How the SEC’s new proxy voting rules will impact executive compensation

There are many software applications and tools now available to support compensation decisions, but what should be taken into consideration before purchasing? This 5-minute guide details what Compensation Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals should take into account when selecting software and tools for Say-on-Pay decisions.

How the SEC’s new proxy voting rules will impact executive compensation

 

In July of 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), under pressure from public companies (Issuers) and their lobbyists voted to tighten regulations affecting proxy advisory firms, like Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co., who provide proxy research services and voting recommendations to investor groups large and small.  The new proxy voting rule changes were justified based on allegations, mostly made by corporate managers, that proxy advisor recommendations are error prone, rife with conflicts of interests and that proxy advisors wield outsized influence over the shareholder voting process.  In response, Advisors claim that the allegations are not only false, but that they represent an effort on the part of Issuers to reign in what is seen as troublesome shareholder activism. That is attempts by shareholders to insert environmental, social and governance initiatives into the corporate voting agenda.  The new regulations came as amendments to section 14a of the 1934 Securities Exchange Act and are the latest development in a long running controversy over the role of Proxy Advisors and the future of corporate accountability.

 

The New SEC Proxy Voting Rules

 

The SEC has stated that the new regulations are needed in order to “ensure that clients of proxy voting advice businesses receive more transparent, accurate and complete information on which to make voting decisions”. Although the new changes to the law appear to be providing public companies with a greater means of challenging the advice of Proxy Advisors.  Highlights include:

 

Redefinition of “Solicitation”

 

Rule 14a-1(l) has been amended to expand the definition of solicitation specifically to include proxy advice.  Solicitation, usually taken to mean an act of enticement or inducement, is now defined as any communication to shareholders “… reasonably calculated to result in the procurement, withholding or revocation of a proxy”.

 

Changes to Filing Exemptions

 

Rules 14a-2(b)(1) and 14a-2(b)(3) have been altered to place new requirements on solicitor exemptions.  To avoid the information and filing requirements the SEC places on solicitors, Proxy Advisors have historically relied on two exemption provisions.  To be eligible for those exemptions they must now meet new disclosure and policy requirements:

  1. Proxy Advisors must provide specified conflicts of interest disclosure in their recommendations to shareholders. And …

 

  1. They must adopt policies and procedures to ensure that voting recommendations are made available to Issuers at the same time that they are provided to shareholders, at no cost. They must also …

 

  1. Provide shareholders with a means to be made aware of any written statements from Issuers regarding the recommendations of Proxy Advisors.

 

Anti-Fraud Provisions

 

Rule 14a-9 has been modified to include examples of compliance failure.  Should Proxy Advisors fail to disclose certain material information, e.g. business methodology, information sources and conflicts of interest, their recommendation may be considered misleading under the Rule.

The new regulations are effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. However, the new disclosure requirements will not be in effect until December 1, 2021, making the 2022 Proxy season the first regulated under these laws.

 

Implications of New Proxy Voting Rules

 

The new SEC proxy voting rules have implications for all parties involved.

Implications for Issuers

 

The new SEC rules certainly offer public companies a greater opportunity to dispute the recommendations of proxy advisors.  However, the ultimate impact on the accuracy of proxy advisor reports and the overall effect on shareholder behavior is likely to be negligible.   Whereas shareholders will ostensibly become “better informed” by being provided greater access to counter arguments, they are not in any way guaranteed to a heed this information or to take additional time to deliberate. Not to mention they may very often simply disagree with management’s position.  Such is the nature of the franchise.   For Issuers, the opportunity to have a better window into proxy advisor methodology will be instructive and perhaps lead to more effective shareholder relations. In the end however, the realities of the investment business and evolving sensibilities on governance will guide voting behavior.  That said, significant concessions have been won and public companies can count the July decision as a victory.

 

Implications for Proxy Advisors

 

The new policy requirements on solicitor exemptions, specifically to include Issuer messaging into proxy reports will likely increase the strain on publication timelines and voting operations. Thus, it may not be unreasonable to expect complications during the 2022 proxy season as the industry adjusts to the new rules. However, the full implications for proxy advisors remain to be seen and will probably only become fully understood after the implementation.

 

Implications for Shareholders

 

The SEC’s July decision, because of the disruptions it will create by placing added requirements on proxy advisors, could potentially add costs and delays to the proxy voting process.  Should Institutional Investors wish to avoid any added expenses or complications it is unlikely proxy research will move to an in-house model.  This is due to the very large diversification of Institutional portfolios, which are prohibitively expensive to research to the level needed and in the timeframe required.  This is partly the reason why Institutional Investors outsource this work to proxy advisory firms that can take advantage of economies of scale.  Without a proxy advisor Investor groups will either abstain from voting entirely or vote in accordance with management’s recommendations, known as the Wall Street Rule—as was the case before the rise of the proxy advisor business.  The overall impact on shareholders is that voting has become more costly and more difficult.  And it may be worth considering whether this effect is the intention? As well as what this means from a governance standpoint?

 

Summary of New Proxy Voting Rules

 

The actions taken by the SEC to increase regulation of Proxy Advisors has come primarily at the prompting of corporate leadership and lobbyist firms such as the Business Roundtable (BRT) and the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF) that have cited concerns over accuracy and excessive reliance.  In an ACCF study that was cited in the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, researchers found that “175 asset managers managing over $5.0 trillion in assets have historically voted consistently with ISS recommendations 95% of the time” illustrating that the biggest asset managers vote with proxy advisors 100% of the time, seeming to show evidence of over reliance.  Another report cited in the same article found that numerous errors were reported by public companies.

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Contact CGLytics and learn about the governance tools available and currently used by institutional investors, activist investors and leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis for recommendations in their proxy papers.

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How to independently and efficiently benchmark executive compensation for Say-on-Pay

There are many software applications and tools now available to support compensation decisions, but what should be taken into consideration before purchasing? This 5-minute guide details what Compensation Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals should take into account when selecting software and tools for Say-on-Pay decisions.

08.04.2020

A 5-minute guide to support Compensation Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals when selecting software and tools for compensation decisions. Read and learn about the four considerations that should be taken into account before purchasing.

1. Look for tools that support peer group modeling functionality

2. Access the same peer groups as leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis

3. Ensure Pay-for-Performance alignment and benchmarking tools are included

4. Check the quality of data available in the software platform you choose

We live in a digital age where access to information has never been easier. No longer having to scroll through complex and endless spreadsheets and obtain an analytical degree to understand trends – insights and information is at our fingertips.

For Compensation Committees, Heads of Rewards and Benefits, and Compensation Professionals it is no different.

Ensuring executive compensation, bonuses, and incentives are in line with market standards, has never been so important.

Activist activity has increased in 2020, with traditional investors changing their position from passive to active engagement and focusing on executive pay. In a recent article by the Financial Times, it was reported that misalignment of incentives and negative say-on-pay votes at annual meetings increase the likelihood of a company suffering share price underperformance.

Software that provides flexibility for assessing compensation in comparison to peers, and supports say-on-pay resolutions, is available and increasingly implemented by companies, activist investors, and proxy advisors.

When a user begins searching for compensation software there are questions typically asked:

  • – Does it contain information on the executive pay practices of my peers and competitors?
  • – How does is support benchmarking my company’s executive compensation practices?
  • – Does it show me how my company’s compensation practices are perceived in the market?
  • – Can I find tailored insights in seconds to be sure my company’s CEO, NEO and Director pay is aligned to market standard and company performance?

 

Sustainable and justifiable decisions surrounding executive compensation has kept rewards and benefits professionals up at night, with additional key questions that should be asked:

  • – How can I access high-quality, reliable executive compensation information that I do not need to maintain?
  • – Where can I find standardized compensation information for efficient comparison and instant benchmarking?
  • – What software and tools are available in the market that other compensation professionals, activist investors, proxy advisors and compensation consultants currently use?

 

How to utilize software and tools for fast, efficient, and flexible executive compensation and rewards benchmarking.

 

Greater scrutiny calls for companies and their boards to be one step ahead

Transparency encourages market confidence. With the current pandemic causing havoc on stock prices and resulting in employee layoffs, salary and bonuses paid to executives has again been pushed to the front and center.

Compensation policies and reporting are continuing to come under scrutiny from investors, shareholders, employees and the media. Boards must have clear and transparent compensation processes in place that allow for investors to see a fair comparison has been made of executive payouts and promised rewards, against peers and taking into account the broader market context.

How peer companies are adapting their executive compensation practices and adopting new measures needs to be clearly understood for socially responsible decisions about executive pay – continuing to be highlighted again by the events and happenings of 2020.

Decisions made need to be based on fact, not fiction, with easy to understand explanations for investors to digest. Granted, no one wants to become a media headline or attract attention from activist investors.

 

How can Compensation Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals model different scenarios with software tools, and benchmark against their companies’ peers?

 

1. Look for tools that support peer group modeling functionality

 

Generating your own peer groups allows for benchmarking and comparison on a like for like basis. Companies that have very few similar peers in their region, index and sector might need to look further afield to design an appropriate group to justify the competitiveness of pay plans. Modeling against different peers can significantly change the scenario and perception of pay. Using CGLytics platform, fit-for-purpose peer groups can be created in seconds with access to 5,900+ globally listed companies, for instant comparison of compensation practices.

2. Access the same peer groups as leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis

 

Do you know how your compensation is viewed by activist investors and proxy advisors? As Glass Lewis and large activist investors are already using data and software provided by CGLytics, Compensation Committees should be doing the same. This allows Compensation Committees and Heads of Reward to proactively plan for, and justify, any compensation decisions that may attract unwanted attention.

Glass Lewis CEO and Executive Compensation analysis (used in their proxy papers globally) is found in the CGLytics platform ready for companies use.

As stated in the recent webinar by Glass Lewis’ SVP & Global Head, Research & Engagement, Aaron Bertinetti:

“All the data that we now use, whether it’s compensation data, peer data, or other types of governance data that we may need…we exclusively source from CGLytics. Not just within the United States but globally. The only other firm outside of Glass Lewis that has access to our methodology is CGLytics.”

Using the same data set, peer modeling and analytical tools as Glass Lewis, and leading institutional investors, for reviewing public company CEO compensation and Say on Pay proposals, results in Compensation Committees being market intelligent and one step ahead. This fosters better dialogue with stakeholders and data-based decisions justified with relevant and real-time information.

Learn how Glass Lewis Europe improved their executive compensation analysis with governance data from CGLytics

3. Ensure Pay-for-Performance alignment and benchmarking tools are included

 

Compensation Committees and HR Professionals are empowered by modeling scenarios against different KPIs and measurements using software tools. With the recent volatility in market performance, justifying indictors used to design compensation plans mitigates risk. Boards need to be equipped with in-depth analysis of their company’s pay practice and compare against their peers to preempt say on pay risk.

As mentioned by Ronald Kliphuis, Global Head of Rewards at Randstad (a large market leading global HR company):

“In the past only consultants had access to the information that CGLytics provides. We can now play with data and information and make fair comparisons. We understand the potential risks and vulnerabilities a lot better.”

Learn more about Randstad’s Head of Rewards making data-based decisions going into the AGM

Powerful pay-for-performance benchmarking tools allow for efficient comparison and automated output of CEO and executive compensation against competitors and peers.

4. Check the quality of data available in the software platform you choose

 

Where the data is sourced from and how often it is updated should be a concern when deciding on insights to trust for effective engagement. In addition to how many years of compensation data is recorded in the software platform. A wealth of global and structured data for meaningful comparison of executive compensation practices across industries and borders, should be a large consideration of tools purchased to support compensation decisions.

Compensation Committees, Head of Rewards and Benefits, and other HR Professionals can ensure reliability when using CGLytics software with executive compensation data sourced from millions of publicly listed company filings, proxy materials and social networks, which undergoes rigorous checks by a dedicated team of equity market research analysts 24/7. More than 10 years of historical compensation data is standardized for efficient comparison of 5,900+ companies’ pay and rewards across different regions, industries, and sectors.

Downloadable data and insights in an array of formats (such as excel) allow compensation professionals to model and easily transport charts directly into their board decks and presentations, for the ultimate time and cost savings.

 

CGLytics offers the broadest and deepest global compensation data set in the market for reviewing corporate executive compensation plans, assessing Say on Pay vote proposals and performing benchmarking analysis.

Contact CGLytics and learn about the governance tools available and currently used by institutional investors, activist investors and leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis for recommendations in their proxy papers.

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How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking   Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"

How to independently and efficiently benchmark executive remuneration for Say-on-Pay

There are many software applications and tools now available to support remuneration decisions, but what should be taken into consideration before purchasing? This 5-minute guide details what Remuneration Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals should take into account when selecting software and tools for remuneration decisions.

07.28.2020

A 5-minute guide to support Remuneration Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals when selecting software and tools for remuneration decisions. Read and learn about the four considerations that should be taken into account before purchasing.

1. Look for tools that support peer group modeling functionality

2. Access the same peer groups as leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis

3. Ensure Pay-for-Performance alignment and benchmarking tools are included

4. Check the quality of data available in the software platform you choose

We live in a digital age where access to information has never been easier. No longer having to scroll through complex and endless spreadsheets and obtain an analytical degree to understand trends – insights and information is at our fingertips.

For Remuneration Committees, Heads of Rewards and Benefits, and Compensation Professionals it is no different.

Ensuring executive remuneration, bonuses, and incentives are in line with market standards, has never been under such scrutiny.

Activist activity has increased in 2020, with traditional investors changing their position from passive to active engagement and focusing on executive pay. In a recent article by the Financial Times, it was reported that misalignment of incentives and negative say-on-pay votes at annual meetings increase the likelihood of a company suffering share price underperformance.

Software that provides flexibility for assessing remuneration in comparison to peers, and supports say-on-pay resolutions, is available and increasingly implemented by companies, activist investors, and proxy advisors.

When a user begins searching for remuneration software there are questions typically asked:

  • – Does it contain information on the executive remuneration practices of – peers and competitors?
  • – How does is support benchmarking my company’s executive remuneration practices?
  • – Does it show me how my company’s remuneration practices are perceived in the market?
  • – Can I find tailored insights in seconds to be sure my company’s CEO, NEO and Director pay is aligned to market standard and company performance?

 

Sustainable and justifiable decisions surrounding executive remuneration has kept compensation professionals up at night, with additional key questions that should be asked:

  • – How can I access high-quality, reliable executive compensation information that I do not need to maintain?
  • – Where can I find standardized remuneration information for efficient comparison and instant benchmarking?
  • – What software and tools are available in the market that other compensation professionals, activist investors, proxy advisors and compensation consultants currently use?

 

How to utilize software for fast, efficient, and flexible executive remuneration and rewards benchmarking, and the tools that are available.

 

Greater scrutiny calls for companies and their boards to be one step ahead

Transparency encourages market confidence. With the current pandemic causing havoc on stock prices and resulting in employee layoffs, salary and bonuses paid to executives has again been pushed to the front and center.

Remuneration policies and reporting are continuing to come under scrutiny from investors, shareholders, employees and the media. Boards must have clear and transparent remuneration processes in place that allow for investors to see a fair comparison has been made of executive payouts and promised rewards, against peers and taking into account the broader market context.

How peer companies are adapting their executive remuneration practices and adopting new measures needs to be clearly understood for socially responsible decisions about executive pay – continuing to be highlighted again by the events and happenings of 2020.

Decisions made need to be based on fact, not fiction, with easy to understand explanations for investors to digest. Granted, no one wants to become a media headline or attract attention from activist investors.

 

How can Remuneration Committees, Heads of Reward and Compensation Professionals model different scenarios with software tools, and benchmark against their companies’ peers?

 

1. Look for tools that support peer group modeling functionality

 

Generating your own peer groups allows for benchmarking and comparison on a like for like basis. Companies that have very few similar peers in their region, index and sector might need to look further afield to design an appropriate group to justify the competitiveness of pay plans. Modeling against different peers can significantly change the scenario and perception of pay. Using CGLytics platform, fit-for-purpose peer groups can be created in seconds with access to 5,900+ globally listed companies, for instant comparison of remuneration practices.

2. Access the same peer groups as leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis

 

Do you know how your compensation is viewed by activist investors and proxy advisors? As Glass Lewis and large activist investors are already using data and software provided by CGLytics, Remuneration Committees should be doing the same. This allows Remuneration Committees and Heads of Reward to proactively plan for, and justify, any compensation decisions that may attract unwanted attention.

Glass Lewis CEO and Executive Compensation analysis (used in their proxy papers globally) is found in the CGLytics platform ready for companies use.

As stated in the recent webinar by Glass Lewis’ SVP & Global Head, Research & Engagement, Aaron Bertinetti:

“All the data that we now use, whether it’s compensation data, peer data, or other types of governance data that we may need…we exclusively source from CGLytics. Not just within the United States but globally. The only other firm outside of Glass Lewis that has access to our methodology is CGLytics.”

Using the same data set, peer modeling and analytical tools as Glass Lewis, and leading institutional investors, for reviewing public company CEO compensation and Say on Pay proposals, results in Remuneration Committees being market intelligent and one step ahead. This fosters better dialogue with stakeholders and data-based decisions justified with relevant and real-time information.

learn how Glass Lewis Europe improved their executive compensation analysis with governance data from CGLytics

3. Ensure Pay-for-Performance alignment and benchmarking tools are included

 

Remuneration Committees and Compensation Professionals are empowered by modeling scenarios against different KPIs and measurements using software tools. With the recent volatility in market performance, justifying indictors used to design compensation plans mitigates risk. Boards need to be equipped with in-depth analysis of their company’s pay practice and compare against their peers to preempt say on pay risk.

As mentioned by Ronald Kliphuis, Global Head of Rewards at Randstad (a large market leading global HR company):

“In the past only consultants had access to the information that CGLytics provides. We can now play with data and information and make fair comparisons. We understand the potential risks and vulnerabilities a lot better.”

Learn more about Randstad’s Head of Rewards making data-based decisions going into the AGM

Powerful pay-for-performance benchmarking tools allow for efficient comparison and automated output of CEO and executive compensation against competitors and peers.

4. Check the quality of data available in the software platform you choose

 

Where the data is sourced from and how often it is updated should be a concern when deciding on insights to trust for effective engagement. In addition to how many years of compensation data is recorded in the software platform. A wealth of global and structured data for meaningful comparison of executive compensation practices across industries and borders, should be a large consideration of tools purchased to support remuneration decisions.

Remuneration Committees, Head of Rewards and Benefits, and other Compensation Professionals can ensure reliability when using CGLytics software with executive compensation data sourced from millions of publicly listed company filings, proxy materials and social networks, which undergoes rigorous checks by a dedicated team of equity market research analysts 24/7. More than 10 years of historical compensation data is standardized for efficient comparison of 5,900+ companies’ pay and rewards across different regions, industries, and sectors.

Downloadable data and insights in an array of formats (such as excel) allow compensation professionals to model and easily transport charts directly into their board decks and presentations, for the ultimate time and cost savings.

 

CGLytics offers the broadest and deepest global remuneration data set in the market for reviewing corporate executive remuneration plans, assessing Say on Pay vote proposals and performing benchmarking analysis.

Contact CGLytics and learn about the governance tools available and currently used by institutional investors, activist investors and leading proxy advisor Glass Lewis for recommendations in their proxy papers.

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Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View

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How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking   Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"

Diversity on the Board? Metrics Used by Fortune 100 Companies

Examining the diversity of Fortune 100 boards and questioning the metrics currently used to disclose diversity. Are Fortune 100 companies providing the complete picture?

06.29.2020

This article examines the diversity of Fortune 100 companies’ boards, and questions the current metrics used to disclose diversity of board members. Due to the lack of uniformity of diversity disclosures, is the picture painted by some companies comprehensive enough to truly show diversity on their board?

The topic of diversity has grown in importance over the past decade. Large companies are spending time and resources discovering how having a diverse board of directors is affecting their company’s image, perception, and profits. Many companies focus on appointing employees with different education, experience, race, and backgrounds. This is illustrated through companies’ diversity statements. For example, Amazon.com, Inc. in their 2019 Proxy states,

“We take seriously our commitment to diversity and respect for people from all backgrounds, including gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and other dimensions of diversity, which are enduring values for us as reflected in a number of Company policies, including the Amazon Global Human Rights Principles.”[1]

 

Even with inclusive diversity statements, such as Amazon.com, Inc.’s, when calculating how diverse companies’ boards are, two main diversity metrics are used: gender and race. While acknowledging the positive effects of having a diverse board and showing how diversity is being valued in a company is important, examining how transparent companies are with their diversity metrics shines light on a company’s commitment to diversity.

Why is Board Diversity Beneficial for Companies?

The decisions that the board of directors make for corporations are critical for their success. The board impacts how the company is run by making crucial decisions on executive pay, dividend policies, setting yearly goals, and conducting any other business that concerns shareholders. Having a board composed of people with different backgrounds and experience will enrich conversations and allow the board to approach problems with new perspectives and ideas.[2]

Companies should actively try to understand and represent their clients and customers. In doing so, better marketing decisions and tactics can be set. For example, “Having a diverse board can help you better understand purchasing and usage decisions, particularly as studies have found that women drive 70-80 percent of purchasing in the United States.”[2]

CGLytics data of board diversity reveals the percentage of gender diversity and nationality dispersion on boards of Fortune 100 companies.

As depicted in the following graphs, Fortune 100 company boards are composed of mostly American men. Unfortunately, we can not determine percentages of race within these companies because very few companies disclose information on race/ethnicity. The missing data and the lack of transparency from these companies questions their commitment to diversity.

Fortune 100 diversity on boards
Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

Reporting Diversity

Based on the Fortune 100 companies’ 2018 and 2019 proxy statements, 23% of the Fortune 100 companies do not report information on diversity and the other 77% report the information using different metrics.

The reporting companies focus on gender alone, combine gender and race/ethnicity, or on nationality. There is no uniformity between companies or industries.  While most companies have statements in their proxies outlining the value of diversity and how they define it, the statements are not always represented in the graphs or numbers that break down their board diversity.

This is clearly shown in Caterpillar Inc.’s 2019 Proxy statement. The company lists one of their key characteristics of their board as being diverse of “race, ethnicity, gender, cultural background or professional experience.”[3]  This diversity statement implies that the board would be diverse. But it is unclear if it is as they combine gender and race in their data. In their governance highlights, Caterpillar Inc. lists their board as 45% diverse (gender and race combined).[3] By combining the percentage of gender and race, and not providing a breakdown of the directors’ backgrounds, it is difficult to determine if the board is diverse in race, ethnicity and gender.

Lack of uniformity when reporting diversity

When examining Fortune 100 companies for diversity, we find that it is difficult to compare companies’ information due to the lack of uniformity of how they are reporting data on board diversity.

For example, Delta Air Lines, Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc., both in the same industry, report their diversity metrics differently. At first glance, both companies report roughly equal percentages of diversity (38.5% and 40% respectively). However, American Airlines Group Inc. displays their information by separating gender and race/ethnicity.

Diversity of boards: Delta Air Lines and American Airlines
Source: Company disclosures found in the CGLytics software platform

Why would a company combine race/ethnicity and gender in their diversity graphs? One reason could be to increase the appearance of a diverse board.

Hypothetically, if Delta Airlines, Inc.’s board consisted of four white women and one non-white male and mirrored the American Airlines Group, Inc.’s diversity chart, it would show 38.5% diversity with 7% racially/ethnically diverse and 30.7% gender diverse. While the 30.7% gender diversity would be high for their industry (as shown in the follow graph), the racial/ethnically diversity would be low. This example could be switched with gender diversity being low and would highlight a similar problem. However, without clear diversity metrics, consumers and shareholders are left questioning Delta Airline’s commitment to diversity, which could result in a loss of business.

By combining the percentages of gender and racial diversity, Delta Air Lines is hiding who is represented on their board of directors. American Airlines Group, Inc. clearly shows their shareholders, investors, and the public that they value diversity and are prepared to make well informed decisions. What does clear diversity metrics look like?

Fortune 100: Women on boards by sector

Percent of women on Fortune 100 boards by sector
Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

Transparent diversity metrics should give the consumers and shareholders a comprehensive background of the members on the board. This should include race/ethnicity, gender, age, and industry experience. These metrics broaden the knowledge of the board, giving the board members the tools to make successful decisions.

This is illustrated in PepsiCo Inc.’s 2019 proxy statement. Their diversity statement is clear and backed by their diversity percentages. It states, “Diversity including understanding the importance of diversity to a global enterprise with a diverse consumer base, informed by experience of gender, race, ethnicity and/or nationality”[4]. This is clearly shown in multiple graphs that break down backgrounds of each director.

PepsiCo Inc.’s 2019 proxy statement

PepsiCo Inc.’s 2019 proxy statement
Source: Company disclosures found in the CGLytics software platform

It is recommended for more companies to design their diversity statements and data like PepsiCo Inc. They shared a comprehensive view of their board and proved their board was encompassed with directors of various backgrounds. This provides consumers and shareholders with confidence that the board is well equipped to make the best decisions for the success of the company.

To gain access to Governance Intelligence and Oversight of 5,900+ globally listed companies, contact CGLytics. Within the CGLytics software platform, access 125,000+ professional executives and their skills, expertise and backgrounds for recruiting board members and building a robust, diverse board.

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Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan ESG refers to a series of environmental, social and governance criteria taken into consideration by the funds during the investing process. Investing in ESG funds allows shareholders to support companies in transition, that wish to act and develop in a more sustainable and responsible manner. In practice, many indicators … Continue reading “Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan”

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How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking   Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"

COVID-19: Changes to Executive and Shareholder Pay in Europe’s Biggest Banks

To evaluate the financial industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, CGLytics reviews the executive compensation changes and dividend amendments of 20 listed banks across Europe.

In March 2020, the European Central Bank (ECB) published a recommendation to banks on dividend distribution, asking financial institutions to refrain from paying dividends or buy back shares during the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure was introduced to help banks cope with losses and support lending in times of the crisis and concerned dividends for financial years 2019 and 2020. The ECB suggested banks to amend dividend proposals for the upcoming Annual General Meetings, at least until October 1, 2020[1]. This article reviews the executive compensation changes and dividend amendments of banks across Europe in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Numerous banks across Europe decided to follow the recommendation and cancelled, or delayed, dividend payments. Furthermore, senior management and non-executive directors of some institutions also decided to waive parts of their compensation to support the business or donate to the pandemic funds. Some other banks, however, have not announced any changes to executive remuneration at the time of generating this report.

To evaluate the financial industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, CGLytics has looked at the executive compensation changes and dividend amendments of 20 listed banks across Europe, with market capitalisation varying from EUR 9B to EUR 148B. The geographical representation of the peer group covers eight countries – Spain, United Kingdom, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and Sweden.

Changes in Executive and Non-Executive Compensation

Top executives across the industry chose to contribute part of their fixed or variable compensation in order to help their company or society to combat the crisis. 12 out of the 20 evaluated banks announced various actions taken by the executives, among them reductions in a salary, cuts or waiving of a bonus, or agreement to postpone planned compensation increase.

Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

For example, the CEO of Banco Santander SA, José Antonio Alvarez, contributed half of his base salary as well as his bonus to the medical equipment fund[2]. Chief executives of three UK banks also announced that both their salary and variable bonuses will be affected by donations or cost cuts. These banks are HSBC Holdings plc, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc and Standard Chartered PLC.

Out of the reviewed sample, only Barclays plc chose to delay releasing of a portion of the long-term incentives awarded in 2017 and due to vest in June 2020. In addition, both the CEO and CFO of the bank have requested any increase to their fixed pay to be postponed until at least 2021. The bank’s Chief Executive, James Staley, has also volunteered to contribute one-third of his salary for the next six months to charitable causes[3].

Eight out of 20 banks have not reported any changes to the executive remuneration caused by the pandemic, including all Swedish banks represented. However, it is worth noting that senior management of Swedbank AB has been affected by pay cuts due to a money laundering scandal[4].

The situation with compensation adjustments for non-executive directors differs significantly for the chosen peer group. Only six out of 20 banks announced that the Chair or members of the Board of Directors agreed to forego wholly or partially the annual fees.

BOD Compensation Cuts
Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

Chairs of Banco Santander, Barclays PLC, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group took cuts in their fees to support charities. Mark Tucker, Chairman of HSBC Holdings plc, donated his entire fee for 2020 (roughly GBP 1.5m)[5].

Non-executive directors of Banco Santander volunteered to contribute 20% of their fees to charity while Directors of Svenska Handelsbanken AB proposed to recall an increase of the Board fees. However, no other banks from the sample announced any changes to the fees paid to non-executive directors due to the pandemic crisis.

Changes in Dividend Payments

All 20 banks announced changes to the dividend payments in response to the ECB recommendations or the losses due to the crisis. Banks chose to cancel or postpone the dividend payments for 2019 financial year until more certain circumstances.

Dividends 2019
Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

Following the ECB suggestion, the banks did not cancel interim dividends that have already been paid out but amended payments of the final dividends for 2019. Most of the banks chose to postpone the decision regarding the dividends for 2019 until later this year, hoping for clearer overview of the results and forecasts, while allocating the 2019 profits to the reserve accounts. CaixaBank SA decided instead to reduce 2019 dividends and change the 2020 dividend to a cash pay-out not higher than 30% of reported consolidated earnings[6].

Regarding the interim dividends for financial year 2020, some of the banks have already announced that they do not plan to undertake any dividend payments until uncertainties caused by COVID-19 disappear.

Financial regulators and banks across Europe are taking measures in times of the COVID-19 pandemic to support the economy. The recommendation of the European Central Bank to refrain from paying 2019 dividends until more certain times led to many financial institutions cancelling or postponing the dividend payments and using all funds available to combat the crisis or as a reserve backup.

Moreover, top managers and members of the Board of Directors are voluntarily donating part of their fees for 2020 financial year to charities and to support the business. Even though all evaluated banks have chosen to amend dividend payments, only some have been spotted on account of voluntary contributions from the top management. The results and impact of current decisions made by the banks will be visible by the end of the current crisis, when companies will evaluate the state of their business to estimate what kind of return they will offer to their shareholders.

Would you like to see how your executive compensation is viewed by leading independent proxy advisor Glass Lewis?

Click here to learn more about the Glass Lewis CEO compensation analysis and peer group modeling for Say on Pay engagement, available exclusively via CGLytics.

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A diverse supervisory board: This is how to unlock a wealth of talent

Aniel Mahabier, CEO of governance data specialist CGLytics, welcomes the fact that selection committees are using corporate governance analytics to assess the diversity of their own supervisory board. Technology is bridging the gap between the available talent and the knowledge and experience that committees already have in-house.

“Selection committees are looking for the right candidates outside their traditional networks”, says Aniel Mahabier, founder and CEO of governance data specialist CGLytics. Such an alternative approach, for example through the use of data analysis, has major advantages: people with unique experience and unique talent are put on the radar.

In many organizations – listed and unlisted – supervision is far from diverse. A supervisory board with only people of the same generation, background and education cannot properly monitor the continuity of the company in the changing society. Such a homogeneous council cannot sufficiently monitor the interests of the various stakeholders.

An important task therefore lies with the selection committees that are responsible for a balanced composition of the supervisory board. We see that selection committees use our corporate governance analytics to assess and benchmark the diversity of their own supervisory board. For example, to be able to answer questions from international shareholders and when planning succession. For example, they test the current composition against the various international corporate governance codes and sustainability regulations. This contributes to effective management and good risk management.  

Click here to continue reading the full article.

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What’s your flavor? Companies get a taste of CEO pay for the proxy season

This article, originally published in Dutch in Mgmt. Scope, CGLytics examines CEO compensation issues going into the 2020 proxy season

This article by CGLytics CEO, Aniel Mahabier, first appeared in Dutch in Mgmt. Scope on 11th March 2020: https://managementscope.nl/opinie/bestuurdersbeloningen-bedrijfsprestaties

Executive compensation gains attention in the run-up to annual shareholder meetings. The key question is whether compensation plans are socially responsible and align with company performance relative to its peers.  In 2019, companies already got a taste of the increasing interest in CEO pay from shareholders. “That attention is only increasing,” says Aniel Mahabier, founder and CEO of CGLytics, the leading global provider of governance data and executive compensation tools. “Executives  and directors  who are not sufficiently prepared are facing reputational risks.”

As shareholders and other stakeholders prepare themselves for annual shareholder meetings, it’s the moment to speak out on these important issues. Shareholders will again make themselves heard this year. For several years now, engagement between shareholders and companies has been growing. Parties are more likely to vote and use their voting rights to steer business policy: the number of votes against remuneration policies are increasing proportionally at the meetings of the 5,900 listed companies we track. An increasing number of shareholders want compensation to reflect the company’s long-term performance and value creation (in other words, pay for performance and earnings per share).

Pay for performance

It is obvious that the compensation of executives should reflect the company’s performance, however data shows a different picture.

In a large number of the publicly listed companies, there is pay for performance misalignment. The CEO’s compensation is – consciously or unconsciously – not in line with the value create by the company over multiple years.

More than half of companies in the US S&P 500 Index lack a correlation between CEO compensation in 2019 and the development of the company’s earnings per share over the past three years.

In some instances, the CEO compensation is lower than expected based on CEO value creation. With a much larger proportion of companies, the value created by the CEO is much lower than you would expect based on the level of their compensation received. In many situations, at the general meeting of shareholders, companies proposed increasing executive pay, although the company’s performance declined.

Mismatch

This misalignment between CEO compensation and company performance is increasingly gaining the attention of shareholders, employees, governments and other stakeholders. The top 35 executives of companies in the S&P 500 collectively earn almost more than $3 billion, which contributes to the discussion. In Europe we see a similar picture. For a third of the listed companies in the Benelux, the CEO’s compensation does not align with the realized value creation. A similar picture is seen at a third of companies in Britain’s FTSE 350 Index.

Drivers of change

The focus on responsible compensation is in line with the focus in society on sustainable business growth.

Large investors – pension funds and insurers – are drivers of the change in compensation.  Passive investors, such as asset managers Vanguard and BlackRock, are also increasingly using their control to influence compensation proposals.  We see that they are trying to encourage a more socially responsible compensation policy in different ways. For example, by engaging  on compensation  policies and proposals with shareholders and other stakeholders before the general meeting of shareholders and underpinning this with data. We see signs that this is reducing the number of dissent votes against the proposed policy.

Shareholders do not hesitate to enforce change where necessary. For example, by voting against incentive proposals including equity plan proposals at the meeting. A large investor has stipulated that if more than 25% of shareholders speak out against a compensation proposal, they will in turn vote against the reappointment of the chairman of the compensation  committee. The same strategy is used if the compensation proposals provoke a substantial number of counter-voters in two consecutive years.

Reward regulators

All efforts to promote sustainable value creation are having an effect: short-term pay is making way for a long-term performance-based compensation structure. Several listed companies have either decreased, shifted or changed the variable compensation component of their executives’ pay plan into fixed compensation. The latter includes, more often, a combination of cash and shares of the company. Using shares as an incentive, there is a direct alignment between the pay of the CEO and the performance of the company.

The same development is also seen when looking at the compensation of directors (non-executive directors). Where it is common practice in the United States to reward directors with, among other things, shares of the company, this was not common, or even prohibited, in Europe for a long time. That has changed. For example, the new corporate governance code in Belgium offers the possibility to reward non-executives partly in shares. This creates a shared interest with shareholders.

Sustainable criteria

An important development is seen in the use of non-financial metrics for executive and CEO compensation.

Shareholders expect companies to include non-financial guidelines such as ESG criteria in their compensation system in addition to financial guidelines – such as earnings per share and Total Shareholder Return (TSR). These criteria show how the company takes into account various ESG  sustainability criteria: Environmental, Social (social policy) and Governance (good governance).

In many countries in Europe, listed companies are obliged to include such non-financial disclosure in their annual reports. It therefore seems logical to also link the compensation of the executives to the goals set by the company in the field of corporate social responsibility. The recent governance crisis at a major Swiss bank illustrates how the lack of good governance can affect the oversight and value creation of a company in the long term.

Although attention to the inclusion of non-financial metrics is increasing, the application is still limited in practice. Only 27% of FTSE 350 and ISEQ 20 companies have included some form of measurable ESG criteria in incentive plans. And even in these companies, the proportional share of compensation determined by ESG performance is small. This deserves attention: if the sustainable objectives are not included in executive compensation, there is a risk that the compensation policy will lose connection to the business strategy.

Risk factors

A responsible compensation plan based on financial and non-financial metrics is more important than ever. An increasing number of directors, regulators, compensation committees and investors are therefore scrutinizing CEO compensation and use CGLytics data and pay for performance benchmarking tools to review compensation proposals and policies. Directors are using this information to prepare their engagement with active shareholders, proxy advisors like Glass Lewis and other stakeholders. Investors are looking for red flags, undiscovered risk factors that threaten the quality of governance in the company. Having access to similar information and tools ahead of the proxy season, is allowing compensation committees to respond in a timely manner to pitfalls in the existing compensation plan and proposal to avoid potential reputational and activism risk.

Would you like to gain instant insights into more than 5,900 globally listed companies’ board composition, diversity, expertise and skills?

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About the Author

Aniel Mahabier: CEO of CGLytics

Aniel Mahabier  is CEO and founder of CGLytics, the leading global provider of governance data and executive compensation tools. Mahabier interviews and writes for Management Scope about the remuneration of directors and corporate governance analytics.

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Pressure from stakeholders brings about change

In an increasing number of companies, remuneration based on short-term results is giving way to a remuneration structure based on long-term performance. Companies should be able to indicate how the CEO’s remuneration contributes to long-term value creation, and be prepared to discuss their performance in this area.

It is an undeniable trend: in an increasing number of companies, remuneration based on short-term results is giving way to a remuneration structure based on long-term performance. The remuneration of executive directors is one of the most important governance issues for companies. Companies should be able to indicate how the CEO’s remuneration contributes to long-term value creation, and they should be prepared to discuss their performance in this area.

Supervisory and remuneration committees are expected to have assessed whether the remuneration is in perspective, both in relation to comparable roles, but also with respect to relationships within the company itself. In various countries, legislation that forces companies to explain how the remuneration of a top executive relates to the salaries of average employees within the organization is now under consideration.

Losing ground

The long-term focus in remuneration structures is also reflected in our data. For example, excessive severance payments, golden parachutes (a prior agreement on the level of severance pay) and substantial signing bonuses are becoming less and less common. In some countries, this kind of remuneration is now even prohibited. In addition, companies are increasingly using performance criteria that are in line with the long-term development of the company’s value. For example, generated cash flow as a criterion for the remuneration of executive pay is losing ground. Instead, the executive director’s performance is measured against metrics that say something about long-term value development, such as earnings per share.

Especially in financial sector

In the Netherlands, these developments can be seen mainly in the financial sector. In recent years, several listed financials have wholly or partly converted variable remuneration for executives and management into fixed remuneration. Moreover, this fixed remuneration more often consists of a combination of cash and shares of the company. With remuneration in shares, there is a direct connection between the remuneration of the executive director and the performance of the company. A similar development, but on a much larger scale, can be seen in the United States. Companies in a wide range of sectors are opting for a remuneration policy that combines cash and shares. These shares account for an average of 55 to 60 percent of the total remuneration package.

Stakeholder pressure

So the Netherlands has not got as far as the United States yet. But the trend has been set and it is irreversible. Greater attention to reasonable pay is in line with the focus in society and the business community on sustainable growth. Not all companies make the turnaround on their own initiative.

Not uncommonly, it takes pressure from stakeholders − such as major shareholders or employees − to start a discussion in the boardroom about a more sustainable remuneration policy. Large investors in particular − pension funds and insurers − are driving the change in remuneration. CGLytics data show that they are increasingly exercising their control to influence remuneration proposals. Not only are they expressing an explicit opinion on management board remuneration, but they also discuss the structure of the remuneration policy itself and the performance metrics used. Investors are calling for a sustainable and socially responsible remuneration policy by including ESG statistics (with environmental, social and governance variables). Shell sets short-term targets to reduce CO2 emissions and ties executive pay to these targets. Other groups have to keep up with such trends. If they do not do so proactively, they expose the company to financial and reputational risks.

Long-term focus

More than ever before, executive and supervisory directors need to strike a good balance between corporate strategy, remuneration of talent and the interests of shareholders. So the question is not whether Dutch companies should focus their remuneration policy more on long-term value creation, but when.

For more information about how CGLytics’ executive compensation data and tools informs companies of how they compare to their peers reumuneration practices click here.

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Good corporate governance begins with good data

Effective corporate governance starts with having the right information. In an ever-changing corporate governance landscape of continually increasing, publicly available information, shareholder involvement, activism, ongoing media campaigns and continual changes to governance regulations, having the right information from the start can be the difference between success and ongoing shareholder revolt.

Effective corporate governance starts with having the right information. In an ever-changing corporate governance landscape of continually increasing, publicly available information, shareholder involvement, activism, ongoing media campaigns and continual changes to governance regulations, having the right information on a timely basis from the start can be the difference between success and ongoing shareholder revolt.

This article first appeard in Ethical Boardroom, the premier subscription based magazine and website that is trusted for its in-depth coverage and analysis of global governance issues. Click here to access the original article.

Boardroom diversity, fair executive compensation, compliance to regulatory requirements, how companies compare against their peers and competitors and how they are perceived by investors and proxy advisors, needs to be thoroughly understood by boards of companies to stay ahead.

With heightened scrutiny of governance practices in the post-financial crisis era, it is now more important than ever for companies’ boards and their executives to be fully prepared, with the same data and information as investors and proxy advisors, before beginning engagement to avoid reputational and governance risk.

CGLytics, the leading provider for global corporate governance data analytics, provides real time data and a suite of powerful benchmarking tools to help companies and their boards with data- driven insights for sustainable practices and effective oversight. These tools support boards in making smarter, more timely and better-informed decisions.

The great debate of executive compensation

Investors over the past 12 months have continued to pay attention to, and even asked more questions about, the pay practices of companies and rewards offered to their CEOs and directors. Add to this the requirements set out in the revised European Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II) to increase transparency of the company’s pay practices, including CEO to average employee pay ratios, CEO pay relative to company’s performance and extended say on pay rights of shareholders, companies should be sitting up and paying close attention.

During the last proxy season, executive pay was heavily and effectively challenged. Shareholders repeatedly voted down advisory remuneration reports and questioned short-term remuneration plans, urging companies to bring pay into line with performance. Many remuneration-related resolutions were voted down on the grounds of misalignment.

The UK, in particular, was at the forefront of shareholders concerns over excessive pay. To address these concerns, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issued a Revised Corporate Governance Code in July 2018, which encouraged directors to exercise independent judgement and discretion when authorising remuneration outcomes, by taking into account company and individual performance along with other circumstances.

Executive compensation data available in the CGLytics application

CGLytics carried out a proxy review with data from its extensive, global governance database of FTSE 100 companies and their pay practices. The study revealed that in 2018, 33 companies in the index sought a binding shareholder approval for their remuneration policies. Generally, investors questioned the earning potentials in short-term incentive plans, for example Rentokil Initial plc’s decision to increase the annual bonus from 100 per cent to 150 per cent cost the board a dissent of around 25 per cent on their remuneration policy. In addition, shareholder revolts were seen regarding remuneration reports where there was not enough clarity about contractual entitlements, as seen in the case of Royal Mail’s retiring CEO Moya Greene and new CEO Rico Back.

In other markets, shareholders became increasingly involved in company strategy, as seen in the Dutch AEX study carried out by CGLytics. Of the past years’ proposals to amend executive and supervisory directors’ remuneration, the majority encountered criticism and some were withdrawn prior to the AGM, or resulted in a large number of votes against.

“WITH HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY OF GOVERNANCE PRACTICES IN THE POST-FINANCIAL CRISIS ERA, IT IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER FOR COMPANIES’ BOARDS AND THEIR EXECUTIVES TO BE FULLY PREPARED”- Aniel Mahabier, CEO of CGLytics

To increase transparency and truly understand how stakeholders, including proxy advisors, are viewing executive compensation and predicting how they are going to vote, companies and their boards need access to, not only information, but also data and tools that allow them to instantly compare their company to their industry peers’.

CGLytics’ extensive database hosts more than 10 years of global compensation data and is driving good corporate governance practices by increasing CEO pay transparency and helping companies to be more prepared than ever before.

Using the same solution as leading proxy advisors and institutional investors, companies can replicate the peer groups of proxy advisors and investors with CGLytics’ customisable peer group modeler and easily perform a pay-for-performance alignment review. This empowers boards to know exactly what investors are looking at and scrutinising prior to engagement, be proactive with their reporting and make sure there are no hidden surprises come AGM time.

Diversity in the boardroom: where are all the women?

With companies, their boards, investors and governmental stakeholders all agreeing that goals that promote long-term value creation are imperative to corporate governance health, the issue of diversity comes into play. Why? Because having a diverse board is linked to long-term value creation.

A diverse board of directors with different ages, genders, nationalities, cultures, skills, experiences, tenure and backgrounds certainly creates new and interesting dialogue around best practices for long-term value creation and brings fresh ideas to the table.

With the speed of change happening today, driven by technology innovations, a variety of ideas, perspectives and knowledge is mandatory to keep up and make the best decisions by taking into account worldly happenings. And government and regulatory bodies are taking note. In particular, during the past year, the US has seen strict regulation changes in some states to even out the gender imbalance in corporate boardrooms.

California was the first state to legally require female representation on boards with the California Senate Bill 826 being passed. The law requires the appointment of at least one female to a company’s board of directors by 2019 and between one and three by 2021, depending on the size of the company. A fine of $100,000 can be expected for not complying. This was shortly followed by New Jersey , which mimicked California’s approach of at least one female director by 2019.

Earlier this year, using CGLytics’ software solution that provides extensive boardroom composition data and analytics, a review was carried out to evaluate the progress made in the US market and likelihood of achieving greater diversity in the coming years. By taking a deep dive into the board composition of S&P 500 companies, it was revealed that even though there is a push from investors for more diverse boards in order to maximise returns, change is not happening as fast as desired.

In CGLytic’s S&P 500 Diversity report it shows that from 2017 to 2018 total female representation on boards grew marginally, reaching 24 per cent, up just one per cent from 2017. In response to engagement with the investor community, as well as the new regulatory requirements, the number of women on boards rose from two in 2017 to three in 2018, showing only a slight increase in efforts being made. However, despite the slow growth in overall female representation, six of the seven companies that lacked at least one female director in 2017 corrected this in 2018.

The report also revealed that bringing younger directors into the boardroom does not only add value in terms of unique perspectives and improved innovation, but also impacts company performance. The findings show that there  is a clear and positive correlation between the number of younger board members and the total shareholder return (TSR).

As many investors continue to encourage and push for boardroom diversity for long-term value creation, it is now crucial for companies to, firstly, see how their boardroom composition, including skills, expertise, age and gender diversity is seen by the outside world. And, secondly, see how their company stacks up against their peers and competitors (see graph below).

Source: CGLytics Data and Analytics

Companies using the CGLytics software-as-a-service platform now have access to boardroom intelligence and can see exactly what their investors and proxy advisors see. Using this intelligence, which includes a skills and expertise matrix of more than 5,500 listed companies across the globe, boards are better preparing for AGMs, implementing effective succession plans and, at the same time, reducing their risk to reputational damage and activist investors.

In addition, having access to 125,000-plus global executive biographies in the CGLytics solution, including more than 20,000 female profiles (both existing as well as upcoming directors), with detailed information of skills, experience, compensation, interlocks and connections, nomination committees can lever new ways of scanning the market for talent, understanding corporate networks and work smarter with their search and HR firms when it comes to succession planning and recruitment. It really is helping companies to look beyond the standard practices and information available by leveraging technology to drive and implement good corporate governance practices and sustain a competitive advantage.

Why data, tools and smart technology are mandatory in the challenging times ahead

As we continue to see regulatory requirements to increase transparency of governance practices, such as CEO pay (through implementation of SRD II) and improve diversity (through legislation not only in the US but worldwide), a trend is emerging of investors becoming increasingly knowledgeable and sophisticated.

Not only are leading proxy advisors and institutional investors choosing to use data and analytics delivered to them from CGLytics, but some are building their own systems to stay informed and take advantage of investment opportunities. Companies need to have access to the same information as proxy advisors and investors, with the same sophisticated tools, in order to assess risks, better prepare for shareholder engagement and avoid potential activism. With knowledge being power, and transparency becoming a mandatory requirement, in the near future companies will have no choice but to use systems, such as those offered –by CGLytics, to keep up with investors and improve their reporting practices.

Board insights available in the CGLytics application

The need to keep up with intel on governance risk exposure was evident during the 2018 proxy season. The season saw record levels of shareholder activism, with some high-level campaigns – notably those of Elliott Management and Icahn Partners – hitting the headlines. Changes to board composition and M&A were the primary aims of these campaigns. A recent study performed by Lazard, shows that activists won 161 board seats in 2018, up 56 per cent from 2017 and continue to name accomplished candidates, with 27 per cent of activist appointees having public company CEO/CFO experience. The message is clear: boards must regularly review their governance vulnerabilities to minimise their exposure to activists, and to review vulnerabilities they must have access to the analytics and tools in platforms such as CGLytics’.

And themes that were established in the 2018 season are likely to continue. Shareholder activism will increase with institutional investors playing a more active role and driving change. It also seems likely that US activists will launch campaigns focussed on European companies. Forcing European companies to have access to global data for instant comparison of not just their country peers, but their industry peers and competitors globally.

To prepare effectively for shareholder engagement and anticipate response, companies and their boards must also be looking at past voting habits and patterns, and resolutions from other AGMs during the season. By looking at the trends of past shareholder voting and keeping abreast of happenings during the current proxy season, boards can spot patterns and predict the outcomes of shareholder voting resolutions.

CGLytics’ platform hosts an extensive database of N-PX filings with voting proposals and resolutions from 2004 onwards, covering 4,000-plus investors with more than eight million data points. With this information on hand, plus the benefit of receiving up-to-date alerts of shareholder voting outcomes, boards remain on top of voting trends and can easily identify investors for a proactive engagement.

The next era in corporate governance intelligence

The pressure on companies and their boards to increase transparency of executive compensation and pay practices, improve age and gender diversity, and constantly assess their board quality and effectiveness will not go away.

As investors and their proxy advisors gain greater insights and intelligence by use of data and smart solutions, companies will need to do the same. Boards need to ensure they are on top of their exposure to governance risks in order to avoid activism at all costs and any possibility of reputational risk – and they need to do this efficiently.

Would you like to learn more about how, you too, can have instant insights into more than 5,500 globally listed companies’ board composition, diversity, expertise and skills? As well as access the same executive compensation data used by Glass Lewis in their Proxy Papers? Click here to learn more.

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Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan ESG refers to a series of environmental, social and governance criteria taken into consideration by the funds during the investing process. Investing in ESG funds allows shareholders to support companies in transition, that wish to act and develop in a more sustainable and responsible manner. In practice, many indicators … Continue reading “Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan”

Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View

Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View   Executive compensation has been one of the trickiest issues within the corporate governance space as of late. Across the board, there seems to be no end in sight to finding the perfect compensation package or philosophy for corporate executives. In this article, we will discuss the … Continue reading “Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View”

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking   Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"

SRD II and the ramifications for disclosure obligations

With the proxy season fast approaching SRD II is top of mind. Learn about the implications SRD II will have on disclosure of executive pay and corporate goverannce.

With the next proxy season fast approaching the Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD) is top of mind. Extensive disclosure obligations are part of the second iteration and reliable information is key to ensuring requirements are met.

 

This article is part of the featured news report by governance.co.uk on SRD II. Click here to download the full article.

With the EU directive requiring transposition into domestic law in all Member States by September 2020, companies have a limited window to comply with the new requirements and ensure they have aligned their company’s structure in a way that encourages shareholder engagement long term.

The directive’s main aims involve long-term thinking and practices, transparency and increased engagement. However don’t think that this doesn’t also have implications for institutional investors, asset managers and proxy advisors. 

The new regime involves institutional investors and asset managers having to disclose their engagement  policies, and intermediaries to make sure they facilitate the transmition of information to shareholders in a transparent manner. This includes publicly disclosing what they charge for these services.

In short, the SRD II is aimed at reducing short-termism and excessive risk taking by EU companies, plus increasing transparency all-round.

The problem of pay

With executive pay being heavily scrutinized over the past few years, it comes as no surprise that SRD II calls for change to pay disclosures. Creating a better link between pay and performance of company directors, and bringing an end to short-term targets as a measure of success. With this aim brings requirements of providing greater detail and information to support pay policies, including what metrics are being used to measure executive performance. Decisions will have to be rationalized and justified in detail, and without data and facts showing exactly why these decisions were made, companies put themselves at risk of non-compliance.

For companies and investors to meet the requirements of SRD II and as they become effective in the 2020 proxy season (and for intermediaries to be fully compliant) there is no doubt that they need access to accurate and reliable data. CGLytics is already helping many companies, investors and intermediaries get up to speed with meeting obligations, including providing Glass Lewis with data for their Proxy Papers, and you can be fully prepared too.

If you would like to know more about the impact SRD II will have on your company or firm, click here to download the full article

Or reach out to us at CGLytics and receive a free explanation and assessment on how it’s likely to affect you. Click here

Aniel Mahabier SRD II quote

Latest Industry News, Views & Information

Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan

Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan ESG refers to a series of environmental, social and governance criteria taken into consideration by the funds during the investing process. Investing in ESG funds allows shareholders to support companies in transition, that wish to act and develop in a more sustainable and responsible manner. In practice, many indicators … Continue reading “Understanding ESG & Annual Incentive Plan”

Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View

Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View   Executive compensation has been one of the trickiest issues within the corporate governance space as of late. Across the board, there seems to be no end in sight to finding the perfect compensation package or philosophy for corporate executives. In this article, we will discuss the … Continue reading “Pay for Performance: The Largest Institutional Investors’ View”

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking

How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking   Given the scrutiny on executive compensation in recent years, it is critical to make sure that your company’s executive pay reflects its performance and aligns with the market. Therefore, it is essential for companies to have an appropriate peer group for performance benchmarking, compensation program … Continue reading "How to design your peer group for compensation benchmarking"