SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

Information Required in Proxy Statement

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.    )

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                        Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

Hess Corporation

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

HESS CORPORATION

April 14, 2022

Dear Stockholder:

In 2021, our company continued to successfully execute our strategy and achieve strong operational performance. We are proud of our employees for their commitment to keeping our workplace and the communities where we operate safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our strategy has been and continues to be to deliver high return resource growth, a low cost of supply and industry leading cash flow growth. We have built a differentiated portfolio offering a unique value proposition – delivering durable cash flow growth that enables us to invest in some of the highest return projects in the industry and also to grow cash returns to our stockholders. Our portfolio is focused on the Bakken, deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Asia and Guyana, with its multiple phases of low cost oil developments. As our portfolio becomes increasingly free cash flow positive in the coming years, we commit to return up to 75% of our adjusted free cash flow annually to stockholders by continuing to grow the dividend and accelerating share repurchases.

Key to our strategy is Guyana, the largest new oil province discovered in the last decade. On the Stabroek Block, where Hess has a 30% interest and ExxonMobil is the operator, our four sanctioned oil developments have world class economics, with a Brent breakeven oil price of between $25 and $35 per barrel. In 2027, at least six floating production, storage and offloading vessels (“FPSOs”) are expected to be online on the block with a production capacity of more than 1 million gross barrels of oil per day, with the potential for up to 10 FPSOs to develop the gross discovered recoverable resources.

The Bakken, our largest operated asset, remains an important part of our portfolio with a robust inventory of high return future drilling locations. In 2021, with continued strength in oil prices, we added a second and third rig, which will enable us to accelerate cash flow growth, lower our unit cash costs and further optimize our infrastructure.

As we continue to execute our strategy, our company will be guided by our longstanding commitment to sustainability. Our strategy aligns with the world’s growing need for affordable, reliable and cleaner energy that is necessary for human prosperity and global economic development. We recognize that climate change is the greatest scientific challenge of the 21st century and support the aim of the Paris Agreement and a global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Our board and senior leadership have set aggressive five year targets for greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions reduction for 2025, which are to reduce operated Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity and methane emissions intensity by approximately 50% from 2017, and to eliminate routine flaring from our operations by the end of 2025.

We are honored to have been recognized throughout 2021 as an industry leader in our environmental, social and governance performance and disclosure. In keeping with our Hess Values, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, which we believe creates value for all of our stakeholders, and to the safety of our workforce and the communities where we operate.

You are cordially invited to participate in our annual meeting of stockholders, which will be held at our offices, 1501 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas 77010, on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., Central Time. Thank you for your continued support and interest in our company. We look forward to sharing more about our company at our annual meeting.

Sincerely,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “guidance,” “could,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “believe,” “intend,” “project,” “plan,” “predict,” “will,” “target” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, which are not historical in nature. Our forward-looking statements may include, without limitation: our future financial and operational results; our business strategy; estimates of our crude oil and natural gas reserves and levels of production; benchmark prices of crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas and our associated realized price differentials; our projected budget and capital and exploratory expenditures; expected timing and completion of our development projects; information about sustainability goals and targets and planned social, safety and environmental policies, programs and initiatives; and future economic and market conditions in the oil and gas industry.

Forward-looking statements are based on our current understanding, assessments, estimates and projections of relevant factors and reasonable assumptions about the future. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our current projections or expectations of future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The following important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements:

As and when made, we believe that our forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, given these risks and uncertainties, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements since such statements speak only as of the date when made and there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will occur and actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement we make. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

HESS CORPORATION

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.

To the Stockholders:

The annual meeting of stockholders of Hess Corporation will be held at our offices, 1501 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas 77010, on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Central Time, for the following purposes:

All stockholders are cordially invited to attend, although only stockholders of record at the close of business on April 1, 2022, the record date for the annual meeting, will be entitled to vote at the meeting.

By order of the board of directors,

Timothy B. Goodell

Secretary

April 14, 2022

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT

PROXY SUMMARY

The following section is only a summary of key elements of the proxy statement. This summary is intended to assist you in reviewing the proxy statement in advance of the annual meeting of stockholders. It does not contain all of the information you should consider, and we encourage you to read this entire proxy statement before submitting your vote.

2022 Annual Meeting Information

Voting Matters

Your vote is important to us. Please exercise your right to vote.

How to Vote

		Over the Internet								By Telephone
		Visit the website listed on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials or proxy card or voting instruction form.								Call the toll-free telephone number listed on your proxy card or voting instruction form.
		By Mail								In Person at the Annual Meeting
		Follow the instructions on your proxy card or voting instruction form.								Stockholders are invited to attend the annual meeting and vote in person. If you are a beneficial owner of shares you must obtain a legal proxy from the holder of record to vote those shares in person at the annual meeting. See page 54 for more information.

2022 PROXY STATEMENT

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Our Purpose: To Be the World’s Most Trusted Energy Partner

Hess Corporation is a global Exploration and Production (“E&P”) company engaged in the exploration, development, production, transportation, purchase and sale of crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas.

As a leading independent energy company, our purpose is to be the world’s most trusted energy partner through our strong company values and focus on long-term strategy. We are committed to developing oil and gas resources in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. We are focused on building a company that makes a positive impact for all stakeholders: our investors, employees, partners, suppliers and the communities where we operate.

Hess Values

Our company values set the framework and establish the ethical standards by which we conduct our business.

		•  INTEGRITY: We are committed to the highest level of integrity in all our relationships.   •  PERFORMANCE: We are committed to a culture of performance that demands and rewards outstanding results throughout our business.   •  SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: We are committed to meeting the highest standards of corporate citizenship by protecting the health and safety of our employees, safeguarding the environment and creating a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities where we do business.   •  INDEPENDENT SPIRIT: We are committed to preserving the special qualities and unique personality that have made us a successful independent enterprise.   •  VALUE CREATION: We are committed to creating stockholder value based on sustained financial performance and long-term profitable growth.   •  PEOPLE: We are committed to attracting, retaining and energizing the best people by investing in their professional development and providing them with challenging and rewarding opportunities for personal growth.

Corporate Culture and Human Capital Management

Our workplace culture is guided by the Hess values and reinforced by developing quality leadership, fostering diversity, equity and inclusion, emphasizing continuous learning, creating opportunities for engagement, driving innovation and embracing Lean processes. We are pursuing a Life at Hess initiative to optimize the work experience for our multigenerational workforce and unlock the discretionary effort that is required to perform at a high level on a sustained basis. The Life at Hess framework encompasses programs, policies and practices, and a listening system that draws on in-person dialogues, pulse polls and data analytics to help leaders understand employees’ perspectives and to ensure the health of our company culture and alignment with our values and strategic business priorities. During 2021, we evolved our Life at Hess initiative for managing culture in periods of change. Particularly in a hybrid remote working environment, the work experience has changed and continues to evolve through virtual learning opportunities and training, support for remote working effectiveness, mental well-being support, and leadership training and development. In 2021, we hired a diversity, equity and inclusion leader to develop a

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tailored, long-term strategy that defines our objectives and strategies and began publishing our EEO-1 Report to enhance transparency of our workforce demographics. Additionally, workforce activity and trends such as employee turnover, promotions, diversity and leadership development metrics, along with qualitative information such as program development and progress, are considered by our executive-led diversity, equity and inclusion council. They are also discussed at the compensation and management development committee of our board of directors regularly throughout the year and shared with the full board. Directors have opportunities throughout the year to meet with employees, which were done virtually during 2021 due to COVID-19.

Strategy of Value Creation

Our strategy has been and continues to be to deliver high return resource growth, a low cost of supply and industry leading cash flow growth. We have built a differentiated portfolio offering a unique value proposition – delivering durable cash flow growth that enables us to invest in some of the highest return projects in the industry and also to grow cash returns to our stockholders. The International Energy Agency’s (“IEA”) 2021 World Energy Outlook provides four scenarios of global energy demand in 2040 based on varying levels of global response to climate change. Under all of the IEA scenarios, oil and gas is expected to be needed for decades to come, and we expect significant investment will be required to meet the world’s projected growing energy needs, both in renewable energy sources and in oil and gas. Our strategy aligns with the energy transition needed to achieve the IEA’s scenarios, while continuing to create long-term value for stockholders.

Corporate Performance Highlights

In 2021, our company continued to successfully execute our strategy and achieve strong operational performance. We are well positioned to deliver increasing financial returns and accelerating free cash flow while maintaining financial strength.

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Commitment to Sustainability

Hess is committed to helping meet the world’s growing energy needs in a safe, environmentally responsible, socially sensitive and profitable way. Our purpose is to be the world’s most trusted energy partner and sustainability is fundamental to our long-term strategy. We believe our focus on sustainability creates value for our stockholders and helps position us to continuously improve business performance. After our company significantly outperformed our five year emissions reduction targets for 2020, in 2021 we announced our updated environment, health, safety and social responsibility (“EHS & SR”) strategy, including our new five year greenhouse gas (“GHG”) reduction targets, as discussed in our 2020 sustainability report. We also have committed to eliminate routine flaring from our operations by the end of 2025.

2021 Sustainability Highlights

Climate Change Strategy

We support the aim of the Paris Agreement and a global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Our climate strategy is closely aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”) established by the G20 Financial Stability Board, and its implementation is led by senior members of our leadership team with oversight by our board. As part of our commitment to implement a substantive climate strategy, an executive led taskforce is currently developing a plan for our company to achieve net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Our climate change strategy ties to our broader business strategy, strategic planning and capital allocation decisions, including applying a theoretical price of carbon in our economic evaluations for significant new projects and conducting annual scenario planning exercises which incorporate the IEA’s scenarios for future energy demand and carbon pricing. These efforts help position Hess for the long term as a low-cost producer providing the energy necessary to ensure human welfare and global economic development, even in a low-carbon future.

Sustainability Focus Across Our Company

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Board Oversight of Sustainability Practices

The board is actively engaged in overseeing Hess’ sustainability practices and works alongside senior management to evaluate sustainability risks and global scenarios in making strategic decisions, including those related to climate change. Furthermore, our independent board chair periodically accompanies our chief executive officer and other members of senior management to meet with investors to discuss stockholder views on EHS & SR and other topics.

The environmental, health and safety (“EHS”) committee has specific oversight responsibility and makes recommendations to the full board of directors so that sustainability risks and opportunities are taken into account when making strategic decisions. The EHS committee assists the board in identifying, evaluating and monitoring EHS & SR strategies and material risks with the potential to affect the people, environment and communities where we operate as well as our company’s business activities, performance and reputation. In 2021, the EHS committee’s charter was amended to further clarify the EHS committee’s responsibilities with regard to oversight of climate change related policies and practices. The EHS committee makes recommendations to the full board on how to address EHS & SR strategies and risks and monitors the company’s performance against such policies, programs and practices. The EHS committee reviews emergency response preparedness and planning and EHS & SR legal and regulatory matters that could affect the company’s business and operations, including the company’s ongoing response to COVID-19. The EHS committee also advises the board’s compensation and management development committee regarding executive compensation measures to advance the EHS & SR goals of the company.

Board Climate Literacy

Our board is climate change literate, and these and other environmental issues are discussed at the board level and taken into account in strategic decisions. Each member of the EHS committee is independent and qualified under the standards established by applicable law, New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) listing standards and our Corporate Governance Guidelines. EHS committee members have extensive oil and gas industry experience, including operational, regulatory and financial expertise. To supplement the expertise of EHS committee members and the full board of directors, we bring in outside subject matter experts to advise members on current and developing issues relevant to our business, such as climate change. Board members, together with our executive leadership, also participate in field visits to Hess operated and non-operated assets to better understand our key EHS & SR strategies and risks. During these visits, the EHS committee engages with the Hess workforce and observes how Hess is managing EHS & SR risks and opportunities, such as leveraging Lean and technology-focused initiatives in the field.

Environmental, Social and Governance Disclosure and Transparency

Hess is committed to transparency. The company’s disclosures, including our annual sustainability report, are aligned with the TCFD and informed by the oil and gas industry metrics published by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (“SASB”). Our website www.hess.com contains information on our environmental and social policies and programs. Hess is recognized as an industry leader in environmental, social and governance disclosure and transparency:

13 consecutive years Leadership status		12 consecutive years on North America Index		10 consecutive years with AA Rating; upgraded to AAA rating in 2021		8 consecutive years on U.S. Index
No. 1 energy; No. 35 overall 14 consecutive years on list		Only U.S. oil & gas producer		100% score on Corporate Equality Index		Top (Level 4) ranking for climate leadership

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Director Nominees

Independent Director Nominee Characteristics

When evaluating nominees for our board of directors, the corporate governance and nominating committee considers diversity of viewpoints, backgrounds and experience, including diversity of race, gender, nationality, ethnicity and sexual orientation, as well as tenure and age.

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Director Skills, Experiences and Expertise

When evaluating nominees for our board of directors, the corporate governance and nominating committee considers the following attributes to ensure effective oversight of our strategy and culture and effective representation of the interests of all stockholders.

Strong Governance Practices Promote Alignment with Stockholder Interests

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Executive Compensation Tied to Company Performance

Compensation Objective

We strive to attract and retain talented executives and motivate them to achieve our business goals through a combination of cash and stock-based compensation, which includes a base salary, annual incentive, and long-term incentives. The board oversees our compensation program and ensures that we implement our objectives by setting short-term targets that lead to long-term success and long-term targets based on total shareholder return (“TSR”). We engage with our stockholders on a regular basis to ensure we fully understand the factors they consider to be most important when evaluating our company, including compensation.

Pay Mix

The majority of executive compensation is variable and performance based. For our CEO and other named executive officers (“NEOs”), approximately 88% and 81%, respectively, of 2021 target total direct compensation was variable. Variable pay directly ties each NEO’s pay to company performance outcomes, including financial results, operational results, strategic initiatives, and stock price performance. Our CEO’s long-term incentive mix consists of a combination of performance share units (“PSUs”) and stock options, making 100% of his long-term incentive compensation performance-contingent and closely aligning his total compensation to the company’s long-term performance.

Key Compensation Actions

During 2020, COVID-19, along with its economic and oil price impact, led to significant declines in the market value of our stock and that of our peers in the oil and gas sector and presented a challenging business environment. In response, the company implemented a number of cost-saving measures, including in June 2020 reducing the maximum payout under the annual incentive plan (“AIP”) from 200% to 50% of target to ensure that management shared in the necessary sacrifices to achieve our critical strategic initiative of preserving cash while also maintaining salaries and benefits for employees across the company. By the beginning of 2021, oil prices and our sector had recovered from the economic downturn. While actual performance of the 2020 AIP was 117% of target, the compensation and management development committee (the “committee”) applied the 50% cap with respect to the 2020 AIP payout. In early 2021, the committee considered the evolving market circumstances and expectations for performance for the year and assessed the outcomes of the prior year in making its decision to return to pre-COVID target levels and structure for 2021 compensation. As a result, during 2021, NEO salaries and incentive compensation amounts were held flat at 2020 target levels.

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Payouts under the AIP and PSU programs are determined based on attainment of pre-established metrics and remain highly sensitive to shareholder returns and our operational performance. In March 2021, the committee approved changes to the 2021 AIP performance metrics to include a Bakken flaring reduction target, further emphasizing the importance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and its integration into the company’s strategy and operations. The committee also approved two additional peer companies, Coterra Energy Inc. (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation) and EQT Corporation, to diversify the 2021 peer group in light of the consolidation of the company’s then existing peers. The committee follows a rigorous target setting process each year to ensure the enterprise performance metrics of our AIP include challenging, yet attainable, targets for executives designed to align our executives’ interests with those of our stockholders. The committee also considers a number of factors when determining appropriate individual AIP target percentages, including the executive’s position within the company, his or her corresponding responsibilities, and the competitive annual incentive opportunity for similar positions in other companies in our industry.

TSR Performance

We are focused on building long-term value in an industry where investments require significant capital and generally take several years before generating returns. The board believes that total shareholder returns are the most effective measure of long-term value creation currently available. Accordingly, vesting and payouts under our PSUs are tied to relative TSR to effectively measure our performance compared to peers. For the 2019-2021 performance cycle, our 3-year TSR was second among our 2019 peer group, as indicated below, resulting in a PSU payout at 175% of target.

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PROXY STATEMENT

The enclosed proxy is solicited by the board of directors of Hess Corporation for use at the annual meeting of stockholders to be held on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time at our office at 1501 McKinney Street, Houston, Texas 77010.

On or about April 14, 2022, we commenced mailing this proxy statement, the notice of annual meeting and the proxy card to stockholders. Holders of record of common stock of the company at the close of business on April 1, 2022 will be entitled to vote at the annual meeting. Each share of common stock will be entitled to one vote. As of April 1, 2022, there were 311,262,547 shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote at the annual meeting. There are no other voting securities of the company outstanding. A majority of the outstanding shares of common stock, present in person or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum at the annual meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted as shares present for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum for the transaction of business.

In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules, we are making our proxy materials available to stockholders over the internet. On or about April 14, 2022, we mailed the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to our stockholders (the “Notice”). The Notice contains instructions on how to access this proxy statement and our annual report and submit a proxy over the internet. If you received the Notice by mail, you will not receive a paper copy of the proxy materials unless you request such materials by following the instructions contained in the Notice.

If at the close of business on April 1, 2022 your shares were held in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, dealer, or other similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and the proxy materials, as applicable, are being forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the annual meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct that organization on how to vote the shares in your account. If that organization is not given specific direction, shares held in the name of that organization may not be voted and will not be considered as present and entitled to vote on any matter to be considered at the annual meeting, except with respect to the ratification of the company’s independent auditors. Brokers are not permitted to vote your shares with respect to Proposal 1, the election of directors, or Proposal 2, the advisory vote on executive compensation, without your instructions as to how to vote. Please instruct your broker how to vote your shares using the voting instruction form provided by your broker so that your vote can be counted.

If you are a stockholder of record, you can vote by using the internet or by calling a toll-free telephone number. Internet and telephone voting information is provided on the proxy card or the Notice. A control number, located on the instruction sheet attached to the proxy card or the Notice, is designated to verify your identity and allow you to vote your shares and confirm that your voting instructions have been recorded properly. If you vote via the internet or by telephone, there is no need to return a signed proxy card. However, you may still vote by proxy by using the proxy card.

Proxies will be voted at the annual meeting in accordance with the specifications you make on the proxy. If you sign the proxy card or submit a proxy by telephone or over the internet and do not specify how your shares are to be voted, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the board of directors. For more information, see “Questions and Answers About the Annual Meeting and Voting” beginning on page 52.

2022 PROXY STATEMENT

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PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Majority Voting Standard

It is intended that proxies will be voted for the nominees set forth below. The company’s by-laws provide for majority voting in uncontested elections of directors, which is the case for the election of directors at the annual meeting. To be elected as a director of the company at the annual meeting, nominees must receive a majority of the votes cast. A majority of votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a director’s election exceeds 50% of the number of votes cast with respect to that director’s election. Abstentions and broker non-votes are not counted as votes cast.

If a director is not elected at the annual meeting and no successor has been elected at the annual meeting, the director is required to promptly tender his or her resignation to the board. The corporate governance and nominating committee is then required to make a recommendation to the board as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The board will act on the tendered resignation and will publicly disclose its decision and rationale within 90 days following certification of the election results. These procedures are described in full in our by-laws, which may be found on the company’s website at www.hess.com.

It is expected that all candidates will be able to serve. However, if before the annual meeting any nominee in this proxy statement is unable to serve, or for good cause will not serve as a director, the proxy holders will vote the proxies for the remaining nominees and for substitute nominees chosen by the board of directors to fill the vacancy unless the board reduces the number of directors to be elected at the annual meeting.

Nominees for Director

The following table presents information as of February 2, 2022 about the nominees for election as directors of the company at the annual meeting, other than information about Lisa Glatch, which is as of April 4, 2022, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that led the board to conclude that such person should serve as a director. All of the directors on the board are elected for a one-year term expiring in 2023.

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Director Nominations

The corporate governance and nominating committee is responsible for recommending to the board qualified candidates for election as directors. In advance of each annual meeting, the committee meets to recommend nominees for election at the annual meeting. From time to time throughout the year, the committee reviews the mix of skills, qualifications and experience of the directors currently on the board and seeks to identify individuals whose skills, qualifications and experience will supplement and contribute to the effectiveness of the board.

The corporate governance and nominating committee and the board believe that the board collectively should encompass a broad range of skills, expertise, general industry knowledge and diversity of opinion. New perspectives and ideas are essential to the proper functioning of the board as is the experience and institutional knowledge of longer-tenured directors. The board has undergone significant refreshment over the last several years, replacing over 80% of the board since 2013. In February 2022, Raymond J. McGuire was appointed to the board. He has over 35 years of experience in finance, most recently as Vice Chairman of Citigroup from 2018 to 2020, and also contributes to the racial diversity of the board. In connection with the 2022 annual meeting, the corporate governance and nominating committee also nominated Lisa Glatch, who has extensive experience in sustainability, energy policy, operations and innovation functions and, if elected, would contribute to the gender diversity of the Hess board. The corporate governance and nominating committee continues to evaluate potential future candidates to support ongoing refreshment, prioritizing sourcing diverse director candidates with key skills that are important to our strategy. Additionally, in early 2022, the board amended its corporate governance guidelines to remove its mandatory director retirement policy based on age to support a more holistic, ongoing process for board refreshment, including evaluating nominees based on individual contributions.

The corporate governance and nominating committee, in making its recommendations for nominees, will also consider carefully how nominees’ other directorships as well as other business and professional commitments may affect a nominee’s ability to commit adequate time to board and committee matters.

Board Diversity

As noted above, among the criteria used to evaluate nominees for the board is diversity of viewpoints, background and experience, including diversity of race, gender, nationality, ethnicity and sexual orientation as well as professional background and industry experience. The board believes that such diversity provides varied perspectives which promote active and constructive dialogue among board members and between the board and management, resulting in more effective oversight. The board believes this diversity is demonstrated in the varied backgrounds, experience, qualifications and skills of the current members of the board. In the board’s executive sessions and in annual performance evaluations conducted by the board and its committees, the board from time to time considers whether the members of the board reflect such diversity and whether such diversity contributes to a constructive and collegial environment.

In accordance with the company’s corporate governance guidelines, the board is committed to seeking out qualified diverse candidates who meet the applicable search criteria, including women and minority candidates, to include in the pools from which potential nominees are considered. To further this goal, the corporate governance and nominating committee has retained Russell Reynolds Associates, a director and executive search and recruiting firm, to identify and review potential independent director candidates and assist the committee and the board in assessing their qualifications and promoting the consideration of diverse candidates. The committee has not paid fees to any other third parties to assist in identifying or evaluating potential nominees. Each of the nominees for election at the 2022 annual meeting were recommended by the non-management directors of the corporate governance and nominating committee, with the input of senior management, the committee’s consultants and advisors.

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Stockholder Recommendations and Proxy Access

Stockholders may suggest candidates by writing to the corporate governance and nominating committee, in care of the corporate secretary of the company at the address set forth on page 57. Stockholder suggestions should include a summary of the candidate’s qualifications, the information required by SEC rules for director nominees and contact information for the candidate. Stockholder suggestions should be submitted no later than December 1 for consideration as nominees for election at the next annual meeting and otherwise in accordance with the company’s policy and by-laws. The committee follows the same process of identifying and evaluating nominees recommended by stockholders as that for candidates recommended by any other source.

In 2015, our board adopted a proxy access by-law that permits a stockholder, or group of up to 20 stockholders, owning at least 3% of our outstanding common stock continuously for at least three years to nominate and include in our proxy materials up to the greater of two directors or 20% of our board of directors. Stockholders and nominees must satisfy the requirements set forth in the by-laws in connection with such nominations. We believe that this by-law provision provides meaningful and effective proxy access rights to our stockholders, and balances those benefits against the risk of misuse by stockholders with interests that are not shared by a significant percentage of our stockholders.

Board Evaluation

Our board is committed to continuous improvement and recognizes the importance of a rigorous evaluation process to enhance board performance and effectiveness. Our corporate governance and nominating committee oversees the annual performance evaluation of the board and ensures that each of the board’s committees conducts an annual self-evaluation. The chair of the corporate governance and nominating committee also oversees the evaluation of our board chair.

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Board Leadership Structure / Independent Chair

Our by-laws provide separate positions for the chair of the board and chief executive officer. Mr. Quigley serves as the independent chair of the board and Mr. Hess serves as CEO and a director of the board.

The board currently believes that having a separate chair and chief executive officer allows for better alignment of corporate governance with stockholder interests and aids in the board’s oversight of management and the board’s ability to carry out its roles and responsibilities on behalf of the stockholders. The board also believes that the separation of the roles of chair and chief executive officer allows the chief executive officer to focus more of his time and energy on operating and managing the company and leverages the chair’s leadership and financial, governance and regulatory experience.

The chair, an independent member of the board who has not previously served as an executive officer of the company, is appointed by the board annually.

Director and Nominee Independence

The board of directors has affirmatively determined that all of the current directors on the board, other than Mr. Hess, and that eleven of the twelve nominees for election at the annual meeting, namely, Mr. Checki, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Glatch, Ms. Holiday, Mr. Lipschultz, Mr. McGuire, Mr. McManus, Dr. Meyers, Ms. Ovelmen, Mr. Quigley, and Mr. Schrader, are independent within the meaning of the rules and standards of the NYSE. The board determined that these directors and nominees not only met all “bright-line” criteria under these rules, but also that, based on all known relevant facts and circumstances, there did not exist any relationship that would compromise the independence of these directors.

Meeting Attendance

The board of directors met ten times in 2021, including two special meetings. Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of all meetings of the board of directors and all meetings of the committees of the board of directors on which he or she served during 2021.

Non-management directors meet without members of management present after each regularly scheduled board meeting. The chair of the board of directors presides at these meetings.

All of the current directors who were serving as a director at the time of last year’s annual meeting attended that meeting.

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Corporate Governance Guidelines

The board has approved a set of corporate governance guidelines in accordance with the rules of the NYSE. These guidelines set forth the key policies relating to corporate governance, including director qualification standards, director responsibilities and director compensation. The board has also approved a code of business conduct and ethics in accordance with rules of the NYSE and the SEC applicable to all directors, officers and employees, including the chief executive officer, the principal financial and accounting officer and other senior financial officers. The code is intended to provide guidance to directors and management to assure compliance with law and promote ethical behavior. Copies of the company’s corporate governance guidelines and its code of business conduct and ethics may be found on the company’s website at www.hess.com and are also available without charge upon request to the company’s corporate secretary at the address set forth on page 57.

Stockholder and Interested Party Communications

Any stockholder or interested party who wishes to communicate or request a meeting with members of the board of directors or with only non-management directors or any specified individual director may do so by writing to them in care of the chair of the board of directors, Hess Corporation, at the address set forth on page 57. Stockholders may also communicate directly to the chair by e-mail to BoardChairman@hess.com. Communications sent by mail or e-mail will be reviewed by the chair and will be referred for resolution and response as deemed appropriate by the chair. If a stockholder requests a meeting, the corporate governance and nominating committee will decide whether the subject matter is a proper one to be addressed by the board and, if so, whether a meeting is warranted. The corporate governance and nominating committee will meet periodically to review all stockholder communications received.

Related Party Transactions

The company expects all directors and executive officers to bring to the company’s attention any related party transactions, including transactions which may be required to be disclosed under Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC. The company’s policies provide that if any company representative, including a director or officer, considers conducting any transaction that reasonably would be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest between the representative and the company, such representative must disclose such transaction in advance to the company’s legal department for review. In addition, the company annually sends each director and executive officer a questionnaire requiring such person to describe any transaction contemplated under Item 404 or in the case of independent directors, any transaction that might compromise their independence. The company also annually conducts a review of its accounting records to determine whether any such related party transaction occurred in the prior fiscal year. If any proposed or existing related party transaction is identified, the transaction is brought to the general counsel for review. If the general counsel determines the transaction poses a conflict of interest, or would compromise the independence of a non-management director, the general counsel will advise the audit committee of the transaction and the disinterested members of the audit committee will determine whether the transaction serves the best interest of the company and its stockholders and whether if proposed, it may proceed and if existing, it may continue to exist. The general counsel and the disinterested members of the audit committee will determine the appropriate scope of, and process for, the review of any such transaction based on the then existing facts and circumstances of the transaction in view of applicable listing standards of the NYSE.

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Committees of the Board

The board has four standing committees: the compensation and management development committee, the corporate governance and nominating committee, the audit committee and the environmental, health and safety committee. Each committee’s written charter is available on our website at www.hess.com and also available without charge upon request to the company’s corporate secretary at the address set forth on page 57. The board receives regular reports from each committee and discusses matters of particular concern or importance.

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Report of the Audit Committee

The audit committee of the board of directors oversees the company’s financial reporting on behalf of the board. Management is responsible for the system of internal controls and for preparing financial statements. Ernst & Young LLP, the company’s independent registered public accountants, are responsible for expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting and the fair presentation of the financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. The audit committee is composed of independent directors and operates in accordance with a charter approved by the board of directors, which is available at www.hess.com. The charter sets forth the audit committee’s responsibilities, which are summarized under “Committees of the Board” on page 11. The committee reviews its charter annually and, when appropriate, makes recommendations for changes to the board.

2021 Actions of the Audit Committee

The audit committee met six times during 2021 and met in executive session after each of those meetings. Additionally, the audit committee met four times to review quarterly financial results.

During 2021, the audit committee met with management, Ernst & Young LLP and internal auditors and among other things:

The audit committee also met separately with Ernst & Young LLP and the internal auditors without management present.

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Assessment of Independent Registered Public Accountants

The audit committee reviews the scope of and overall plans for the annual audit and negotiates fees and approves the other terms of Ernst & Young LLP’s engagement letter. The audit committee also oversees the periodic required rotation of the lead audit partner, as required by SEC rules, and is directly involved in the selection of such partner.

The audit committee discussed with Ernst & Young LLP their independence from management and the company and considered the compatibility of all non-audit services with the auditors’ independence. The audit committee also assessed the qualifications and performance of Ernst & Young LLP in determining whether to retain them. In conducting this assessment, the audit committee considered, among other things: information relating to audit effectiveness, including the results of PCAOB inspection reports; the depth and expertise of the audit team, including their demonstrated understanding of the company’s businesses, significant accounting practices, and system of internal control over financial reporting; the quality and candor of Ernst & Young LLP’s communications with the audit committee and management; the accessibility, responsiveness, technical competence, and professionalism of the lead audit partner and other members of the audit team assigned to our account; the impact to the company of changing auditors; the appropriateness of Ernst & Young LLP’s fees; and Ernst & Young LLP’s ability to employ professional skepticism, objectivity, integrity, and trustworthiness.

The audit committee reviewed the audited December 31, 2021 financial statements of the company with management and the independent registered public accountants. Management represented to the committee that the financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In reliance on the reviews and discussions with management and the independent registered public accountants, the audit committee recommended to the board of directors, and the board approved, the inclusion of the audited financial statements in the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the SEC. Based on its assessment and review as described in this report, the audit committee has determined that selecting Ernst & Young LLP as independent registered public accountants for 2022 is in the best interest of the company and its stockholders. The board has unanimously proposed that the stockholders ratify this selection at the annual meeting.

Committee Members:

Terrence J. Checki, Chair

Kevin O. Meyers

Karyn F. Ovelmen

James H. Quigley

William G. Schrader

The Report of the Audit Committee does not constitute soliciting material, and shall not be deemed to be filed or incorporated by reference into any other company filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), except to the extent that the company specifically incorporates the Report of the Audit Committee by reference therein.

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Stockholder Engagement

Stockholder Engagement

We engage with our stockholders on a regular basis to ensure we fully understand the factors they consider to be most important when evaluating our company. The purpose of our stockholder engagement program is to discuss and solicit stockholder views on our strategy, business plan, EHS & SR matters, human capital management, diversity, corporate governance and other matters of concern, including executive compensation.

During 2021, our CEO and other members of senior management conducted a broad outreach effort to investors representing, in the aggregate, approximately 70% of our outstanding shares. Our independent board chair participated in several meetings with our institutional investors to discuss the board’s oversight role of our strategy, corporate governance, EHS & SR and other matters.

Robust stockholder engagement program throughout the year

Risk Oversight

The board of directors has oversight of the company’s risk management policies with an emphasis on understanding the key enterprise risks affecting the company’s business and the ways in which the company attempts to prudently mitigate such risks, to the extent reasonably practicable and consistent with the company’s long-term strategy. Additionally, each of the board’s committees is assigned with overseeing risk management specific to their scope of responsibilities, as illustrated below. Management applies a comprehensive, standardized approach to identifying and managing risks of all types across our operations and the functions that support our operations. Our enterprise risk management process is used to develop a holistic risk profile for each asset and major project, drawing input from subject matter experts, performance data, incident investigations, lessons learned and recent internal audits. In these risk assessments, we identify each risk and assess its likelihood and potential impact to people, the environment, our reputation and our business, as well as other risks as appropriate.

Periodically, the chief risk officer presents a comprehensive review of the company’s enterprise level risks, the status of the enterprise risk program and risk management strategies utilized by the company under its corporate risk policy to the audit committee, which has been delegated primary responsibility for oversight of the company’s risk management practices. The audit committee and the board will also receive updates at meetings during the year on any particular matters relating to specific risks that management believes needs to be brought to the attention of the committee or the board. In addition, the company conducts an annual risk assessment to determine the extent, if any, to which the company’s compensation programs and practices may create incentives for excessive risk-taking. For a discussion of this assessment, see “Compensation and Risk” on pages 47-48.

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Risk Oversight

Cyber-security is an integral part of risk management at Hess. The board appreciates the rapidly evolving nature of threats presented by cyber-security incidents and is committed to the prevention, timely detection, and mitigation of the effects of any such incidents on the company. The audit committee receives an annual report and quarterly updates from management regarding cyber-security, including the nature of threats, defense and detection capabilities, incident response plans and employee training activities. The company has not experienced a material cyber-security breach within the past three years. The company has an ongoing information security training and compliance program that occurs quarterly and is mandatory for all employees, maintains property and casualty insurance that may cover damages caused as a result of a cyber-security event, and is externally audited based on corporate standards aligned to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Board Oversight of Corporate Culture and Human Capital Management

We are committed to having an engaged, diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters learning, development and innovation. The board is actively engaged in overseeing our values and its connection to our long-term strategy. Directors have the opportunity to participate in our culture first-hand through interactions with employees and visits to our assets and offices. Through the compensation and management development committee, the board meets with management to understand and monitor company culture and its alignment with our values and strategic business priorities. Additionally, workforce activity and trends such as employee turnover, promotions, diversity and leadership development metrics, along with qualitative information such as program development and progress, are considered by our executive-led diversity, equity and inclusion council. They are also discussed at the compensation and management development committee regularly throughout the year and shared with the full board of directors. The entire board attends the compensation and management development committee meetings that involve reviews and discussions of CEO performance objectives, evaluations, management succession and compensation.

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Ownership of Voting Securities by Certain Beneficial Owners

Ownership of Voting Securities by Certain Beneficial Owners

The following table sets forth, as of April 1, 2022 for Messrs. Hess, Brady, Kean and Goodwillie, as of February 28, 2022 for The Vanguard Group and as of December 31, 2021 for the other beneficial owners identified in the table, information as to the ownership of more than 5% of any class of the company’s voting securities by beneficial owners known by the company to hold more than 5% of any such class:

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Ownership of  Voting Securities by Certain Beneficial Owners

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Ownership of Equity Securities by Management

Ownership of Equity Securities by Management

The table below sets forth as to each director, nominee and named executive officer, and all directors, nominees and executive officers as a group, information regarding their ownership of equity securities of the company on April 1, 2022. The persons listed below have sole voting and investment power as to all shares indicated except as set forth in the footnotes to the table. Where no information appears in the column “Percent of outstanding shares of common stock owned,” the securities held represent less than 1% of the common stock outstanding.

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Proposal 1: Election of Directors + Director Compensation

Director Compensation

The following table shows compensation for services rendered by our non-employee directors during 2021.

Each director who was not an employee of the company or any of its subsidiaries receives an annual cash retainer of $110,000 for membership on the board of directors and the independent chair of the board receives an additional annual cash retainer of $185,000. Directors receive an additional annual cash fee of $25,000 for service on the audit committee, $5,000 for service on the EHS committee and $10,000 for service on each of the other standing committees of the board of directors on which such director serves. The chair of the audit committee receives an annual cash fee of $30,000, the chair of the EHS committee receives an annual cash fee of $10,000 and the chair of each of the other board standing committees receives an annual cash fee of $15,000. In addition, each non-employee director receives shares of fully vested common stock constituting approximately $175,000 in value on the date of award.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) explains the key elements of our executive compensation program and 2021 compensation decisions for our named executive officers (“NEOs”). The compensation and management development committee of our board of directors (the “compensation committee” or the “committee”), with input from its independent compensation consultant, oversees these programs and determines compensation for our NEOs.

For fiscal year 2021, our NEOs were:

CD&A Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Our compensation program is focused on building long-term value in an industry where oil and gas reserves are depleted annually and investments require significant capital and generally take several years before yielding returns. It is critical we maintain and grow our resource base in a capital disciplined manner while ensuring our cost of production is sufficiently low to generate returns for our stockholders given the volatility in oil prices. The board believes that our compensation program should set short-term targets that lead to long-term success and long-term targets based on shareholder returns, which we believe is the most effective measure of long-term value creation currently available. As a result, our annual incentive plan is designed to maintain an annual focus on management’s day-to-day efforts on outcomes largely within its control, with a strong emphasis on formulaic, metrics-driven enterprise results. Our long-term incentive plan focuses on longer term objectives, including stockholder value creation and alignment of management’s interests with those of our stockholders.

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Executive Compensation + Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Summary of Business and Strategy. Hess Corporation is a global Exploration and Production (“E&P”) company engaged in the exploration, development, production, transportation, purchase and sale of crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Our strategy has been and continues to be to deliver high return resource growth, a low cost of supply and industry leading cash flow growth. We have built a differentiated portfolio offering a unique value proposition – delivering durable cash flow growth that enables us to invest in some of the highest return projects in the industry and also to grow cash returns to our stockholders. The International Energy Agency’s (“IEA”) 2021 World Energy Outlook provides four scenarios of global energy demand in 2040 based on varying levels of global response to climate change. Under all of the IEA scenarios, oil and gas is expected to be needed for decades to come, and we expect significant investment will be required to meet the world’s projected growing energy needs, both in renewable energy sources and in oil and gas. Our strategy aligns with the energy transition needed to achieve the IEA’s scenarios.

Key Compensation Actions. During 2020, COVID-19, along with its economic and oil price impact, led to significant declines in the market value of our stock and that of our peers in the oil and gas sector and presented a challenging business environment. In response, the company implemented a number of cost-saving measures, including in June 2020 reducing the maximum payout under the AIP from 200% to 50% of target to ensure that management shared in the necessary sacrifices to achieve our critical strategic initiative of preserving cash while also maintaining salaries and benefits for employees across the company. By the beginning of 2021, oil prices and our sector had recovered from the economic downturn. While actual performance of the 2020 AIP was 117% of target, the committee applied the 50% cap with respect to the 2020 AIP payout. In early 2021, the committee considered the evolving market circumstances and expectations for performance for the year and assessed the outcomes of the prior year in making its decision to return to pre-COVID target levels and structure for 2021 compensation. As a result, during 2021, NEO salaries and incentive compensation amounts were held flat at 2020 target levels.

Payouts under the AIP and PSU programs are determined based on attainment of pre-established metrics and remain highly sensitive to shareholder returns and our operational performance. In March 2021, the committee approved changes to the 2021 AIP performance metrics to include a Bakken flaring reduction target, further emphasizing the importance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and its integration into the company’s strategy and operations. The committee also approved two additional peer companies, Coterra Energy Inc. (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation) and EQT Corporation, to diversify the 2021 peer group in light of the consolidation of the company’s then existing peers. The committee follows a rigorous target setting process each year to ensure the enterprise performance metrics of our AIP include challenging, yet attainable, targets for executives designed to align our executives’ interests with those of our stockholders. The committee also considers a number of factors when determining appropriate individual AIP target percentages, including the executive’s position within the company, his or her corresponding responsibilities, and the competitive annual incentive opportunity for similar positions in other companies in our industry.

The committee took the following compensation actions in 2021 and determined 2021 payout results:

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Corporate Performance. In 2021, our company continued to successfully execute our strategy and achieve strong operational performance, positioning us to deliver increasing financial returns and accelerating free cash flow while maintaining financial strength. During 2021, net cash provided by operating activities was $2.9 billion, compared with $1.3 billion in the prior year. Throughout 2021, we continued to strengthen our portfolio and balance sheet. In the first quarter, we received net proceeds of $70 million from the public offering of Hess-owned Class A shares of Hess Midstream. In the second quarter, we completed the sale of our Little Knife and Murphy Creek nonstrategic acreage interests in the Bakken for a total consideration of $312 million. In the third quarter, we repaid half of our $1 billion term loan maturing in March 2023, completed the sale of our interests in Denmark for a total consideration of $150 million, and received $375 million in proceeds from Hess Midstream’s buyback of Class B units from its sponsors, Hess Corporation and Global Infrastructure Partners. In the fourth quarter, we received net proceeds of $108 million from the public offering of Hess-owned Class A shares of Hess Midstream.

The enterprise performance metrics of our annual incentive program are designed to reward management for progress made against challenging, measurable goals that align with our overall company strategy that incentivize strong near- and long-term performance, without promoting excessive risk-taking. For 2021, the committee considered the progress made against each of these metrics in determining executive compensation payouts under the annual incentive program:

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Executive Compensation + Compensation Discussion and Analysis

We are focused on building long-term value in an industry where investments require significant capital and generally take several years before generating returns. The board believes that total shareholder returns are the most effective measure of long-term value creation currently available. Accordingly, vesting and payouts under our PSUs are tied to relative TSR to effectively measure our performance compared to peers. For the 2019-2021 performance cycle, our 3-year TSR was second among the company’s 2019 peer group, as indicated below, resulting in a PSU payout at 175% of target.

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Summary of Hess’ 2021 Executive Compensation Program

Pay Mix. The majority of NEO compensation is variable and performance based. For our CEO and other NEOs, approximately 88% and 81%, respectively, of 2021 target total direct compensation was variable. Variable pay directly ties each NEO’s pay to company performance outcomes, including financial results, operational results, strategic initiatives, and stock price performance. Mr. Hess’ long-term incentive mix consists of a combination of PSUs and stock options, making 100% of his long-term incentive compensation performance-contingent and closely aligning Mr. Hess’ total compensation to the company’s long-term performance.

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Compensation Program Key Practices Promote Alignment with Stockholder Interests

At our 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, over 95% of shares present and entitled to vote supported Hess’ executive compensation program, consistent with stockholder support since 2014. In addition, we regularly engage with stockholders to ensure we fully understand the factors they consider to be the most important when evaluating our executive compensation program. During 2021, our CEO and other members of senior management, at times accompanied by our independent board chair, conducted a broad outreach effort to investors representing, in the aggregate, approximately 70% of our outstanding shares. The purpose of our stockholder engagement program is to discuss and solicit stockholder views on our strategy, business plan, EHS & SR matters, human capital management, diversity, corporate governance and other matters of concern, including executive compensation. In 2021, the committee approved changes to the 2021 AIP performance metrics to include a Bakken flaring reduction target, further emphasizing the importance of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and its integration into the company’s strategy and operations. Additionally, the committee approved two additional peer companies, Coterra Energy Inc. (formerly Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation) and EQT Corporation, to diversify the 2021 peer group in light of the consolidation of the company’s existing peers.

Our key executive compensation practices are summarized below. We believe these practices promote close alignment with the long-term interests of our stockholders.