Broadridge Enhances Trust in Proxy Voting Results with Extension of End-to-End Vote Confirmation Services

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Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR) has announced plans to provide end-to-end proxy vote confirmation to shareholders of over 2,000 U.S. public companies in 2022. This enhancement aims to increase trust in the proxy voting process, developed with input from a Working Group led by the Society for Corporate Governance and the Council of Institutional Investors. The new protocols include a pilot for early-stage voting entitlement reconciliation, which addresses discrepancies in voting records before shareholder meetings, ensuring accurate vote tallying.

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• Broadridge to implement end-to-end proxy vote confirmation for 2,000+ public companies, enhancing shareholder trust.
• Initiating a pilot for early-stage voting entitlement reconciliation to ensure accurate vote tallying.

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• None.

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader, announced that it will provide end-to-end proxy vote confirmation this year to all shareholders in the annual meetings of the 2,000+ U.S. public companies whose votes it tabulates.  Broadridge's enhancements to the proxy voting process were developed in conjunction with an industry Working Group led by the Society for Corporate Governance and the Council of Institutional Investors, and involving representatives of custodian banks, broker-dealers, issuers, institutional investors, other proxy tabulators, transfer agents, and the proxy services provider community.

Broadridge's announcement expands upon the commitment made by Working Group members to provide vote confirmation for meetings of all Fortune 500 companies.  In total, Broadridge expects to provide the added level of assurance to the shareholders of more than 2,000 companies for annual meetings in 2022. 

"Participation in proxy voting is essential to corporate governance," said Bob Schifellite, President of Broadridge's Investor Communication Solutions business.  "Working together under the leadership of the Society for Corporate Governance and the Council of Institutional Investors, members of the U.S. proxy ecosystem committed to providing shareholders with even greater levels of assurance and trust that their votes are counted as cast," he said.

Early-stage Voting Entitlement Reconciliation

The new protocols include a pilot of the mechanics of early-stage voting entitlement reconciliation, consistent with recommendations of the Working Group.

Early-stage voting entitlement reconciliation ensures that any discrepancies between the records held by tabulators and those of banks and brokers will be addressed well in advance of a shareholder meeting, so that every share that is duly held and cast will be included in the final vote tally. The pilot will test and refine the new reconciliation protocols across 20 annual meetings of the Fortune 500.

"We are grateful for the cooperation of the members of the Working Group, and we look forward to a process whereby last-minute rejections or corrections of shareholder votes will be minimized," said Darla Stuckey, President and CEO of the Society for Corporate Governance. "We look forward to building on the group's efforts to expand end-to-end vote confirmation in 2023 and beyond."

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader with $5 billion in revenues, provides the critical infrastructure that powers investing, corporate governance, and communications to enable better financial lives. We deliver technology-driven solutions that drive business transformation for banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and public companies. Broadridge's infrastructure serves as a global communications hub enabling corporate governance by linking thousands of public companies and mutual funds to tens of millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. Our technology and operations platforms underpin the daily trading of more than $9 trillion of equities, fixed income and other securities globally. A certified Great Place to Work^®, Broadridge is part of the S&P 500^® Index, employing over 13,000 associates in 21 countries. For more information about us, please visit Broadridge.com.

Broadridge Media contact:

Gregg Rosenberg
+1 212-918-6966
Gregg.rosenberg@broadridge.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broadridge-enhances-trust-in-proxy-voting-results-with-extension-of-end-to-end-vote-confirmation-services-301460919.html

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

FAQ

What is Broadridge's new proxy vote confirmation initiative for 2022?

Broadridge will provide end-to-end proxy vote confirmation for over 2,000 U.S. public companies in 2022.

How will Broadridge ensure accurate vote tallying in 2022?

Broadridge will pilot early-stage voting entitlement reconciliation protocols to minimize discrepancies before shareholder meetings.

What organizations are involved in Broadridge's proxy voting enhancements?

The enhancements were developed in collaboration with the Society for Corporate Governance and the Council of Institutional Investors.

How many companies will benefit from Broadridge's proxy voting enhancements?

Over 2,000 U.S. public companies will benefit from the proxy vote confirmation process in 2022.

What was the purpose of the Working Group in Broadridge's initiative?

The Working Group aimed to provide greater levels of assurance and trust for shareholders regarding their proxy votes.