U.S.-based proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) today launched its annual survey seeking investor and industry feedback regarding governance issues for the upcoming proxy season.
ISS is undertaking its policy formulation survey in two stages this year. The first is a high-level look at issues such as women on boards, executive pay disclosure and voting policies. This first part of the survey will close on Aug. 31.
The second part of the survey will seek more detail on specific issues by market and region as well as topicssuch as responsible investment and takeover defences. Respondents will have until Oct. 6 to complete this part of the survey.
The annual survey exercise represents a “key component” of ISS’s global benchmark policy formulation process, the firm states. It looks for responses from institutional investors, companies, corporate directors and other market players.
In addition to the surveys, ISS also conducts a variety of roundtables and conference calls to examine best practices in specific markets, and to gather additional feedback for the policy development process. It will hold a comment period on the final proposed changes to its policies for 2018.