No two companies are identical. So why should their compensation plans be?

It’s a question that’s frequently being asked by board directors and compensation consultants, especially at this time of year, leading into proxy season, as governance observers are noting an increasing convergence in plan design across the board for companies, such as a heavy reliance on performance-based pay, a movement away from stock options and the use of TSR as an incentive metric.

While sources’ views on the reason for the broad similarities across plans vary, many are questioning whether the homogenization of executive pay plans has gone too far.