Diligent Market Intelligence

Have you heard? Nominating and governance committee chairs are in the hot seat. ?? According to our Investor Stewardship 2024 report, average shareholder support for nomination committee chairs was the lowest among senior board roles at annual meeting time this year, at 92% in the S&P 500 and 95.6% in the FTSE 100. In contrast, CEOs received the strongest support, 96.7% in the S&P 500 and over 99% in the FTSE 100. What’s moving the spotlight? While shareholders often tended to vote against specific proposals rather than directors in the past, Karla Bos, Associate Partner at Aon, explains that the focus has shifted with investors increasingly prioritizing board accountability and turning their attention to the committees and directors driving governance. To learn more about this trend and other emerging shareholder priorities, read the full report. https://bit.ly/3OqMEeJ #InvestorStewardship #GovernanceTrends #ShareholderEngagement #InvestorInsights

Kudos to the team of Rachit Gupta, Zsombor Péli and Kiki Yuxuan Z. for the recent publication of their research on IPO governance and financial performance. ?? This report examines how governance provided a winning formula in a record-breaking year for IPOs in 2021 driven by low interest rates, ample liquidity and growing retail investor participation. It also highlights how during times of heightened scrutiny, Diligent Market Intelligence can be used to equip companies with the necessary information to proactively manage shareholder pressures, mitigate governance risks, and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Haven’t read it yet? You’re going to want to! ?? ?? https://bit.ly/4fpUWQ4 #IPO #MarketIntelligence #ShareholderEngagement

Over 130 governance experts, five panel discussions and countless conversations on the future of shareholder engagement in the U.K. and wider European region — our London Stewardship Series event was one for the books! From the evolving role of investor activism to rising expectations around executive compensation, attendees left with invaluable insights to help shape their governance strategies. Couldn’t attend? No worries. We summarized the key takeaways in our latest blog post. ?? https://bit.ly/3Z0oWvV #ShareholderEngagement #CorporateGovernance #InvestorStewardship #GovernanceTrends

Fresh off the press! ?? Our 2024 Investor Stewardship report is finally here! One of our key findings? With markets rebounding after a down year in 2022, median CEO pay also saw substantial gains while improved disclosure and performance alignment resulted in increased investor backing for “say on pay” plans in the U.S. and the U.K.. But that’s not all … download our full report to discover how many regions are breaking CEO pay records. ?? https://bit.ly/3CiHb7a #InvestorStewardship #GovernanceTrends #ShareholderEngagement #InvestorInsights

Back by popular demand, the second Diligent Market Intelligence (DMI) Stewardship Series conference — and our first-ever in London — was a major success! We had an incredible time connecting with investors, issuers and advisors to explore issues central to the competitiveness of the U.K. capital markets. From the evolving world of shareholder activism to transparency expectations around executive pay and the new listing rules, our expert speakers broke down the dynamic business landscape and best practices in shareholder engagement. A special thanks to our sponsors, Georgeson, White & Case LLP and Okapi Partners, and partner Snowflake, as well as to our attendees, for making this event so memorable. We hope you walked away with fresh perspectives and tools to drive meaningful change. #DMI #ShareholderEngagement #CorporateGovernance

It pays to be green - literally! FTSE 350 companies have ramped up their focus on ESG metrics in CEO performance evaluations, with the criteria comprising nearly half of performance metrics at the London index. The major areas of interest? Climate and diversity. In 2023, 71 companies used carbon emissions as a key performance indicator (KPI), and diversity metrics have doubled since 2022. These trends reflect growing investor pressure for measurable progress on sustainability goals. While ESG metrics have faced political challenges in the U.S., the U.K. is embracing this shift, signaling a growing commitment to corporate social responsibility. To dive deeper into the data, check out our latest IN-DEPTH article. ?? https://bit.ly/4e7wpxR #ESG #CorporateGovernance #ExecutiveCompensation #DEI

Investors are making themselves clear: Prioritize safety, or pay the price for negligence. ?? Shareholder safety-related proposals have nearly doubled this year, with 10 filed in the first nine months, up from just five filed last year. The issue has been focusing the minds of investors particularly in relation to workplace safety and unsafe working conditions. With human capital management moving up the priority list, investors are increasingly seeing safety not only as a social responsibility, but also as a financial risk. As worker unions and advocacy groups continue to amplify the call for safer workplaces, the pressure on companies to enhance safety measures will only intensify. Learn more about the safety movement and how it’s shaping companies across industries. ?? https://bit.ly/4hiLPSr #ShareholderEngagement #InvestorActivism #RiskManagement #WorkplaceSafety

It’s time for tea and corporate governance! We’re headed to the DMI Stewardship Series in London this month at the LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) and can’t wait to see you there. ???? Join us as we explore a number of insightful panels run by experts; then exchange ideas about best practices with peers on a number of topics – from shareholder activism to ESG. This is going to be an invaluable way to connect and learn alongside other investors, issuers and advisors. Register today. ?? https://bit.ly/4h5jajM #DMI #ShareholderEngagement #CorporateGovernance

In a key election year, Washington-based The Center for Political Accountability (CPA) has been focused on improving transparency and accountability around corporate spending. We spoke to President of the CPA Bruce Freed and VP of Programs and Counsel Dan Carroll on why corporate due diligence on political spending is considered vital to protect companies from growing risk. From political disclosure proposals to advice for boards, this is an insightful conversation on the CPA's effort to make corporate political disclosure and accountability a norm. ? ?https://bit.ly/3ZXZHeK #PoliticalAccountability #BoardMembers #GovernmentTransparency

What makes our partnership with Snowflake Marketplace so exciting? It’s all the investor intelligence you could ask for in the convenient format you want. Power your research to stay ahead of global proxy trends, governance best practices and quickly evolving shareholder campaigns. Learn more about the offering and how it can elevate your investment stewardship practices.?? https://bit.ly/47V2zLq #SnowflakeMarketplace #ProxyVoting #MarketIntelligence #ShareholderActivism