AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) has updated its voting policy to encourage a greater sustainability focus by investee companies, warning that it may vote against the reappointment of directors and members of any board which “has not managed its environmental & social responsibilities properly”. Further, the global asset manager, which manages €563 billion of ESG-integrated, sustainable and impact assets, said senior managers’ long-term incentive plans must include “clear ESG elements”, putting investee firms on notice that it will “vote against the remuneration policy in case of a lack of (or irrelevant) criteria”. AXA IM said it would continue to engage with firms before voting against any AGM resolution “on a best effort basis”, noting that it had engaged with 245 firms on environmental and social issues in 2021.
