The Unexpected Benefits of Webcasting Your AGM

A growing number of publicly listed companies are choosing to webcast their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) to enhance transparency and reach a broader audience. Given the rise in hybrid working, it makes sense for issuers to embrace the fact that an online option allows more investors to have their say and engage with the business at the yearly meeting.

The goal of an AGM is to enable shareholders to hold directors accountable for the business strategy and performance. While shareholders have the right to attend in person, webcasting allows investors and other stakeholders, such as interest groups, activists, employees, customers and suppliers, to access the meeting simultaneously.

Why hold hybrid AGMs?

Webcasting your AGM increases participation rates, with often more people watching online than attending in person. For example, for one AGM, Dutch insurance company a.s.r. had 64 shareholders attending in person, while the online event, powered by Company Webcast, attracted 158 viewers from around the world.

In fact, research shows that:

a typical AGM webcast attracts an average of 430 viewers
57% of online attendees watch live
the remaining 43% watch the webcast on-demand afterwards
online viewers remain engaged for 57 minutes on average

Online-Viewers

How webcasting AGMs works

Webcasting the event allows viewers to watch the AGM online, either live or at their convenience. Not only does this increase the reach of the meeting by opening it up to people who cannot travel to the event, but it also allows those who are not free during the running time of the meeting to catch up on-demand.

This increases the perception of transparency amongst shareholders. At the same time, it is easier for analysts, journalists, employees and other partners to observe the meeting and see executives being held to account. The ability to watch the AGM online can also help increase the visibility and understanding of the business and what it does.

Reduce the language barrier

Company Webcast allows for bilingual webcasting of AGMs, which is advantageous for those issuers based in non-English speaking countries that also want to engage international shareholders.

Companies can present their meetings in the native language of the company’s country with simultaneous translation into English. Companies with international shareholder bases can also find webcasts valuable in engaging shareholders who cannot travel to attend the physical meeting.

Reduce-language-barriers

Conclusion