Take Action
As a Shareholder
As a Mutual Fund Investor

Understand the Ways in Which You Can Make a Difference
As a Shareholder
As a Mutual Fund Investor

Why Diversity at the Top is Important

Where Are the Women?

Take Action!

If you directly own shares of stock:

If you, as a shareholder, are unhappy with the representation of women in leadership positions in a company in which you're an investor, here are the steps you can take to express your point of view. Even if you don't do all of these things, you can make an impact.
  • Cast your vote in a way that records your displeasure: you can vote "no" on all nominees if all are male or vote "yes" only for the women if you choose.
  • Take the time to write a letter (download a sample) to any or all of the following individuals:
    • Non-management directors or lead director
    • Chair of the board
    • Chair of the governance/nominating committee
    • Corporate Secretary

    These individuals and their contact information are set forth in the company's proxy statement and on its website as well. If you choose to do so, you can also include in your letter your opinion that there should be more women executive officers.

  • Attend the annual shareholder meeting and ask why there are no or so few women on the board. You should also use this opportunity to state your opinion that more women directors are good for governance and good for business. If you choose to do so, you can also address the absence of women from executive officer level and most highly compensated executive groups.
  • Follow the procedures set out in the proxy statement to nominate one or more women directors for next year's slate of board candidates.

Your feedback is important!

When you take any of these actions, please

JavaScript must be enabled to display this email address.

what you have done and what responses you have received. Your feedback is important to ION's educational and advocacy efforts. It will help us to become more effective in bringing about change in the composition of corporate leadership. Your participation in this effort will also help obtain greater publicity for the important role being played by women investors. Thank you for helping us to make a difference!