Newsletter: Shareholders Have Their Say on Pay, But What Exactly Are They Saying? (July 2011)

Nearly a year has passed since the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act and with it the rollout of the first wave of corporate governance reforms. Among these, the most closely watched, reviewed and debated has been this year’s shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation (say on pay or SOP). With proxy season in the rearview mirror, market participants are tallying their report cards of what went well and what didn’t, but beyond preparedness and process, the overarching question remains, has SOP been a meaningful undertaking?