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Resolution: Board of Directors: Annual Election
2004 Shareholder Resolution approved by the Advisory Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (ACCSR)
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Resolution:
Board of Directors: Annual Election
RESOLVED
That the stockholders request that the Board of Directors
take the steps necessary to declassify the election of Directors
by insuring that in future Board elections directors are elected
annually and not by classes as is now provided. The
declassification shall be phased in so that it does not effect
the unexpired terms of Directors previously elected.
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
This resolution requests that the Board end the present
staggered board system with 1/3 of Directors elected each year
and instead ensure that all Directors are elected annually. We
believe shareholders should have the opportunity to vote on the
performance of the entire board each year.
Increasingly, institutional investors are calling for the end of this system. California's Public Employees Retirement System, New York City pension funds, New York State pension funds and many others including the Council of Institutional Investors, and Institutional Shareholder Services, one of the most influential proxy evaluation services, support this position.
Shareholder resolutions to end this staggered system of voting have received large votes, averaging 62% in 2003, revealing strong investor support for this reform. Numerous companies have demonstrated leadership by changing this practice including Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Dow Jones.
We strongly believe that our company's financial performance is linked to its corporate governance policies and procedures and the level of Board and management accountability they establish. In addition we believe XXX's management and Board have paid inadequate attention to the important issue of whether products sold in XXX's stores are made in "sweatshop conditions", another area where we believe accountability could be improved.
We do not believe this reform would affect the continuity of Director service since our Directors, like those at an overwhelming majority of companies, are routinely elected with strong shareholder approval.
After listening to investor input, Pfizer changed its staggered board by taking a shareholder vote, which passed with 84%. The Pfizer 2003 proxy statement stated convincingly:
"The Board of Directors examined the arguments for and against continuation of the classified board, in light of the size and financial strength of the company, listened to the views of a number of its shareholders, and determined that the classified board should be eliminated. The Board believes that all Directors should be equally accountable at all times for the company's performance and that the will of the majority of shareholders should not be impeded by a classified board. The proposed amendment will allow shareholders to review and express their opinions on the performance of all Directors each year. Because there is no limit to the number of terms an individual may serve, the continuity and stability of the Board's membership and our policies and long-term strategic planning should not be affected."
We believe the Compensation, Nominating, and Audit Committees, as well as the full Board need to be fully and annually accountable to shareowners - another key reason for annually electing Directors.
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