Shareholder

A shareholder is an individual, company, institution or other entity that owns one or more shares in a corporation. Shareholders have an ownership interest in the company and may benefit from increases in share value and dividend payments, depending on the type of shares held. They can also have certain rights, such as voting on the election of directors, major corporate transactions and other governance matters. Institutional shareholders can include pension funds, asset managers, insurance companies and investment funds. In sustainability and corporate governance, shareholders may influence company strategy through voting, engagement and shareholder resolutions on issues such as climate risk, executive pay and environmental or social performance.