Women gain more places on European company boards

A study of European companies, Realizing Europe’s Potential: Progress and Challenges, for the EU-backed European Women on Boards (EWoB) network has shown a steady rise in the number of women on their boards following the imposition of quotas in …

UK Pay for Performance not Fit for Purpose
Increasing disparity between CEO & stakeholder rewards
Scepticism and loss of public confidence in business

Coming in the wake of some large votes by UK shareholders against executive pay, the Executive Remuneration …

Oxfam says food companies need to improve supplier practices

The 10 largest global food companies have made commitments to improve social and environmental standards in their vast supply chains, according to anti-poverty charity, Oxfam. However, in an assessment of its three-year ‘behind the brands campaign’ Oxfam also said that …

UK companies increasingly look externally for CEO recruits

UK companies appointed more chief executives (CEOs) from outside their companies in 2015 than ever before according to a global survey of CEO succession conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The study which tracks CEO succession in 2,500 publicly listed companies, including …

Principles for Responsible Investment considers impact after 10 years

Although the awareness of responsible investment is growing, implementing the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is still proving a challenge 10 years on, according to an independent report assessing the impact of the PRI which was launched in 2006 as …

Drax faces environmental protests at AGM

Energy company, Drax, which operates the biggest power station in the UK, faced protest from environmental campaigners at its AGM on Wednesday (20 April 16).

Groups including Biofuelwatch and the London Mining Network joined forces to protest about its business …

Anglo American faces opposition to executive pay

Mining group Anglo American faced a 42% vote opposing its remuneration report at its AGM this week. Though not a complete rejection the company acknowledged that it needed to engage with shareholders further in advance of the remuneration policy vote …

UN Climate Change Agreement signed this week

The United Nations (UN) held a ceremony at its headquarters in New York for countries to formally sign up to the climate change agreement that was made in Paris at the end of last year. The Paris Agreement enters into …

BP, Smith & Newphew AGM season blow out

The 2016 AGM season started with major defeats for two FTSE100 companies. Last Thursday (14th April) oil giant BP and medical equipments supplier, Smith & Nephew saw their remuneration reports rejected by shareholders at their AGMs. At the BP AGM …

Persimmon seeks to blame proxy advisors for NED’s slim majority

Construction firm, Persimmon, faced significant opposition in the vote to elect Nigel Mills as one their non-executive directors. There was a 47% vote against Mills’ appointment, due to independence concerns, …