Shareholder Voting

Each proxy voting season, we provide insights based on a comprehensive review of shareholder proposals submitted at Russell 3000 companies between January 1 and June 30. About 90 percent of shareholder meetings take place in the first half of the year, and this cutoff point allows easy comparisons with prior-year shareholder voting benchmarking reports.

The data and analysis include trends in the number and topics of shareholder proposals and the level of support those proposals received when put to a vote. Our reports discuss key areas that promise to be the focus of investor attention in the upcoming year: environmental & social proposals in general, as well as proposals in human capital management, climate and other environmental issues, corporate political activity, and governance, especially at mid- and smaller cap companies. Additionally, they discuss trends in say-on-pay proposals, director elections, and changes in the retail investor base.

The project is conducted by The Conference Board and ESG data analytics firm ESGAUGE, in collaboration with leadership advisory and search firm Russell Reynolds Associates, and Rutgers University’s Center for Corporate Law and Governance.

Dashboard (Complimentary): Visualize trends across Russell 3000 and S&P 500 indexes, GICS business sectors, and company size groups.

Benchmarking Tool (Members Only): Benchmark your company’s shareholder requests and voting results against a customized peer group and generate detailed reports to inform your activism surveillance process.