Historically, general meetings have been held in physical venues, however, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have now moved to a hybrid form of meeting using electronic platforms. The new guidance sets out actions to assist companies in making the most of new technologies to increase shareholder engagement.
Recognising that all companies are different, the guidance offers flexibility. Some companies have a small number of shareholders while others have many thousands in multiple jurisdictions, and companies will need to take different approaches and use different technologies and methods depending on their circumstances.
Peter Swabey, Policy & Research Director at The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, said:
" I am delighted to see the publication of this useful guidance from the FRC. The AGM has always been, and remains, a fundamental element of corporate governance and both the march of technology and the pandemic have seen us look at delivery of the AGM in new ways. It is very helpful for the FRC to have captured the views of so many constituencies on the ways in which the AGM can deliver most governance value.”
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