IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF

PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING

TO BE HELD ON JUNE 24, 2021:

The Notice of Annual Meeting, this Proxy Statement and

the Company’s 2020 Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

On the recommendation of the Nominating, Governance and Social Responsibility Committee (“Governance Committee”), our Board has nominated the nine persons listed below for election at the Annual Meeting, all of whom are currently directors of the Company. The size of the Board is nine members. All nominees, with the exception of our President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), Victor D. Grizzle, have been determined by the Board to be independent under the guidelines of the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and our Corporate Governance Principles. Each nominee’s term would, if elected, run from the date of his or her election until our next annual shareholders’ meeting and until the election at such annual meeting and qualification of his or her successor, or until his or her earlier disqualification, resignation, removal, death or incapacity. We have no reason to believe that any of the nominees will be unwilling or unable to serve if elected.

The Governance Committee believes that aligning director qualifications, experience and skill sets with our business, strategy, risks and opportunities in addition to the functional responsibilities of the Board is necessary to maintaining a Board of Directors that remains capable of effectively performing its oversight and decision making responsibilities on behalf of the Company and its shareholders.

As part of its annual Board evaluation process, the Governance Committee solicits the view of the entire Board and of senior management regarding Board composition and factors the responses received into its Board succession planning and refreshment process.

Our Board believes that a board of directors composed of individuals with diverse attributes and backgrounds enhances the quality of our Board’s deliberations and decisions. Our Board has an expansive view of diversity, going beyond the traditional concepts of race, gender and national origin, and emphasizing a diversity of viewpoints, educational backgrounds and professional experiences. Our Board recognizes that this diversity, coupled with strong personal and professional ethics, integrity and values, results in a board of directors that is well-qualified to guide the Company with good business judgment.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

The Governance Committee expects each of the Company’s directors to have proven leadership, sound judgment, integrity and a commitment to the success of the Company. In evaluating director candidates and considering incumbent directors for nomination to the Board, the Governance Committee considers a variety of factors. These include each nominee’s independence, financial

literacy, personal and professional accomplishments, and experience in light of the needs of the Company. For incumbent directors, the factors also include past performance on our Board and contributions to their respective committees. Our Board is also particularly interested in maintaining a mix of skills and qualifications that include the following:

OUR BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE ELECTION OF THE FOLLOWING NOMINEES:

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

		STAN A. ASKREN   Director since: 2008 Age: 60   Independent

Mr. Askren is currently CEO and Founder of Quiet Trail Advisors, a private, senior level strategy and lean business advisory practice. He also serves as an advisor and lean business consultant for Lean Focus, LLC. Mr. Askren served as the chairman of HNI Corporation (“HNI”) from 2004 until December 31, 2018 and as CEO of HNI from 2004 until July 2018, when he retired from HNI. Previously, he was the president of HNI from 2003 to April 2018, and executive vice president from 2001 to 2003. Mr. Askren had worked at HNI for 27 years, including as vice president of marketing, vice president of human resources, and as an executive vice president and president of its hearth business segment. Mr. Askren previously held multiple executive management and general management positions with Emerson Electric and Thomson S.A. Mr. Askren also serves on the board of directors of Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc., a commercial duty automatic transmission and hybrid propulsion systems manufacturer (since 2016). Mr. Askren formerly served on the board of directors of the Iowa Heritage Foundation, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (past chair), the Iowa Business Council (past chair) and Arctic Cat Corporation. Mr. Askren brings to our Board extensive operating, senior executive leadership, manufacturing, sales and distribution and, lean business expertise, as well as valuable insights from his experience as a public company chief executive officer.

		VICTOR D. GRIZZLE   Director since: 2016 Age: 59

Mr. Grizzle was appointed as our President and Chief Executive Officer on March 30, 2016. Previously, Mr. Grizzle served as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Armstrong Building Products, a business unit of Armstrong, since January 2011. Prior to joining Armstrong, Mr. Grizzle served as Group President of Global Engineered Support Structures Coatings & Tubing and President of International Division for Omaha at Valmont Industries, Inc., an infrastructure and agricultural equipment manufacturer, since January 2006. Prior to Valmont, he served as President of the Commercial Power Division of EaglePicher Corporation, a manufacturing and resource extractive company. Before that, Mr. Grizzle spent 16 years at General Electric Corporation, where he served as an American business leader for General Electric’s Silicones Division. Mr. Grizzle also serves on the board of directors of Franklin Electric, a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for water and automotive fuels. As President and Chief Executive Officer of AWI, Mr. Grizzle provides our Board with significant insight regarding our operations, strategic planning and operational design. In addition, Mr. Grizzle brings to our Board broad leadership and business expertise, as well as comprehensive experience in global operations and manufacturing matters.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

		TAO HUANG Director since: 2010 Age: 58   Independent

Mr. Huang is the CEO of Supernova Companies, a financial technology company based in Chicago. He was previously the chief operating officer of Morningstar, Inc., a leading independent provider of investment research, until his retirement in December 2010. Mr. Huang spent almost 20 years with Morningstar, taking on increasing levels of responsibility from his start as an entry level technical programmer. He was named director of technology in 1992 and chief technology officer in 1996; he started Morningstar’s International Operation in 1998, held the position of president of International Division until 2000; he was promoted as the Company’s chief operating officer in October 2000 and served in this position until his retirement. Mr. Huang led Morningstar initiatives enabling significant growth, both organically and through acquisition, and oversaw continuous improvements in the operations of the firm’s core businesses. Mr. Huang is a founder and managing partner of Range Light, LLC, an investment firm (since 2012). Mr. Huang also serves on the board of directors of Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc., a publicly-traded real estate investment trust (since 2015) and Principal Mutual Funds, an asset management firm (since 2013). Mr. Huang brings to our Board expertise developed from his experience in a data-intense and technology-driven organization managing growth and integration of acquisitions, as well as experience in international operations.

		BARBARA L. LOUGHRAN Director since: 2019 Age: 57   Independent

Ms. Loughran served as a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) from 1998 until her retirement in June 2018. Ms. Loughran has held various positions at PwC, including serving in its National Office from 2016 to 2018 and from 2000 to 2003, as Industrial Products Business Unit Leader of PwC’s New York Metro market from 2013 to 2015, and as Retail & Consumer Business Development Leader of PwC’s New York Metro market from 2010 to 2012. As a client service partner, Ms. Loughran led the global relationship and audit of numerous large, publicly-traded companies across a broad range of industries, and led the National Office effort on leveraging new and innovative technologies. Ms. Loughran also serves on the board of directors of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., a publicly-traded engineering company, where she serves as chair of the Audit Committee. Ms. Loughran brings to our Board an extensive public accounting background, financial and capital markets expertise, and experience in mergers and acquisitions, risk management, and financial oversight and reporting.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

		LARRY S. MCWILLIAMS Director since: 2010 Age: 65   Independent

Mr. McWilliams has been the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Compass Marketing, Inc. since 2012 and was previously the president and chief executive officer of Keystone Foods, a producer of proteins, from May 2011 to May 2012. From May 2005 to October 2010, he served as a senior vice president at Campbell Soup Company and subsequently became the president of Campbell International, responsible for all of Campbell Soup’s business in Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Mr. McWilliams joined Campbell Soup in March 2001 as senior vice president – sales and chief customer officer, overseeing the company’s relationships with its global retail partners. In April 2003, he assumed the position of president – North America Soup. Mr. McWilliams was named senior vice president and president – Campbell USA in March 2004. Prior to Campbell Soup, Mr. McWilliams held positions at Coca-Cola from 1995 to 2001 and the Pillsbury Company from 1993 to 1995. Mr. McWilliams has also served on the board of directors of Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (“AFI”) since April 1, 2016, and formerly served as its interim chief executive officer. Mr. McWilliams formerly served on the Boards of Directors of Godiva Chocolatiers International, a privately held company, and Bob Evans Farms, a full-service restaurant company, and the Board of Governors of St. Joseph’s University Food Marketing Council and the Grocery Manufacturers’ Association’s Industry Affairs Council. Mr. McWilliams offers our Board senior executive leadership capabilities and experience, as well as extensive knowledge of sales, marketing, customer service relationships, international markets and distribution channels.

		JAMES C. MELVILLE Director since: 2012 Age: 69   Independent

Mr. Melville is a member of the Minneapolis-based law firm of Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, P.A., where he has practiced in the corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities and financial areas since 1994. Prior to joining Kaplan, Strangis and Kaplan, P.A., Mr. Melville practiced with Dorsey and Whitney in their Minneapolis and London, England offices. Mr. Melville previously served as a member of our Board from September 2009 until July 2010 and now also serves on the board of directors of AFI (since April 1, 2016). Mr. Melville is active in numerous local and civic organizations and their boards. Mr. Melville is also a National Association of Corporate Directors Board Leadership Fellow. Mr. Melville brings to our Board extensive knowledge of corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, executive compensation, and corporate governance matters, as well as international experience and financial acumen. He has also gained intimate knowledge of the Company through his service on our Board.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

		WAYNE R. SHURTS Director since: 2019 Age: 61   Independent

Mr. Shurts served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Sysco Corporation, a publicly-traded global leader in food service distribution, from 2012 until February 2019. Prior to this, Mr. Shurts served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at SUPERVALU, a publicly traded U.S. grocery retailer and wholesaler, from 2010 to 2012, and Chief Information Officer at Cadbury PLC, a British multinational confectionary company, from 2008 to 2010. Prior to this, Mr. Shurts has held various roles at Nabisco, including in finance, sales, supply chain, marketing, and technology. Mr. Shurts served on the board of directors of Con-Way Incorporated in 2015 until its acquisition by XPO Logistics Inc., where he served as a technology expert and a member of its Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr. Shurts brings to our Board extensive technology experience as a former Chief Information Officer, and in applying technology to improve and successfully transform business processes.

		ROY W. TEMPLIN Director since: 2016 Age: 60   Independent

Mr. Templin served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Con-Way Incorporated, a multinational freight transportation and logistics company, from January 2014 until its acquisition by XPO Logistics Inc. in 2015. He previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Whirlpool Corporation, a multinational manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, from 2004 to 2012, and as Vice President and Controller of Whirlpool Corporation from 2003 to 2004. Prior, he served as Vice President, Finance and Chief Accounting Officer of Kimball International, Inc. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds. Mr. Templin brings to our Board extensive experience as a senior executive, public company board member and executive of manufacturing and distribution industries, as well as experience in risk management, strategic planning, finance, and mergers and acquisitions.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

		CHERRYL T. THOMAS Director since: 2016 Age: 74   Independent

Ms. Thomas is the Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President of Ardmore Roderick, a Chicago-based civil engineering firm and, prior to The Roderick Group’s merger with Ardmore Associates, LLC, previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ardmore Associates, LLC, where she was responsible for all financial, operational and management activities since 2003. Prior to founding Ardmore Associates, Ms. Thomas served as chairman of the board of the United States Railroad Retirement Board from 1998 until 2003, and as commissioner of the department of buildings of the city of Chicago from 1989 until 1994. Ms. Thomas also serves on the board of directors of Wintrust Bank, a banking corporation, where she is a member of their credit and audit committees. Ms. Thomas serves on the boards of numerous local and civic organizations and foundations, including the Lyric Opera of Chicago (since 2007), the Chicago Zoological Society (since 2000), the Polk Bros Foundation (since 2009), the Brach Foundation (since 2015) and the Big Shoulders Foundation (since 2013). Ms. Thomas brings to our Board significant senior executive leadership experience, as well as relevant experience in manufacturing, distribution and risk management.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES AND OTHER CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS

Our Corporate Governance Principles include guidelines regarding the responsibilities, duties, service and qualifications of our Board, the determination of a director’s independence and any conflict of interests, Board access to management and independent advisors, director compensation and stock ownership requirements, Board committees and other matters relating to corporate governance. Our Corporate Governance Principles are available on our website under “About Us” and then “Governance” or at https://www.armstrongceilings.com/corporate/governance.html. Also available at the same location on our website are the charters of the Audit Committee, the Finance Committee, the Management Development and Compensation Committee (“Compensation Committee”), and the Governance Committee of the Board, the Armstrong Code of Business Conduct and the Armstrong Code of Ethics for Financial Professionals. Our website is not part of this proxy statement and references to our website address in this proxy statement are intended to be inactive textual references only.

DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

It is the policy of the Company that our Board consist of a majority of directors who are not employees and are independent under all applicable legal and regulatory requirements, including the independence requirements of the NYSE. For purposes of evaluating the independence of directors, in accordance with our Corporate Governance Principles, our Board will consider all relevant facts and circumstances in making an independence determination, and not merely from the standpoint of the director, but also from that of persons or organizations with which the director has an affiliation. Consistent with our Corporate Governance Principles, to be considered “independent,” the Governance Committee has established qualifications to assist in the determination, which either meet or exceed the independence requirements of the NYSE.

Our Board has determined that all of our director-nominees, with the exception of Mr. Grizzle, our President and CEO, are independent under NYSE listing standards and our Corporate Governance

Principles. In addition, our Board has further determined that each of the members of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Finance Committee and the Governance Committee are independent within the meaning of the NYSE listing standards, any applicable minimum standards required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and enhanced standards required for membership on such committees by our Bylaws, namely that directors serving on such committees meet the independence criteria under both NYSE rules and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act.

BOARD’S ROLE IN RISK MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT

Our Board oversees the Company’s management processes for assessing and managing risk, both as a full Board and through its committees, which meet regularly and report to the full Board. Management is charged with managing risk through robust internal policies and controls.

Enterprise Risk Management     The Company actively maintains an enterprise risk management program. Risk management is an integral part of the Company’s culture. Management’s role is to identify, mitigate, guide and review the efforts of our business units, consider whether the residual risks are acceptable, and approve plans to deal with serious risks. Our Board’s role in risk management is to review the performance and functioning of the Company’s overall risk management efforts and management’s establishment of appropriate systems for managing risk. Specifically, our Board reviews our:

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (CONTINUED)

Pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee has primary oversight responsibility with respect to the design of our enterprise risk management program, including for periodically reviewing the process, methodology, and tools used by management to identify, evaluate, organize, assess and mitigate significant risks.

Management regularly provides input and feedback on business segment risks during periodic business reviews and annual strategic planning discussions. Senior management regularly meets with designated risk mitigation owners to review and assess risk mitigation and control measures. In addition, senior management regularly reevaluates the appropriateness of risk assessments and priorities. This process includes identifying risks that could prevent achievement of business goals and strategic plans. Our internal audit team uses the resulting information as a basis for developing its annual audit plan.

Cybersecurity Risk    Our Board receives regular updates on cybersecurity risk and mitigation protocols from our Chief Information Officer. These updates include a review of our cybersecurity program and assessment framework, as well as periodic updates on our efforts regarding data loss prevention, regulatory compliance, data privacy measures, threat and vulnerability management, cyber-crisis management, employee training, and other related topics, as applicable.

Responsibilities of our Board and its Committees     In addition to audit and assurance reports provided by our internal audit team, our Board periodically reviews summary reports from senior management that assess the strategic, operational, infrastructure and external risks facing the Company. These reports generally utilize our Enterprise Risk Management framework to identify the likelihood and impact of such risks, and identify appropriate mitigation strategies and efforts. Each Board committee, consistent with its charter, reviews and evaluates risks associated with their respective areas of oversight responsibility, reports on those oversight activities to our Board, and assists our Board in its ongoing monitoring and review of those risks, including as described in “BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES” below.

BOARD’S ROLE IN STRATEGIC PLANNING

Our Board oversees and advises on the Company’s overall strategy, and annually reviews the strategic priorities and initiatives of each business segment. In evaluating significant investments or capital allocation decisions, the Board generally considers the Company’s strategic plan and the potential impact on long-term shareholder value creation.

BOARD’S ROLE IN SUCCESSION PLANNING

Our Board is actively engaged and involved in talent management. Our Board reviews the Company’s “Organization Vitality” initiatives in support of its business strategy at least annually. This includes a detailed discussion of the Company’s leadership bench and succession plans with a focus on key positions at the senior officer level, including CEO. During 2020, our Board and the Compensation Committee met on several occasions in furtherance of these initiatives. In addition, each committee of the Board regularly discusses the talent pipeline for specific critical roles. High potential leaders are given exposure and visibility to Board members through formal presentations and informal events. More broadly, our Compensation Committee and our Board are regularly updated on key talent indicators for the overall workforce, including diversity, recruiting and development programs.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Our Bylaws and Corporate Governance Principles provide our Board with the flexibility to determine what leadership structure works best for us, including whether the same individual should serve as both our Chairman and our CEO. Since 2010, our Board has determined to split the positions of Chairman and CEO. The split of these positions allows Mr. Grizzle, our President and CEO, to focus on managing the business, while Mr. McWilliams, as Chairman, oversees our Board’s functions. Our Board will continue to evaluate its leadership and governance structure within the context of the specific needs of the business, current Board composition, and the best interests of the Company and our shareholders.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (CONTINUED)

Responsibilities of the Chairman include recruiting new Board members, overseeing the evaluation and compensation of the CEO, ensuring an appropriate succession plan, overseeing independent evaluation of risk, coordinating Board meeting schedules and agenda, chairing and leading the discussions at the meetings, and overseeing the annual performance evaluations of the Board, its committees and its individual members. The Chairman ensures information provided by management to the Board is sufficient for the Board to fulfill its duties and communicates with other directors on key issues and concerns outside of regularly scheduled meetings. The Chairman is also responsible for ensuring the effective functioning of Board committees through appropriate delegation to, and membership of, the committees. Finally, the Chairman facilitates the independent oversight required by our Bylaws and Corporate Governance Principles, including by ensuring that:

In addition, each of the Board’s four standing committees regularly meet at similar executive sessions, at which the respective committee chairs preside.

COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD

Any person who wishes to communicate with the Board, nonemployee directors as a group, or individual directors, including the Chairman, may direct a written communication to the attention of the Corporate Secretary at the Company’s

corporate offices at 2500 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603. The Corporate Secretary will forward these communications to the intended recipient director(s), as appropriate. You may also send general messages to directors by email to directors@armstrongceilings.com. If you wish to send an email message to the Governance Committee, including a recommendation regarding a prospective director, please send the message to CorpGovernance@armstrongceilings.com. The Corporate Secretary will forward these messages, as appropriate.

SHAREHOLDER OUTREACH

The Company’s relationships with its shareholders and other stakeholders are a critical part of our corporate governance profile, and the Board recognizes the value of taking their views into account. Among other things, this engagement helps the Board and management to understand the larger context and impact of the Company’s operations, learn about expectations for our performance, assess emerging issues that may affect our business or other aspects of our operations, and shape policy.

In 2016, we initiated a formal shareholder outreach program to obtain investor perspectives on key topics of interest, including corporate governance, executive compensation, sustainability and other matters. On an annual basis, we intend to continue to solicit feedback from institutional investors, including asset managers, pension funds and social responsibility investors.

Shareholder communications and inquiries are shared with Company management, and with the Chairs of the Board and its Committee, as appropriate. In 2020, in response to certain communications or inquiries, members of Company management and our Board engaged in discussions with shareholders to discuss topics relating to corporate governance and executive compensation.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (CONTINUED)

BOARD MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES

The Board met ten times during 2020, five of which were special meetings.

There are four standing committees of the Board: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Finance Committee and the Governance Committee, each described below.

Each standing committee has a charter and consists solely of ‘independent’ or ‘outside’ directors who meet applicable independence standards required by the NYSE, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the Internal Revenue Service, and under our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Each committee reports to the Board regularly and evaluates the

effectiveness of its performance annually. The membership of each committee is determined by the Board on the recommendation of the Governance Committee. The Company’s Corporate Governance Principles provide that (i) directors who are currently fully employed should not serve on more than two other corporate boards, and (ii) other directors should not serve on more than four other corporate boards.

All director nominees who served on the Board during 2020 participated in over 75% of the meetings of the Board and meetings of the Committees on which they served. Board members are expected to attend annual meetings in person or virtually, via the Internet. All Board members attended the annual meeting in 2020.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (CONTINUED)

Audit Committee    The Audit Committee met six times during 2020, one of which was a special meeting. The members of the Audit Committee are Roy W. Templin (Chair), Stan A. Askren, Barbara L. Loughran and Wayne R. Shurts. During 2020, Tao Huang and John J. Roberts also served as members of the Audit Committee until Mr. Huang’s appointment to the Governance Committee and Mr. Robert’s retirement from the Board, following the 2020 Annual Meeting. Under its charter, the Audit Committee:

Each member of the Audit Committee meets the NYSE and SEC financial literacy requirements. The Board has determined that each of Ms. Loughran and Mr. Templin qualifies as an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” as defined pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Audit Committee regularly meets independently with the Company’s internal and independent auditors, with the leaders of the Company’s compliance function, and with management.

Finance Committee    The Finance Committee met five times during 2020, three of which were special meetings. The members of the Finance Committee are Roy W. Templin (Chair), Stan A. Askren, Tao Huang, Barbara L. Loughran, Larry S. McWilliams, James C. Melville, Wayne R. Shurts and Cherryl T. Thomas. During 2020, Larry S. McWilliams, Wayne R. Shurts and Cherryl T. Thomas were appointed to the Finance Committee following the 2020 Annual Meeting. Under its charter, the Finance Committee:

Management Development and Compensation Committee    The Compensation Committee met seven times during 2020, two of which were special meetings. The members of the Compensation Committee are Stan A. Askren (Chair), Barbara L. Loughran, James C. Melville, Wayne R. Shurts and Cherryl T. Thomas. During 2020, Roy W. Templin also served as a member of the Compensation Committee until his appointment as Chair of the Audit Committee following the 2020 Annual Meeting. During 2020, Barbara L. Loughran was appointed to the Compensation Committee following the 2020 Annual Meeting. Under its charter, the Compensation Committee:

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE (CONTINUED)

Nominating, Governance and Social Responsibility Committee    The Governance Committee met seven times during 2020, two of which were special meetings. The members of the Governance Committee are James C. Melville (Chair), Tao Huang, Roy W. Templin and Cherryl T. Thomas. During 2020, John J. Roberts also served as a member of the Governance Committee until his retirement from the Board in connection with the 2020 Annual Meeting. During 2020, Tao Huang was appointed to the Governance Committee following the 2020 Annual Meeting. Under its charter, the Governance Committee:

Other Committees    In addition to the four standing committees described above, members of the Board may meet on an ad hoc basis to discuss, review and, as appropriate, approve matters through other committees established by the Board. These ad hoc committees report to the Board and may review subjects such as environmental matters, succession planning and crisis response.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

None of the members of the Compensation Committee has ever been an officer or employee of the Company or its subsidiaries, or had any relationship with the Company that requires disclosure under applicable SEC regulations.

REVIEW OF RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

There are no transactions with related persons, as defined in Item 404 of the SEC’s Regulation S-K (“Item 404”), to report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

We have written policies pertaining to related person transactions. Any related person transaction that may arise is required to be reviewed and approved by the Governance Committee, who must have no connection with the transaction. Related person transactions would include transactions by the Company or any subsidiary with any director, director nominee, executive officer, shareholders owning more than 5% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock, per share par value $0.01 (“Common Stock”), or immediate family member of any of the foregoing, and transactions with businesses affiliated with any director or director nominee that meet the specifications in Item 404. The Chair of the Governance Committee has authority to approve transactions involving sums less than the disclosure threshold set in Item 404. The material details of any such matters are required to be disclosed to the Governance Committee at its next regular meeting.

POLICY ON MAJORITY VOTING IN THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

In February 2017, our Board adopted a Policy on Majority Voting as one of our Corporate Governance Principles. The Policy provides that in

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

an uncontested election of directors, any nominee who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” his or her election will, within 10 business days following the certification of the shareholder vote, tender his or her written resignation to the Board. Such tendered resignation will be considered by the Governance Committee taking into account any factors or other information it considers appropriate and relevant and, within 60 days following the date of the shareholders’ meeting at which the election occurred, will make a recommendation to the Board concerning the acceptance or rejection of such resignation. The Board will take formal action on the Governance Committee’s recommendation no later than 90 days following the date of the shareholders’ meeting at which the election occurred. The Board will consider the information, factors and alternatives considered by the Governance Committee and such additional factors, information and alternatives as the Board deems relevant.

Following the Board’s decision on the Governance Committee’s recommendation, the Company, within four business days after such decision is made, will publicly disclose, in a current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, the Board’s decision, and, if applicable, the Board’s reasons for rejecting the tendered resignation. A director whose resignation is accepted by the Board may not be re-appointed to fill the vacancy created by his or her resignation.

No director who is required to tender his or her resignation shall participate in the Governance Committee’s deliberations or recommendation, or in the Board’s deliberations or determination, with respect to accepting or rejecting his or her resignation as a director. If a majority of the members of the Governance Committee are required to tender their resignations, then the independent directors who are not required to tender their resignations will appoint an ad hoc Board committee from amongst themselves, consisting of such number of directors as they may determine to be appropriate, solely for the purpose of considering and making a recommendation to

the Board with respect to the tendered resignations. If such ad hoc committee would have been created but fewer than three directors would be eligible to serve on it, then the entire Board (other than the director whose resignation is being considered) will make the determination to accept or reject the tendered resignation without any recommendation from the Committee and without the creation of an ad hoc committee.

MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE

In October 2018, our Board, upon the recommendation of the Governance Committee, adopted a mandatory retirement age policy for directors within our Corporate Governance Principles such that a director may not stand for election, or be nominated to serve, as a member of our Board after reaching the age of 75. At the time that a director reaches the age of 75, the director may complete his or her then current term but may not stand for re-election thereafter.

SHAREHOLDER-RECOMMENDED DIRECTOR CANDIDATES

The Governance Committee will consider director candidates nominated by shareholders. The procedures for recommending candidates are posted at https://www.armstrongceilings.com/en-us/about-us/board-committees.html. Shareholders who wish to suggest individuals for service on the Board are requested to review Article II, Section 4 of our Bylaws and supply the information required in (a) through (k) of that Section in a written request to the Corporate Secretary at the Company’s corporate offices at 2500 Columbia Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603.

When evaluating the candidacy of nominees proposed by shareholders, the Governance Committee may request additional information as it may consider reasonable to determine the proposed nominee’s qualifications to serve as a member of the Board.

ITEM 1 – ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

SUSTAINABILITY

Our sustainability program complements our company purpose, namely to make a difference by contributing to healthier, safer spaces where people live, work, learn, heal and play. As a leader in the building products industry, we aim to transform the design and building of spaces so that businesses and communities can thrive, both today and into the future.

Our program is organized around three functional “pillars”: People, Planet and Product. Each pillar has adopted specific 2030 goals and key performance targets, and is led by a cross-functional steering committee responsible for assessing, selecting and prioritizing goals, establishing targets and developing roadmaps to achieve them, and monitoring progress against science-based metrics.

Our program pillars are focused on these key priorities and objectives:

Healthy and Circular Products    We are committed to responsible sourcing and providing transparency in our products. In addition, we will design our products to minimize waste and pollution, support recycling, repurposing or reuse; and contribute to the regeneration of natural systems.

Healthy Planet    All of our electricity sources will be renewable, and we will dramatically reduce the carbon and water impacts of our products and operations.

Thriving People and Communities    Our workforce will be safe, diverse, inclusive and fulfilled, and we will actively contribute to our local communities.

UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals that aim to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030. We have conducted an analysis to understand how our activities align with the UN SDGs.

In 2021, we became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) to demonstrate our commitment to collective action toward its

principles. We will include our first Communication on Progress with the release of our sustainability report later this year.

GOVERNANCE, CORPORATE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The Governance Committee has responsibility for overseeing our corporate responsibility and sustainability programs and practices.

In 2019, we appointed a dedicated sustainability leader, Ms. Helen Sahi, as our Director of Sustainability. Reporting to Mark Hershey, our Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Ms. Sahi leads our program and is responsible for designing and implementing action plans towards our enterprise-wide goals. Ms. Sahi is an experienced sustainability leader, and has led similar initiatives for other publicly-traded manufacturers, integrating sustainability into the everyday fabric of company business and shaping sustainability vision and strategy.

OUR PLANET PILLAR

We recognize our responsibility to protect our shared planet: In order to create healthy buildings and spaces, we need a functioning and stable environment.

We continue to strengthen our sustainable practices, with a focus on sourcing responsibly and building circular manufacturing processes. We aim to minimize our environmental impact by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and integrating more renewable energy sources. We are also limiting waste through innovative manufacturing processes and circular economy systems that bring new life to used products. Finally, we are thinking deliberately about how to optimize our water use and contribute positively to water management and restoration efforts where we operate.

Carbon     The threats we all face from climate change have never been more urgent. As world leaders struggle to coordinate a response to the crisis, companies have an opportunity to lead the way. We are committed to transparent action on the climate crisis, and in April 2021, we joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to set goals in line with the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

SUSTAINABILITY (CONTINUED)

Change. Working with the SBTi, we set an internal goal to meet a well below 2°C target and have committed to reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by 30% from a 2019 baseline. This would offset all of our electricity usage and a portion of our natural gas usage. We are continuing to work with the SBTi to set a Scope 3 emissions goal that would help limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Water    While we do not operate in any areas considered “high water stress,” we are mindful of our opportunity to limit our resource consumption. As we upgrade our facilities, we are able to achieve greater efficiency of water and energy use. In 2014, we installed a new water filtration plant at our Marietta, Pennsylvania facility.

OUR PRODUCT PILLAR

We recognize that our products are an important component of helping our customers achieve their own key sustainability goals, and are committed to continuing to invest in solutions that meet our customers’ changing demand for building products, including seeking products free of chemicals of concern while continuing to meet high-performance standards.

SUSTAIN^™    Armstrong SUSTAIN^® is the largest portfolio of high-performance ceiling solutions available today. All SUSTAIN products are free of chemicals of concern, meet low emission standards for indoor air quality, and offer material ingredient disclosures and environmental product declarations (EPDs). All SUSTAIN products contribute to meeting industry green building standards.

Product Transparency    We are committed to being transparent about the materials we use in our products. We collaborate with industry organizations to help develop leading sustainability standards, and we regularly engage third parties to test, assess, and certify our products to ensure we continue to meet the industry’s most stringent sustainability standards.

Our product transparency page provides all documentation required for a range of health and environmental certifications, standards and claims, including Health Product Declarations, EPDs, and Declare Labels. We also offer customer-focused tools to assist users in finding sustainable building options that meet their needs.

Circular Products    In nature, there is no waste. We have worked to integrate that principle into our product lifecycle for over two decades. We are committed to creating circular products and services that reduce or eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use longer and help to regenerate natural systems.

Since 1999, we have operated our Armstrong World Industries Ceiling Recycling Program. This program gives our customers and us an opportunity to recycle ceiling tiles at their end of life so that they can be remanufactured into new ceiling tiles. This has significantly reduced the need for virgin raw materials – by over a million tons to date – and diverts waste from landfills. This program also helps our customers meet their own waste reduction goals, and we provide calculators to help our customers measure the environmental impact and savings as a result of our program.

OUR PEOPLE PILLAR

We have long considered our employees to be an important stakeholder group. We strive to cultivate and maintain an environment that supports safe, healthy and fulfilled employees. We continue to work to further develop an inclusive culture and diverse workforce at all levels of the organization.

Safety    Safety has been a focus of ours since our founding, and it is paramount in everything we do. Guided by our Safety Policy, we have built a robust safety management system that regularly monitors our safety metrics so that we can quickly report and investigate any incidents, including near misses. This approach allows us to make timely changes to procedures and processes and identify best practices to be adopted company-wide.

One of our key priorities as we grow through acquisitions and integrate new companies is to embed our long-standing safety management systems and culture within each acquired organization.

COVID-19    In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption on many fronts. All of our manufacturing facilities remained operational, while following governmental and local health authorities’ guidance. We implemented measures to minimize our employees’ exposure to the virus. These included encouraging remote work when possible, providing personal protective equipment

SUSTAINABILITY (CONTINUED)

(including masks), limiting group meetings, restricting business travel, implementing enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures, and ensuring social distancing. Early in the pandemic, we implemented an Emergency Paid Leave program that granted additional paid time off for any employee impacted by COVID-19 during 2020. We subsequently implemented a COVID Leave Program effective January 1, 2021 that continues to provide similar paid leave benefits for employees impacted by COVID-19. Additional information regarding our COVID-19 response can be found on page 34 of this Proxy Statement.

Diversity    In order to achieve our mission, and to ensure that our design and building of spaces are fit for today and tomorrow, it is imperative that our employees reflect the society we serve across the dimensions of race, sex, ethnicity, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and veteran status. We believe that a workforce that brings diversity of thought and experiences produces the best and most innovative outcomes.

We have had robust affirmative action programs in place for decades, including self-reviews of our talent processes and outcomes to identify and action opportunities for improvement. We aim to integrate diversity and inclusion into our talent processes, from talent acquisition to employee engagement and development. We have made several commitments on diversity and inclusion in our sustainability goals and have embedded diversity and inclusion into our overall corporate strategy and community outreach. These commitments are supported by employee training and regular surveys, affinity groups, performance management and succession planning.

We equip our entire workforce with annual, mandatory antiharassment training, and provide a confidential toll-free ethics hotline to encourage and facilitate reporting of compliance issues.

THE ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES FOUNDATION

We created the Armstrong World Industries Foundation as our philanthropic arm in 1985. Today, the Foundation’s strategy is primarily focused on making a positive difference in the lives of people where they live, work, learn, heal and play, through awarding grants to qualified charitable

organizations that meet at least two of the following criteria:

Today, the Foundation’s mission is to support: (a) current and future employees and retirees through gift matching programs, hardship support, and emergency/disaster relief support; (b) communities in which we operate; and (c) the qualified charitable efforts of architects, designers, contractors and others in the building and construction community who are dedicated to elevating the importance of healthy and sustainable spaces for people’s lives.

Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded in excess of $50 million to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.

In December 2020, we made a charitable gift of $10 million dollars to the Foundation in support of its mission.

MORE INFORMATION

More information about our corporate and social responsibility programs is available in the “Sustainability” section of our website at http://www.armstrongceilings.com. Our website is not part of this proxy statement and references to our website address in this proxy statement are intended to be inactive textual references only.

Our Sustainability goals, key performance indicators, projects, plans, targets and expectations are aspirational and forward-looking. Statements of aspiration, future events or conditions are sometimes identified by the words “will,” “should,”

SUSTAINABILITY (CONTINUED)

“intend,” “expect,” “estimate,” “believe,” “could,” “project,” “target” or other similar words or expressions. By their nature, they are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. As such, no guarantees or assurances are made that they will be achieved or successfully executed. Additionally, the Sustainability data, statistics and metrics included herein, unless otherwise specifically indicated, are non-audited estimates,

were not prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), have not been externally assured, continue to evolve and may be based on assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time of preparation, but should not be considered guarantees. Except to the extent required by applicable law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking Sustainability statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

MANAGEMENT

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

In establishing compensation for our nonemployee directors, including the overall value of compensation and the mix of cash and equity, the Board analyzes competitive market data and any underlying director compensation trends generally, and compares our program to those of similarly sized companies in comparable industries. The Board is compensated through a combination of cash and equity annual retainers. Nonemployee directors receive more than half of their annual retainer in equity in order to align their compensation with the interests of shareholders. Directors do not receive meeting fees or perquisites. The Board believes that this level of compensation supports the Company’s ability to attract directors with suitable backgrounds and experiences. A director who is an officer or employee of the Company or its subsidiaries is not compensated for service on the Board or on any committee of the Board.

On an annual basis, the Governance Committee reviews the compensation program for nonemployee directors, including the 2008 Directors’ Stock Unit Plan, as amended (the “2008 Directors Stock Unit Plan”) and the 2016 Directors’ Stock Unit Plan, as amended (the “2016 Directors Stock Unit Plan”). The review includes an analysis of competitive market data and any underlying director compensation trends with assistance from an independent compensation consultant, as required. Following a review in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and based upon a recommendation by the Governance Committee, the Board approved a reduction of 10% for the Annual Retainer (Cash) and Committee Chair Fees, each effective June 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

Annual grants for the equity portion of the retainer are effective as of the first business day following the date of the Annual Meeting, and the amount of

each grant is determined by the NYSE closing price of our shares of Common Stock on that date.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTORS

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS, MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTORS (CONTINUED)

Stock Ownership Guidelines

In accordance with our Corporate Governance Principles, each nonemployee director must acquire and then hold until six months following the end of his or her service, phantom units and/or shares of Common Stock equal in value to three times the director’s annual retainer at the time he or she joined the Board. Directors endeavor to reach that

level of ownership within five years of joining the Board. All of the current directors who have served on the Board for at least five years have achieved this ownership requirement. For further details in stock ownership by nonemployee directors, see pages 27 and 28 of this proxy statement. As an officer of the Company, Mr. Grizzle is not subject to the stock ownership guidelines for nonemployee directors.

ITEM 2 – RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee selected KPMG LLP to audit our consolidated financial statements and our internal control over financial reporting for 2021. In accordance with past practice, this selection will be presented to the shareholders for ratification at the Annual Meeting; however, consistent with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Audit Committee has ultimate authority in respect of the selection of our independent

registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee may reconsider its selection if the appointment is not ratified by the shareholders.

A representative of KPMG LLP will be in attendance at the Annual Meeting to respond to appropriate questions and will be afforded the opportunity to make a statement at the meeting, if he or she desires to do so.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLP.

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

FEES PAID TO INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

ITEM 3 – ADVISORY APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The Company is seeking your advisory vote on our executive compensation program. The Company asks that you support the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section and the accompanying tables contained in this proxy statement. Because your vote is advisory, it will not be binding on the Board or the Company. However, the Board will review the voting results and take them into consideration when making future decisions regarding executive compensation.

The Company has in the past sought approval from shareholders regarding the incentive plans that we use to motivate, retain, and reward our executives. Those incentive plans, including the 2011 Long-Term Incentive Plan and the 2016 Long-Term Incentive Plan, make up a majority of the pay that the Company provides to our executives. Over the years, the Company has made a number of changes to its disclosures concerning executive compensation, as well as to its executive compensation programs, in response to shareholder input, including a number of enhancements mentioned in this proxy statement.

Our executive compensation program has played a material role in our ability to drive strong financial results and attract and retain a highly experienced, successful team to manage our company.

We believe that our executive compensation program is structured appropriately to support our company and our business objectives.

Our Compensation Committee has developed and maintained a compensation program that is intended to: align executive interests with shareholders’ interest; link pay and performance by placing a significant portion of compensation “at risk” based on performance against pre-established goals; and provided a competitive level of compensation globally to enable access to high-quality executives in a competitive way.

As reflected in the total shareholder return components of our new program, if the value we deliver to our shareholders increases, so does the compensation we deliver to our executives.

We maintain strong corporate governance over our executive pay programs. We closely monitor the compensation programs and pay levels of executives from companies of similar size and complexity, so that we may ensure that our compensation programs are within the norm of a range of market practices

Our Compensation Committee, our Chief Executive Officer, and our head of Human Resources engage in a talent review process annually to address succession and executive development for our CEO and other key executives.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERS VOTE FOR THE COMPANY’S COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AS DISCLOSED IN THE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS SECTION AND THE ACCOMPANYING COMPENSATION TABLES CONTAINED IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Victor D. Grizzle President and CEO

Brian L. MacNeal Senior Vice President and CFO

Charles M. Chiappone Senior Vice President, Ceiling & Wall Solutions

Mark A. Hershey Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Business Development

Ellen R. Romano Senior Vice President, Human Resources

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

We are a leading producer of ceiling and wall systems for use in the construction and renovation of commercial and residential buildings. We design, manufacture and sell ceiling and wall systems, primarily systems composed of mineral fiber, fiberglass wool, metal, wood, wood fiber, glass-reinforced-gypsum and felt in the Americas.

Our fiscal year 2020 key performance highlights included:

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

Please also see our Consolidated Financial Statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 23, 2021.

2021 Priorities

Fiscal year 2021 key priorities include:

2020 Compensation Plan Design

Our Compensation Committee regularly reviews our compensation plans and, in anticipation of 2020, determined to generally continue and maintain the

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

design established in prior years. Our plans are designed to directly link compensation to meaningful achievements in Company performance.

Shareholder Engagement

In 2020, we continued to engage with our shareholders to seek their perspectives on corporate governance, our executive compensation program, sustainability and other matters. We conducted formal outreach over the course of the year with shareholders representing approximately 39% of our outstanding shares at the time of outreach. These discussions were conducted by Mark Hershey, our Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Business Development, and Ellen Romano, our Senior Vice President, Human Resources, and complemented our regular quarterly informal outreach initiatives led by our Investor Relations team. Detailed summaries of these discussions were shared with the Compensation Committee and our Nominating, Governance and Social Responsibility Committee, which considers and incorporates shareholder feedback in our governance processes. Our outreach discussions in 2020 focused primarily on our sustainability initiatives, our actions in response to COVID-19, and our LTIP performance metrics. We believe that our 2020 nonbinding shareholder advisory vote on executive compensation approval vote of 96% reflects strong shareholder support for the design and outcomes of our executive compensation program. Shareholder communications and inquiries are shared with Company management and with the Chairs of the Board and its Committees, as appropriate. In 2020, in response to certain communications or inquiries, members of Company management and our Board engaged in discussions with shareholders to discuss topics relating to corporate governance and executive compensation.

Our Executive Compensation Philosophy, Objectives, Elements and Characteristics

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Our long-term success and growth depend on highly capable leaders with appropriate experience and skills to deliver our strategy in a volatile and challenging market environment. Our executive compensation program is designed to attract, motivate and retain those leaders. In developing and maintaining this program, our Compensation Committee focuses on the following key objectives:

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

Compensation Characteristics

At the direction of our Compensation Committee, we subscribe to a “pay-for-performance” philosophy. Our compensation program maintains the following attributes:

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

Our Compensation Committee is responsible for executive compensation program design and the decision-making process relative to NEOs specifically, and broadly, as these programs apply to other senior leaders and participating employees. The Compensation Committee solicits input from

the independent members of the Board, our CEO, other members of management and its independent compensation consultant to assist with its responsibilities. The following summarizes the roles of each of the key participants in the executive compensation decision-making process.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

Independent Compensation Consultant

In July 2020, our Compensation Committee renewed the engagement of Willis Towers Watson as its independent consultant on executive compensation matters.

Willis Towers Watson also serves as our Pension Plan Actuary in Canada (an arrangement that has been in place for several years, prior to Willis Towers Watson becoming the Compensation Committee’s consultant). Typical actuary annual fees are $40,000. We also purchase select compensation and HR survey data from the firm. Willis Towers Watson does not perform any other services for the Company. At the request of the Compensation Committee, in addition to providing general executive compensation advice, Willis Towers Watson performed the following services relating to 2020 compensation decisions:

The Compensation Committee determined the work of Willis Towers Watson did not raise any conflicts of interest in 2020. In making this assessment, the Compensation Committee considered the independence factors enumerated in Rule 10C-1(b) under the Exchange Act and corresponding rules of NYSE, including the fact that Willis Towers Watson provided limited other services to us, the level of fees received from us as a percentage of Willis Towers Watson’s total revenue, policies and procedures employed by Willis Towers Watson to prevent conflicts of interest, and whether the individual Willis Towers Watson advisors to the Compensation Committee own any shares of Common Stock or have any business or personal relationships with members of the Compensation Committee or our executive officers.

After considering all of the factors provided in the SEC and the NYSE rules and all other factors

relevant to Willis Towers Watson’s independence, the Compensation Committee has determined Willis Towers Watson is independent.

Use of Competitive Data

In setting NEO compensation, the Compensation Committee considers independent survey data, peer compensation data, tally sheets, wealth accumulation analyses and related benchmark information.

Annual Compensation Benchmarking

Annually, the Compensation Committee reviews all components of NEO compensation compared to the Competitive Market (defined below) data.

In general, we target NEO pay to be at or near the 50th percentile of our defined Competitive Market, but we may deviate from this target based on an individual’s performance or internal equity with peers situated at similar levels, or to attract the required level of business knowledge and leadership needed to achieve our strategic objectives.

The principal sources of market data include the following (“Competitive Market”):

Consideration of 2020 Advisory Shareholder Vote on Executive Compensation

At our 2017 annual meeting, our shareholders expressed a preference that advisory votes on executive compensation occur every year. Accordingly, the Board implemented an annual advisory vote on executive compensation until the next required vote on the frequency of shareholder votes on the compensation of executives. That vote is scheduled to occur at the 2023 annual meeting. Our most recent advisory shareholder vote on executive compensation took place at the 2020 annual meeting.

Our Board and Compensation Committee appreciate and value the views of our shareholders with respect to our executive compensation program. The favorable (96%) results of the 2020 advisory vote on executive compensation, provided further support to the Compensation Committee that

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

our executive compensation programs have been effective in implementing our stated compensation philosophy and objectives in a manner consistent with shareholder preference.

The Compensation Committee recognizes executive pay practices and notions of sound governance principles continue to evolve. While no specific changes were implemented as a result of

the 2020 advisory vote, the Compensation Committee intends to continue to monitor trends and invites our shareholders to communicate any concerns or opinions on executive pay directly to the Compensation Committee or the Board. Please refer to “COMMUNICATION WITH THE BOARD” on page 13 for further information about communication with the Compensation Committee of the Board.

Tally Sheets and Wealth Accumulation Analyses

The Compensation Committee uses tally sheets and wealth accumulation analyses when evaluating compensation-related decisions for each NEO.

Compensation Mix

To facilitate the link between NEO pay and Company performance, a significant amount of TDC is performance-based and “at risk.”

In 2020, 84% of our CEO’s target TDC, and 65% of the average target TDC of our other NEOs, was variable and “at risk.” The following chart shows the 2020 compensation mix, consisting of base salary, performance-based AIP, and PSUs as the LTIP grants.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

2020 COMPENSATION DESIGN AND OUTCOMES

Base Salary

In 2020, the Compensation Committee reviewed the base salaries of our NEOs. After consideration of the competitiveness of each NEO’s base salary compared to the Competitive Market, the Compensation Committee increased base salaries for each of our NEOs. Pay increases were approved during the Compensation Committee meeting held in February 2020 effective April 1, 2020.

In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Compensation Committee approved a voluntary reduction of 10% in the base salary for Mr. Grizzle and a voluntary reduction of 5% in the base salaries for all other NEOs, effective for the period from June 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. These base salary reductions were reinstated effective January 1, 2021.

The table below represents the base salary rates as of January 1, 2021 when the salary reductions were reinstated. This information differs from the Summary Compensation Table (“SCT”), which reflects the total base salary received for the year.

Annual Incentive Plan Awards

AIP awards provide an annual incentive opportunity for achieving financial results based on short-term performance goals tied to the Company’s annual operating plan.

Each NEO’s target AIP opportunity (expressed as a percent of base salary) is based on the NEO’s role, responsibility and alignment with similar internal positions and the external Competitive Market. Actual payout varies based upon actual business performance relative to performance target, as well as individual performance.

For 2020, AIP awards were determined based on the following formula, measures and weightings all subject to the approval of our Compensation Committee.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS (CONTINUED)

2020 Target AIP Opportunity

2020 target AIP opportunities (expressed as a percentage of actual base salary earnings) for NEOs are set forth in the table below. The target AIP opportunity percentages are the same as for 2019.

2020 AIP Performance Metrics

Our Compensation Committee selected revenue and EBITDA as AIP performance metrics in order to create strong alignment with shareholders and reflect key measures of value creation. Revenue was weighted 30% and EBITDA was weighted 70%.

These performance metrics align to key elements of our operating plan and financial goals, including revenue growth, manufacturing productivity and competitive sales, general and administrative expense levels, and they are strong indicators of our overall operating performance.

For purposes of the 2020 AIP, the Compensation Committee defined: (i) revenue to be gross sales minus returns, discounts and allowances and minus intercompany sales, and (ii) EBITDA to be operating income plus depreciation and amortization plus non-cash pension impact, subject to certain exceptions. The definitions of these metrics did not change from the prior year. In early 2020 the Compensation Committee established an AIP revenue target of $1,118 million and an AIP EBITDA target of $440 million, both of which were directly tied to the annual operating plan previously approved by our Board. These targets applied to all NEOs and were approved prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.