ShareSoc Publishes a Guide to Shareholder Activism

PRESS RELEASE 07 (25/07/2011)

The UK Individual Shareholder Society (ShareSoc) has published a guide on “How to Form and Run a Shareholder Action Group”. This is aimed at private investors who occasionally feel disgruntled about the actions of companies and their directors, but do not know how to complain. ShareSoc believes that shareholder activism should be encouraged. Improving the “engagement” of shareholders with the companies in which they own a stake has been encouraged by many commentators and activism is one form of engagement.

The new ShareSoc guide gives some simple advice on how to develop a shareholder action group in a practical way, based on the past experiences of ShareSoc directors. ShareSoc Chairman, Roger Lawson, had this to say:

Shareholders are often good at complaining on bulletin boards or at AGMs about the concerns they have, for example on excessive director remuneration, but they do not know how to apply their anger to practical effect. Our newly published guide explains the basics to them, and we are willing to offer free further advice if they need it. ShareSoc believes there are many things wrong in the world of listed companies, as you can see by studying our Manifesto. Certainly one of the ways to rectify some of the problems is to have more active shareholders who make the directors of companies more accountable and have a positive influence on events”.

A copy of the guide can be read at: https://www.sharesoc.org/Shareholder%20Action%20Groups.pdf

 

New Members Network launched
ShareSoc has also launched a new “Members Network” based on social networking technology to enable members to discuss topical issues. This might of course include discussion on “problem” companies where shareholder activism might be helpful, but it is also being used to develop ShareSoc policies and responses to public consultations. See www.sharesoc.org/members_network.html for more information.

For further information, please contact:

Roger W. Lawson,
Chairman,
ShareSoc Telephone: 020-8467-2686
Email:
info@sharesoc.org

Note any members of the press who wish to receive a complimentary copy of our informative monthly newsletter should send a request to info@sharesoc.org . Our newsletters cover not just the affairs of our organisation but contain general financial news and commentary. An example of our past newsletters is available on our web site. You can also follow ShareSoc on Twitter from @ShareSocUK.

About the UK Individual Shareholders Society (ShareSoc)

ShareSoc represents and supports individual investors who invest in the UK stock markets (and who own as much as 30% of the shares in UK public companies in aggregate). We are a mutual association controlled by our members with “not-for-profit” articles and incorporated as a company limited by guarantee. The organisation is financed by member subscriptions, donations from supporters and by the services it provides to members. Associate Membership of ShareSoc is free and is open to everyone with an interest in stock market investment. More information on ShareSoc can be obtained from our web site at www.sharesoc.org .

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