Regulatory Matters
Glass Lewis actively engages with regulatory bodies around the world and frequently provides them perspectives from the proxy advisory industry, information on our policies and procedures, and input on pending regulations.
Any additional regulatory-related questions can be directed to regulatory@glasslewis.com.
Statements, Comments & Resources
Glass Lewis Statements and Correspondence
- Response Letter to Multiple State Treasurers (June 2023)
- Response Letter to Multiple States’ Attorneys General Re: Proxy Advisory Issues (January 2023)
- Comment Letter to U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission on Enhanced Disclosure of ESG Issues (August 2022)
- Comment Letter to U.S. Department of Labor on Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights (December 2021)
- Comment Letter to U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission on Reporting of Proxy Votes (December 2021)
- Comment Letter to Australian Treasury Consultation on Transparency of Proxy Advice (June 1, 2021)
- Comment Letter to U.S. Department of Labor On Fiduciary Duties Regarding Proxy Voting and Shareholder Rights (October 5, 2020)
- Comment Letter to Ontario Markets Modernization Taskforce Regarding Consultation Report – July 2020 (September 7, 2020)
- Comment Letter to SEC Regarding Amendments to Exemptions from the Proxy Rules for Proxy Voting Advice (February 3, 2020)
- Comment Letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on SEC Proposed Amendments to Exemptions from the Proxy Rules for Proxy Voting Advice (January 7, 2020)
- Statement on SEC August 2019 Guidance (August 22, 2019)
- Letter on SEC Roundtable on the Proxy Process (November 14, 2018)
- Letter to Senate Banking Committee (June 1, 2018)
- Statement to the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises (May 17, 2016)
- Letter to SEC on “proxy solicitation” (June 30, 2014)
Investor Perspectives on Proxy Advisor Regulation
- Council of Institutional Investors Letter to the SEC requesting extension of comment period (November 15, 2019)
- Council of Institutional Investors Letter to the SEC requesting underlying data and supplementary information (November 14, 2019)
- Council of Institutional Investors Fact Sheet on Proxy Advisory Firms and Shareholder Proposals (Nov. 5, 2019)
- Council of Institutional Investors Letter to the SEC on claims of proxy advisor inaccuracy (October 24, 2019)
- Council of Institutional Investors and 60 Institutional Investors’ Letter to the SEC on the Commission’s August Guidance (October 15, 2019)
- Investment Company Institute Letter on SEC Roundtable (March 15, 2019)
- Investment Adviser Association Letter on SEC Roundtable (December 31, 2018)
- Nell Minow, Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (March 2, 2018)
Government Reports & Pronouncements
United States
- Securities and Exchange Commission Guidance on Investment Advisers’ use of Proxy Advisors (August 21, 2019)
- Securities and Exchange Commission Interpretation and Guidance Regarding the Applicability of the Proxy Rules to Proxy Voting Advice (August 21, 2019)
- Transcript of the Securities and Exchange Commission Roundtable on the Proxy Process (November 15, 2018)
- SEC Staff Legal Bulletin No. 20 on Proxy Voting (June 30, 2014)
- Government Accountability Office Report on Proxy Advisory Firms (November 15, 2016)
Global
- Securities and Exchange Board of India Circular – Procedural Guidelines for Proxy Advisors (August 3, 2020)
- Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce (Ontario, Canada) – Consultation Report (July 2020)
- Securities and Exchange Board of India Report of Working Group on Issues Concerning Proxy Advisors (July 29, 2019)
- Canadian Securities Administrators National Policy 25-201 Guidance for Proxy Advisory Firms (April 30, 2015)
- European Securities and Markets Authority Recommendation for Proxy Advisors to Develop a Code of Conduct (2013)
Proposed Rules and Final Regulations
- U.S. SEC Exemptions from the Proxy Rules for Proxy Voting Advice (July 2020)
- U.S. SEC Supplemental Guidance (July 2020)
- U.S. SEC August 2019 Guidance
- U.S. SEC Proposed Amendments to Resubmission Thresholds (November 2019)
- U.S. SEC Proposed Amendments to Exemptions for Proxy Rules (November 2019)
- SRD II Resource Hub
Academic Studies
- Li, Tao, “Outsourcing Corporate Governance: Conflicts of Interest Within the Proxy Advisory Industry,” 64 Mgmt. Sci. 2951 (2018).
- Dent, Jr., George W., “A Defense of Proxy Advisors,” 2014 Mich. St. L. Rev. 1287 (2014).
- Choi, Stephen; Fisch, Jill E.; and Kahan, Marcel, “The Power of Proxy Advisors: Myth or Reality?,” 59 Emory Law Journal 869 (2010).
Regulatory Matters Blog
SEC Rules Set New Baseline for Corporate Climate Disclosures
Climate-related impacts like rising sea levels, massive fires and increasing emissions stand to put many companies at risk. However, the growing tide of regulations has the potential to lift all boats (or at least the [...]
UK FCA Consultation: Primary Markets Effectiveness Review
In December 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a new Consultation Document that proposes significant changes to the UK listing regime. The proposals follow extensive public feedback on an initial Consultation Document intended to [...]
Non-Financial Reporting Requirements in Switzerland
In 2024, Swiss listed companies will be required to submit their non-financial reporting to shareholder approval for the first time. The requirement was brought forward by a 2022 review of the Swiss Code of Obligations [...]
Additional Proxy Vote Disclosure is Coming for the 2024 Proxy Season
As this year’s U.S. proxy season gets underway, attention turns, as always, to the proxy contests and shareholder proposals that will draw business press headlines over the coming months. Behind the headlines, however, this season [...]
Italy’s ‘Capital Markets Bill’ Raises Governance Concerns
The Italian Parliament is expected to approve and implement the so-called “DDL Capitali” or “Capital Markets Bill”, aimed at strengthening the Italian capital market, improving its competitiveness and attractiveness for new listings, and reforming the [...]
Gulf Exchanges Encourage ESG Disclosures for GCC Listed Companies
The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) summit in Dubai is putting sustainability in the spotlight in a region often associated with fossil fuel reserves. However, in coordination with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), [...]