We regularly disclose our stewardship activities and provide our perspectives on governance topics so that our investors, portfolio companies, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders understand our principles and approach.
Our investment stewardship policies demonstrate our focus on safeguarding and promoting long-term financial value on behalf of our funds and fund investors. We regularly review our policies and guidelines to consider further developments in governance standards and risks to long-term shareholder value.
Our four corporate governance principles serve as the foundation of our program, animating the funds’ proxy voting and our engagement activities. These principles are embedded in the funds’ voting practices, including within the regional and market-specific voting policies that the Vanguard-advised funds have adopted. To learn more about how we apply these principles, view our regional proxy voting policies below.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
Investments in bonds are subject to interest rate, credit, and inflation risk.
ESG funds are subject to ESG investment risk, which is the chance that the stocks or bonds screened by the index provider or advisor, as applicable, for ESG criteria generally will underperform the market as a whole or, in the aggregate, will trail returns of other funds screened for ESG criteria. The index provider or advisor’s assessment of a company, based on the company’s level of involvement in a particular industry or their own ESG criteria, may differ from that of other funds or an investor’s assessment of such company. As a result, the companies deemed eligible by the index provider or advisor may not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor and may not exhibit positive or favorable ESG characteristics. The evaluation of companies for ESG screening or integration is dependent on the timely and accurate reporting of ESG data by the companies. Successful application of the screens will depend on the index provider or advisor's proper identification and analysis of ESG data. The advisor may not be successful in assessing and identifying companies that have or will have a positive impact or support a given position. In some circumstances, companies could ultimately have a negative or no impact or support of a given position.