Equiniti’s Annual AGM Trends - 2019

Welcome to AGM Trends 2019, the annual review of trends and developments during the 2019 annual general meeting (AGM) season compiled by Equiniti’s Registration Services and Company Secretarial teams.

Download Equiniti’s Annual AGM Trends - 2019

This year we include articles from Boudicca on the growth of shareholder activism, Korn Ferry on investors’ remuneration concerns, an update from the Investment Association on the Public Register and Emperor on how to make the most of your Annual Report.

Corporate governance has continued to be high on the business agenda during the past year. Companies have been reviewing and implementing the provisions of the new UK Corporate Governance Code and new remuneration reporting requirements. The importance of engaging meaningfully with employees, shareholders and the wider community has been recognised and climate change has emerged as perhaps the key challenge for business and government in the foreseeable future.

In addition, companies continue to face uncertainty surrounding the outcome of Brexit. It will be of no surprise to learn that shareholders were looking for sensible executive remuneration outcomes and directors with the time and ability to devote to the company during this time of change.

Note for 2020 AGMs

The matters identified during the year as important to shareholders are those that we believe will continue to be of concern into 2020. These are:

• Targeting individual directors over independence, time commitment or board composition concerns.
• Executive remuneration re-balancing particularly in relation to pensions.
• Environmental and social concerns including impact of business activities on climate change.
• Focus on length of tenure and independence of the auditor.

About Equiniti

Equiniti Group plc, an international technology-led services and payments specialist, provides non-discretionary payment and administration services to some of the world’s best-known brands and UK’s largest public-sector organisations.

It is the UK’s leading provider of share registration, employee share plans, and associated investor services, and also has market leading positions in pension administration and software, and employee benefit schemes.

Equiniti’s services, which are delivered by over 5,000 employees, benefit 36 million people in the UK, US and 120 other countries around the world.

Published 6 December, 2019