corporate governance Archives

US business lobbies press for laws on boardroom diversity

25% gender quota introduced for Greek companies

Greek companies will soon be mandated to meet a 25% female quota on their boards following a landmark decision for gender diversity.

The quota requirement has been included as an amendment to the bill transposing the EU Shareholder Rights Directive …

Governance takes centre stage in US/China face-off

As relations between the two super-powers becomes increasingly strained, the Chinese financial regulator has confirmed the country’s commitment to improving corporate governance amid the fallout of the US-listed Luckin Coffee scandal. …

Boardroom woes see more departures from EasyJet

Boardroom woes sees more departures from EasyJet

Further turmoil has gripped budget airline EasyJet after two board members announced their departure amid the ongoing bitter row between the leadership team and founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou over a plane order.

EasyJet ordered …

Engagement or voting? Asset manager advocates alternatives

Direct engagement with companies produces better results than shareholder resolutions at AGMs, an asset manager has argued.

US investment house T Rowe Price, which runs approximately $1trn, stated in its annual ESG report that it preferred to engage one-to-one with …

A new threat to the stewardship?

For some companies, the ability for shareholders to have a voice is a source of constant annoyance.

For proxy voting agents, such as Minerva, understanding the rules of the game and where the lines are drawn is key.

Shareholder rights …

ESG key in Covid-19 fightback, warns ECODA

The chair of the European Confederation of Directors Associations (ECODA) has urged boards to embrace ESG in the fightback against coronavirus and the economic chaos which will likely follow the pandemic.

In an open letter, chair Jan Wesseldijk …

BoE’s Haldane: Shareholder-focused capitalism beginning to fray

The Bank of England’s chief economist has questioned the UK’s corporate governance model – suggesting it should be overhauled to focus not just on shareholders but wider society, too.

During a speech at …

Australian energy giant rocked by shareholder rebellion

Activists pressure oil giant on beauty spot plans

Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor is facing a significant showdown with investor activists as its bid to drill for oil in a well-known Australian beauty spot intensifies.

Under its proposals, Equinor wants to drill a 2.2km exploration well in …

BHP faces shareholder anger over fossil fuel

Mining titan BHP is facing growing shareholder dissent over its close links with industry groups that support the fossil fuel industry – with over a quarter of its investors voting to end these affiliations.

At the Anglo-Australian mining group’s AGM held last week, 27.07% of shareholders voted …

Rise in companies deviating from Swedish governance code

Rise in companies deviating from Swedish governance code

The Board’s 2019 Annual Report, published this week, revealed that over a third (34 per cent) of companies that apply the Code reported at least one deviation in 2018, up from 29 …