Global Proxy Season 2026: High Support, Sharper Scrutiny and the Rise of Targeted Stewardship

Minerva Analytics' review of 1,415 meetings across Europe, the UK and the US found a widening gap between shareholder sentiment and actual influence, with meeting formats, approval thresholds and voting standards determining whether opposition produced accountability. Investors increasingly linked climate concerns directly to board accountability. Boards must understand the mechanisms through which shareholder sentiment translates into governance consequences.