WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) today released Investor Perspectives: Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016.This annual publication is available for download at www.NACDonline.org/InvestorPriorities.
Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016 compiles insights drawn from a series of dialogues conducted with major institutional investors in the fall of 2015. NACD convened leaders from U.S. institutional shareholders representing close to $16 trillion in assets under management, including BlackRock Inc., CalPERS, CalSTRS, the Capital Group Cos., Fidelity Investments, TIAA-CREF, T. Rowe Price Group Inc., and the Vanguard Group Inc.
“Our dialogue with board members and company leaders continues to progress,” said Zach Oleksiuk, Head of Americas Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment, BlackRock. “Directors can use Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016 as a resource to inform their approach to even more constructive shareholder communications and engagement activities.”
Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016 summarizes investors’ candid views on three issues important to the upcoming proxy season:
- Investors’ discussions with portfolio companies now tend to integrate topics such as compensation and risk oversight, with strategy at the center.
- Dialogue is evolving around proxy access, board refresh practices, and executive compensation; and
- Investors expect directors of newly public companies to work on behalf of all shareholders.
“The increase in shareholder activism has made the board’s role in communicating the alignment between the company’s short-term activities and long-term strategy all the more critical,” said NACD CEO Ken Daly. “Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016 provides practical guidance for directors on how to improve dialogue among investors, boards, and management.”
Investor Perspectives is the latest result of ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogues facilitated by NACD on critical board matters. Related thought leadership includes the latest reports from NACD’s Fortune 500 committee chair advisory councils, available in the NACD Board Leaders’ Briefing Center, and the recent Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on The Board and Long-Term Value Creation.
Visit www.NACDonline.org/InvestorPriorities to read Investor Perspectives: Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2016, which includes suggested questions to help directors benchmark their boards’ shareholder-engagement activities.
About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) helps more than 17,000 directors to lead with confidence. As the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices, NACD aspires to a world where businesses are sustainable, profitable, and respected, and where stakeholders trust directors to develop strategies that create long-term value and provide effective oversight. World-class boards join NACD to elevate performance, gain foresight, and instill confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and governance stakeholders, NACD has been shaping the future of board leadership for more than 35 years. To learn more about NACD, visit www.NACDonline.org. To become an NACD member, please contact Steve Kalan at Join@NACDonline.org or 202-572-2089. If you are already a member, contact your Concierge at Concierge@NACDonline.org to ensure that you are receiving the best value from your membership.