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BlackRock assistance for ESG investor resolutions hits fresh low

BlackRock, the world's most significant possession manager, cut its support for investor propositions connected to environmental and social problems to a fresh low of 4.1% in the most current yearly basic meeting season, it stated on Wednesday.

Regardless of the variety of environmental and social-related propositions increasing year on year to 493 from 455, BlackRock said most had been declined for much the same reasons as in previous years.

In 2023 it supported 6.7% of such propositions, down sharply from its assistance for 47% of resolutions in 2020-21, though the variety of resolutions submitted with business because that high water mark had actually increased dramatically.

In our evaluation, the majority of these (proposals) were over-reaching, did not have economic merit, or looked for outcomes that were not likely to promote long-term investor worth, stated its 2024 Global Ballot Spotlight report.

A considerable portion were concentrated on business risks that companies already had processes in place to address, making them redundant.

BlackRock's handling of these and governance-related problems, together called ESG, has faced strong criticism in the last few years from a group of U.S. Republican political leaders, who have accused various companies of taking part in woke commercialism.

Versus that background, and ahead of the next AGM season, BlackRock had said it would press boards on their monetary resilience, however that a business's success would likewise depend upon how it dealt with problems such as the world's shift to a. low-carbon economy.

SUSTAINABILITY RISKS

The drop in assistance may appear to be marginal, said. Lindsey Stewart, director of investment stewardship research study at. industry tracker Morningstar Sustainalytics, however it means the. company supported 10 less E&S proposals this year compared to. the last, in spite of the number of resolutions rising.

Likewise driving the number lower were the growing number of. resolutions targeted at requiring business to roll back their strategies. to manage sustainability risks, consisting of retooling their. operations to be in line with international climate objectives.

BlackRock stated it did not support any of the 88 propositions. that fell into this category.

In overall this year it supported 20 propositions. Of them, four. were associated with climate and natural capital, concerning. disclosures at Berkshire Hathaway, Denny's Corporation. , Jack in the Box and Wingstop.

More broadly, BlackRock's assistance for shareholder. resolutions increased to 11% from 9% - or 99 out of 867 against. 71 out of 811 in the previous year - driven by the firm's backing. for more governance-related resolutions.

The proposals we supported sought to enhance minority. shareholders' rights, for example, by presenting easy. bulk ballot. Market assistance for governance proposals also. increased relative to last year, it stated.

(source: Reuters)