Proxy Voting Guidelines 2015

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When shareholders speak up and vote their proxies to demand real change, companies listen. As You Sow has been filing shareholder resolutions for over 20 years, addressing critical issues like climate change, environmental health, and resource reduction. We’ve worked through pushback from companies by bringing shareholders together to send strong messages with their proxy votes, leading to major industry shifts. Your vote in support of our resolutions sends a powerful message.

However, shareholder ballots are often confusing for investors who don’t have hours to spend on research and analysis. That’s why we’re inviting you to download our first-ever proxy voting guidelines.

It’s time for all shareholders to have a seat at the table. Our Proxy Voting Guidelines, written in consultation with Proxy Impact, offers socially responsible investors a resource to align their investments with their values. With advocacy positions on issues related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) proposals, our Guidelines provide an easy way to navigate the issues, learn what’s at stake, and make sure your vote is counted.

Shareholder advocacy promotes environmental, social, and governance change at companies from within.

Proxy Voting Guidelines features:

Shareholder advocacy promotes environmental, social, and governance change at companies from within.

Shareholder advocacy promotes environmental, social, and governance change at companies from within.

  • Guiding principles on a wide range of ESG issues like environmental management, executive compensation, corporate political activity, and more

  • Recommendations for specific votes on issues like emissions reductions, deforestation, food labeling, workplace diversity, and more

Want to get involved, but not sure how to vote your shares? Don’t worry, we have you covered. Learn the basics of shareholder advocacy and how to vote your proxy.

After you’ve read our Guidelines and know how you want to vote, visit our Proxy Season Updates blog for advance notice of company annual meeting dates and detailed wrap-ups of the proposals shareholders will be voting on. Proxy Season Updates is a project of Proxy Preview, our annual report providing in-depth analysis and expert insight on hundreds of social and environmental resolutions. Proxy Preview is co-published with Proxy Impact and the Sustainable Investments Institute.

If you own shares in a company, use your vote. Get involved – read the Guidelines, learn how to vote your shares, share the guidelines with your proxy voting service, and use your power to align your investing with your values. Together, we can make a difference.