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. Introducing the possibility of such reimbursement may incentivize disruptive and unnecessary shareholder campaigns. In the absence of robust disclosures, we may reasonably conclude that companies are not adequately managing risk. & zM x;x^y3zO2M"V.#^J,\D Proxy Voting Guidelines: TRPA. Nicholas J. Voting Process The Proxy Committee has approved proxy voting guidelines applicable to specific types of common proxy proposals (the Approved Guidelines). Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Integration. Accordingly, shareholders should have the right to call a special meeting in cases where a reasonably high proportion of shareholders (typically a minimum of 15% but no higher than 25%) are required to agree to such a meeting before it is called. The information on this website does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase, securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is not lawful to make such an offer. Payouts to executives should reflect both the executives contributions to the companys ongoing success, as well as exogenous factors that impacted shareholder value. In the U.S., we believe that boards should aspire to at least 30% diversity of membership, [7] and we encourage large companies, such as those in the S&P 500, to lead in achieving this standard. Proxy Voting Guidelines The guidelines are based on generally accepted standards and best practices for corporate gov- PAST PERFORMANCE IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUTURE RESULTS. An offering may be made only by delivery of a confidential offering memorandum to appropriate investors. Disclosure of material issues that affect the companys long-term strategy and value creation, including, when relevant, material sustainability-related factors, is essential for shareholders to appropriately understand and assess how effectively the board is identifying, managing, and mitigating risks. Join Lisa Edwards, Diligent President and COO, and Fortune Media CEO Alan Murray to discuss how corporations' role in the world has shifted - and how leaders can balance the risks and opportunities of this new paradigm. SASB standards will over time be adapted to ISSB standards but are the reference reporting tool in the meantime. The information provided here is neither tax nor legal advice. 0000001137 00000 n WebRanked-Choice Voting (also known as instant runoff voting) allows voters to rank a first, second and third choice candidate for a single office. Webproxy voting principles and philosophy discussed in the Invesco Global Proxy Policy. RBC GAM subscribes to the research of both ISS and Glass, Lewis & Co . 0000013331 00000 n If you have received an invitation, you must first create a login by following the link provided in the email sent to you. WebThe Proxy Committee may resolve such conflicts in any of a variety of ways, including without limitation the following: (i) voting in accordance with the Proxy Guidelines based There are two commonly accepted structures for independent leadership to balance the CEO role in the boardroom: 1) an independent Chair; or 2) a Lead Independent director when the roles of Chair and CEO are combined, or when the Chair is otherwise not independent. 0000024740 00000 n We generally view the boards discretion to establish voting rights on a when-issued basis as a potential anti-takeover device, as it affords the board the ability to place a block of stock with an investor sympathetic to management, thereby foiling a takeover bid without a shareholder vote. Where a poison pill is put to a shareholder vote by management, our policy is to examine these plans individually. Self identified board demographic diversity can usefully be disclosed in aggregate, consistent with local law. Where a company has not adequately demonstrated, through actions and/or disclosures, how material issues are appropriately identified, managed, and overseen, we will consider voting against the re-election of those directors responsible for the oversight of such issues, as indicated below. Our view of independence may vary from listing standards. Use of this site signifies that you accept ourTerms & Conditions of Use. 0000033519 00000 n WebThe proxy voting record of each Fund for the most recent period ended June 30 of each year, commencing in 2006, is available to any unitholders of the Funds at any time after August 31 of that year by calling the number below. However, the final voting decision is independent and voting authority rests Compensation for directors should generally be structured to attract and retain directors, while also aligning their interests with those of shareholders. In doing so, we typically consider the governance standards of the companys primary listing, the market standards by which the company governs themselves, and the market context of each specific proposal on the agenda. All rights reserved. We may vote against certain directors where changes to governing documents are not put to a shareholder vote within a reasonable period of time, particularly if those changes have the potential to impact shareholder rights (see Director elections). When assessing how to vote including on the election of directors and relevant shareholder proposals robust disclosures are essential for investors to understand, where appropriate, how companies are integrating material sustainability risks and opportunities across their business and strategic, long-term planning. While mergers, acquisitions, asset sales, business combinations, and other special transaction proposals vary widely in scope and substance, we closely examine certain salient features in our analyses, such as: Contested elections and other special situations[9] are assessed on a case-by-case basis. hA vRW|d'XDsx9sx9 & endstream endobj 2037 0 obj <>/Metadata 345 0 R/Names 2038 0 R/Outlines 121 0 R/Pages 339 0 R/StructTreeRoot 347 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 2038 0 obj <> endobj 2039 0 obj >/PageTransformationMatrixList<0[1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 -306.0 -396.0]>>/PageUIDList<0 544>>/PageWidthList<0 612.0>>>>>>/Resources<>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Thumb 307 0 R/TrimBox[0.0 0.0 612.0 792.0]/Type/Page>> endobj 2040 0 obj <> endobj 2041 0 obj <>stream 0000004042 00000 n Companies should disclose the rationale for their selection of primary listing, country of incorporation, and choice of governance structures, particularly where there is conflict between relevant market governance practices. The following table illustrates examples[5] of responsibilities under each board leadership model: Companies should have a robust CEO and senior management succession plan in place at the board level that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. About 3000 participants from the NorthEast states are expected to compete in 18 disciplines at 12 venues spread across Shillong for the second edition of the NorthEast Olympic Games, Pi Vanlalrovi, Staff Nurse at Thingsulthliah PHC was among the 51 individuals to be presented the Florence Nightingale Award 2021, Mizo Sniper Jeje Fanai announces retirement from professional football, Lalnunmawia Diary, a trilogy of first-hand chronicles, Mizoram Rural Bank launches Internet Banking Transaction Facility, Govt of Mizoram bans fireworks, sky lanterns and toy guns, Mizoram Govt scraps plans for construction of LGBTQI shelter, Massive fire breaks out at housing complex in Chanmari, Aizawl, Dr. K.Beichhua hands in resignation from the post of Minister of State, The President of the All India Football Federation visits Mizoram, Doordarshan Aizawl serves cable TV operators Zonet and LPS Vision with notice to resume DD Sports telecast, Rokunga Memorial Society (RMS) felicitates Pu Malsawmkima with Rokunga Award 2021, Michael Learns To Rock will be rocking Aizawl tonight, Council of Ministers approves establishment of Border Management Cell under Home Department. (See chart above.). An EGC should have an independent audit committee by the first anniversary of its IPO, with our standard approach to voting on auditors and audit-related issues applicable in full for an EGC on the first anniversary of its IPO. Shareholders should have the opportunity to review substantial governance changes individually without having to accept bundled proposals. (go back), 17https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/whitepaper/bii-managing-the-net-zero-transition-february-2022.pdf(go back), 18While guidance is still under development for a unified disclosure framework related to natural capital, the emerging recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), may prove useful to some companies. Scope The guiding principle of this Policy is that voting rights should be exercised and WebName of proxy vote by the homeowners association during the _____ meeting. We may oppose boards that appear to have an insufficient mix of short-, medium-, and long-tenured directors. If the relevant standards are silent on the issue under consideration, we will use our professional judgment as to what voting outcome would best protect the long-term economic interests of investors. We generally oppose plans that contain evergreen provisions, which allow for automatic annual increases of shares available for grant without requiring further shareholder approval; we note that the aggregate impacts of such increases are difficult to predict and may lead to significant dilution. Companies should have an established process for identifying, monitoring, and managing business and material risks. (go back), 13The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation announced in November 2021 the formation of an International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to develop a comprehensive global baseline of high-quality sustainability disclosure standards to meet investors information needs. Excluding exigent circumstances, BIS generally considers attendance at less than 75% of the combined board and applicable committee meetings to be poor attendance. The following issue-specific proxy voting guidelines (the Guidelines) summarize BlackRock Investment Stewardships (BIS) philosophy and approach to engagement and voting, as well as our view of governance best practices and the roles and responsibilities of boards and directors for publicly listed U.S. companies. In the event that the board chooses to have a combined Chair/CEO or a non-independent Chair, we support the designation of a Lead Independent director, with the ability to: 1) provide formal input into board meeting agendas; 2) call meetings of the independent directors; and 3) preside at meetings of independent directors. In his frustration, he lit his bottle on fire and threw it away, causing the fire to break out. Proposals to change a corporations form, including those to convert to a public benefit corporation (PBC) structure, should clearly articulate the stakeholder groups the company seeks to benefit and provide detail on how the interests of shareholders would be augmented or adversely affected with the change to a PBC. The administration of these MFS Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is overseen by the MFS Proxy Voting Committee, which However, a large potential payout under a golden parachute arrangement also presents the risk of motivating a management team to support a sub-optimal sale price for a company. Therefore, we will generally support the reduction or the elimination of supermajority voting requirements to the extent that we determine shareholders ability to protect their economic interests is improved. [8] We recognize that it may take time and that companies with smaller market capitalizations and in certain sectors may face more challenges in pursuing diversity. These clauses also tend to specify that an all-cash bid for all shares that includes a fairness opinion and evidence of financing does not trigger the pill, but forces either a special meeting at which the offer is put to a shareholder vote or requires the board to seek the written consent of shareholders, where shareholders could rescind the pill at their discretion. We encourage boards to disclose their approach to evaluations, including objectives of the evaluation; if an external party conducts the evaluation; the frequency of the evaluations; and, whether that evaluation occurs on an individual director basis. Further, if a company qualifies as an emerging growth company (an EGC) under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the JOBS Act), we will give consideration to the NYSE and NASDAQ governance exemptions granted under the JOBS Act for the duration such a company is categorized as an EGC. 3 - vested Artisan Partners with proxy voting authority or has reserved or delegated that responsibility to another designated person; and - adopted a proxy voting policy that Artisan Partners is required to follow. There is growing consensus that companies can benefit from the more favorable macroeconomic environment under an orderly, timely, and equitable global energy transition. WebPlease submit your proxy card or voting instruction form as soon as possible. When voting on a management or shareholder proposal to make changes to the charter/articles/bylaws, we will consider in part the companys and/or proponents publicly stated rationale for the changes; the companys governance profile and history; relevant jurisdictional laws; and situational or contextual circumstances which may have motivated the proposed changes, among other factors. We generally favor prompt recoupment from any senior executive whose compensation was based on faulty financial reporting or deceptive business practices. 0000012093 00000 n Where boards find that age limits or term limits are the most efficient and objective mechanism for ensuring periodic board refreshment, we generally defer to the boards determination in setting such limits. We support incentive plans that foster the sustainable achievement of results both financial and nonfinancial consistent with the companys strategic initiatives. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing. We generally do not favor programs focused on awards that require performance levels to be met and maintained for a relatively short time period for payouts to be earned, unless there are extended vesting and/or holding requirements. 1 Proxy Voting by Investment Advisers, Release No. Companies should effectively oversee and mitigate material risks related to stakeholders with appropriate due diligence processes and board oversight. We may also support a pill where it is the only effective method for protecting tax or other economic benefits that may be associated with limiting the ownership changes of individual shareholders. We use third party research, in addition to our own analysis, to evaluate existing and proposed compensation structures. WebProxy Voting Guidelines. We will normally support proposals seeking to introduce bylaws requiring a majority vote standard for director elections. We will consider a variety of possible voting outcomes in contested situations, including the ability to support a mix of management and dissident nominees. Sandy Boss is Global Head of Investment Stewardship, John Roe is Head of Investment Stewardship (BIS) in the Americas, and Jessica McDougall is a Director at BlackRock Inc. In cases where there is a Say on Pay vote, BIS will respond to the proposal as informed by our evaluation of compensation practices at that particular company and in a manner that appropriately addresses the specific question posed to shareholders. Among these smaller companies, we look for the presence of diversity and take into consideration the progress that companies are making. Centralize the data you need to set and surpass your ESG goals., The Big Shift: How Boardrooms Are Evolvingand How Leaders Should Respond. We engage an outside advisor to make initial, customized recommendations based on these Proxy Voting Principles and Guidelines. 0000042640 00000 n We look to companies to disclose short-, medium-, and long-term targets, ideally science-based targets where these are available for their sector, for Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions and to demonstrate how their targets are consistent with the long-term economic interests of their shareholders. All Rights Reserved. Examples of social issues include, but are not limited to, human capital management, impacts on the communities in which a company operates, customer loyalty, and relationships with regulators. Where we conclude that a company has failed to align pay with performance, we will vote against the management compensation proposal and relevant compensation committee members. There may be legitimate instances where underwater options create an overhang on a companys capital structure and a repricing or option exchange may be warranted. WebVoting Guidelines set forth in Appendix A of Calverts Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures and the proxy voting guidelines discussed in this section do not apply to such ETFs. Stay on the $country-name$ $persona-name$ site. In our letter on unequal voting structures, we articulate our view that one vote for one share is the preferred structure for publicly-traded companies. This makes it possible to elect local 0000013568 00000 n Where discretion has been used by the compensation committee, we look for disclosures relating to how and why the discretion was used and how the adjusted outcome is aligned with the interests of shareholders. We may decide to support a shareholder proposal requesting additional disclosures if we identify a material inconsistency or feel that further transparency may clarify how the companys political activities support its long-term strategy. To signal our concerns, we may also vote against the chair of the nominating/governance committee, or where no chair exists, the nominating/governance committee member with the longest tenure. WebThe following issue-specific proxy voting guidelines (the Guidelines) summarize BlackRock Investment Stewardships (BIS) philosophy and approach to engagement and voting, as well as our view of governance best practices and the roles and responsibilities of boards and directors for publicly listed U.S. companies. Webthe extent there are any conflicts between these guidelines and the contract language, the contract language will control. BIS supports equity plans that align the economic interests of directors, managers, and other employees with those of shareholders. Where compensation structures provide for a front-loaded[10] award, we look for appropriate structures (including vesting and/or holding periods) that motivate sustained performance for shareholders over a number of years. (go back), 3A BDC is a special investment vehicle under the Investment Company Act of 1940 that is designed to facilitate capital formation for small and middle-market companies(go back), 4CTo this end, we do not view shareholder proposals asking for the separation of Chair and CEO to be a proxy for other concerns we may have at the company for which a vote against directors would be more appropriate. On November 11, 2019, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) released its 2020 Proxy Voting Guidelines, which are generally effective for meetings on or after February 1, 2020. We also generally oppose plans that allow for repricing without shareholder approval. Accordingly, shareholders should have the right to solicit votes by written consent provided that: 1) there are reasonable requirements to initiate the consent solicitation process (in order to avoid the waste of corporate resources in addressing narrowly supported interests); and 2) shareholders receive a minimum of 50% of outstanding shares to effectuate the action by written consent. (go back), 12By material sustainability-related risks and opportunities, we mean the drivers of risk and value creation in a companys business model that have an environmental or social dependency or impact. From time to time, shareholder proposals may be presented to promote auditor independence or the rotation of audit firms. 2036 41 There should be a clear link between variable pay and company performance that drives sustained value creation for our clients as shareholders. We will typically support amendments to the charter/articles/bylaws where the benefits to shareholders outweigh the costs of failing to make such changes. A companys board of directors should put in place a compensation structure that balances incentivizing, rewarding, and retaining executives appropriately across a wide range of business outcomes. We will evaluate the economic and strategic rationale behind the companys proposal to reincorporate on a case-by-case basis. 0000013250 00000 n Continue to $country-name$ Individual Investor site. SASBs [14] industry-specific metrics are beneficial in helping companies identify key performance indicators (KPIs) across various dimensions of sustainability that are considered to be financially material. It is our view that well-run companies will effectively evaluate and manage material sustainability-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses. We will consider whether the transaction involves a dissenting board or does not appear to be the result of an arms-length bidding process. [15] It is, of course, up to each company to define their own strategy: that is not the role of BlackRock or other investors. In our view, a strong board provides a competitive advantage to a company, providing valuable oversight and contributing to the most important management decisions that support long-term financial performance. Nonetheless, we may support the proposal where the company: Increase in authorized common shares BIS will evaluate requests to increase authorized shares on a case-by-case basis, in conjunction with industry-specific norms and potential dilution, as well as a companys history with respect to the use of its common shares. It is in this context that we are interested in diversity in the boardroom. Boards should clearly explain the economic and strategic rationale for any proposed transactions or material changes to the business. y7>>zz/A0G#sdS`:^`Es. Over time, greater diversity in the boardroom can also promote greater diversity and resilience in the leadership team, and the workforce more broadly. Were also watching an evolving pattern with E & S shareholder proposals and expanding engagement opportunities. They are to be applied with discretion, taking into consideration the range of issues and facts specific to the company, as well as individual ballot items at shareholder meetings. 0000004638 00000 n WebThis Policy is overseen by the Proxy Voting and Governance Committee (Proxy Voting and Governance Committee or Committee), which provides oversight and includes senior representatives from Equities, Fixed Income, Responsibility, Legal and Operations.
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