Ethos Foundation commends Mobimo's decision to request an advisory vote of the shareholders on political and charitable spending. This is the first time that a Swiss listed company implements such a vote allowing shareholders to give their opinion on a very sensitive issue.
Ethos Foundation recognises the pioneer step of Mobimo's board which has decided to propose two advisory votes on political spending at the forthcoming annual general meeting. The first vote is on CHF 30'000 spent on charitable donations and CHF 38'000 spent on political donations in 2012. The second vote seeks to allow the board to spend up to CHF 100'000 in political and charitable donations in 2013. Very few Swiss listed companies are transparent with regard to political and charitable donations, which is why Mobimo's decision is particularly commendable.
The question of political and charitable donations by listed companies is an increasingly sensitive issue to which Ethos will pay particular attention as of this year. The Ethos Engagement Pool, the dialogue programme of 90 Swiss pension fund members of Ethos with Swiss listed companies, has made political donations a central topic in 2013. In this context, Ethos Académie, a forum open to the general public launched by Ethos Foundation, will organise a debate on this matter and will contribute to a study on current practice in Switzerland and abroad.
