Companies Archives

WPP’s remuneration vote passes – with higher dissent

Despite public calls for pension funds to vote against WPP’s remuneration report at its AGM this week (8th June) the resolution was passed with 33.5% dissent – higher than 2015’s 22.2% protest vote.

ShareAction had condemned the chief executive’s (CEO) …

Missing human capital data means annual reports are not providing a clear picture of the business, report states

Around a third (30%) of FTSE 100 companies are withholding relevant information from their annual reports and painting an inaccurate picture of opportunity and risk, according to a research report from the Valuing Your Talent partnership which includes The Chartered …

Criticisms of BHS governance continues as administrators fail to find buyers

As inquiries continue into the retailer BHS – focusing on its sale last year and its large pension fund deficit – its administrators, Philip Duffy and Benjamin Wiles, managing directors at Duff & Phelps, announced that it had been unable …

Single Figure Calculations prove tricky for Legal & General

The insurer and institutional investor Legal & General plc (L&G), had to correct its annual report pay figures for chief executive, Nigel Wilson, on the eve of its AGM last week (26th May).

L&G, whose investment division LGIM is active …

VW shareholder resolution requests a special audit of ‘dieselgate’ scandal

The German investors’ association, DSW, has tabled a shareholder resolution to be considered at next month’s AGM of carmaker Volkswagen (VW), which is proposing a special audit into the actions of its directors in respect of the ‘dieselgate’ scandal. Last …

Shell has muted opposition to executive pay but Standard Life continues to raise auditor concerns

Royal Dutch Shell experienced a relatively modest level of investor opposition to its executive remuneration report at its recent AGM with a 14% vote against, this follows the rival oil company BP’s loss of its pay vote last month. However, …

Short-term shareholders damage UK companies and wider economy claim two new reports

British companies are losing out – potentially by over £130bn a year – because they lack clear corporate purposes that unite all stakeholders in common goals and values, according to the interim report by the Purposeful Company Taskforce, which was …

Ferrexpo forced to hold second vote on director re-appointments

Ferrexpo, which manufactures iron ore pellets which are used in the steel industry, has received a high level of opposition from shareholders to a number of resolutions at its AGM this week (19th May) including those relating to the appointment …

More UK companies face investor opposition to executive pay this week

Standard Life, which as an institutional investor is known for its stewardship approach, faced opposition to the pay awarded to its chief executive, Keith Skeoch at its recent AGM (17th May). The investment and insurance company received a 22% vote …

Executive Pay watch emphasises US pay gap between CEOs and other employees

The US federation of trade unions, the AFL-CIO, has released its latest Executive Paywatch data which it says shows the average CEO of an S&P 500 company received an annual income of $12.4 million in 2015—335 times more money than …