a co-founder of The Keystone Companies, which develops residential and commercial real estate. He chairs the Strategic Planning Committee for the board of directors at Trinity Health East. Mr. Krapek is the lead independent director of Prudential Financial, Inc. He was also a director of The Connecticut Bank and Trust Company and Visteon Corporation during the past five years.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Admiral Gary Roughead retired from his position as the 29th Chief of Naval Operations in September 2011, after serving in that position for four years. The Chief of Naval Operations is the senior military position in the United States Navy. As Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Roughead stabilized and accelerated ship and aircraft procurement plans and the Navy’s capability and capacity in ballistic missile defense and unmanned air and underwater systems. He restructured the Navy to address the challenges and opportunities in cyber operations. Prior to becoming the Chief of Naval Operations, he held six operational commands (including commanding both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets). Admiral Roughead is a Robert and Marion Oster Distinguished Military Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He also serves as a trustee of the Dodge and Cox Funds. He is a director of the Center for a New American Security, and serves on the Board of Managers of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Mr. Thomas M. Schoewe was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. from 2000 to 2011. Prior to his employment with Wal-Mart, he held several roles at the Black and Decker Corporation, including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1996 to 1999, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1993 to 1999, Vice President of Finance from 1989 to 1993 and Vice President of Business Planning and Analysis from 1986 to 1989. Before joining Black and Decker, Mr. Schoewe worked for Beatrice Companies, where he was Chief Financial Officer and Controller of one of its subsidiaries, Beatrice Consumer Durables Inc. Mr. Schoewe serves on the Boards of Directors of General Motors Corporation and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Company. He also served as a director of PulteGroup Inc. during the last five years.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

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Mr. James S. Turley served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ernst & Young from 2001 until his retirement in 2013. Mr. Turley joined Ernst & Young in 1977 and held various positions there until being named regional managing partner for the Upper Midwest in 1994, and for New York in 1998. He was named Deputy Chairman in 2000. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors for Citigroup, Emerson Electric Company and Intrexon Corporation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America and the Committee for Economic Development and is Chair of the Theatre Forward.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

General Mark A. Welsh III was appointed as the new Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service effective August 15, 2016. Prior to his current position, General Welsh served as Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. During his long career, General Welsh also served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe and Commander of NATO’s Air Command, Associate Director for Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency and Commandant of the United States Air Force Academy.

Attributes, Skills and Qualifications

Vote Required

To be elected, a nominee must receive more votes cast “for” than votes cast “against” his or her election. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have no effect on this proposal. If a nominee is not re-elected, he or she will remain in office until a successor is elected or until his or her earlier resignation or removal.

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Overview

Our Principles of Corporate Governance outline the role and responsibilities of our Board and the high standards our directors maintain. They set forth additional independence requirements for our directors and provide guidelines for Board leadership and Board and Committee membership, among other items. The Board reviews these principles at least annually and considers opportunities for improvement and modification.

Our Standards of Business Conduct reflect and reinforce our commitment to integrity and ethics in all we do. They apply to our directors, officers and all employees.

Among other things, our Standards of Business Conduct:

We report amendments to provisions of our Standards of Business Conduct on our website. We disclose in a Form 8-K waivers of the provisions of our Standards of Business Conduct that apply to our directors or our executive officers (that is, Corporate Vice Presidents who are members of the Corporate Policy Council and our Chief Accounting Officer). There were no waivers from any provisions of our Standards of Business Conduct or amendments applicable to any director or executive officer in 2016.

Role of the Board

The primary responsibility of our Board is to foster the long-term success of the Company, promoting the interests of our shareholders. Our directors exercise their business judgment in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders and in a manner consistent with their fiduciary responsibilities. The responsibilities of the Board include, but are not limited to, the following:

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Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

As noted above, the Board is responsible for overseeing our risk management activities, among other duties. Each of our Board committees assists the Board in this role.

The Board and its Committees provide oversight of the Company’s risk management processes, including the Enterprise Risk Management Council (ERMC). The ERMC is comprised of all members of the Corporate Policy Council, the Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, Secretary, head of Internal Audit and Treasurer. The ERMC seeks to ensure that the Company has identified the most significant risks and implemented effective mitigation plans for each.

Board Leadership Structure

Chairperson of the Board

Our Bylaws provide that our directors will designate a Chairperson of the Board from among its members. The Chairperson presides at all Board and shareholder meetings. The Chairperson interacts directly with all members of the Board and assists the Board to fulfill its responsibilities. The Principles of Corporate Governance provide that the Board believes it is in the best interests of the Company and the shareholders for the Board to have flexibility to determine the best director to serve as Chairperson of the Board at the time, based on consideration of all relevant factors. As discussed below, the Board believes that the appropriate leadership structure at this time is for Mr. Bush, our Chief Executive Officer and President, to serve as Chairman. Mr. Bush has served as Chairman since July 2011.

The Board believes that having the Chief Executive Officer serve as Chairman best positions the Company to be innovative, compete successfully and advance shareholder interests in today’s environment. The Board believes that Mr. Bush’s deep understanding of the Company’s business, day-to-day operations, growth opportunities, challenges and risk management practices gained through various leadership positions enables him to provide strong and effective leadership to the Board and to ensure that the Board is informed of important issues facing the Company. The Board consists entirely of independent directors other than Mr. Bush and it continues to exercise a strong, independent oversight function, with fully independent Board Committees and a strong Lead Independent Director with clearly articulated responsibilities. The Board evaluates the leadership structure of the Board on an ongoing basis to ensure that it continues to best meet the needs of the Company.

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Lead Independent Director

If the Chairperson is not independent, the independent directors will designate annually from among them a Lead Independent Director. Following our 2016 Annual Meeting, the independent directors designated Mr. Felsinger as Lead Independent Director.

Our Principles of Corporate Governance set forth specific duties and responsibilities of the Lead Independent Director, which include the following:

Committees of the Board of Directors

The Board has four standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Governance Committee and the Policy Committee. The membership of these committees is typically determined at the organizational meeting of the Board held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. All the committees are composed entirely of independent directors. The primary responsibilities of each of the committees are summarized below, together with a table listing the membership and chairperson of each committee. The charters for each standing committee can be found on the Investor Relations section of our website ( www.northropgrumman.com ).

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Board Meetings and Executive Sessions

The Board meets no fewer than eight times each year (including via telephonic meetings). Special meetings of the Board may be called from time to time as appropriate. On an annual basis, the Board holds an extended meeting to review our long-term strategy.

The Board holds its meetings at Company locations other than our corporate headquarters on a regular basis to provide the directors with a first-hand view of different elements of our business and an opportunity to interact with local management.

The Board meets in executive session (with the directors only and then with the independent directors only) following each in-person Board meeting and on other occasions as needed. The non-executive Chairperson or the Lead Independent Director presides over the executive sessions of the independent directors. The Audit Committee meets in executive session at each in-person Audit Committee meeting, and regularly requests separate executive sessions with representatives of our independent auditor and our senior management, including our Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and our Vice President, Internal Audit. The Compensation Committee also meets in executive session from time to time and regularly receives a report from the Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant. The Governance and Policy Committees also meet in executive session as they deem necessary.

Meeting Attendance

During 2016, the Board held 9 meetings. Each incumbent director serving in 2016 attended 75% or more of the total number of Board and committee meetings he or she was eligible to attend. Board members are expected to attend the Annual Meeting, except where the failure to attend is due to unavoidable circumstances. Twelve of the 13 directors who were members of the Board in May 2016 attended the 2016 Annual Meeting.

Director Independence

The Board has established an objective that at least 75% of our directors be independent directors. The Board and Governance Committee annually review the relevant relationships or arrangements between the Company and our directors or parties related to the directors in determining whether such directors are independent. No director is considered independent unless the Board has determined that the director meets the independence requirements under applicable New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and SEC rules and under our categorical independence standards, which are described in our Principles of Corporate Governance. For a director to be considered independent, the Board must determine that a director has no material relationship with the Company other than as a director.

Our Principles of Corporate Governance provide that a director may be found not to qualify as an independent director if the director:

Independence Determination

In connection with their annual independence review, the Board and Governance Committee considered the following relationships with organizations to which we have made payments in the usual course of our business in 2016.

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The Board of Directors considered that Mr. Fazio, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Hernandez, Ms. Kleiner, General Myers, Admiral Roughead and General Welsh serve as members of the boards of, or are otherwise affiliated with, organizations to which the Company and/or the Northrop Grumman Foundation (Foundation) made contributions during 2016 in the usual course of our charitable contributions program, as well as in connection with our matching gifts program (which limits the contributions to $10,000 per year per director). The amounts paid were below the applicable thresholds under NYSE rules and our Principles of Corporate Governance. In addition, the Board considered that Mr. Fazio’s daughter began employment with us in January 2017 in a non-executive position. Her compensation is below the threshold required for disclosure by the SEC, and the Board determined that her employment does not interfere with Mr. Fazio’s independence.

Following its review and the recommendation of the Governance Committee, the Board affirmatively determined that all of the directors, except Mr.  Bush, are independent. The independent directors constitute approximately 93% of the members of our Board.

Director Election Process

Our Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation provide for the annual election of directors. Each director will hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Generally, in order to be elected, a director must receive more votes cast “for” than “against” his or her election, unless one or more shareholders provide notice of an intention to nominate one or more candidates to compete with the Board’s nominees for election in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Company’s corporate governance documents.

Board Composition and Director Nominations

The Governance Committee actively considers the composition of the Board to ensure it is well positioned to serve the best interests of the Company and our shareholders. The Governance Committee regularly assesses what skills and experiences can best contribute to the effective operation of the Board, particularly in light of potential retirements and the evolving needs of the Company. The Governance Committee identifies director candidates from a wide range of sources and may employ a third-party search firm to assist in the process.

The Governance Committee evaluates potential director candidates on the basis of the candidate’s background, qualifications and experience. The Governance Committee carefully considers whether each potential candidate would be able to fulfill his or her duties to the Company consistent with Delaware law and the Company’s governing documents, including the Principles of Corporate Governance. The Committee recommends to the full Board nominees for election.

Shareholders may recommend director candidates for consideration by the Governance Committee pursuant to our Principles of Corporate Governance. The Governance Committee considers such director candidates recommended by shareholders similarly to other potential director candidates brought to the attention of the Governance Committee. Shareholder recommendations for director candidates under our Principles of Corporate Governance must be addressed to the Governance Committee in care of the Corporate Secretary. In addition, and as discussed immediately below, shareholders may also directly nominate director candidates in accordance with our Bylaws.

The Board carefully considered and adopted a strong and balanced proxy access framework

For more than a year, the Board carefully considered the issue of proxy access. The Board and management engaged extensively with shareholders and monitored developments and best practices regarding proxy access. Management solicited and received input from shareholders, our customers and other stakeholders. The Board amended our Bylaws to provide our shareholders the right to proxy access, reflecting this extensive consideration and input.

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Under the Company’s proxy access bylaws, a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, that has maintained continuous ownership of 3% or more of the Company’s outstanding common stock for at least three years may include in the Company’s proxy materials director nominees constituting up to the greater of two nominees or nominees constituting 20% of the number of directors in office. Director nominees may receive compensation from third parties for their candidacy, up to the total annual compensation paid to directors of the Company, as well as reimbursement for reasonable expenses, provided there is full disclosure of such compensation. Under the Company’s proxy access bylaw provisions, directors are treated similarly, whether nominated through proxy access or otherwise, and held to the same high fiduciary standards to serve all shareholders.

The Company’s Bylaws provide our shareholders with broad and meaningful access to the Company’s proxy materials while enhancing transparency, protecting the interests of all shareholders and ensuring good governance. The terms of the Company’s proxy access bylaw provisions are also broadly consistent with the terms of proxy access bylaws adopted by other Fortune 500 companies, reflecting best practices.

Director Qualifications

The Governance Committee is responsible for establishing the criteria for Board membership. In nominating directors, the Governance Committee bears in mind that the foremost responsibility of a director is to represent the interests of our shareholders as a whole. The activities and associations of candidates are reviewed for any legal impediment, conflict of interest or other consideration that might prevent or interfere with service on our Board.

In evaluating candidates, the Governance Committee considers:

In evaluating director candidates, the Governance Committee aims to foster diversity of thought on our Board. The Governance Committee seeks to achieve diversity, including in race and gender, as well as in perspective, professional experience, education, skill and other qualities that contribute to our Board and the long-term interests of our Company and shareholders.

Director Orientation and Continuing Education

All new directors to the Board receive in-person orientation and training that is individually tailored, taking into account the director’s experience, background, education and committee assignments. The orientation program is led by members of senior management and covers a review of our strategy and operating plans, financial statements, corporate governance and key policies and practices, as well as the roles and responsibilities of our directors.

All directors receive regular in-person training on Company policies and procedures. Members of senior management regularly review with the Board the operating plan for each of our business sectors and the Company as a whole. The Board also conducts periodic site visits to our facilities as part of its regularly scheduled Board meetings. These visits allow directors to interact with a broader group of our executives and employees and gain firsthand insights into our operations.

Directors may also attend outside director and other continuing education programs to assist them in staying current on developments in corporate governance, our industry, the global environment and issues critical to the operation of public company boards.

Board Membership and External Relationships

Directors are required to ensure that their other commitments, including for example, other board memberships, employment, partnerships and consulting arrangements, do not interfere with their duties and responsibilities as members of the Board. Directors must provide notice to the General Counsel prior to accepting an invitation to serve on the board of any other organization, and the General Counsel will advise the Chairperson of the Governance Committee (or the Chairperson of the Board, if notice is from the

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Chairperson of the Governance Committee). A director should not accept service on such other board until being advised by the Chairperson of the Governance Committee (or Chairperson of the Board, as appropriate) that such engagement will not unacceptably create conflicts of interest or regulatory issues, conflict with Company policies or otherwise interfere with the director’s duties and responsibilities as a member of the Board. Directors are also required promptly to inform the General Counsel if an actual or potential conflict of interest arises, or they are concerned that a conflict may arise or circumstances could otherwise interfere with their duties and responsibilities as a director. Directors should seek to avoid even an appearance of a conflict of interest.

Directors may not serve on more than three other boards of publicly traded companies in addition to our Board without the written approval of the Chairperson of the Governance Committee (or Chairperson of the Board, as appropriate). A director who is a full-time employee of our Company may not serve on the board of more than two other public companies unless approved by the Board. When a director’s principal occupation or business association changes substantially during his or her tenure as a director, the Board expects the director to tender his or her resignation for consideration by the Governance Committee, which subsequently will recommend to the Board what action to take.

We have a retirement policy whereby a director will retire at the Annual Meeting following his or her 75th birthday, unless the Board determines, based on special circumstances, that it is in the Company’s best interest to request that the director serve beyond such date.

Effect of Failure to Receive the Required Vote or Obtain and Retain Security Clearance

Each director is required to tender a resignation that will be effective upon (i) the failure to receive the required vote at any future meeting at which such director faces re-election, the failure to obtain top secret security clearance within 12 months of appointment or election to the Board or the failure to retain a top secret security clearance once obtained and (ii) the Board’s acceptance of such resignation. If an incumbent director fails to receive the required vote for re-election or fails to obtain and retain a top secret security clearance, the Governance Committee will consider whether the Board should accept the director’s resignation and will submit a recommendation for prompt consideration by the Board. The Board will decide whether to accept or reject a resignation within 90 days, unless the Board determines that compelling circumstances require additional time. The Governance Committee and the Board may consider any factor they deem relevant in deciding whether to accept a resignation, including, without limitation, any harm to our Company that may result from accepting or rejecting the resignation and the underlying reasons for the action at issue.

Board and Committee Self-Evaluation

The Board and each Committee conduct annually a thorough self-assessment process. The self-assessment of the Board is overseen by the Governance Committee. As part of this assessment, the Lead Independent Director and Chairperson of the Governance Committee facilitate a broad discussion of Board performance, held in executive session. Among other topics, the Board considers:

Following this review, the Board discusses the results and identifies opportunities for improvement, including any necessary steps to implement such improvements.

Also as part of the annual self-assessment process, each director completes an individual director evaluation for each of the other directors. These assessments include, among other topics, each director’s:

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The Lead Independent Director or the Chairperson of the Governance Committee meets with each director individually to discuss the results of his or her assessment, including comments provided by other directors. The Lead Independent Director or the Chairperson of the Governance Committee reports generally on the overall results of these discussions to the Board in executive session.

In addition, each of the Committees conducts an annual self-assessment. During an executive session led by the Committee chairperson, the Committee discusses, among other topics: whether the quality of participation and discussion at the Committee meetings is effective in facilitating the Committee’s obligations under its charter; the opportunity to engage in strategic discussion; and whether the Committee is covering the right topics in the right amount of detail. Following this discussion, the Committee develops and implements a list of action items, as appropriate.

Succession Planning

The Board believes that providing for continuity of leadership is critical to the success of our Company. Therefore, processes are in place:

Departure and Election of Directors

On March 17, 2016, Ann M. Fudge was elected to the Board.

On December 8, 2016, General Mark A. Welsh III was elected to the Board.

In accordance with the retirement policy described above, General Myers, a director who served during 2016, will not stand for re-election at the 2017 Annual Meeting as he will have attained his 75th birthday prior to the Annual Meeting. Upon General Myers’ retirement, the Board intends to reduce the number of members on the Board from 14 to 13 members.

Communications with the Board of Directors

Any interested person may communicate with any of our directors, our Board as a group, our non-employee directors as a group or our Lead Independent Director through the Corporate Secretary by writing to the following address: Office of the Corporate Secretary, Northrop Grumman Corporation, 2980 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042 . The Corporate Secretary will forward correspondence to the director or directors to whom it is addressed, except for job inquiries, surveys, business solicitations or advertisements and other inappropriate material. The Corporate Secretary may forward certain correspondence elsewhere within our Company for review and possible response.

Interested persons may also report any concerns relating to accounting matters, internal accounting controls or auditing matters to non-management directors (including anonymously) by writing directly to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee , Northrop Grumman Board of Directors c/o Corporate Ethics Office, 2980 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042 .

Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability

Corporate responsibility and sustainability play an important role in our business and operating strategies and long-term value creation for our shareholders, customers and employees. We believe that strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs and practices are critical to attracting the best talent, executing on our programs, maintaining a robust supplier base, and

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innovating to provide technically advanced and affordable products for our customers. We are focused on creating a diverse and inclusive workforce dedicated to our core values, including integrity in all we do. We have built effective partnerships with our suppliers and utilize transparent corporate governance and leadership practices. We also champion corporate citizenship programs to advance education, support military service members and their families and collaborate with members of our communities. As explained in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis on page 42, our employee compensation program incorporates certain ESG metrics, including engagement and inclusion, diversity, safety and environmental sustainability.

The Policy Committee of our Board provides leadership and oversight of our ESG practices, including (1) providing oversight of our policies and programs related to corporate responsibility; (2) reviewing our community relations activities; and (3) reviewing, monitoring and providing oversight of our environmental sustainability program. We engage with a variety of stakeholders and regularly obtain feedback on our ESG performance.

Effective ESG practices require transparency and accountability. We publish a Corporate Responsibility Report (CRR) annually, using the G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines of Global Reporting Initiative, a third party organization that has developed a widely used ESG reporting framework. Our CRR highlights, among other things, our commitment to diversity, quality, governance, ethics and compliance, innovation, environmental, health and safety, our people and corporate citizenship. For the last five years, an independent external review panel has provided feedback and advice on our CRR. You may view a copy of our annual CRR at crreport.northropgrumman.com .

In 2016, we reduced greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and solid waste; in each case, exceeding our previously stated 2016 goals. For the fifth consecutive year, we earned a leadership score in CDP’s 2016 climate change program, and in 2016 we were named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America.

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