We're excited to share our newest resource: Warren Wilson College: Impacting How Companies Do Business!

This briefing paper details how Warren Wilson College has influenced companies’ actions to compel real, positive change in corporate policies and practices.

During the 2021-2022 engagement season (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022), Warren Wilson College (WWC) signed 32 letters of authorization allowing As You Sow to enter into dialogue and submit shareholder resolutions to companies WWC holds in its portfolio. Of those 32 signed letters of authorization to engage, dialogue with more than 80% of companies led to impactful agreements that addressed the resolution request sufficiently.

These agreements included setting net zero and interim emissions targets; performing net zero scenario analysis; publicly reporting EEO-1 data; publicly disclosing workforce retention, recruitment, and promotion data; addressing systemic racial justice; and working with local communities to address environmental justice concerns.

WWC has also influenced the actions of companies through proxy voting. From March 2021 through January 2022, WWC used As You Sow’s ESG-aligned proxy voting service, As You Vote, to vote 13,000 proxy ballot line items at approximately 1,200 companies, including 420 shareholder proposed ballot items.

WWC has proven that investor engagement with corporations can be highly effective in compelling real, positive change in corporate policies and practices, in turn enhancing company value and investment returns.

Join us in congratulating Warren Wilson College on their leadership, and reach out with any questions or interest in getting involved in IEN's shareholder engagement work!