ChatGPT: Conservative Legislators Oppose Free Markets. That’s the response Sanford Lewis got this weekend from an interaction with ChatGPT that I thought worthy of sharing. ChatGPT Request Write a humorous and sarcastic discourse on the manner in which anti-ESG activism by “conservative” legislators contradicts their support for free enterprise and capitalism. (more…)
ESG via UPC may be the next field of play for those interested in corporate governance reform. Corporate Accountability Forums will host a discussion with proxy advisor John Glenn Grau and activist investor Michael Levin on December 1, 2022, at noon Eastern time. How do new universal proxy card (UPC) rules make it easier for […]
Hidden Agendas in Shareholder Voting (download). Join us at Corporate Accountability Forums to discuss that topic with authors Scott Hirst and Adriana Z. Robertson. Register to attend the Zoom session live on August 8, 2022, at noon Eastern time. Attending live will give you an opportunity to ask questions and influence the direction of future […]
Bruce Herbert on Vote counting, Chevron, and the changing tide of investor awareness. That’s a small fraction of Bruce Herbert’s focus at Newground Social Investment and some of what we will discuss on April 11, @ 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern). Register. CorpEngage.net houses links to scheduled Corporate Accountability Forums and a growing number of […]
David Webber: Guest Speaker on Corporate Accountability Forums April 4, 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern – Register David Webber Yesterday, David Webber discussed his comment letter on proposed DOL regulations, which failed to consider the jobs of the very workers who contribute to funds regulated by the Department, harming both the workers and the funds […]
Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World (Berrett-Koehler, 2021) is Judy Samuelson’s latest book. Fresh off her testimony to Congress on shareholder primacy, discuss the issues with Judy on Corporate Accountability Forums, Monday 3/28/2022 at 2 pm Eastern – Register now to participate. (more…)
3/21 Jackie Cook: 1 pm Pacific, 4 pm Eastern – Register Jackie holds the position of Director, Stewardship, Product Strategy & Development at Morningstar, leading Sustainalytics’ ESG Voting Policy Overlay service. She previously held the role of Director of Investment Stewardship Research. Her research covers investor active ownership practices, proxy voting trends, and corporate governance. Jackie […]
Leo Strine (Leo E. Strine, Jr.) is one of history’s most prolific legal scholars, especially on issues of corporate accountability. I have seen and heard him in many venues. Much like a rock star, he often comes out, blows our minds, and quickly exits the stage. On Monday (3/14/22), he will be our guest on […]
March 2 2022 Random but Connected Thoughts Severance, the new series on Apple TV where people live completely disconnected lives at work, as if in a Skinner Box. (more…)
21st Century Investing: Redirecting Financial Strategies to Drive Systems Change is one book we hope investment fund trustees are reading and taking advice from. There are far too many green-washing funds trying to appeal to our green wishes. Money is flowing into ESG funds faster than ever. Many of us recognize that investing and shareholder advocacy […]
2022 Corporate Accountability forums begin 2/22 at 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern) with Brandon Rees as our first guest speaker using our own Zoom account and registration process. Each session will last 60 or more, so everyone should get a chance to join the discussion. Flexibility is key, so meeting days and times will […]
US SIF Forum 2021, like most conferences during the past year, will be virtual. I’ll be there, wearing my five-finger shoes, trying to report on your observations. Will we still recognize each other? No problem. Look for the tag #USSIF2021. Encrusted reified assumptions are crumbling. Beta-activism building back better will take creative thought and cooperative […]
Amazon Shareholders Unite Amazon Shareholder Unite for two two-way dialogues. Last summer I warned that chat rooms are the key missing ingredient at virtual shareholder meetings. Chat rooms before and after meetings would allow shareholders to interact informally with each other and with corporate representatives, as they do at in-person meetings. Virtual chat rooms would […]
ESG Insider April 9 is the most recent S&P Global podcast. Co-hosts Lindsey White and Esther Whieldon interview the sponsors of several new proxy proposals. As a shareholder advocate trying to get the word out on my own proposals, I found it interesting and informative. Last season I participated in Tesla Investor Briefing 2020 AGM with […]
SHARE Investor Summit 2021, register. This will be a fantastic virtual event, February 16-19, 2021. Against the backdrop of the social and economic impacts of COVID-19, escalating wealth inequality, systemic racism, and the continuing climate crisis, we rise to the challenge. The SHARE Investor Summit 2021 brings together investment decision-makers and leaders to identify ways of […]
“You Missed This” will distill this season’s sustainable finance papers. We highlight key findings and trends, including important recent work that might have been overlooked. One digestible event for your research needs. (more…)
Tesla Investor Briefing 2020 AGM. Join Investor Advocates for Social Justice, CorpGov.net, Nia Impact Capital, and Whistle Stop Capital. When: Friday, September 18, 2020 at 12 EST/9am PST. Investor briefing for Tesla shareholders and media in advance of the upcoming Tesla AGM (September 22nd). The webinar will provide an overview of three of the shareholder […]
Corporate Accountability: Restoring the Balance Corporate Accountability Facilitator: James McRitchie, Shareholder Advocate Online Fridays, Oct 16, 23, 30; 12 to 1:30 pm Classes are held using Zoom. (more…)
How Shifting from In-Person to Virtual Shareholder Meetings Affects Shareholders’ Voice, Miriam Schwartz-Ziv‘s new paper recently posted on SSRN will be the subject of a virtual seminar held on Wednesday, Sept 2nd, from 11 AM-noon EDT. See the link below. (more…)
ISG (Investor Stewardship Group), an investor-led initiative comprised of more than 60 of the largest U.S.-based institutional investors and global asset managers representing in excess of US$31 trillion AUM, joins with the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance to hold what promises to be an informative and exciting conference. Register now. (more…)
Drugs are being priced out of reach. The new web platform, Shareholder Democracy, will enable millions of Americans to “vote” on pending 2019 shareholder resolutions at six pharmaceutical companies. Shareholder Democracy Network and its drug-pricing ballot for stakeholders will be launched during a phone-based news conference at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on Tuesday (February […]
I just registered and booked for Directors Forum 2019. San Diego is a great place to be in January. The 14th annual Forum promises to be the best yet. Will you join us this year? Check out the agenda. Photos from the 2018 event. Here are a couple of my posts from last year’s Forum. (more…)
Directors Forum 2018: Directors, Management & Shareholders in Dialogue brings together investors, directors and management to engage in open, off-the-record dialogue about today’s pressing governance issues. Speakers will put a spotlight on the escalating impact of “corporate culture” on business success. Hosted by Corporate Directors Forum, Directors Forum 2018 will be held on January 21-23, […]
Matt Cropp, Associate Director of the Vermont Employee Ownership Center and Marjorie Kelly, Executive Vice President of the Democracy Collaborative, discuss employee and community ownership, with a specific discussion of the Keep BT Local Campaign. (more…)
Town Hall Meetings on the Financial Choice Act are right now the most urgent defense line to protect shareholder rights. As you are aware, the Financial CHOICE Act (which threatens to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Shareholder Proposal Rule) has been referred to the full House of Representatives for a vote as […]
Registration is Now Open. Join CalPERS & CalSTRS at this year’s Diversity Forum 2017, an all-day event on May 10, 2017 in Sacramento. About the CalPERS & CalSTRS Diversity Forum 2017 The goal of Diversity Forum 2017 is to bring together investment and corporate executives to discuss how to better capitalize on the abilities of the diverse modern […]
Proxy Statements Disclosing Engagement Nearly half of S&P 100 companies included information in their proxy statements that showed how they responded to shareholder concerns and made changes to policies, according to a new report from Equilar, Innovations in Proxy Design, featuring commentary from Donnelley Financial Solutions and Pay Governance. In 2012, just 14.3% of the S&P […]
The new Equilar GDI (Gender Diversity Index) found it will take nearly 40 years for Russell 3000 boards of directors to reach gender parity. If the current rate of growth remains the same, Russell 3000 boards would reach 50% male and 50% female representation in Q4 2055. Diversity Forum I urge readers 5/10 join CalPERS […]
CII, in partnership with CFA Institute, offers Pension Fund Trustee Training on Feb. 27, 2017, 9 AM to 3 PM at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Washington, D.C. Two pension fund trustee training courses covering fundamentals and advanced topics in trustee service (Registration) (more…)
Tipping Points 2016, a new state-of-the-industry report profiled 50 investors investors with $17.3 trillion in assets, finds that investors are deliberately incorporating new investment approaches to help address systems-level risks and opportunities. The study indicates that investors are intentionally attempting to influence systems-level risk factors previously ignored as beyond the impact-ability of institutional investors. The report identifies ten tools […]
LGBTQ Panel at SRI While major advances have been achieved in the United States to protect the rights of the LGBTQ individuals (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trasgender, queer or questioning), there are still a number of countries where outright discrimination and even punishment by death are real threats. A major LGBTQ rights panel during the 27th […]
Food safety is an issue I’ve been concerned with for years, first as head of California’s cooperative development program, then while on the boards of a food co-op and a wholesale distributor. I remember going for a State of California job interview with someone who lived a few houses down from the co-op. During the […]
The Rock Center Program for Journalists: A Primer in Corporate Governance is a one-day program intended to educate journalists who cover these issues. The program is scheduled for Thursday, June 9 at the New York Offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. Applications are due May 20. (more…)
Directors Forum 2016 is a ‘must’ in an increasingly complex and volatile environment with expanding investor and stakeholder activism, geo-political unrest and 24/7 political campaigning, boards and management facing unprecedented demands. “Directors Forum 2016: Directors, Management & Shareholders in Dialogue,” hosted by Corporate Directors Forum on January 24-26, 2016, provides a forum for three constituencies […]
You are invited you to join us for the 2015 Millstein Governance Forum. This year’s Forum, the 10th annual hosted by the Millstein Center, will focus on The Board-Centric Model in the Array of Shareholders and will take place on Thursday, December 10, 2015 at Columbia University in New York. (more…)