The International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) has launched a Systemic Stewardship and Public Policy Advocacy Toolkit aimed at supporting investors in activities that the network describes as “becoming a key pillar in stewardship”. The toolkit has been developed to assist investors with strategy approaches and decisions in enhancing their systemic stewardship objectives with a plan for public policy advocacy on behalf of their beneficiaries and clients. The IGCN said that it recognises investors have a “spectrum of stewardship responsibilities”, with public policy advocacy plans possibly being a “new consideration”. As a result, the toolkit includes guidance to assist with scaling the implementation, tracking, and reporting of a public policy advocacy plan that fits the fiduciary responsibilities of each investor. Caroline Escott, Senior Investment Manager at Railpen and the toolkit’s lead author said: “System-level issues, like climate change, labour rights or cybersecurity, need system-level solutions. Effecting positive policy change is key to tackling these kinds of topics and this means that investors should be considering public policy advocacy as a priority stewardship tool, alongside more traditional mechanisms such as company engagement and voting.” Paul Schneider has stepped down from the ICGN’s board at the end of his six-year tenure, with Franklin Templeton’s James Andrus joining the IGCN as a new governor. At its AGM, the board elected Ian Burger as its Chair for the year ahead, Christine Chow as Vice Chair and Michael Herskovich as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee.
ICGN has published a new Systemic Stewardship & Public Policy Advocacy Toolkit to support investors in enhancing their public policy advocacy activities, which are becoming a key pillar in #stewardship: https://t.co/7izGIbLjqV pic.twitter.com/XC13npz7Ad
— ICGN (@ICGNCorpGov) September 25, 2023
