International Business Machines (IBM)

Proxy Season Update: IBM

2014 Annual Meeting: 10:00 AM EST, Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, Jacksonville, Florida

IBM has one pending ESG shareholder proposal in 2014.

  • POLITICAL ACTIVITY: Lobbying
    • This resolution asks for annual reports on policy, payments, memberships in groups that write model legislation, information on how these payments occur, and how management and the board of directors monitor them. The proposal says the reports should include:

      1. Company policy and procedures governing lobbying, both direct and indirect, and grassroots lobbying communications.
      2. Payments by IBM used for (a) direct or indirect lobbying or (b) grassroots lobbying communications, in each case including the amount of the payment and the recipient.
      3. IBM’s membership in and payments to any tax-exempt organization that writes and endorses model legislation.
      4. Description of the decision making process and oversight by management and the Board for making payments described in sections 2 and 3 above.

      For purposes of this proposal, “indirect lobbying” is lobbying engaged in by a trade association or other organization of which IBM is a member. Both “direct and indirect lobbying” include efforts at the local, state and federal levels.

      The report shall be presented to the Audit Committee or other relevant oversight committees of the Board and posted on the company’s website.

For more information, download Proxy Preview 2014 to find lobbying shareholder resolutions.