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2012 Policy Updates

Updates to ISS' benchmark proxy voting guidelines.
» See the ISS Policy Gateway
Evaluating Pay for Performance Alignment: ISS' Quantitative and Qualitative Approach.
» See the ISS White Paper

Recent Webinars

Preseason Primer» Replay
Powers of Attorney Service Preview» Replay

ISS News

The Top Securities Class Action Services 50 for 2011

Submitted by root on Fri, 2012-05-11 16:30

Building on the industry's most comprehensive database on securities class action litigation, ISS' Securitites Class Action Services 50 report lists the top 50 plaintiffs' law firms ranked by the total dollar amount of final securities class action settlements occurring in 2011 in which the law firm served as lead or co-lead counsel.

ISS Completes Study Commissioned by the Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan

Rockville, MD; April 12, 2012 – Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), a leading provider of end-to-end corporate governance solutions, today announced the completion of a study for the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) of Japan on certain impediments to the effective exercise of shareholder voting rights in the region covered by the MSCI Emerging Market Index.  The GPIF commissioned ISS to perform the study in the Fall of 2011.  The study is part of the GPIF’s efforts to examine how voting rights are being exercised for non-Japanese equities.

Institutional Shareholder Services Raises the Bar for Transparency and Responsiveness

Rockville, MD (March 29, 2012) – Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a leading provider of end-to-end corporate governance solutions, today announced that it has established a new Feedback Review Board, setting a new high water mark for transparency,  openness and responsiveness. 

2012 Proxy Season Preview: Environmental & Social Issues

Submitted by root on Tue, 2012-03-20 12:05

Investors have filed more proposals this year that relate to political spending and lobbying, but fewer resolutions on climate change and sustainability.

ISS Updates Compliance with AMF Recommendation No. 2011-06 of 18 March 2011 on Proxy Advisory Firms

Powers of Attorney Service

Powers of Attorney Service

Institutional Shareholder Services Helps Clearstream Enhance Proxy Voting Service

Rockville,MD; London, U.K. – March 1, 2012 – Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a leading provider of end-to-end corporate governance solutions, today announced that Clearstream, has launched an enhanced proxy voting service facilitated through ISS’ ProxyExchange™ platform.

ISS Webinar: Preseason Primer for North America

Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 11:00

23 February 2012, 11:00 AM EST

The informative webinar gave a preview to the spring 2012 proxy season in the United States and Canada. During the webinar, the panelists discussed how U.S. companies and investors are addressing executive compensation issues during the second year of mandatory say-on-pay votes. Additionally, the panelists reviewed shareholder proposals seeking proxy access, independent board chairs, and disclosure of corporate political activities. For the Canadian market, key issues including say-on-pay and shareholder proposals were discussed.

ISS Securities Class Action Services Webinar: Converium

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 10:00

22 February 2012, 10:00 AM EST

During the informative webinar lead by Luke Green, Head of Securities Class Action Services Research, the Converium decision was discussed along with the broader implications for global asset recovery.

As outlined in our case brief, the Converium decision in the Netherlands has been gaining global interest as it marks the first time that a European court has approved a class action settlement on an opt-out basis (U.S. style) regarding the securities of a company not based in the Netherlands, whose securities were traded on a foreign exchange, and where the class included few Dutch residents. The settlement, worth an estimated $58.4 million, presents a notable opportunity for asset recovery in its own right. Significantly, it may also demonstrate that investors have legal recourse in Europe even if they are left out in the cold by the changing legal landscape in the United States.