Erste Asset Management Investment Blog

Active ownership in times of Covid-19

Active ownership in times of Covid-19

Exercising voting rights and being in dialogue with companies

By active ownership, we understand our responsibility as investors to not only take into account sustainability criteria in the selection process, but also to actively demand measures towards social responsibility, environmental protection, and better transparency from companies.

In doing so, we distinguish between engagement, i.e. formal or informal dialogue with companies, and voting, i.e. the exercise of voting rights at AGMs (Annual General Meetings).

Exercising votes, AGMs

As far as the exercising of voting rights is concerned, the biggest effects of Covid-19 for us have been in signing the registration form to attend the AGMs of Austrian companies and in authorising proxy representatives for such occasions.

While we were able to sign these documents by hand until the beginning of March, we had to switch to electronic signatures from mid-March. The measures that had been taken led to a situation where the physical signature of two authorised people was not an option anymore. By the middle of June, we had registered for 13 AGMs this way.

Some AGMs were and are still being postponed so as to allow shareholders to attend in person. According to our partner ISS (Institutional Shareholder Services), many AGMs have been cancelled, postponed, or turned virtual in the wake of the corona pandemic.  In some countries, laws allowing for virtual AGMs had to be passed or amended.

Equity managers were in dialogue with 25 Austrian companies

Covid-19 has not been overly obstructive to company dialogues. After a short period of re-assessment both on our and the companies’ part, dialogues were resumed.

These dialogues do of course not involve personal meetings; instead, they are done by telephone or email, in line with the crisis measures in place. The Responsible Investments Team has been in dialogue with Befea SA among others, an environmental services company that specialises in recycling industrial waste material in the steel industry and recycling services for aluminium and salt slag.

The conversation revolved around the procurement and recycling processes as well as the already comprehensive reporting of the company. Equity and bond fund managers have been in touch with 25 Austrian companies about topics like the reduction of the CO2 footprint, the effects of the corona crisis on companies’ sustainability efforts, AGMs and dividend policy in times of Covid-19, and others.

Themed dialogues

In May and June, we participated in six telephone conferences that were coordinated and headed by our engagement partner Sustainalytics in order to send a clear signal to companies.

We encouraged them to integrate living wages as central pillars in their supply chain management. As owners and investors of companies that depend on their supply chains, we want to support the resilience and survival of small food producers and agricultural employees and thus to strengthen the robustness of the supply chains.

In line with these themes, Erste Asset Management decided also in May – together with 117 other investors – to support a declaration on the basis of an initiative by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) with recommendations for the protection of the employees of meat-processing companies during Covid-19.

Company dialogues and the EU Green Deal

Sustainalytics failed to find any intensive initiatives for company dialogues with regard to the EU Green Deal. However, important topics of the Green Deal such as the reporting of information and measures for the benefit of climate protection are being addressed by investor alliances such as Climate Action 100+, of which Erste Asset Management is a member.

Active dialogues ensure that companies acknowledge the risks of a quickly changing legal framework in ESG topics and make an effort to reduce them. One has to bear in mind that the EU Green Deal will have an impact on many sectors and society as a whole.

Companies that do not have adequate guidelines, the required infrastructure, or sufficient funding available will be facing big challenges, given the ambitious requirements of the EU Green Deal.

Sources:

EAM – active ownership
ISS (overview cancelled, postponed, virtual AGMs)
BDO – Link (current: Covid-19 and corporate law)
Befesa S.A. – company website
Sustainalytics – blog, email(s)
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) – information on investor statement

Legal note:
Prognoses are no reliable indicator for future performance.

DOSSIER

RESPOND TO THE ARTICLE

Legal disclaimer

This document is an advertisement. Unless indicated otherwise, source: Erste Asset Management GmbH. The language of communication of the sales offices is German and the languages of communication of the Management Company also include English.

The prospectus for UCITS funds (including any amendments) is prepared and published in accordance with the provisions of the InvFG 2011 as amended. Information for Investors pursuant to § 21 AIFMG is prepared for the alternative investment funds (AIF) administered by Erste Asset Management GmbH pursuant to the provisions of the AIFMG in conjunction with the InvFG 2011.

The currently valid versions of the prospectus, the Information for Investors pursuant to § 21 AIFMG, and the key information document can be found on the website www.erste-am.com under “Mandatory publications” and can be obtained free of charge by interested investors at the offices of the Management Company and at the offices of the depositary bank. The exact date of the most recent publication of the prospectus, the languages in which the key information document is available, and any other locations where the documents can be obtained are indicated on the website www.erste-am.com. A summary of the investor rights is available in German and English on the website www.erste-am.com/investor-rights and can also be obtained from the Management Company.

The Management Company can decide to suspend the provisions it has taken for the sale of unit certificates in other countries in accordance with the regulatory requirements.

Note: You are about to purchase a product that may be difficult to understand. We recommend that you read the indicated fund documents before making an investment decision. In addition to the locations listed above, you can obtain these documents free of charge at the offices of the referring Sparkassen bank and the offices of Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG. You can also access these documents electronically at www.erste-am.com.

N.B.: The performance scenarios listed in the key information document are based on a calculation method that is specified in an EU regulation. The future market development cannot be accurately predicted. The depicted performance scenarios merely present potential earnings, but are based on the earnings in the recent past. The actual earnings may be lower than indicated. Our analyses and conclusions are general in nature and do not take into account the individual characteristics of our investors in terms of earnings, taxation, experience and knowledge, investment objective, financial position, capacity for loss, and risk tolerance.

Please note: Past performance is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of a fund. Investments in securities entail risks in addition to the opportunities presented here. The value of units and their earnings can rise and fall. Changes in exchange rates can also have a positive or negative effect on the value of an investment. For this reason, you may receive less than your originally invested amount when you redeem your units. Persons who are interested in purchasing units in investment funds are advised to read the current fund prospectus(es) and the Information for Investors pursuant to § 21 AIFMG, especially the risk notices they contain, before making an investment decision. If the fund currency is different than the investor’s home currency, changes in the relevant exchange rate can positively or negatively influence the value of the investment and the amount of the costs associated with the fund in the home currency.

We are not permitted to directly or indirectly offer, sell, transfer, or deliver this financial product to natural or legal persons whose place of residence or domicile is located in a country where this is legally prohibited. In this case, we may not provide any product information, either.

Please consult the corresponding information in the fund prospectus and the Information for Investors pursuant to § 21 AIFMG for restrictions on the sale of the fund to American or Russian citizens.

It is expressly noted that this communication does not provide any investment recommendations, but only expresses our current market assessment. Thus, this communication is not a substitute for investment advice, does not take into account the legal regulations aimed at promoting the independence of financial analyses, and is not subject to a prohibition on trading following the distribution of financial analyses.

This document does not represent a sales activity of the Management Company and therefore may not be construed as an offer for the purchase or sale of financial or investment instruments.

Erste Asset Management GmbH is affiliated with the referring Sparkassen banks and Erste Bank.

Please also read the “Information about us and our securities services” published by your bank.

Subject to misprints and errors.

Share post:
Exit mobile version