Our voting process is managed by our specialist Stewardship team, who work closely with our portfolio managers and analysts in our various locations to determine how to vote based upon UBS voting policy.
The Stewardship team:
- Reviews all shareholder meetings and ensures that our voting instructions are lodged in accordance with UBS voting policy.
- Takes necessary steps to determine that we have received ballots for all accounts over which we have voting authority and where we intend to vote;
- Instructs relevant parties to recall, if possible and practical, securities that are currently on loan so that they may be voted on controversial proxy matters;
- Identifies potential conflicts and votes such proxies in accordance with our Conflict of Interest process;
- Votes in accordance with a client direction where applicable;
- Conducts periodic due diligence on our proxy voting system provider.
UBS Asset Management has further established a Global Corporate Governance Committee:
- To review and oversee the implementation of the Global Corporate Governance Principles and applicable voting policies;
- To provide a forum for discussing significant ESG issues between regions.