Schroders Supports Workers’ Rights and Digital Rights at Upcoming AGMs

Schroders today announces it is supporting workers’ and digital rights at the upcoming Annual General Meetings of Alphabet, Amazon and Meta.

The pre-declaration of Schroders voting intentions follows prior engagement activity with the companies on these specific themes, with this escalation being the next step of our active ownership process.

In total, Schroders is today unveiling its voting intentions for 11 resolutions at the three companies next week. This follows the publication of Schroders Engagement Blueprint which has set new standards on active ownership and targets on engagement.

Schroders’ engagement with Amazon is focused on supporting workers’ rights, one of six priority themes in the Blueprint. Specific engagement areas encompass improving the wages paid to staff and the benefits that they are offered; worker engagement and representation within Amazon; the health and wellbeing of workers and the working conditions within Amazon’s warehouses.

In terms of Meta and Alphabet, Schroders will vote in favour of improving their approach to digital rights – including exploitative content, misinformation and privacy.

Kimberley Lewis, Head of Active Ownership, Schroders, commented:

“At Schroders we approach active ownership differently. We believe it is important to set clear expectations for companies around sustainable business practices and, as a result, we are able to influence corporate behaviour through constructive and committed engagement with the companies and assets we invest in.

“We have selected proposals which are aligned with our Blueprint and where we have an engagement history. Some 11 of these proposals have already been highlighted as ‘ones to watch’ by key external advocacy pressure groups and we will not hesitate in publishing our voting intentions for more resolutions if we believe it is the right thing to do.”

Kate Rogers, Head of Sustainability, Schroders Wealth Management, commented:

“These issues are growing in importance for our clients who are pressing us to do more to ensure the companies that we invest in are acting responsibly. By voting against the management at Alphabet and Meta we are signalling the importance of big technology companies acting to avoid harm and tackling misinformation on their platforms. At Amazon, we stand with the workers, seeking more disclosure on working conditions and their treatment.

“As active managers the way we use our influence can make a significant difference helping companies to transition to a more sustainable business model and accelerating positive change. This is important for financial returns as companies and countries’ impacts on the planet are increasingly hitting their bottom lines. At Schroders we strongly believe that companies can’t exploit these issues – both workers and digital rights - without recourse through financial cost or reputational risk.”

Please see below a list of the shareholder proposals for which Schroders is pre-declaring its intention to vote for at Alphabet, Amazon and Meta. Please note that we are still considering other agenda items at these meetings - we are likely to be voting against the boards’ recommendations for other proposals in addition to the above shareholder proposals:

2022 Amazon AGM (Workers Rights)

ITEM 9—Shareholder proposal requesting a report on worker health and safety differences

ITEM 13—Shareholder proposal requesting additional reporting on freedom of association

ITEM 16—Shareholder proposal requesting a report on warehouse working conditions

2022 Meta AGM: (Digital Rights)

ITEM 8: Report on Community Standards Enforcement

ITEM 9: Report on User Risk and Advisory Vote on Metaverse Project

ITEM 10: Publish Third Party Human Rights Impact Assessment

ITEM 11: Report on Child Sexual Exploitation Online

ITEM 14: Commission Assessment of Audit and Risk Oversight Committee

2022 Alphabet AGM: (Digital Rights)

ITEM 14: Report on Managing Risks Related to Data Collection, Privacy and Security

ITEM 15: Disclose More Quantitative and Qualitative Information on Algorithmic Systems

ITEM 16: Commission Third Party Assessment of Company's Management of Misinformation and Disinformation Across Platforms

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Schroders plc

Founded in 1804, Schroders is one of Europe’s largest independent investment management firms by assets under management. As at 31 December 2021, assets under management were £731.6 billion (€871.3 billion; $990.9 billion). The founding family remain a core shareholder, holding approximately 48% of the firm’s voting shares. Schroders has continued to deliver strong financial results. It has a market capitalisation of over £8 billion and employs over 5,500 people across 37 locations.

Schroders has benefited from the most diverse business model of any UK asset manager by geography, by asset class and by client type. Schroders offers innovative products and solutions across their five business areas of solutions; institutional; mutual funds; private assets & alternatives; and wealth management. Clients include insurance companies, pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations. They also manage assets for end clients as part of their relationships with distributors, financial advisers and online platforms. Schroders’ Wealth Management offering reflects their strategic ambition to provide wealth management and financial planning services to clients across the wealth spectrum.

Schroders’ strategic aims are to grow the asset management business, build closer relationships with end clients and expand their private assets and alternatives business. Schroders’ purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. The business channels capital into sustainable and durable businesses to accelerate positive change in the world. Schroders’ business philosophy is based on the belief that if we deliver for clients, we deliver for Shareholders and other stakeholders.

Important Information: All investments involve risk, including the loss of principal. The views and opinions stated are those of the individuals quoted and are subject to change. This document does not purport to provide investment advice and the information contained is for informational purposes and not to engage in any trading activities. Reliance should not be placed on the views and information in the document when making individual investment and/or strategic decisions. The material is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for accounting, legal or tax advice, or investment recommendations. Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. (“SIMNA Inc.”) is registered as an investment adviser with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and as a Portfolio Manager with the securities regulatory authorities in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan. It provides asset management products and services to clients in the United States and Canada. Schroder Fund Advisors LLC (“SFA”) markets certain investment vehicles for which SIMNA Inc. is an investment adviser. SFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIMNA Inc. and is registered as a limited purpose broker-dealer with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and as an Exempt Market Dealer with the securities regulatory authorities in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. SIMNA Inc. and SFA are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Schroders plc, a UK public company with shares listed on the London Stock Exchange. Further information about Schroders can be found at www.schroders.com/us or www.schroders.com/ca.

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