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Positive change through engagement and voting

We are active investors and active owners. To drive the sustainability performance of a company, we prefer inclusion over exclusion. Engagement and voting are crucial to encourage positive change at the companies we invest in and achieve real world change. In 2022 we undertook:

106

Engagements for change
🗸 tangible objectives
🗸 measured outcomes

87

Engagements for awareness
🗸 increase awareness about certain issues

196

Collaborative engagements
🗸 we team up with other investors to increase pressure on companies

How can firms be persuaded to minimize their carbon footprint and set clear sustainability targets and report on them? Or make remuneration more linked with sustainability goals and treat their employees in accordance with international standards? Engagement is a key element in our sustainability efforts.

We measure the outcomes and results of our engagement with milestones, in a four-stage process. In 2022 we achieved 73 engagement milestones across 106 engagements for change.

35

Milestones on environmental issues

34

Milestones on governance issues

4

Milestones on social issues

Voting

Voting at shareholder meetings of investee companies is an important tool in our stewardship and active ownership as well. Shareholder resolutions can put pressure on companies, for example to improve or define net zero targets.

We typically vote against management when we have concerns about board nominees due to their age, tenure, diversity or if we have concerns about the executive remuneration. Our criteria can be found in our full voting policy.

Our voting records are published in full here.

427

Number of meetings voted

325

Number of meetings with at least 1 vote against, withhold or abstain

942

Number of votes against management: this amounts to 15% of total votes cast

Engagement factsheets

Environmental: CEZ, Omega Healthcare, Prologis, Atrium Ljungburg

Social: Coats, Alphabet, Vinci DGFR

Governance: Fagron