Today Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) proposed for comment three changes to its 2016 U.S. proxy voting policies. Comments on the proposed changes can be submitted via e‑mail to policy@issgovernance.com by 6 p.m. ET on November 9, 2015. ISS will take the comments into account as part of its policy review and expects to release its final 2016 U.S. policy updates on November 18, 2015. We note that ISS’s final 2016 proxy voting policies, which will apply to shareholder meetings held on or after February 1, 2016, likely will reflect additional changes beyond these on which ISS has solicited comments.
NYSE Amends Rule on Release of Material News
The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) has amended its rule on release of material news to the public, effective September 26, 2015. Most importantly, the amendments extend the pre-market hours during which companies must give notice to the NYSE before announcing material news, so that companies will have to notify the NYSE in connection with any announcements made at or after 7:00 a.m. Eastern time. The amendments also provide guidance about the release of material news after the close of trading, update the acceptable methods for releasing material news, and give the NYSE additional authority to halt trading in specific situations.
Massachusetts District Court Orders the SEC to Issue Final Resource Extraction Rule
On September 2, 2015, following a briefing by Oxfam America, Inc. (“Oxfam”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”), the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted Oxfam’s motion for summary judgment and ordered the SEC to file with the Court within 30 days “an expedited schedule for promulgating the final [resource extraction] rule.
D.C. Circuit Issues Conflict Minerals Decision, but Uncertainty Remains
On August 18, 2015, following a panel rehearing, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued an opinion affirming its April 2014 decision in National Association of Manufacturers, et al. v. SEC, et al. (“NAM”) that the conflict minerals disclosure rule violates the First Amendment to the extent it requires companies to report that any of their products have “not been found to be ‘DRC conflict free.’” The NAM panel had granted a petition for rehearing in light of a July 2014 ruling in American Meat Institute v. U.S. Department of Agriculture (“AMI”), in which an en banc panel of the D.C. Circuit upheld the constitutionality of compelled speech in the form of Department of Agriculture rules requiring country-of-origin labeling for meat products and raised issues regarding the standard of review to be applied by the court in reviewing the First Amendment challenge in NAM. Because the opinion also addressed the appropriate standard of review to be applied by courts in reviewing compelled speech in the regulatory arena, the NAM panel saw fit to reconsider its decision in light of AMI.
Council of Institutional Investors Announces Its Views on Proxy Access Best Practices
Today the Council of Institutional Investors (“CII”), a nonprofit association of corporate, public and union employee benefit funds and endowments that seeks to promote effective corporate governance practices for U.S. companies and strong shareholder rights and protections, published a report titled “Proxy Access: Best Practices” that describes CII’s views on seven provisions that companies typically address when implementing proxy access. The CII report is available here.
ISS Releases Survey for 2016 Policy Updates
Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) today launched its annual global policy survey. Each year, ISS solicits comments in connection with the review of its proxy voting policies. At the end of this process, in November 2015, ISS will announce its updated proxy voting policies applicable to 2016 shareholders’ meetings.
FINRA FAQs on Research Conflict of Interest Rules
On May 27, 2015, FINRA issued a set of FAQs on its research conflict of interest rules. These FAQs further expand upon views expressed by FINRA in settlement agreements entered into by FINRA in December 2014 with ten investment banks in connection with the 2010 proposed IPO by Toys “R” Us (the “Settlement Agreements”).
SEC Proposes Rules Regarding Clawbacks
The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) today voted, 3-2, to issue proposed rules implementing the mandate in Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) that the SEC require national securities exchanges and associations to adopt a listing standard that requires listed companies to adopt and enforce a clawback policy.
SEC Publishes Interpretations regarding “Regulation A+”
On June 23, 2015, the Staff (the “Staff”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) published several new Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations (“Interpretations”) relating to rules and forms under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). These Interpretations address questions and considerations relating to “Regulation A+”, which was adopted by the SEC on March 25, and became effective last Friday, June 19.
New Investor Guide on Engaging With Public Companies and Others on ESG Issues
On May 28, 2015, BlackRock and Ceres released a guide for investors on engaging with public companies, asset managers and policymakers on environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) sustainability matters. The guide, titled “21st Century Engagement: Investor Strategies for Incorporating ESG Considerations into Corporate Interactions,” includes sections written by BlackRock and Ceres as well as AFL-CIO, California Public Employees Retirement System (“CalPERS”), California State Teachers Retirement System (“CalSTRS”), Council of Institutional Investors (“CII”), International Corporate Governance Network (“ICGN”), the Office of New York City Comptroller, New York State Common Retirement Fund, North Carolina Department of State Treasurer, PGGM, State Board of Administration of Florida, TIAA-CREF, T. Rowe Price and UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust.