Over the last decade, the defence industry has seen heightened regulation, and a reassessment by clients regarding their expectations of exposure to the defence sector. The Investor Forum formed a Working Group to review the impact of investor policies and client mandates and we built a framework to help investors identify a ‘values-aligned’ investible universe.
Working Practices
The Forum’s Working Practices project has considered labour market abuse in the textile supply chain, working practices in food retailers and their suppliers, and working practices in the construction industry.
Voting
Voting is an important mechanism for shareholders to exercise their rights, but investors and companies encounter many obstacles in obtaining voting transparency in the UK and Ireland.
Irish Voting
Following the 2021 AGM season, shareholders became concerned that the efficacy of the voting process had been negatively impacted by changes in the Irish market. This is a particular issue at a time when scrutiny of voting records from both clients and wider society is high.
Purpose
The Forum’s interest is in how academic work on purpose can be put to use to help boards frame long-term strategy and investors support the creation of sustainable long-term value.
Voting Transparency
Stewardship encompasses more than voting, but the voting of shares is an important mechanism for shareholders to express their views and exercise their rights. Yet investors and companies still encounter many obstacles in obtaining and providing voting transparency in the UK.
Audit
A series of events and briefing notes to consider the impact of COVID-19 on 2020 financial reporting and key areas of concern, including going concern and viability.
Capital Raising
Briefing notes and discussions with expert speakers on the issues associated with capital raising during the pandemic in 2020. This project illustrates how collaborative work can promote best practice.
Working Practices: Construction Sector
This Stewardship 360 project builds on the work we have done with Members in the apparel and food retail sectors. We are now focusing on working practices in the construction industry including the home builders, building materials and infrastructure companies.
Marine Plastic Pollution
The Forum brought together nine investors to co-sponsor a BSI technical standard which aims to change corporate behaviour to eliminate plastic pellet leakage into the environment.
Stewardship 360: ADR Project
During 2018, we were asked to investigate two ADR voting issues which have the potential to impact not only ADR holders but also aggregated voting outcomes, and therefore all shareholders.
Working Practices: Food Retail Sector
This Stewardship 360 project builds on the work done in 2017 with the apparel sector, and focuses on working practices within food retail companies and their supply chains.
Working Practices: Apparel
The apparel was the first phase of our Working Practices project, focusing on the potential for labour market abuse within the textile supply chain.
Banking Futures
As part of the Investor Forum’s objective to make the case for long-term investment approaches, we have played an active role in the BankingFutures project, which was convened by two not-for-profit organisations, Leaders’ Quest and Meteos, in the summer of 2014 to rebuild a healthy UK Banking Sector.