WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) today announced the release of Investor Perspectives: Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2015, available at www.NACDonline.org/InvestorPriorities.
The publication summarizes NACD's findings from dialogues with major institutional investors in September and October 2014 to discuss critical governance issues for board focus in the coming year. These conversations involved U.S. institutional shareholders representing close to $14 trillion in assets under management, including BlackRock, CalSTRS, Calvert Investments, Capital Group, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price, and Vanguard.
"Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2015 should serve as a critical resource for directors of public companies of all sizes," said Glenn Booraem, principal and fund controller, Vanguard. "Understanding investors' areas of focus will help boards tailor their disclosures and engagement activities to facilitate an increasingly productive dialogue with their shareholders."
The publication summarizes investors' candid views on three important corporate governance issues:
- Investors are focused on "drivers" of effective board leadership;
- Investors will hold directors accountable when they believe shareholder rights have been undermined; and
- High-quality communication between boards and investors is about context, not volume.
Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2015 is the latest output from NACD's ongoing multi-stakeholder dialogues on critical board matters. Related thought leadership includes reports from NACD's Fortune 500 committee chair advisory councils, available at the NACD Board Leaders' Briefing Center, and the recently re-issued Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Board-Shareholder Communications, available at www.NACDonline.org/ShareholderComms.
"NACD has always recognized the importance of high-quality engagement between boards and their major shareholders," said NACD President and CEO Ken Daly. "The practical guidance outlined in Critical Issues for Board Focus in 2015 is especially useful for directors as they prepare for the 2015 proxy season."
Visit www.NACDonline.org/InvestorPriorities to read the publication, which includes suggested questions to help directors benchmark their boards' shareholder engagement activities.
About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the recognized authority focused on advancing exemplary board leadership and establishing leading boardroom practices. Informed by more than 35 years of experience, NACD delivers insights and resources that more than 15,000 corporate director members rely upon to make sound strategic decisions and confidently confront complex business challenges. NACD provides world-class director education programs, national peer-exchange forums, and proprietary research to promote director professionalism, ultimately enhancing the economic sustainability of the enterprise and bolstering stakeholder confidence. Fostering collaboration among directors, investors, and governance stakeholders, NACD is shaping the future of board leadership. To learn more about NACD, visit www.NACDonline.org. To become an NACD member, contact Kelly Dodd at kkdodd@NACDonline.org or 202-380-1891.