Proxy Voting Choice Empowers Investors
The State Street Global Advisors proxy voting program empowers clients to direct the proxy voting of shares held in the eligible funds and segregated accounts they own.
Why Voting Choice
The Power to Choose
We believe all investors deserve the opportunity to build investment portfolios matched to their goals and preferences.
That’s why we’ve given clients the power to choose — to select the voting policy that directs the proxy votes of shares held in the eligible funds and segregated accounts they own.
Investors want to express their voting preferences with respect to their investments. Clients in segregated mandates already had the ability to do so. Now, technology makes it possible for investors in pooled/commingled funds to direct how shares are voted and clients in eligible segregated mandates to select one of the 8 proxy voting policies offered through the State Street Global Advisors proxy voting choice program. We’re excited about what that means for the future.
"As the pioneering force behind many of the world’s first ETFs, we are proud to present yet another innovation that amplifies our ongoing mission to democratize investing. By empowering individuals with greater choice to direct how their shares are voted, we are placing a powerful tool directly in their hands."
- Yie-Hsin Hung, President and CEO, State Street Global Advisors
About the Program
Proxy Voting Choice At a Glance
Our proxy voting choice program covers over 80% of the eligible index equity assets we manage, including all US institutional index equity funds and a broad range of US index equity SPDR® ETFs and mutual funds.
AUM in eligible index equity assets available in the program 1
of eligible index equity assets available in the program 1
Largest asset manager in the world 2
Voting Policy Options
How the Program Works
Eligible clients can exercise choice in one of two ways:
- Clients who opt in can choose the voting policy that best aligns to their views.
This option gives clients the ability to direct the votes of shares held by their eligible segregated accounts and the eligible funds in which they are invested, by selecting a voting policy offered as part of the program that are made available through Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), a recognized independent proxy voting provider.
- Clients can continue to rely on State Street Global Advisors to vote their shares, or continue to directly vote proxies if they have not delegated proxy voting to State Street Global Advisors.
By choosing not to opt into the proxy voting choice program, clients will continue to have State Street Global Advisors’ Asset Stewardship team vote the shares held by the funds or segregated accounts in which they are invested in accordance with State Street Global Advisors’ proxy voting policy or, for clients in eligible segregated accounts that have not delegated proxy voting to State Street Global Advisors, continue to directly vote proxies.
Voting Policy Options Available Through ISS
ISS Benchmark Policy
Guidelines based on ISS’ Global Voting Principles, which provide for four key tenets on accountability, stewardship, independence, and transparency. Learn more.
ISS Sustainability Policy
Seeks to promote support for recognized global governing bodies promoting sustainable business practices advocating for stewardship of environment, fair labor practices, non-discrimination, and the protection of human rights. Learn more.
ISS Socially Responsible Investment Policy
Consistent with the dual objectives of socially responsible shareholders – financial and social, the policy reflects a broad consensus of the SRI community and incorporates the assumption that ESG factors could present material risks to portfolio investments. Learn more.
ISS Catholic Faith-Based Policy
Based on guidelines for Catholic and other Christian religious institutions that are consistent with the objectives of socially responsible shareholders as well as the teachings of Catholicism and Christianity as a whole. Learn more.
ISS Public Fund Policy
Designed to help ensure that public funds fulfil all statutory and common law obligations governing proxy voting, with the intent of maximizing the long term economic benefits of its plan participants, beneficiaries, and citizens of the state in which the fund resides. Learn more.
ISS Taft-Hartley Policy
Based on the AFL-CIO Proxy Voting Guidelines, which comply with all the fiduciary standards delineated by the US Department of Labor. Learn more.
ISS Global Board Aligned Policy (For US funds only)
Focuses on promoting traditional corporate governance standards and best practices. Generally aligned with management on environmental and social matters. Learn more.
Vote with Company Board Recommendation Policy (For US funds only)
This option votes in accordance with the portfolio company’s board of directors recommendation in all cases where a portfolio company’s board of directors recommendation exists. In the absence of a recommendation from the portfolio company’s board of directors on a specific proposal, an ABSTAIN vote will be cast. This policy has been developed by ISS for use solely in State Street Global Advisors’ proxy voting choice program. Learn more.
Asset Stewardship
A Commitment to Maximizing Long-Term Value
By choosing not to opt into the proxy voting choice program, investors in eligible funds and eligible segregated accounts that have delegated proxy voting to State Street Global Advisors can continue to have State Street Global Advisors’ Asset Stewardship team vote the shares held by the funds in which they are invested or held by their eligible segregated accounts in accordance with State Street Global Advisors’ proxy voting policy.
Committed to maximizing long-term shareholder value, the Asset Stewardship team takes proxy voting and the stewardship of assets seriously.
Questions?
For More Information?
Professional investors can contact their State Street representative.
Individual investors can contact their investment advisor, broker, or custodian.