Click here to access the KBI Global Investors Proxy Voting Policy.
As investors in hundreds of companies worldwide, we have the right to vote, on behalf of our clients, at the annual meetings of those companies. We believe that this is an important right, and one that should be exercised at all times. It is our policy to use proxy voting for all portfolios and for all votes, other than where we are not given this authority by our client, or in countries where voting is impossible or exceptionally difficult for logistical reasons. We have taken the decision to use the services of an outsourced provider, Glass Lewis who are leading provider of proxy voting advice and administrative services, to assist us with this activity given their expertise in this area and the resources that they can devote to this issue. Glass Lewis provide voting recommendations to us, based on a custom set of policy guidelines which is reviewed at least annually. Our voting guidelines focuses on sustainability and climate issues.
The voting policy is designed to promote long-term shareholder value by ensuring companies effectively manage material environmental, social, and governance risks. It emphasises board oversight and accountability, using a range of indicators to identify risk factors at public companies which have not been properly managed or mitigated. These risk indicators cover several topics including climate change, biodiversity and environmental impact, pollution, labour practices and human rights, data security and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, diversity and equity, board independence and accountability, executive compensation and shareholder rights. The policy holds board members accountable for failures in oversight and evaluates each situation individually, considering company performance, industry-specific challenges, and stakeholder engagement. It supports responsible environmental and social practices while maintaining a strong focus on fiduciary duty and governance.
We have full data on our public website on all our proxy voting activity. The site has full details of every ballot voted including the management recommendation, our voting instruction and the reason for our vote.
Please refer to Page 22 of our Responsible Investing Annual Report for further information on voting.
Click Here to view this report.
