Chief Governance Officer Hope Mehlman was recently named one of the “Stars of 2019” by Global Proxy Watch (GPW). Each year, GPW – a weekly international corporate governance and stewardship newsletter – recognizes 10 people around the world who have had a breakthrough impact on corporate governance. GPW said Hope “exemplified effective issuer ESG engagement as governance chief at Regions Financial.”
Known for its Stars list and annual look-ahead listing of global governance events, GPW is regarded as the authoritative source of information for international developments in corporate governance.
This is the latest of several accolades earned by Hope recently. She was also named Governance Professional of the Year for large cap companies by Corporate Secretary magazine’s 2019 Corporate Governance Awards. Since being named Chief Governance Officer in February 2017, Mehlman has pushed governance at Regions forward with numerous initiatives, including:
- The Regions Board of Directors amended the company’s by-laws to include a proxy access provision.
- The company is continuing to enhance its proxy statement to provide clearer and more transparent disclosures for investors.
- Regions adopted a Human Rights Statement and Vendor Code of Conduct.
- The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors was renamed to the Compensation and Human Resources Committee as it expanded oversight to include corporate culture, human capital management, and diversity and inclusion.
- Regions adopted its Environmental Sustainability Policy Statement and Environmental Sustainability Goals.
- Providing oversight of ESG matters to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
- The Board adopted a version of the Rooney Rule for director searches.
- The company began publishing an annual ESG Report.
- Regions became a member of the Ceres Company Network.
- Regions integrated the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) reporting standards into its environmental, social and governance disclosures.
- Regions began annual responses to the CDP Questionnaire.
- Regions increased its rankings and scores with several of the largest ESG data providers.
- The company significantly enhanced its corporate governance shareholder engagement program, which now includes engagement with directors.