Christina Shim
1 800 FLOWERS COMAbout Christina Shim
Christina Shim, age 42, has served as an independent director of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. since December 2023. She is IBM’s Chief Sustainability Officer, previously leading Product Management & Strategy for IBM Sustainability Software (from January 2023) and earlier serving as VP, Head of Strategy & Sustainability for IBM Sustainability Software (from November 2021). She sits on IBM’s AI Ethics Board and the ESG Executive Steering Committee, and previously held leadership roles at Palladium International and Booz Allen Hamilton; earlier, she was a senior targeting analyst at the CIA. Shim advises fintech and climate-tech startups, accelerators, and not-for-profits, and advises Princeton and Columbia Universities .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM | Chief Sustainability Officer | Current (date not specified) | Enterprise-wide sustainability strategy, partnerships, innovation, compliance; ESG governance via AI Ethics Board and ESG Executive Steering Committee |
| IBM Sustainability Software | Global Head of Product Management & Strategy | From Jan 2023 | Led product & strategy for sustainability solutions |
| IBM Sustainability Software | VP, Head of Strategy & Sustainability | From Nov 2021 | Strategy and sustainability leadership for IBM’s sustainability software |
| Palladium International | Managing Director, Head of New York | Nov 2017–Oct 2021 | Led impact-focused advisory; growth and operations leadership |
| Booz Allen Hamilton | Director, Corporate & Growth Innovation Strategy (and other leadership roles) | Nov 2012–Oct 2017 | Corporate innovation; growth strategy |
| Central Intelligence Agency | Senior Targeting Analyst | Nov 2007–Jun 2010 | Analytical leadership; national security |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM AI Ethics Board | Member | Current | AI governance and ethics oversight within IBM |
| IBM ESG Executive Steering Committee | Member | Current | Enterprise ESG strategy oversight |
| Various fintech/climate-tech startups, accelerators, not-for-profits | Board member/advisor | Ongoing | Sustainability and responsible investing advisory across innovation and growth |
| Princeton University; Columbia University | Advisor | Ongoing | Advisory to academic institutions on sustainability/innovation |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all directors other than James F. McCann and Christopher G. McCann are independent under NASDAQ rules; Shim is independent .
- Meeting attendance: In Fiscal 2025, the Board met 5 times; all incumbent directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings of which they were members. Last year’s Annual Meeting attendance was limited to Executive Chairman James F. McCann; no other directors attended .
- Lead independent director: The Company does not currently have a lead independent director .
| Committee | Membership | Chair Role | Meetings (FY2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Not a member | — | 4 |
| Compensation | Not a member | — | 5 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member | Not Chair | 4 |
| Technology & Cybersecurity | Member | Not Chair | 4 |
Committee oversight mandates:
- Nominating & Corporate Governance: Board composition, independence, succession planning, corporate governance guidelines; oversees environmental & social matters .
- Technology & Cybersecurity: Oversight of data security, privacy, IT systems, cyber incident preparedness; coordinates periodically with Audit Committee .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 | Paid in four equal installments (pro-rata if joining mid-year) . Shim’s FY2025 cash fees: $50,000 . |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Not a chair (Audit $20k; Comp $15k; Nominating $10k; Tech & Cyber $10k) |
| Meeting fees | $0 | Not disclosed (no per-meeting fees) |
| Equity (restricted Class A stock) | $99,995 | Annual grant sized at $100,000 value at grant; vests fully on first anniversary; Shim’s FY2025 stock awards: $99,995 |
Vesting and outstanding awards:
- Unvested director stock awards as of June 29, 2025: 12,150 shares for Shim (options: none) .
- Director grants vest fully at one year from Grant Date; fractional shares not awarded .
Performance Compensation
No performance-based compensation disclosed for non-employee directors; director equity awards are time-based restricted stock (no PSUs/options in FY2025) .
| Performance Metric | Applies to Director Compensation? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EBITDA, Revenue, Strategic Initiatives | No | These apply to executive officer incentive plans, not directors |
| TSR or performance share metrics | No | Director equity is time-based; no performance-linked director awards |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Organization | Type | Role | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | — | None disclosed | — |
| Startups/accelerators/not-for-profits | Private/non-profit | Board member/advisor | Not disclosed |
| Academic institutions | Princeton; Columbia | Advisor | Not disclosed |
No related-party transactions involving Shim were disclosed. Related-party items in the proxy concern McCann family employment and Clarim sublease arrangements; none reference Shim .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sustainability/ESG strategy leader (IBM CSO), AI ethics governance, and enterprise compliance .
- Product management and strategy for sustainability software; prior impact advisory leadership (Palladium) and corporate innovation (Booz Allen) .
- Intelligence analysis background (CIA), implying analytical rigor and risk awareness .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Class A) | 7,403 shares; <0.1% | As of Oct 13, 2025; percent marked “*” for <0.1% |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | 0 / 0 | No options outstanding for Shim |
| Unvested stock awards | 12,150 shares | As of June 29, 2025 |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Prohibited | Insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Common Stock |
Shares outstanding for reference: 36,598,694 Class A; 27,068,221 Class B (as of Oct 13, 2025) . Beneficial ownership percentages reflect the company’s calculations; Shim is below 0.1% .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Shim strengthens oversight in ESG and cyber/technology via membership on Nominating & Corporate Governance and Technology & Cybersecurity committees. Her IBM CSO role and AI Ethics Board experience align with company disclosures on environmental resilience and social responsibility .
- Independence & attendance: Independent under NASDAQ rules; attended at least 75% of meetings in FY2025 as part of the Board’s disclosed attendance; however, she did not attend the prior Annual Meeting (only the Executive Chairman attended) .
- Compensation & alignment: Modest, standard director pay structure ($50k cash retainer + ~$100k time-vested equity); no options; anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy supports alignment; unvested 12,150 shares indicate ongoing equity-based alignment .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No Shim-related transactions disclosed; broader governance context includes significant McCann family control and absence of a lead independent director—potentially constraining independent board influence, increasing importance of active committee oversight by independent directors like Shim - .
RED FLAGS
- No lead independent director, which may limit independent oversight and challenge board balance in a dual-class, family-influenced structure -.
- Annual Meeting attendance: only the Executive Chairman attended last year’s meeting, signaling limited broader board-shareholder engagement; investors may seek confirmation of improved director participation .
Positive Signals
- Strong ESG and technology/cyber oversight capabilities aligned to committee mandates; anti-hedging/pledging policy; standardized, conservative director compensation without performance-contingent pay or options .