The pressure of corporate governance, transparency and increasing private shareholder activism make many Boards groan when it comes to AGM season.

AGMs should be a corporate showcase and an opportunity for recognition of the previous year’s business performance. So what can you do to ensure a positive AGM experience?
 
Here are a few tips:- Consolidate your Company’s image as open and inclusive.
- Demonstrate engagement with private shareholders.
- Build positive relationships with stakeholders.
- Anticipate emerging issues.
- Optimize effectiveness of the AGM as a corporate brand showcase.
- Deliver tangible results in shareholder satisfaction.
- Maximize communication of annual report/review.
- Maximize the value of the AGM.

Annual general meeting costs can be substantial therefore from a return-on-investment angle the Board must maximize the value of the meeting. Examples of criteria for evaluating value can be:

Accountability
Report on progress made and highlight key points in the annual report.

Succession
Have leaders articulate their vision and state how they intend to serve the stakeholders in the coming year.

Stakeholder Input
Proactively introduce strategic issues for stakeholder input.

Community Building
Celebrate the successes and build a sense of community among the stakeholders. Allow time for networking, award ceremonies, etc.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 at 8:44 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.