TOM WARNER, Shareholder Analytics & Engagement
As we head into AGM season, the trends that emerged in 2022 look set to stay in 2023, with investors and proxy advisers continuing to focus on Remuneration, Climate Change, Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) issues and Board Composition.
Remuneration Reports
In 2021, 27 companies (9% of the ASX300) suffered a strike at their AGM, when more than 25% of votes opposed the acceptance of the remuneration report. While the number of strikes during the 2022 AGM season was lower, there appears to be a higher level of shareholder dissatisfaction over remuneration in the first half of 2023, when the number of strikes increased to 12%.
The number of remuneration reports receiving over 90% of shareholder approval has also dropped, quiet sharply, from 83% in 2022 to 73% in the first half of 2023. While this may, in part, be a function of stricter target metrics being set by institutional investors such as Vanguard and Dimensional in their stewardship reports, it may also, in part, be ascribed to shareholder’s taking the view that executive remuneration is not well aligned with shareholder returns. Add to that, proxy advisers such as ISS and CGI indicating they will be taking harder stances on high or poorly structured fixed and variable remuneration without a lucid explanation. A case in point might be Nufarm, where proxy advisors raised concerns about the structure of the new executive incentive plan and, despite the company showcasing positive full year results, it received an overwhelming 47% vote against its remuneration report.
Climate change & ESG
This AGM season the spotlight will once again be shone on ESG factors and the need for companies to demonstrate their strategic plan for improving performance across these issues. In the June 2023 message from HESTA, one of Australia’s largest investors, CEO Debby Blakey noted that “without active ownership, responsible investors have little ability to influence emitting companies….active ownership, using the tool of company engagement, share voting and advocacy, is more effective than divestment.”
Hesta’s stance is likely to be adopted by other investment and index funds who want the companies they invest in to establish clear plans to meet climate change targets. Commencing in 2023, ISS and CGI have indicated they will require companies to adequately disclose climate-related risks that fall in line with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). ISS have specifically noted companies must include medium-term GHG reduction targets or Net Zero by 2050 GHG targets for Scope 1 and Scope 2.
Directors election/board composition
A continuing focus for proxy advisers and investors in 2023 is the election of directors and board composition. In the first half of 2023, Vanguard Investment Stewardship was particularly active in engaging with boards regarding their strategic plans towards board composition, engaging with dozens of ASX listed companies that did not meet the ASX Corporate Governance Principles’ recommendation that companies contain no less than 30% of each gender on the board. HESTA has sent letters to the chair and executives of the largest 292 ASX listed companies it invests in, with the $76bn fund saying it intends to vote against male directors in elections if the board has less than 30% female representation, and against the chair if their executive teams are male dominated.
Conclusion
Preparing for the AGM season can include the challenge for a company of making sure it achieves effective shareholder engagement before proxy deadlines. Identifying your top shareholders and understanding potential areas of concern ahead of time is crucial to a successful AGM engagement campaign. FIRST Advisers has extensive experience in managing AGM campaigns, providing insights to voting forecasts, vote tracking and proxy solicitation. While there are no guarantees of gaining shareholder support, FIRST Advisers can help with understanding issues of investor concern and communication to shareholders to maximise a company’s chances of securing its desired outcome.