ESG shareholder proposals have a future but are not the only route to change

Research shows US asset managers are withdrawing their backing for ESG shareholder resolutions, while support from their European counterparts is rising

Shareholder proposals aimed at changing the way companies behave on environmental, social or governance issues appear to be losing popularity. In 2021, around a fifth of all shareholder proposals received majority support, but this figure fell to just 3 per cent in 2023, according to data from non-profit ShareAction.