How your clients can use proxy voting to sway company behaviors on issues they care about.
by Morgan du Plessix
A proxy vote is a ballot cast on behalf of a corporation’s shareholder, enabling investors to use their voices and weigh in on issues they care about. But why is now a particularly opportune time to vote proxy? Well, in the first three quarters of 2023, Ethic has voted on over 38,000 proposals on behalf of our clients, helping them move the needle on issues like executive pay, reporting on climate risk, and the ethical treatment of workers.
In this episode of “TheEthic Approach,” relationship manager Morgan du Plessix breaks down proxy voting.
What are some of the powerful opportunities proxy voting can provide?
- Enabling proxy voting authoritygives your clients another avenue for impact. Proxy enables clients to potentially further their impact by weighing in and engaging on the issues that matter most to them.
- Proxy reporting creates additional touchpoints for connecting with clients. Ethic automatically generates reports that showcase how each client’s ballots were cast at a shareholder meeting. These reports can help advisers provide greater transparency to their clients while educating them on their impact.
- Interest in leveraging proxy is growing. 2023 was the second most-successful proxy season for corporate commitments to climate action, while the number of racial equity and civil rights-related resolutions rose this year to 55 - up from 51 in 2022.
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Talk to your custodian about enabling proxy authority for Ethic.
