Press Releases

GLASS LEWIS ADDS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DATA FROM IW FINANCIAL TO ITS PROXY PAPER ANALYSIS

Proxy research service will include information on sustainability, greenhouse gas targets, non-discrimination, and other ESG issues

PORTLAND, Maine (October 27, 2008) — Glass Lewis & Co. LLC, a leading independent proxy advisory and investment research firm, is incorporating environmental and social data from IW Financial into its Proxy Paper research service, it was announced today. The addition is the latest in a series of research enhancements in identifying and analyzing all types of risks, including environmental and social, at public companies. Proxy Paper provides objective analysis and voting recommendations on thousands of proxies around the world.

Under the agreement with IW Financial, the Proxy Paper reports will now include a new ES risk profile for companies in the Russell 1000 index, indicating the company's practice with respect to a range of ES issues including sustainability reporting, greenhouse gas emission goals, and non-discrimination policies. The ES risk profile will complement Glass Lewis' accounting, legal, financial and governance risk assessment.

Glass Lewis clients seeking more information on environmental and social issues may subscribe to an additional service that provides in-depth research from IW Financial on a number of environmental and social categories including human rights, environment, climate change, labor issues, and sexual orientation discrimination policies.

"It is increasingly valuable to our clients to have access to environmental and social data in analyzing potential investments and in making proxy voting decisions," said Robert McCormick, Chief Policy Officer at Glass Lewis. "Adding this information to Proxy Reports is an enhancement we believe will aid clients in evaluating the risk to their investments resulting from portfolio companies' environmental and social practices."

"More and more institutional investors and asset management firms are seeking to better understand the environmental and social aspects of proxies," said Sam Pierce, president of IW Financial. "As a leader in the industry, Glass Lewis is responding by expanding the scope and sophistication of research services offered in these areas. We look forward to working with them to more fully integrate environmental and social issues into new offerings to their clients."

About IW Financial
IW Financial is a leading provider of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research, consulting and portfolio management solutions for asset management firms, managed accounts sponsors, institutional investors, plan sponsors, and investment advisors.
 
With its unique combination of investment industry expertise, unbiased research, and technology solutions, IW Financial helps industry professionals capitalize on growing investor demand by incorporating ESG factors into investment platforms, products, and portfolios, adding value to the money management process while strengthening client relationships.
 
For more information on IW Financial visit www.iwfinancial.com.

About Glass Lewis
Glass, Lewis & Co. is a leading investment research and global proxy advisory and voting services firm, serving institutions that collectively manage more than $15 trillion. Glass Lewis helps institutional investors make more informed investment and proxy voting decisions by identifying business, legal, governance and financial statement risk at more than 16,000 companies worldwide. Founded in 2003, Glass Lewis is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, London, Tokyo, Sydney and Denver.

Bayley Diamond
Glass Lewis & Co.
415-738-4115

Mike MacMillan
MacMillan Communications
212-473-4442
info@macmillancom.com