The 2017 Best Practice Principles consultation is now closed. Responses received and current status of the review can be found HERE >>

For more information about the 2017 consultation please contact: committee@bppgrp.info 

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In April 2017, the BPP Group Steering Group announced its intention to review the operation of the Best Practice Principles for Shareholder Voting Research.

The purpose of the review is to assess the implementation and content of the Best Practice Principles, to ensure that they are achieving the original objectives, and to identify where there is scope to improve practice and transparency. The original objectives were to:

  • Promote a greater understanding of the role of shareholder voting research providers in the voting decisions made by institutional investors.
  • Promote the integrity and efficiency of processes and controls related to the provision of these research services; and
  • Foster a robust management of any conflicts of interest.

The review also aims to ensure that the Principles are capable of being applied in all markets for which voting research and analysis is provided, and by all providers of such services.

The assessment will involve consideration of:

  • The structure and content of the Principles;
  • The form and frequency of reporting against the Principles;
  • The process and criteria for providers to become signatories; and
  • The oversight arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the Principles

The review will be informed by:

  • The views of investors, companies and other stakeholders;
  • Experience of implementing the Principles since they were introduced in 2014;
  • The December 2015 report on the development and implementation of the Principles by the European Securities and Markets Authority; and
  • The revised EU Shareholder Rights Directive and regulatory developments in other markets since the Principles were introduced.

In order to gather the views of stakeholders, a public consultation will be held in the summer of 2017, and an advisory stakeholder panel established to provide input to the preparation of the consultation document and any subsequent revisions to the Principles.

The review will be overseen by a steering group comprising representatives from the current signatories to the Principles and an independent chair, Chris Hodge (formerly Director of Corporate Governance at the UK Financial Reporting Council and chair of the European Corporate Governance Codes Network).

For more information about the 2017 Review please contact: committee@bppgrp.info