AGM season: Silence on key issues should be a trigger for action

Blanket approaches won't work

The annual AGM season is once again upon us. For companies, it is a time to report on the developments within their businesses, as well as the results they have produced over the last year.

For stakeholders, it is an opportunity to explore how these companies are conducting themselves and, in some cases, question management teams to ensure they are both meeting investors' expectations and are positively contributing to wider society. Recent years have seen shareholders probe a fairly consistent list of areas where they expect action or improvements from company management teams, albeit with different priorities for different sectors. Corporate governance; environmental policies and net-zero transition; diversity; and executive remuneration have all been key areas of focus. ...