Shareholders collaborating through ICCR are celebrating the unprecedented success of the 2022 proxy season, with a record-breaking 282 proposals voted on at companies’ annual general meetings, and 34 majority votes on environmental, social, and sustainable governance shareholder resolutions.
- Eight resolutions seeking racial equity audits, including the Mercy-sponsored resolution at Johnson & Johnson and Altria, received majority votes.
- Walmart and Dine Brands received resolutions seeking fair wages and fair treatment of employees this year. Votes at each company were high enough to be re-submitted in next year’s proxy season.
- Climate-focused filings increased 75% since 2021, and a Mercy-led methane reduction resolution at Chevron received 98% support.
In addition to the record-breaking proposal and majority votes, the SEC sided with investors more often: companies’ successful petitions to omit resolutions from their ballots dropped from 82 in 2021 to 34 in 2022. The number of filings and continued strong votes signify investors’ amplified concern for environmental and social risks. Mercy Investment Services will continue to be an active shareholder through dialogues, resolutions and proxy voting.