Proxy Alert

SNC-Lavalin is actively engaged in lobbying activity in a number of Canadian and foreign jurisdictions. Over the years, concerns have been raised with the company’s operations in Canada and internationally and the processes through which the company lobbies for lucrative government contracts. The proposal filed by the Fonds de Solidarité (FTQ), represented by the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE), seeks information about the oversight and extent of SNC-Lavalin’s contributions to political activity.

Gender diversity is a critical attribute of a well functioning board and a measure of sound corporate governance. Constellation Software Inc. does not currently have such a policy. It does not have any women in executive office and only 1 of 10 director candidates proposed for election at the 2018 AGM is a woman. The Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, represented by SHARE, filed a shareholder proposal for consideration at the 2018 AGM of Constellation targeted at improving the company’s approach to gender diversity.

Bombardier Inc. is actively engaged in lobbying activity in a number of Canadian and foreign jurisdictions. This proposal asks the Board to prepare a report, updated annually, disclosing the company’s positions and priorities for policy activity; which external associations the company supports; the company’s oversight and review process for aligning association contributions and memberships with business priorities and shareholder value; and how the company reviews memberships for potential risks to the company’s reputation.

As one of the largest oil producing and refining companies in Canada, Imperial’s reliance on water withdrawals and high volume of wastewater production means the company is exposed to potential physical, regulatory and reputational water-related risks across its business segments. This proposal asks the company to respond to the CDP Water information request.

Imperial Oil Ltd. is actively engaged in lobbying activity in a number of Canadian jurisdictions and, where legal, has made political contributions. Its registered lobbyists in British Columbia, Alberta, and at the federal level are actively lobbying on energy, climate change and environmental policies. This proposal asks Imperial oil for report on on oversight and disclosure of corporate political spending.

In the United States, approximately 35 shareholder proposals will be voted on in 2017 addressing different aspects of decent work.[i] This Proxy Alert examines two of these proposals.

OceanRock Investments Ltd., working with SHARE, filed a shareholder proposal for the 2017 annual shareholders’ meeting of RBI again asking the board of directors to adopt and publish a formal, written board diversity policy by …

RESOLVED that the Board prepare a report to shareholders, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, detailing the due diligence process used by Enbridge, its affiliates and subsidiaries to identify and address social and environmental risks, including Indigenous rights risks, when reviewing potential acquisitions.