Webinar: Proxy Voting and Shareholder Engagement for Endowments
Date: February 27, 2017, 12:30 - 1:30 PM ET
The webinar will provide an overview of the value of proxy voting and additional forms of engagement for endowments that are involved in commingled funds through an outsourced CIO – including the current landscape, trends, specific issues, and why it is important for investors. Guidelines and opportunities of how to take action will also be provided.
Panelists:
- Heidi Welsh, Executive Director at Sustainable Investments Institute
- Natasha Lamb, Director of Equity Research and Shareholder Engagement, Arjuna Capital
- Tim Smith, Director of ESG Shareholder Engagement, Walden Asset Management
- Moderator: Jacquelyn Smith, Senior Fellow, Intentional Endowments Network
Speaker Bios:
Natasha Lamb, Managing Partner, Director of Equity Research & Shareholder Engagement, Arjuna Capital
Natasha integrates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into Arjuna’s investment process while engaging major corporations to improve their performance through shareholder advocacy. Previously, Natasha was Vice President, Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Engagement, and an Equity Analyst at Trillium Asset Management. Read full bio...
Heidi Welsh, Executive Director, Sustainable Investing Institute
Heidi Welsh, the founding executive director of the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), has analyzed and written about corporate responsibility issues for more than two decades. She oversees Si2's operations and research. Read full bio...
Tim Smith, Director of ESG Shareowner Engagement, Walden Asset Management, Boston Trust
Tim Smith serves as the Director of ESG Shareowner Engagement at Walden Asset Management, a division of Boston Trust & Investment Management Company. Walden has been a leader in sustainable and responsible investing (SRI) since 1975. As of December 30, 2016, Walden managed approximately $3 billion in assets for individual and institutional clients. Read full bio...
Resources:
- Intentional Endowments Network Shareholder Engagement Resources
- DOL, Interpretive Bulletin Relating to the Exercise of Shareholder Rights and Written Statements of Investment Policy, including Proxy Voting Policies or Guidelines - IB 2016-1 (page 11)
- Updated Regulatory Guidance on Proxy Voting and ESG
- Engaging Investment Manager's on Proxy Voting and Other Forms of Shareholder Engagement
- Ceres Report, Mutual fund companies show record high support for climate change shareholder resolutions
- Ceres Report, Shareholders Spur Action on Climate Change: Company Commitments from the 2014-2015 Proxy Seasons
- UN PRI website declaring how investors vote their proxies, coming in March
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Examples of Endowment Proxy Voting Guidelines:
- Stanford University: Social Issue Proxy Voting Policy Statements and Guidelines
- Dickinson College: SRI Proxy Voting Principles
- Carleton College: Responsible Investment Committee - Proxy Voting Pre-approval Policy
- Columbia University: Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing Proxy Voting Guidelines
- University of Pennsylvania: Statement on Responsibility Concerning Endowment Securities - Proxy Voting and Social Responsibility Advisory Committee
- Harvard University: Shareholder Responsibility Committees and Corporation Committee on Shareholder Responsibility Annual Report, 2014-2015