The growth of ESG investing has contributed to a greater focus on corporate elections, known as proxy votes. These votes have taken on a new level of importance for investors globally, as the proxy voting process is used as a tool for effecting governance changes and a visible indicator of how investment fiduciaries are positioning themselves on sustainability issues.

ESG-specific shareholder resolutions center on topics like climate change; cybersecurity, data protection, online surveillance, and content governance; diversity; environmental stewardship; ESG/sustainable governance; gender-pay equity; human rights; lobbying; political spending; reputational risks of products (opioids and guns); and workplace sexual harassment.

With the requirement that asset managers disclose how they voted on portfolio company ballots, we’re able to evaluate how investment fiduciaries exercise stewardship.