Proxy Voting: Asset Owners

Proxy-voting management allows investors to exercise the right to vote that comes with the stock in their portfolios, in an informed and effective manner, while saving time and money and conforming to policy criteria that can be pre-established or customized.

Pre-established:

• CAUCUS Contributor Policy Voting Option: Voting rights are exercised in accordance with GIR’s CAUCUS policy. This policy is based on the most progressive voting-rights policies in the industry. It is reviewed and updated yearly, by means of an annual meeting with GIR's CAUCUS-Contributor clients, to reflect on the latest trends in corporate social responsibility. Discerning clients who choose the CAUCUS-Contributor Policy Voting Option help shape future policies relating to ESG.
• CAUCUS Non-contributor Policy Voting Option: Clients can also choose to take advantage of lower costs by forfeiting the participatory process and applying the prevailing CAUCUS policy.

 

Customized:

• Custom voting option: Voting rights are exercised in accordance with the client’s policy. GIR is the uncontested specialist in the exercise of custom voting rights. By way of its Ethica™ Proxy Voting System, GIR can develop an unlimited number of voting-rights policies based on each client's degree of sensitivity to over 300 indicators, or by integrating the client's existing policy into its system. GIR's technological platform and proprietary software enable it to achieve unparalleled levels of compliance with custom policies.

 

Voting-related services:

• Voting verification: Specially designed for investors who delegate their voting rights to their portfolio manager or other service provider. GIR's verification service allows the client to ensure that the work done by these intermediaries is consistent with their voting-rights policy, and assess any differences between the policy and its application.