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Engaging with Investors During Takeover Situations

This paper reflects discussions with a working group of Investor Forum members who have been involved in a number of takeover situations in recent years and were keen to share thoughts and perspectives as to how outcomes for long term shareholders might be enhanced. This group has identified a recurring pattern of takeover engagement that is often too limited, too late, and too constrained by an overly cautious interpretation of the Takeover Code.

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Reframing the Narrative on the UK Market

This paper, produced in conjunction with the Investor Forum membership, seeks to contribute the institutional investor voice to the improving sentiment currently building towards the UK equity market and act as a constructive counter-narrative to some of the negativity that has emerged over recent years.

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The Stewardship of Share Buybacks

In the following pages, we provide questions that shareholders can use in their engagement with boards to gain insight into the decision-making and oversight processes, and questions that boards can use to challenge themselves to gain confidence that they are acting in the best interests of the company in the choices they make.

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How Investors Use Proxy Advisors

Proxy advisors are a key service provider to the investment management industry, bringing efficiencies to the voting process and helping to keep costs low, to the benefit of the wider market. Investors may use a number of services from one or more proxy advisors – such as research and analysis, policy setting and recommendations, voting implementation and vote disclosure.

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AIM to Main

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) Discussion Paper on the Future of AIM1 raised questions about improving the functioning of the market and steps to build the seamless funding continuum, in which AIM plays an important role. Our submission focussed on how to make a smoother pathway from AIM to the Main Market for those companies that believe this is appropriate, given their stage of size and growth. This paper builds on that submission and reviews the current position for companies looking to move from the AIM to the Main Market. We make proposals we believe would make it easier for companies to make that transition.

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Shaping Tomorrow’s Dialogues

This paper presents the findings from our programme to identify and promote Best Practice Dialogue between corporates and investors. Our goal was to create a comprehensive assessment of the state of key dialogues between UK companies and investors.

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Toolkit on Modern Slavery

Investors may be connected to modern slavery and human trafficking through their own operations and supply chain, and share a responsibility with al business for addressing this. However, their most material exposure is likely to be through the companies in which they invest their client’s capital. Because the institutional investment sector is so intertwined with the rest of the economy, investor action can drive better global practice in detection and mitigation, and help those that are most vulnerable. Investor interest, in the form of questions, feedback and proactive engagement, can be a powerful driver of corporate action to address the underlying issues.

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What Does Stakeholder Capitalism Mean for Investors?

A growing body of opinion asserts that the current model of capitalism has failed because of an excessive focus on shareholder interests without sufficient regard to other stakeholders. Its proponents advocate an alternative form of capitalism – stakeholder capitalism.

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Governing for Growth

‘Governing for Growth’ is intended as a practical guide for smaller and mid-sized developing companies which are listed or have shares quoted on public markets. The objective is to support the process of growth and development of these companies as they grow their businesses and deliver long-term sustainable value.

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Engaging the Engagers

A practical toolkit for schemes to achieve effective stewardship through their managers

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Collective Engagement: An Essential Stewardship Capability

In this paper we categorise 12 different forms of engagement activity; identify 6 critical success factors that lie behind effective engagement; explore how the success factors and categories of engagement combine to deliver effective engagement; and highlight the valuable role of collective engagement.

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The Four Dialogues

The need to improve how Investors and Companies engage on Governance