ROCKVILLE, Md. (January 5, 2022) — Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions for institutional investors and corporations, today announced the planned January 10 launch of a new data verification (DV) portal for U.S. corporations ahead of the 2022 annual meeting season. The launch represents a major expansion of ISS’ current DV program now used by many companies that are the subject of ISS’ proxy research and recommendations.
The program will, through a newly created portal, allow for verification of more than 400 governance and compensation datapoints, including those related to stock plans previously available for verification through the now-retired Equity Plan Data Verification platform. Datapoints available for verification are principally those used and reflected in ISS’ proxy research report on companies, including:
- Individual director details such as name, gender, ethnicity, etc. (as disclosed)
- Board and committee characteristics to include committee names, memberships, etc.
- Individual executive pay figures including salary and bonus from the summary compensation table and grant details, equity plan details, gross-ups, etc.
“Data quality is paramount for ISS, and with this launch we are pleased to raise the industry’s bar on data accuracy as part of the proxy research process,” said ISS President & CEO, Gary Retelny. “We will continue to afford companies the unique ability to verify information across a wider array of datasets that inform additional ISS research offerings while ensuring our clients receive the most up-to-date and precise analytics to inform their investment decision-making.”
Portal access will be via Governance Analytics, which is managed by ISS’ separate, wholly owned subsidiary, ISS Corporate Solutions Inc. (ICS). Company representatives now registered on the Governance Analytics platform will receive e-mail notification when a company’s 48-hour data verification window opens (to occur between the filing of a company’s definitive proxy statement and prior to publication of ISS’ benchmark proxy research report). Company representatives who have previously used Governance Analytics for data verification or downloading of complimentary proxy research reports may use the same login credentials previously used, while those new to Governance Analytics can write to the ICS support team here for platform access and to receive e-mail notification of the opening of their company’s data verification window. (Of note, a company need not be an ICS client nor subscribe to any ICS products or services in order to access the Governance Analytics platform for data verification, the downloading of complimentary proxy research reports, or other tools that are made available to corporations without charge.)
Importantly, ISS’ Governance QualityScore and Environmental & Social QualityScore data verification platforms will not be impacted by the new portal and remain active and available for use. Data verified through the new portal will, where applicable, be reflected in ISS’ Governance QualityScore and Environmental & Social QualityScore corporate profiles.
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About ISS
Founded in 1985, Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS) empowers investors and companies to build for long-term and sustainable growth by providing high-quality data, analytics and insight. ISS, which is majority owned by Deutsche Börse Group, along with Genstar Capital and ISS management, is a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions, market intelligence, fund services, and events and editorial content for institutional investors and corporations, globally. ISS operates on an arm’s-length basis and Deutsche Börse has adopted Principles protecting the independence and integrity of ISS’ research offerings. ISS’ 2,000 employees operate worldwide across more than 30 global offices in 15 countries. Its more than 4,000 clients include many of the world’s leading institutional investors who rely on ISS’ objective and impartial ESG and governance research, market intelligence and fund services and data and analytics, as well as public companies focused on ESG and governance risk mitigation as a shareholder value enhancing measure. Clients rely on ISS’ expertise to help them make informed investment decisions.
Media Contact:
Subodh Mishra
Managing Director
subodh.mishra@issgovernance.com
Institutional Shareholder Services Launches New Portal for Proxy Research Data Verification
ROCKVILLE, Md. (January 5, 2022) — Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions for institutional investors and corporations, today announced the planned January 10 launch of a new data verification (DV) portal for U.S. corporations ahead of the 2022 annual meeting season. The launch represents a major expansion of ISS’ current DV program now used by many companies that are the subject of ISS’ proxy research and recommendations.
The program will, through a newly created portal, allow for verification of more than 400 governance and compensation datapoints, including those related to stock plans previously available for verification through the now-retired Equity Plan Data Verification platform. Datapoints available for verification are principally those used and reflected in ISS’ proxy research report on companies, including:
“Data quality is paramount for ISS, and with this launch we are pleased to raise the industry’s bar on data accuracy as part of the proxy research process,” said ISS President & CEO, Gary Retelny. “We will continue to afford companies the unique ability to verify information across a wider array of datasets that inform additional ISS research offerings while ensuring our clients receive the most up-to-date and precise analytics to inform their investment decision-making.”
Portal access will be via Governance Analytics, which is managed by ISS’ separate, wholly owned subsidiary, ISS Corporate Solutions Inc. (ICS). Company representatives now registered on the Governance Analytics platform will receive e-mail notification when a company’s 48-hour data verification window opens (to occur between the filing of a company’s definitive proxy statement and prior to publication of ISS’ benchmark proxy research report). Company representatives who have previously used Governance Analytics for data verification or downloading of complimentary proxy research reports may use the same login credentials previously used, while those new to Governance Analytics can write to the ICS support team here for platform access and to receive e-mail notification of the opening of their company’s data verification window. (Of note, a company need not be an ICS client nor subscribe to any ICS products or services in order to access the Governance Analytics platform for data verification, the downloading of complimentary proxy research reports, or other tools that are made available to corporations without charge.)
Importantly, ISS’ Governance QualityScore and Environmental & Social QualityScore data verification platforms will not be impacted by the new portal and remain active and available for use. Data verified through the new portal will, where applicable, be reflected in ISS’ Governance QualityScore and Environmental & Social QualityScore corporate profiles.
###
About ISS
Founded in 1985, Institutional Shareholder Services group of companies (ISS) empowers investors and companies to build for long-term and sustainable growth by providing high-quality data, analytics and insight. ISS, which is majority owned by Deutsche Börse Group, along with Genstar Capital and ISS management, is a leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions, market intelligence, fund services, and events and editorial content for institutional investors and corporations, globally. ISS operates on an arm’s-length basis and Deutsche Börse has adopted Principles protecting the independence and integrity of ISS’ research offerings. ISS’ 2,000 employees operate worldwide across more than 30 global offices in 15 countries. Its more than 4,000 clients include many of the world’s leading institutional investors who rely on ISS’ objective and impartial ESG and governance research, market intelligence and fund services and data and analytics, as well as public companies focused on ESG and governance risk mitigation as a shareholder value enhancing measure. Clients rely on ISS’ expertise to help them make informed investment decisions.
Media Contact:
Subodh Mishra
Managing Director
subodh.mishra@issgovernance.com
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