GC100 discussion paper: virtual and hybrid general meetings

The discussion paper includes a draft code of best practice for electronic participation at hybrid and virtual shareholder meetings.

The key recommendations are:

• Clear instructions for the process of logging in, asking questions, and voting through electronic facilities should be provided to shareholders before the meeting, and links to the company website should be provided within the notice of meeting.
• Companies should promote engagement, dialogue and transparency in the same manner as if the meeting were held physically.
• Companies should choose the most appropriate format of meeting to facilitate engagement with shareholders, not as a means of managing attendance or limiting the ability of shareholders to raise questions.
• The meeting should be accessible in both video and audio-only formats.
• Shareholders should have the same rights of participation in virtual and hybrid meetings as if they were attending a physical meeting.
• Questions asked should be audible or visible to all shareholders attending, as should questions submitted electronically by dedicated meeting application or email, whether or not answered.
• As far as possible, the chair should exercise his or her right to manage the conduct of a virtual or hybrid meeting in the same way as he or she would exercise such rights at a physical meeting.
• After the meeting, shareholders should be allowed to follow up on any answer given to a question asked at the meeting.
• Q&A transcripts of all submitted questions should be made available on the company's website following the meeting. If a question was not answered, it should include an explanation as to why.