ICGN presented four awards to recognise outstanding corporate governance and investor stewardship leaders at the ICGN Global Proxy Round-up Event on November 16th 2022.
ICGN presented four awards to recognise outstanding corporate governance and investor stewardship leaders at the ICGN Global Proxy Round-up Event on November 16th 2022.
Excellence in Corporate Governance Award
Excellence in Stewardship Award
Asset Owners – £60 billion and above AUM Winner
Asset Owners – Under £60 billion AUM Winner
Asset Managers – £60 billion and above AUM Winner
Asset Managers – Under £60 billion AUM Winner
Excellence in Corporate Governance Award – Organisation, Team or Collaboration
Rising Star Award
Asset Managers £60 billion and above AUM
Asset Managers under £60 billion AUM
Asset Owners – £60 billion and above AUM
Asset Owners- under £60 billion AUM
The International Corporate Governance Network celebrated excellence in governance and stewardship on 16 November 2022 at a gala event at One Birdcage Walk, with over 150 members in attendance.
The ICGN Awards Committee is vested with the responsibility for the Awards Program. The members of the Committee are: Philip Armstrong, Chair; Christine Chow; Anne-Marie Jourdan; Robert Lewenson; and Dan Konigsburg.
The selected winners in the Award categories are:
Rising Star Award
Excellence in Corporate Governance Award –
Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Owner (over £60 billion)
Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Owner (under £60 billion)
Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Manager (over £60 billion)
Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Manager (under £60 billion)
Rising Star Award
Professor Dr. Kornelia Fabisik, Assistant Professor, University of Bern, Switzerland
In the nomination, Dr. Christian Strenger said, “(Dr. Fabisik’s) research in the field of ESG ratings is truly useful to both investment professionals as well as academics. In addition, her research in the field of corporate governance has been published in the Journal of Financial Economics She also regularly shares her knowledge with the public in her blog “Clarity in ESG” (http://www.clarityinesg.com).”
Dr. Fabisik said “I am truly delighted to receive the 2022 ICGN Rising Star Award. It is truly encouraging to see that the topics that interest me as an academic are the same ones that practitioners care about – be it ESG best practices, optimal incentives and shareholder voting mechanisms, and many others. I hope that my future research will continue to inform the policy debate and will become of interest to an even broader audience.”
Sonya Likhtman, Engager, EOS, Federated Hermes Limited, UK
Sonya’s nominator, Hannah Shoesmith said, “She spent 2020 researching the topic and in February 2021 published a white paper called “Our Commitment to Nature: Supporting biodiversity and sustainable land use through engagement. Her research was fundamental to the development of the firm’s first biodiversity fund, which successfully launched as the Biodiversity Equity Fund in partnership with the Natural History Museum in March 2022. Sonya has since been appointed as the lead engager on the fund.”
On receiving the award, in a video, Sonya said “It’s a huge honour to be recognised through the ICGN Rising Star Award. I’m especially humbled to be recognised by an organisation that has played such an important role in elevating standards of corporate governance and stewardship around the world. I’d like to congratulate all the others in this category, several of whom I am lucky to have worked with, and who I know are superstars.”
Excellence In Corporate Governance Award
James Andrus, Interim Managing Investment Director, CalPERS, US
James was nominated by Tamara Sells, Associate Investment Manager, CalPERS. In her nomination, Tamara said, “The specific outcomes (of his work) run all across corporate governance as he has been a part of pushing for greater transparency in corporate reporting in his writing, speaking and general advocacy work. Many may claim success for the broad accomplishments, but there is no doubt that James has been a vital part in moving on greater transparency in financial reporting, including the enhanced focus on sustainability reporting. For example, his work on getting climate and human capital into the financials (note that FASB has human capital in its work plan) is ground-breaking in the U.S.”
In a video accepting his award, James said “I cannot say thank you enough to the Committee who selected me for the Excellence in Corporate Governance Award; to the board, that is responsible for all; and to Kerrie Waring, for continuously holding the banner of corporate governance high around the globe.”
“I note and applaud the current and past winners of the Governance and Stewardship Awards. Our work is not easy. Battles are fought to ultimately raise global governance and stewardship standards, always with long-term returns for the ultimate beneficiaries at the forefront… I admire the fact that ICGN creates a home for those with big ideas and energy to drive them, and for those of us working hard on their own ideas and the ideas of others, loving what we do.”
Women on Boards of Directors Leadership Initiative (collaborative initiative), Colombia
In the nomination, Professors Maria Andrea Trujillo and Alexander Guzmán from the CESA Business School said, “The program has thus far managed to find leadership positions for women who have participated, in conjunction with its allies and supported by Colombia’s Vice-presidency, which sent letters to more than 3,000 companies during 2020-2022, inviting the incorporation of more women on boards of directors. More than 2,100 profiles have been made visible, thanks to the Resume Bank, and the program has participated in 152 processes, ultimately achieving 28 positions on boards of directors.”
Emilia Restrepo (Rector, CESA Business School) accepted the Award, stating with Professors Trujillo and Guzmán that “We are so pleased to receive this recognition for our initiative. We have seen the power of the work we’re undertaking and the change in the lives of the women we work with, not just professionally but personally too. We have obtained positions for them in the country’s top companies and caused a shift in Colombia’s business sector, which is now increasingly aware of the importance of gender diversity in leadership roles. Receiving this award encourages us to keep moving forward to expand this initiative in Latin America, and reminds us of our responsibilities when it comes to continuing the hard work that this initiative represents.”
“We will keep emphasizing the great importance of gender diversity within a good system of governance, in general, and boards, in particular. On behalf of CESA Business School, which designed and leads this initiative, and our allies, Aequales (gender equity consultants), ANDI (National Association of Industrialists), Deloitte, the IFC of the World Bank Group, the Colombian Institute for Corporate Governance, Orza (corporate strategic relationships advisors), the Page Group, Women in Connection and the 30% Club, we offer our heartfelt thanks for this recognition.”
Asset Owners Over £60 Billion
The shortlisted Asset Owners are:
USS was selected as the winner of the ICGN Award for the Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Owners over £60 billion.
The Judging Panel indicated that USS had an impressive and straightforward approach to its stewardship disclosure. USS offered reports on risk disclosures for responsible investment, with good case studies, and provided a TCFD report. It had accessible voting records which could be reviewed easily. In all, the site was easy to navigate and updated regularly.
David Russell accepted the Award on behalf of USS.
Asset Owners Under £60 Billion
The shortlisted Asset Owners are:
Brunel Pension Partnership was selected as the winner of the ICGN Award for the Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Owners under £60 billion.
Brunel was selected for several reasons including the disclosure of their own gender pay gap analysis for transparency purposes, which was impressive. The Panel could tell that Brunel had integrated the assessment of global risks into its investment strategy and it was clear throughout their reports. The Panel liked that Brunel stated their values and commitment to partnerships as a part of its culture, which showed strongly in their disclosure.
Helen Price accepted the Award on behalf of Brunel Pension Partnership.
Asset Managers Over £60 Billion
The shortlisted Asset Managers are:
PGGM was selected as the winner of the ICGN Award for the Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Managers over £60 billion.
The Judging Panel indicated that their website was impressive as it covered their clear focus on stewardship, disclosure and was easy to navigate. There was very good disclosure on their voting data and the rationale behind the votes.
Emma van Staveren accepted the Award on behalf of PGGM.
Asset Managers Under £60 Billion
The shortlisted Asset Managers are:
Coronation Fund Managers was selected as the winner for the ICGN Award for the Global Stewardship Disclosure Award for Asset Managers under £60 billion.
Coronation Fund Managers was selected due to the clear layout of their stewardship approach and principles, particularly their engagement and voting. The panel felt that their disclosure of what hadn’t worked as well as anticipated during their engagements was rare and set them apart. Coronation Fund Managers provided equity and fixed income information and provided a global perspective to their disclosures.
Bryan Melville accepted the Award on behalf of Coronation Fund Managers.
Judging Panels
Judging Panel members for Achievement Awards:
| Erik Breen | Managing Director and Owner | Infinsus | Netherlands |
| Juan Alvarez-Vijande
|
CEO | Instituto de Consejeros-Administradores | Spain |
| Susanne Eickermann-Riepe | ICG Chair | Institute for Corporate Governance | Germany |
| Hetal Dalal | President & CEO | IiAS | India |
| Joanna Soh | Chief Operating Officer | Stewardship Asia Centre | Singapore |
Judging Panel members for Asset Owners over £60 billion:
| Megumi Terayama | Director | Channel Management ESG for S&P Dow Jones Indices | Japan |
| Mauro Rodrigues da Cunha | Independent Director | Board member: Vale, Klabin, and brMalls | Brazil |
| Cynthia Nastanski | Senior VP & Corporate Secretary | PepsiCo | US |
| Chris Pinney | President and CEO | High Meadows Institute | US |
| Louise Davidson
|
CEO | Australian Council of Superannuation Investors | Australia |
Judging Panel members for Asset Owners under £60 billion:
| Fiona Ellard | Senior Adviser | The Investor Forum | UK |
| Valeria Cafe | Head of Vocalization and Influence at IBGC | IBGC Association | Brazil |
| Michelle Tan | Partner | Hugessen Consulting Inc. | Canada |
| Devendra V. Deshpande | President | The Institute of Company Secretaries of India | India |
| Shameela Ebrahim (né Soobramoney) | Chief Sustainability Officer | Johannesburg Stock Exchange | Johannesburg, South Africa |
Judging Panel members for Asset Managers over £60 billion:
| Tetsuo Kitagawa | Professor; Board Member | External Director of Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking; professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University; Value Reporting Foundation | Japan |
| Dr. Ashraf Gemaleldin | CEO | Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance | Dubai, UAE |
| Michael Hilb | Professor and Board Member | International Board Foundation | Switzerland |
| Dr. Leda Condoyanni | Corporate Governance Director | Mytilineos | Greece |
| Habiba Al Mar’ashi | Chairperson | Emirates Environmental Group | Emirates |
| Chie Mitsui | Senior Researcher | Nomura Research Institute | Japan |
| Dr. Christian Strenger | Honorary Professor | Frankfort School of Finance and Management | Germany |
Judging Panel members for Asset Managers Under £60 billion:
| Santiago Chaher | Managing Director | Cefeidas Group | Latin America |
| Emi Onozuka | Catalyst Japan | Japan | |
| Andrew Ninian | Director, Stewardship and Corporate Governance | The Institute of Internal Auditors | UK |
| Erik Breen | Managing Director and Owner | Infinsus | Netherlands |
| Megumi Terayama | Director | Channel Management ESG for S&P Dow Jones Indices | Japan |
ENDS.
v0726
Federated Hermes
Assistant Manager, EOS
London
Will co-leads the climate change theme at EOS, the stewardship arm of Federated Hermes Limited, where his coverage includes companies in Europe and Australia, primarily financial services, energy, chemicals, and materials. Prior to joining EOS, Will worked in the energy and infrastructure investment banking team at Macquarie Capital, where he specialised in renewable energy. Before that, Will held a number of roles across the UK climate policy space, including as a parliamentary researcher for Rt. Hon. Chris Skidmore MP on climate and energy issues, and as a climate and economic policy analyst at a diplomatic institute. He was appointed as a voluntary adviser to Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, on preparations for COP26 after co-founding a Westminster climate policy group in 2019, which engaged MPs and Members of the House of Lords to advocate for more ambition on climate action in public policy. Will has a Bachelor’s degree (1st Class Honours) in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.