MARCH 14: The Proxy Preview report with a forecast of the proxy season and additional articles from shareholder proponents and experts was released on March 14. Download the report and access the webinar replayhere
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo
  • photo

Reports

Outside its coverage of proxy season developments during the first half of each year, Si2 produces special reports for members and the general public, digging deeper into contentious issues facing investors and companies, enabling intelligent discussion of their complexities.


Special Reports


Reports to date include (click PDF icon to read):


TITLE

SNAPSHOT

DATE

AUTHOR(S)



SPECIAL REPORT: The Corporate State Lobbying Black Hole

Investors have filed nearly 600 shareholder proposals seeking more corporate disclosure of federal, state and local corporate lobbying oversight and expeditures--with sustained and growing support.

Yet while a few companies have responded with more discussion of lobbying in general, expenditure data remains a black hole, particularly at the state level. Fully 98 percent of companies do not disclose state-specific lobbying expenditures, almost none discuss their lobbying strategy and material risks connected to political influence activity risk remains largely undisclosed. Current state law mandates that show company spending on lobbyists are absent in roughly half the country.

This report combines findings from Si2's regular assessments of policy and disclosure practices by the S&P 500 and takes a closer look at legal mandates in a group of states where lobbying disclosure is thin and anti-ESG laws passed in 2023.

Dec 13, 2023

Robin Young



SPECIAL REPORT: Assessing Anti-ESG Efforts in the 2023 Proxy Season

This report assesses the context and outcomes of anti-ESG efforts in the 2023 proxy season, with details on related policy and legal developments as well as information on proponents and shareholder proposals. (An earlier version of this report appeared on the Harvard Law School Corporate Governance Blog on June 1, 2023.)

Sep 28, 2023

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Divided States of America - Heavily Tilted Company Support for State Abortion Ban Politicians

The largest U.S. companies have heavily supported state politicians who favor bans and other restrictions on reproductive health rights across the United States despite a less partisan tilt at the national level. This report provides updated findings from a two-year project and a new comprehensive analysis of spending patterns over the last two election cycles. The central finding of this study undercuts recent assertions that companies are hostage to liberal elites; in fact, companies and their political action committees are underwriting deeply partisan policy choices, not just on abortion, and spending far more in deep-red states. Fortune 250 companies and their PACs have spent more than $515 million in the last two election cycles and overall 57 percent has gone to candidates, parties and political committees clearly opposed to reproductive health rights. Almost all these recipients are Republicans.

This report examines regional giving patterns, identifies the companies that gave the most to politicians opposed to reproductive health rights, discusses giving to governors and attorneys general, and reports on giving in 13 states where abortion is now banned.

Oct 17, 2022

Heidi Welsh



ACTION REPORT: Tesla Social Issue Shareholder Proposals in 2022

Jul 12, 2022

Joy Borkholder



Corporate Support for Political Candidates in States With Post-Roe v. Wade Trigger Bans

Corporate donations to political campaigns from the 167 Fortune 250 companies shows striking support for state politicians who favor abortion bans, especially in the 26 states where abortion could soon be banned or restricted. In five states where abortion bans are certain--Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota and Utah--more than 95% of contributions went to anti-abortion candidates. Companies tend to support the dominant political party but increasingly this means that in half the country they are supporting statehouse politicians who are passing laws that restrict not only reproductive health rights but also the right to participate in our democracy.

Jun 16, 2022

Heidi Welsh



SI2 ACTION REPORT: Honeywell and Corporate Political Influence

Honeywell's existing lobbying policies contains almost all best practices requested by shareholders advocates--including board oversight, management governance and a policy on trade association activity. Honeywell recently released a climate lobbying report that includes expanded trade association disclosures and a list of potential misalignments between trade association and Honeywell policies on climate change.

Mar 29, 2022

Robin Young



SPECIAL REPORT: Corporate Political Giving and Abortion Access

Bills that restrict the rights to obtain reproductive healthcare and vote are becoming law around the country. The recently concluded Texas legislative session makes clear the extent to which businesses can become enmeshed in today's most fraught political battles. Companies have long sought to curry favor by supporting politicians where they operate, and relatively modest spending can decide who wins or loses an election. The Texas abortion ban makes clear the potent political risk for companies that must cater to a wide stakeholder base. (Report identifies top company contributors to politicians who sponsored the Texas abortion ban.)

Sep 01, 2021

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Corporate Political Spending in the 2020 Election & Reproductive Health Rights

The report examines the full political spending footprint of Fortune 250 companies during the 2020 election cycle and the sentiment of recipients with regard to reproductive health rights. Examines regional trends and types of spending, illustrating partisan giving in the South and Midwest.

Jan 28, 2021

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Political Spending & Reproductive Health Rights

Si2 was commissioned to assess the full political spending footprint of Fortune 250 companies during the 2020 election cycle and the sentiment of recipients with regard to reproductive health rights. The report provides information on this spending and discusses the politicians and political groups that received the most money, with regional breakdowns.

Sep 28, 2020

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: 2020 Mid-Year Review Summary

The 2020 proxy season was host to both unprecedented success and potential peril for shareholder proponents. Twenty shareholder resolutions had earned majority support as of mid-August, but new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would limit who may file and which proposals they can resubmit, as well as curb the influence of proxy advisory firms. The courts (and the coming election) likely will determine the ultimate fate of the SEC's plans.

Sep 18, 2020

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Mid-Year Report on Proposed SEC Rule 14-8 Change

Analysis of how proposed changes to the SEC's Rule 14a-8 will affect shareholder resolutions on social and environmental issues, including 2020 proxy season data.

Jul 29, 2020

Heidi Welsh



2020 Si2 Action Report - Human Rights - Pilgrims Pride

Analysis of 2020 shareholder resolutions about water and human rights, including worker safety.

Apr 02, 2020

Sol Kwon



FACT SHEET: Shareholder Proposal Trends

Concise report on filing trends, 2010-19, and support levels for social and environmental shareholder proposals, their outcomes, with a closer look at how rising support breaks down. Includes analysis of the impact of Nov. 2019 proposed SEC rulemaking to change Rule 14a-8 of the 1934 Securities and Exchange Act.

Jan 28, 2020

Heidi Welsh



2020 Si2 Action Report - Human Rights - Tyson Foods

Analysis of a shareholder resolution asking the company to analyze and report on its human rights risks, including worker safety.

Jan 10, 2020

Robin Young



2019 Si2 Action Report: Amazon.com - Diversity, Decent Work and Pay Links

Amazon.com received an unprecedented number of shareholder resolutions in 2019, including four explored in this Si2 Action Report on issues connected to diversity. Conservative proponents asked about sexual harassment and board member ideological diversity. Others sought information on pay diversity and executive pay links to diversity metrics.

Apr 24, 2019

Kit Slack



State of Integrated and Sustainability Reporting 2018

Large public company sustainability reporting is maturing rapidly, with financial data presented alongside growing social and environmental metrics and quantified goals. But despite investor interest, most companies in the S&P 500 have not adopted fully integrated corporate reporting, a new report reveals.

Nov 14, 2018

Sol Kwon



2018 Si2 Action Report - Opioid Crisis - Rite Aid

Analysis of shareholder proposal seeking disclosure about governance and disclosure related to the opioid crisis.

Oct 03, 2018

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Spending Against Change

This assessment of 21 leading energy and utility companies examines board oversight of climate risk, the extent of corporate board expertise and how companies govern and spend on corporate political activity. The 21 firms spent half a billion dollars to lobbying government officials and affect election outcomes in the most recent three full election cycles. (Report co-authors Sara Murphy and Robin Young.)

Feb 22, 2018

Heidi Welsh



Utility Climate Change Readiness: A Business Plan Analysis

Five of the largest U.S. utilities are unprepared for the economic risks of climate change. Their business strategies are inconsistent with the scientific realities of climate change and the accompanying financial, strategic, operational and competitive risks.

May 15, 2017

Sara E. Murphy



How Leading U.S. Corporations Govern and Spend on State Lobbying

Mar 01, 2017

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: Top 25 U.S. Utilities - Climate Change, Corporate Governance & Politics

Apr 14, 2016

Sara E. Murphy



SPECIAL REPORT: Nanotechnology and the S&P 500: Small Sizes, Big Questions

Oct 07, 2014

Susan Williams



SPECIAL REPORT: Board Oversight of Sustainability Issues

Mar 31, 2014



SPECIAL REPORT: Integrated Reporting in the United States

Apr 26, 2013



SPECIAL REPORT: Investor Risks Looming in the Niger Delta

Jul 24, 2012



SPECIAL REPORT: Discovering Shale Gas - Hydraulic Fracturing (2012)

Mar 08, 2012

Susan Williams



SPECIAL REPORT: Corporate Governance of Political Expenditures (2011)

Nov 10, 2011

Heidi Welsh



SPECIAL REPORT: How Companies Influence Elections (2010)

Oct 14, 2010

Heidi Welsh