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Articles on Shareholder activism

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Large shareholders are increasingly being criticised for not pressuring company boards enough to be more socially and environmentally responsible. Daniel Pockett/AAP

Shareholder activism sounds good, but it can’t change much

Don’t expect institutional investors to become activists for change to make corporations more responsible. More direct approaches are urgently needed.
Executive pay is an issue that often causes public uproar. But it’s not as greed-driven as we might think. Razvan Chisu/Unsplash

The uproar over executive pay isn’t entirely warranted

High CEO compensation angers the public, particularly when it doesn’t seemed tied to performance. But as a whole, trends in executive compensation are consistent with fundamental economic forces.
A breakthrough resolution on Rio Tinto’s climate stance has received a strong vote at the company’s AGM. AAP Image/Andy Brownbill

Rio Tinto’s climate resolution marks a significant shift in investor culture

The shareholder resolution on climate change at Rio Tinto’s AGM is another indication of how much investor culture is tilting towards demanding that companies take a responsible climate stance.
Shareholders deserve a greater say in who sits in these seats. Shutterstock

It’s time to increase shareholder voices inside the boardroom

Common mythology holds that shareholders of public corporations choose who sits on the board of directors. Nothing could be further from the truth. Under the laws of most states, directors are automatically…
Activists have a range of options available to them to voice their anger at a company’s decisions. Dan Peled/AAP

The 100-member rule may be gone, but shareholder activism is here to stay

As part of its program to cut red tape and bureaucracy, the Australian government is set to repeal the 100-member rule. The rule contained in the Corporations Act forces a company to hold a general meeting…
The reach of global multinationals like BHP is driving a new wave of shareholder activism. Fiona Dorrell/AAP

Daly and Dunlop pave way for new era of shareholder activism

Sister Patricia Daly is in for the long haul. Last May, the New Jersey-based Dominican nun and shareholder activist, attended her 15th ExxonMobil annual shareholder meeting, again armed with the same resolution…
It is time for Australian shareholders to push for more action to combat low female representation at board level. AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Stand by your woman: shareholders should demand more balanced boards

The lone lady in a suit is always a matter of interest, whether on a listed company board or in Tony Abbott’s cabinet. Not only does it seem inequitable that women are underrepresented in these influential…
The Fairfax board is one of 22 who have fallen foul of new provisions meant to empower shareholders. AAP/Julian Smith

Shareholder activism: the virtuous and the venal

The era of passive shareholding where investors patiently waited for companies to offer dividends (or simply sold their shares and moved on) is gone forever. Shareholdings are no longer largely distributed…

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