Resource Library Articles

Within the tenure of the current executive team, certain actions can be incentivized so that individual leaders do their part to keep the organization on track.

In these times of volatile national and global markets, caused by Covid and more recently by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, companies have tried to delay goal setting while waiting for more certainty. However, these efforts are often futile as the year wears on and certainty continues to be in the future. 

Ceres and the Semler Brossy have teamed up to provide guidance to companies that have begun to integrate ESG issues into their corporate strategies and may be considering ESG in incentives.

The ground is shifting for executive compensation, from a focus on shareholder metrics to a more intentional longer-term approach that better supports key stakeholders: workers, suppliers, communities, and customers. To make the shift, companies need to prioritize their key stakeholder issues, then identify which ones actually belong in a compensation package.

Human capital management (HCM) is now a front-and-center issue for boards. Long-term success increasingly depends on attracting, retaining and engaging talented people, and senior executives and boards recognize the importance of well-designed human capital strategies and processes. Many boards have expanded committee charters to include oversight of HCM issues and receive regular reports on initiatives […]

Say goodbye to the Goldilocks economy, where moderate growth and low inflation sustained us for years. Our global economy and social norms have careened from crisis to crisis over the last 24 months. The world has faced down a pandemic, unprecedented restriction of interpersonal interactions, and disruption of worldwide supply chains. And yet the world economy […]

A big issue facing businesses is whether inflation should lead to higher levels of compensation. The answer is: “it depends.”  

As Committees set compensation amounts and structure, five key questions can inform their decisions.

By minimizing discretion, directors give consistent direction to management. They avoid what might be perceived as forgiving poor results and forestall potential criticism from proxy advisory firms. 

One visible way some companies are showing their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is by linking DEI progress to executive pay. 

Blair Jones and Vanguard's former Chairman and CEO F. William McNabb III, and Directors & Boards Publishing Director, David Shaw as they focus on best practices for human capital management.

What (if any) role should ESG play in their companies’ compensation plans, and if used, how should ESG-related incentives be structured?

How can a board member evaluate if DEI incentive metrics would be meaningful? As with any key initiative, the dialogue surrounding performance management can give clues as to what does or doesn’t make