Shareowner-Sponsored Board Nominations

Investors should determine whether and under what circumstances Shareowners can nominate individuals for election to the Board or vote to remove Board Members. By doing so they can force the Board or management to take steps to address Shareowner concerns and improve the Company's financial performance.

Investors should determine how the Company handles contested Board elections.

Shareowner-Sponsored Resolutions

Investors should determine whether and under what circumstances Shareowners can submit resolutions for consideration at the Company's annual general meeting.

Shareowners are entitled to bring non-binding resolutions to a vote of the shareholders as part of the company's annual meeting process. They may bring resolutions on a wide variety of topics. U.S. SEC Rule 14a-8 governs Shareowner-sponsored resolutions. It appears to do more to protect corporations from shareowners: the SEC rule allows a corporations thirteen circumstances under which it can ignore a Shareowner's resolution. Investors, however, must understand what they can do if the Board or management fails to act in the best interests of all Shareowners. The ability to propose needed changes can prevent erosion of Shareowner value. This could pressure the Board or management to change the way they do business.

Investors need to determine how many votes are needed to pass a resolution, whether Shareowners can request a special meeting to address special concerns, and whether proposals benefit all Shareowners or just those making the proposals.

Advisory or Binding Shareowner Proposals

Investors should determine whether the Board and management are required to implement proposals that Shareowners approve.

The Company may tend to ignore those proposals that have been approved but are not binding. Investors should determine whether the Company has implemented or ignored such approved proposals before and whether there are any regulatory concerns about implementing these proposals.