Proxy Voting Service

Responsible investment involves the exercise of shareholder voting rights. In fact, electing the Directors, modifying the capital structure or approving the dividend are among the most important shareholder rights and duties. Moreover, the voting rights have an economic value, as the shareholder meeting's decisions may influence the market value of a company.

Thus, voting is protecting one’s capital. To this effect, Ethos offers a comprehensive service of proxy voting analyses with voting recommendations as well as administrative support to exercise voting rights.

Shareholder Meeting Analyses: Swiss Companies

Shareholder Meeting Analyses: Non Swiss Companies

Administrative Support for Proxy Voting

Voting Rights of Private Investors

Ethos provides analyses of all items of shareholder meeting agendas of the largest Swiss listed companies. Investors can subscribe to the following proxy analyses services:

1. 100 largest Swiss listed companies
2. Companies of the SMI Expanded: approx. 50 largest Swiss listed companies
3. Companies of the SLI: approx. 30 largest Swiss listed companies
4. Companies of the SMI: 20 largest Swiss listed companies

Ethos’ reports include a detailed analysis of each item on the agenda and voting recommendations based on Ethos' Corporate Governance Principles and Proxy Voting Guidelines. Also, the analyses include general information on each company, in particular its Board of Directors and Executive remuneration. The analyses are sent to clients by e-mail, generally at least twelve days prior to the General Meetings. A comprehensive quarterly report provides a summary of all items voted.

If you wish to receive a customised offer for the service of shareholder meeting analyses or need more information on this topic, do not hesitate to contact us.

Ethos offers different packages of shareholder meeting analyses for non Swiss companies (Europe, North America, Asia/Pacific). Please contact us for an offer tailored to your particular requirements.

The voting recommendations are based on Ethos' voting guidelines. The underlying research is made by the following partners:

• Europe: The local partners of the network Expert Corporate Governance Service (ECGS) of which Ethos is the Swiss member
• North America: Groupe Investissement Responsable (GIR), Montreal
• Asia/Pacific: Sustainable Investment Research Consultant (SIRIS), Melbourne

For institutional investors who have subscribed to the proxy analyses service, Ethos can also provide administrative support for the exercise of shareholder voting rights. This service allows institutional investors to delegate to Ethos the tasks related to to the execution of the vote at the shareholder meetings.

If you wish to receive more information on this service, please contact us.

Private investors with holdings in the largest Swiss listed companies may delegate their voting rights to Ethos. Their voting rights will be exercised according to Ethos' voting recommendations. We would be grateful for you to proceed as follows:

1. On the registration form, tick the box "I appoint as proxy the following shareholder"
2. Fill in the proxy's name: «Ethos Foundation, Place Cornavin 2, 1211 Geneva 1»
3. Mark on the form that the admission card shall be sent to the proxy.
4. Sign the form and send it back to the company's shareholder registry with the envelope enclosed with the invitation. Ethos will then receive from the company the admission card to the shareholder meeting.

If the registration form for the General Meeting does not include the option to delegate proxy rights, an admission card has to be requested. Proxy can then be issued on the admission card (see point 2 above). The signed admission card should then be sent directly to Ethos.

Ethos publishes its voting recommendations for the shareholder meetings of Swiss companies two days prior to the shareholder meeting on its web page.