The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Tag Archive for ‘Council of Institutional Investors’

Say on Pay: Identifying Investor Concerns

Advisory shareowner votes on executive compensation were the big story of proxy season 2011, the inaugural year for “say on pay” at most U.S. public companies. In the first half of the year, shareholders voted against proposals at some 37 companies. The Council of Institutional Investors, a leading advocate for say on pay, offers its analysis of the “no” votes and what they might say about current executive compensation practices.

Proxy Season 2011: Progress or Procrastination?

Reporter James Hyatt says that depending on whom you ask, when it comes to shareholder activism and corporate governance issues this year’s proxy season is a glass half full, a glass half empty, or a glass completely shattered.

SEC Approves Proxy Access for Shareholders

Given the green light by Congress, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved and released a long-awaited rule on procedures under which shareholders can get their nominees for directors included in corporate proxy materials. Under the new rule, shareholders seeking access to proxies would have to own at least 3% of the total voting power entitled to vote at an annual meeting.

Senate Negotiators Move to Limit Proxy Access in Finance Bill

To the dismay of activist investor groups, Senate Banking Committee chairman Christopher Dodd proposed that investors seeking to nominate directors for shareholder votes be required to own at least a 5% interest in the company for two years. Few, if any, institutional investors would be able to meet such a requirement.

Citizens United and Political Contributions: The Story So Far

Even before corporations and other groups start writing checks to exercise their new-found freedom, the Citizens United case appears likely to emerge as a key litmus test in the process of selecting a successor to Justice John Paul Stevens, who has announced his plan to retire after the current Supreme Court term.

Shareholder Advocates Urge Disclosure of Political Spending

The Center for Political Accountability, the Council of Institutional Investors and a number of shareholder advocate groups have launched a letter-writing campaign urging companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to disclose all political contributions they make with corporate funds.