Category Archives: Proxy Voting

Drawing Swords: The Battle Over Proxy Access

The TakeAway: As the Federal Register publishes proxy access rules, we survey arguments against shareholder rights. Earlier today, the Federal Register published new rules governing proxy access that will take effect November 15th.  The proxy access rule, approved by the … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Proxy Voting, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement | 7 Comments

NOTABLE PEOPLE: Bob Monks and the Battle to Change Corporate America

The TakeAway: Bob Monks believes new corporate governance reforms fall short, but digital tools can help advance accountability goals. Robert A.G. Monks has a long history of pioneering work on corporate accountability.  From his tenure as first Department of Labor … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Investor Governance, Notable People, Proxy Voting, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Investing, Web 2.0 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Fat Cats & Pink Slips: The Link Between CEO Pay and Layoffs

The TakeAway: CEO pay rises highest at firms that lead in layoffs, says a new report – a bitter pill to swallow in hard times. During this recession, there’s nothing like excessive CEO pay to get the blood boiling – … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Proxy Voting, Wage Gap | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Proxy Access & Shareholder Citizenship: The Quest for Inclusion

The TakeAway: New SEC rule allows shareholders to nominate board candidates, a major victory for corporate democracy. Yesterday was historic: the SEC granted shareholders the power to nominate candidates for board director elections.  The 3-2 vote along party lines ended … Continue reading

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“We the People”, Not “We the Moguls”

The TakeAway: Controversial corporate political spending spurs shareholder activism aimed at aligning company values with American values. With election season around the corner, today we question if our democracy, founded on the ideal of representing “We the People”, has been … Continue reading

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The Four E’s of Social Media & Sustainability

The TakeAway: Sustainability Leaders Need to Use Social Media to Exchange, Educate, Engage, and Enhance. Social media has exploded within the past few years to become a fixture in our culture.  For example, Facebook’s network has mushroomed to 500 million … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Proxy Voting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Good Ownership and Good Governance: The Case for Investor Stewardship

The TakeAway: New UK Stewardship Code Helps Investors Act as Owners – Will US Follow Suit? With all the attention on financial regulatory reform, it’s easy to forget a simple truism:  You can’t have good corporate governance without good ownership.  … Continue reading

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Rules of the Road: Fixing Corporate Governance, and What It Means To You

The past half-year or so has seen a host of corporate governance reforms in the US, which dramatically change the context of corporate power and accountability.  In December 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) set the ball rolling by … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Reporting, Proxy Voting, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Good Governance: A Perfect Storm

Part Three of Three Parts President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act into law yesterday, capping an extraordinary period of financial and governance reform, stimulated by the collapse of Lehman Brothers 22 months ago.  You could call it “the end of … Continue reading

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Environmental & Social Policy Resolutions Receive Record Levels of Support

Part Two of Three Parts For more than forty years, shareholder activists and large investors have expressed their concerns to corporate boards through the proxy resolution process.  For them, this past season was the best ever. Proxy resolutions are proposed … Continue reading

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