Velarion · Company Intelligence
Compensation Brief
Fiscal year 2025 · Filings through 2026-04-16

Sonoco Products (SON)

Fiscal year 2025 executive and director compensation, incentive-plan design, equity activity, and governance — every figure in this brief is traceable to its exact location in the company’s SEC filing — the document, the section, the page, and the table, linked directly.

$10,142,078
R. Howard Coker total, FY2025
CEO pay percentile vs peers
151:1
CEO-to-median pay ratio
95.04%
Say-on-pay support, latest vote
Companies that benchmark against SON
11 companies name SON as a compensation peer

Each company listed discloses SON in its own benchmarking peer group, as disclosed in each company's most recent proxy statement within the last two proxy seasons. Two companies are therefore absent by design: one that named SON in an earlier year and no longer does, and one whose own most recent disclosure is older than the last two seasons.

01

Summary Compensation Table — fiscal year 2025

Named executive officerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension / NQDCAll otherTotal
R. Howard Coker$1,248,156$0$6,872,022$0$1,512,728$0$509,172$10,142,078
President and Chief Executive Officer
Rodger D. Fuller796,32902,037,5600675,5890264,0403,773,519
Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO of Sonoco Metal Packaging EMEA
Paul Joachimczyk378,0001,000,0001,299,9970311,505017,2443,006,746
Chief Financial Officer
John M. Florence, Jr.622,60201,025,2860452,7450183,9952,284,628
General Counsel and Secretary
James A. Harrell, III641,1200828,1650466,2110198,7702,134,265
President, Global Industrial Paper Packaging Division
Jerry A. Cheatham506,7010500,0700245,643053,0141,305,428
Former, Interim Chief Financial Officer
Robert R. Dillard3,5400006,43201,169,9281,179,900
Former, Chief Financial Officer

A dash means the company reported no figure in that column; 0 means it reported zero. Figures are as printed in the filing, without adjustment.

Three-year trend — total compensation per named executive

Named executive officerFY2025 totalFY2024 totalFY2023 totalΔ FY20242025
R. Howard Coker$10,142,078
Rodger D. Fuller3,773,519
Paul Joachimczyk3,006,746
John M. Florence, Jr.2,284,628
James A. Harrell, III2,134,265
Jerry A. Cheatham1,305,428
Robert R. Dillard1,179,900

Prior-year totals as disclosed in the corresponding proxy; deltas are computed values with the derivation shown in the register.

02

Equity transactions since the proxy statement was filed

No insider equity transactions reported since the proxy statement.

03

Grants of plan-based awards — fiscal year 2025

ExecutiveAwardGrant dateThresholdTargetGrantedMaximumGrant-date fair value
R. Howard CokerPSU2025-02-2149,81799,634199,268$4,080,012
R. Howard CokerRSU2025-02-2163,4782,720,032
03b

Vehicle mix — grant-date fair value by award type

Named executive officerTime-vested (RSU)Performance-vested (PSU)Options / SARs% performance-vested
R. Howard Coker$2,720,032$4,080,012$060.0%

% performance-vested = PSU grant-date fair value ÷ (RSU + PSU + Options), a computed value with the derivation shown in the register.

04

Outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end 2025

ExecutiveAwardShares unvestedExercise priceMarket value unvested
Rodger D. FullerPSU29,305$1,278,870
John M. Florence, Jr.RSU2,394104,474
R. Howard CokerPSU99,6344,348,028
Rodger D. FullerPSU23,7441,036,188
John M. Florence, Jr.RSU9,335407,379
John M. Florence, Jr.RSU5,115223,219
Jerry A. CheathamOption32054.46
Paul JoachimczykRSU2,352102,633
James A. Harrell, IIIOption11240.41
John M. Florence, Jr.Option12,04960.77
John M. Florence, Jr.Option6,85954.46
Jerry A. CheathamOption54360.77
James A. Harrell, IIIOption7,53160.77
James A. Harrell, IIIOption7,88554.46
R. Howard CokerPSU80,7293,523,014
R. Howard CokerRSU63,4782,770,180
Jerry A. CheathamPSU6,106266,466
Rodger D. FullerRSU4,787208,905
James A. Harrell, IIIRSU3,964172,989
R. Howard CokerRSU34,7731,517,494
James A. Harrell, IIIRSU7,468325,904
Rodger D. FullerOption28,05450.83
Jerry A. CheathamRSU1807,855
R. Howard CokerOption30,12160.77
R. Howard CokerOption22,11054.46
James A. Harrell, IIIPSU11,722511,548
James A. Harrell, IIIRSU1,85580,952
R. Howard CokerRSU16,274710,197
Paul JoachimczykRSU25,2981,104,005
Rodger D. FullerRSU18,670814,759
John M. Florence, Jr.PSU14,653639,457
Rodger D. FullerRSU10,228446,350
James A. Harrell, IIIPSU9,201401,532
Jerry A. CheathamRSU5,835254,639
Jerry A. CheathamPSU99043,204
John M. Florence, Jr.PSU11,872518,094
Jerry A. CheathamRSU64027,930
R. Howard CokerOption28,05450.83
Rodger D. FullerOption30,12160.77
Rodger D. FullerOption22,11054.46
05

Incentive-plan design — the Compensation Discussion & Analysis

Sonoco s goals regarding executive compensation: 1. PAY FOR PERFORMANCE - Compensation should provide incentives for executives and reward the creation of value for the Company s shareholders. 2. PAY WITHIN REASON - Compensation levels and performance targets should be sensible within the context of a company s peer group. 3. LISTEN - Sonoco regularly seeks input from shareholders regarding compensation.

CEO STI target (% of salary)125%
CEO LTI target (% of salary)
Independent consultantFW Cook
Clawback policytrue
Anti-hedgingtrue
Anti-pledgingTrue
06

Say-on-pay — recent advisory votes

Meeting yearMeeting dateForAgainstAbstainSupportOutcome
20262026-04-1572,039,1073,762,658204,10595.04%Passed
20252025-04-1671,008,6484,162,336356,23394.46%Passed
20242024-04-1774,616,3072,696,799600,96696.51%Passed
20232023-04-1974,492,9351,368,057198,82098.2%Passed
20222022-04-2077,127,297977,215174,90098.75%Passed

Rows are labeled by annual-meeting year, with the meeting date beside each; the vote held in a given year acts on the prior fiscal year's compensation.

Say-on-pay — history, company's computation

Meeting yearMeeting dateApproval — company's computation
20262026-04-1595.04%a
20252025-04-1694.46%b
20242024-04-1796.51%c

a. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “​ ​ Abstentions or shares that are not voted (including broker non- votes) will have no effect on the outcome of the matter.”.

b. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “​ ​ Abstentions or shares that are not voted (including broker non- votes) will have no effect on the outcome of the matter.”.

c. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “​ ​ Abstentions or shares that are not voted (including broker non-votes) will have no effect on the outcome of the matter.”.

Approval percentages are the company's own reported computations under its own stated standard, not recomputed by Velarion. Where a company does not state a standard, none is assumed.

07

CEO pay ratio

Ratio (CEO : median employee)151 : 1
CEO total compensation$10,156,943
Median employee compensation$67,310
08

Director compensation — fiscal year 2025

DirectorCash feesStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveAll otherTotal
John R. HaleyNot independent · Board Chair · Executive (Chair)$0$405,000$0$0$0$405,000
Robert R. Hill, JrIndependent · Lead Independent Director · Executive Compensation · Corporate Governance and Nominating (Chair) · Financial Policy · Executive157,500145,000000302,500
Theresa J. DrewIndependent · Audit (Chair) · Financial Policy135,000145,000000280,000
Richard G. KyleIndependent · Executive Compensation (Chair) · Audit · Corporate Governance and Nominating · Executive130,000145,000000275,000
Blythe J. McGarvieIndependent · Employee and Public Responsibility · Financial Policy (Chair) · Not standing for re-election127,500145,000000272,500
Pamela L. DaviesIndependent · Audit · Executive Compensation127,500145,000000272,500
Steven L. BoydIndependent · Audit · Employee and Public Responsibility110,000145,000000255,000
Thomas E. WhiddonIndependent · Audit · Executive Compensation · Not standing for re-election110,000145,000000255,000
Eleni IstavridisIndependent · Employee and Public Responsibility · Financial Policy110,000145,000000255,000
Philippe GuillemotIndependent · Employee and Public Responsibility · Financial Policy110,000145,000000255,000
Scott A. ClarkIndependent · Audit · Executive Compensation · Newly elected225,2500000225,250
Craig L. NixIndependent · Audit · Financial Policy · Newly elected000000
R. Howard CokerEmployee director · Board Chair · Executive000000
09

Board fee structure and ownership guideline

Annual cash retainer$27,500
Annual equity retainer$145,000
Per board meeting fee
Committee chair fees (audit / comp / nom-gov)6,250 / 37,500 / 4,375
Stock ownership guideline
09b

Total cost of the board

ComponentFY2025
Cash retainers and fees$1,342,750
Equity awards (grant-date value)$1,710,000
All other compensation$0
Total cost of the board$3,052,750

Computed as the sum of the director compensation table rows above; inputs and formula shown in the register.

10

Disclosed peer group — fiscal year 2025

The compensation peer group as the company disclosed it in its own proxy — the reference set behind the percentile above.

10a

Peer reciprocity

Of the companies Sonoco Products names as compensation peers, which name it back in their own disclosed peer groups. A peer set the market reciprocates reads differently from one selected in a single direction.

Reciprocity shown where the peer's own current proxy has been read — each mark is cited in the register to that peer's filing. A dash means the peer's current proxy was read and names no reciprocal group including Sonoco Products.

10b

Chief executive pay against the peer group

Most recent fiscal-year chief executive compensation at each disclosed peer, taken from that company's own proxy statement.

RankCompanyFYChief executiveSalaryStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveTotal
1Crown Holdings Inc.2025Timothy Donahue$1,450,000$8,627,475$4,205,000$17,501,363
2Packaging Corporation of America2025Mark Kowlzan1,539,39611,484,12303,100,70016,992,255
3Sealed Air Corporation2024Patrick Kivits550,0008,644,0120012,820,613
4Silgan Holdings Inc.2025Adam Greenlee1,155,6609,487,80001,444,57512,229,234
5Owens Corning2025Brian Chambers1,250,0009,186,74501,415,62512,151,925
6Sonoco Products2025R. Howard Coker1,248,1566,872,02201,512,72810,142,078
7Avery Dennison Corporation2025Deon Stander1,136,5387,649,4300605,4759,538,375
8Greif, Inc.2025Ole Rosgaard1,042,3086,121,85001,964,2119,439,962
9Sylvamo Corporation2025Jean-Michel Ribiéras1,166,6675,445,2750395,1007,685,872
10UFP Industries, Inc.2025William Schwartz600,7501,633,99501,400,0003,716,568
Ball Corporationnot in coverage universe
Graphic Packaging Holding Companynot in coverage universe
Commercial Metals Companynot in coverage universe
H.B. Fuller Companynot in coverage universe

Each peer's compensation is from its most recently filed proxy; fiscal years differ by company. Each peer's figures come from its own filings; the subject company is highlighted. Peers whose chief executive compensation is outside our coverage universe are stated as such, never left blank.

10c

Incentive design against the same peers

CompanyAnnual incentive payoutLong-term vehicle mixPSU measures include TSRCompensation consultant
Sonoco Products97.0%PSU 60 · RSU 40NoFW Cook
Avery Dennison Corporation39%PSU 100Yes — Relative TSRWillis Towers Watson (WTW) and Semler Brossy
Ball Corporationnot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
Commercial Metals Companynot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
Crown Holdings Inc.200%PSU 67 · RSU 33NoNot determinable from source text
Graphic Packaging Holding Companynot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
Greif, Inc.not disclosedPSU 70 · RSU 30not disclosedWillis Towers Watson
H.B. Fuller Companynot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
Owens Corning81%PSU 60 · RSU 40Yes — Total Shareholder Return (TSR)Not named in CD&A
Packaging Corporation of America101%PSU 66 · RSU 33Yes — TSRFW Cook
Sealed Air Corporation122.1%PSU 50 · RSU 50NoPearl Meyer
Silgan Holdings Inc.125%RSU 100not disclosednot disclosed
Sylvamo Corporation26.9%PSU 60 · RSU 40Yes — Relative Total Shareholder Return (rTSR)Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc.
UFP Industries, Inc.not disclosedRSU 90 · PSU 10Nonot disclosed

Read from each company's Compensation Discussion and Analysis: annual incentive payout as a percentage of target, the disclosed long-term vehicle mix, whether performance-share measures include a total shareholder return component, and the retained compensation consultant. “Not disclosed” appears only where the company's filing does not state the item.

11

Source register

Each figure's location is given both for the eye (section · page · table · row · column) and for a script (table/row/column index and exact character span in the filed document). Any figure can be independently confirmed against the source.

#SupportsDocumentFiledAccessionLocation in document
1Section 01, R. Howard CokerDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 10,142,078. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r2 · c48 · span 1281982–1281992
2Section 01, Rodger D. FullerDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 3,773,519. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r6 · c48 · span 1307566–1307575
3Section 01, Paul JoachimczykDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 3,006,746. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r5 · c48 · span 1300657–1300666
4Section 01, John M. Florence, Jr.DEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 2,284,628. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r9 · c48 · span 1326705–1326714
5Section 01, James A. Harrell, IIIDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 2,134,265. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r12 · c48 · span 1345724–1345733
6Section 01, Jerry A. CheathamDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Compensation Tables”. As printed: 1,305,428. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r18 · c48 · span 1383427–1383436
7Section 01, Robert R. DillardDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Executive Compensation”. As printed: 1,179,900. Filing ↗
8Section 03, R. Howard Coker PSUDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t71 · r1 · c12 · span 1153464–1153473
9Section 03, R. Howard Coker RSUDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t71 · r1 · c18 · span 1154167–1154176
10Section 07, pay ratioDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “CEO Pay Ratio”. As printed: 151 : 1. Filing ↗machine: span 2680125–2680128
11Section 08, John R. HaleyDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 405,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r1 · c12 · span 606632–606639
12Section 08, Robert R. Hill, JrDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 302,500. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r7 · c18 · span 624268–624275
13Section 08, Theresa J. DrewDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 280,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r5 · c18 · span 618654–618661
14Section 08, Richard G. KyleDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 275,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r9 · c18 · span 629989–629996
15Section 08, Blythe J. McGarvieDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 272,500. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r10 · c18 · span 632783–632790
16Section 08, Pamela L. DaviesDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 272,500. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r4 · c18 · span 615838–615845
17Section 08, Steven L. BoydDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 255,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r2 · c18 · span 610120–610127
18Section 08, Thomas E. WhiddonDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 255,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r11 · c18 · span 635658–635665
19Section 08, Eleni IstavridisDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 255,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r8 · c18 · span 627173–627180
20Section 08, Philippe GuillemotDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 255,000. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r6 · c18 · span 621448–621455
21Section 08, Scott A. ClarkDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 225,250. Filing ↗machine: t44 · r3 · c6 · span 611629–611636
22Section 08, Craig L. NixDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 0. Filing ↗
23Section 08, R. Howard CokerDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 0. Filing ↗
24Section 06, 2026 voteForm 8-K2026-04-160000091767-26-000016Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 95.04% (votes for as printed: 72,039,107). Filing ↗
25Section 06, 2025 voteForm 8-K2025-04-170000091767-25-000017Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 94.46% (votes for as printed: 71,008,648). Filing ↗
26Section 06, 2024 voteForm 8-K2024-04-190000091767-24-000020Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 96.51% (votes for as printed: 74,616,307). Filing ↗
27Section 03b vehicle mix (computed)ComputedcomputedRSU / PSU / Options grant-date fair values summed per officer from the grants table; % performance-vested = PSU ÷ (RSU+PSU+Options).machine: formula: sums + PSU ratio
28Section 09b board cost (computed)ComputedcomputedCash 1,342,750 + equity 1,710,000 + all other 0 = 3,052,750, summed across the director compensation table rows.machine: formula: Σ = 3,052,750
29Crown Holdings Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-230002039852-26-000055CEO total compensation as printed in Crown Holdings Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 17,501,363. Filing ↗
30Packaging Corporation of America, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-270001193125-26-127602CEO total compensation as printed in Packaging Corporation of America's own proxy. As printed: 16,992,255. Filing ↗machine: span 363586–363596
31Sealed Air Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2025-04-170001140361-25-014374CEO total compensation as printed in Sealed Air Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 12,820,613. Filing ↗machine: t225 · r2 · c22 · span 800254–800264
32Silgan Holdings Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-160001193125-26-158049CEO total compensation as printed in Silgan Holdings Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 12,229,234. Filing ↗machine: t67 · r4 · c26 · span 307628–307638
33Owens Corning, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-130001370946-26-000107CEO total compensation as printed in Owens Corning's own proxy. As printed: 12,151,925. Filing ↗machine: t62 · r4 · c13 · span 726056–726066
34Sonoco Products (subject), Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-130001104659-26-027659CEO total compensation as printed in Sonoco Products's own proxy. As printed: 10,142,078. Filing ↗machine: t76 · r2 · c48 · span 1281982–1281992
35Avery Dennison Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-120001193125-26-102965CEO total compensation as printed in Avery Dennison Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 9,538,375. Filing ↗machine: span 1488950–1488959
36Greif, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-01-090001628280-26-001556CEO total compensation as printed in Greif, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 9,439,962. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c27 · span 635921–635930
37Sylvamo Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-020001193125-26-138839CEO total compensation as printed in Sylvamo Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 7,685,872. Filing ↗machine: t164 · r4 · c39 · span 693457–693466
38UFP Industries, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-090001140361-26-008481CEO total compensation as printed in UFP Industries, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 3,716,568. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c19 · span 425236–425246
39Section 10a, Sylvamo Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-138839Sylvamo Corporation names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
40Section 10a, Avery Dennison Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-102965Avery Dennison Corporation names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
41Section 10a, UFP Industries, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001140361-26-008481UFP Industries, Inc. names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
42Section 10a, Silgan Holdings Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-158049Silgan Holdings Inc. names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
43Section 10a, Owens Corning reciprocityDEF 14A0001370946-26-000107Owens Corning's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Sonoco Products. Filing ↗
44Section 10a, Sealed Air Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001140361-25-014374Sealed Air Corporation names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
45Section 10a, Packaging Corporation of America reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-127602Packaging Corporation of America names Sonoco Products in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗