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Insider UK
Insider UK
Business
John Glover

Scottish investors 'aren’t aware of their shareholder rights'

Only 44% of Scottish retail investors know about their shareholder rights, according to new research.

Research by Tulipshare found that 25% of Scottish investors think that companies prioritise social and environmental issues.

The activist investment platform surveyed 1,001 UK adults during February, finding that that in Edinburgh, the number rises to 28%, but despite hosting COP26, Glasgow investors are even more pessimistic - only 20% think companies prioritise Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues.

The research also revealed that only 44% of Scottish investors know that if they own shares in a company, they can vote on how the company is run by exercising their shareholder rights at Annual General Meetings (AGMs).

More than a third (38%) of Scottish investors think that individual shareholders should have a bigger say in company practices.

This increases to 40% in Edinburgh and drops to 35% in Glasgow.

Investors based in Edinburgh are less likely than those in Glasgow to always exercise their shareholder right at AGMs of companies they invest in.

Only 14% of Edinburgh investors do this, compared to 22% of Glaswegians and 20% of Scottish investors as a whole.

Antoine Argouges, chief executive and founder of Tulipshare, commented: “The rise in investors looking to invest in ESG reached new heights in 2021, but despite a desire to invest their money for good, ordinary retail investors are still not utilising the rights that often come with being a shareholder.

“I believe that if retail investors actively engaged with the companies they’re invested in around driving ethical change for our people and planet we could see a much greater focus on combating climate change, racial equity in the workplace, and more.”

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