As a long-term investor, Galibier believes that it is important to promote strong corporate governance practices in the companies in which we invest. We believe that if companies are well governed they will generally outperform and will also be able to attract investors whose support can help to finance their future growth. Poor corporate governance policies may weaken a company’s potential and may even lead to financial difficulties or potentially fraud. Similarly, Galibier believes that a company which pursues activities that are detrimental to the environment or social good may be pursuing actions that ultimately will lead to shareholder value destruction and, therefore, we would generally exclude such companies from inclusion in our investable universe.
Shareholder voting rights are an important factor in determining the quality of corporate governance and these voting rights need to be managed in order to maximize their potential. Galibier believes that one of its most important responsibilities is to vote in a manner which benefits the long-term interests of shareholders as proxy voting is considered to be one of the most effective methods for ensuring good corporate governance.
Through our Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures, Proxy Voting Guidelines, voting decisions and ongoing engagement with company management teams, we work to use our influence as shareholders to bring about positive change on matters of governance.