Proxy Voting Policy & Guidelines
Consistent with HII fiduciary financial environmental and social obligations and consistent with our social and environmental criteria, we vote in favor of precatory and/or binding by-law amendment resolutions that do the following.
1. Democratize corporate governance & equality in the work place, including the support of:
Annual election of all board members, as opposed to staggered terms.
Confidential balloting.
Cumulative voting.
Independent Boards and nominating committees.
Coupling executive compensation with financial, social and environmental performance.
Reducing wage disparities between upper management and lower level employees.
Reporting on CEO or management overcompensation and/or review of stock option plans.
Reporting on corporate political contributions and lobbying costs.
Reporting on equal employment and diversity.
Reporting on sexual orientation policies.
Promoting gender, racial and ethnic diversity among company employees.
Promoting diversity among the Board of Directors and upper management of a company.
2. Directly or indirectly promote, or call for a report on, environmental performance, such as:
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) and/or the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
Phasing out, issuing a report on, or requiring labeling of genetically modified ingredients of company products.
Reporting on global warming or climate change.
Promoting renewable or alternative energy.
Reducing fuel consumption.
Requesting environmental disclosure or feasibility reporting regarding environmental cleanups.
Phasing out chlorinated compounds, PVC medical products, toxic materials, and/or nuclear power.
Reducing radioactive emissions.
Cessation of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil drilling and exploration.
Phasing out of old growth timber harvesting and sales.
3. Address global accountability, such as:
Reporting on vendor standards.
Asking for improved human & labor rights policies or reports.
Endorsing the McBride Principles, the China Principles, the Sullivan Principles, and other corporate codes of conduct, which may include independent monitoring and sanctions for violations.
The cancellation of debt to countries with high external debt relative to export earnings.
Halting predatory lending.
Encouraging community re-investment and equal opportunity.