Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) is calling for input to help develop its voting positions for the upcoming proxy season.
ISS has launched its annual global policy formulation process by inviting its institutional investor clients, corporate issuers, and corporate governance market intermediaries, to participate in its 2013 proxy voting policy survey, which provides an opportunity to give views on key governance issues.
The survey period is open through August 17, and it will be supplemented by meeting with institutions, issuers and consultants to consider executive compensation issues. In October, it will issue draft policies for comment, with a view to finalizing them by November.
“Combining the aggregate thinking of ISS’ diverse asset management and asset owner institutional client base with input from corporate issuers and other experts in the field, enriched with our own expertise, allows ISS to implement policy guidelines that strike the right balance between shareholder interests and business practicality,” said Dr. Martha Carter, ISS’ Head of Global Research.
Last month, Canadian securities regulators launched a consultation on the possible regulation of proxy advisory firms, which are not currently subject to any regulatory oversight. That consultation is open for comment until August 20.