FIGURE 2 – POTENTIAL COMPANY PARTNERS AND TECHNOLOGIES Critical Function


Inform the public (Press Releases, Websites, and Conference Calls)


Create earnings materials and annual reporting materials; track and disclose data


Partners and Technologies


• Business Wire, Cision, EQS Group, Equisolve, InComm/Chorus Call, Investis, IssuerDirect, Notified, and Q4


• ADA accessibility tool: AccessiBe


• Data repository and reporting: Workiva • Visualization: Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, and Vista • Editing: Grammarly


Monitor consensus


Board communication, voting, and proxy support


Benchmark peers


Identify targets, monitor investor activity, and manage target relationships


• Consensus Metrix, FactSet, and Virtua


• Board Support: BoardVantage and Diligent • Proxy Solutions: Broadridge, ComputerShare, DFIN, and Okapi Partners


• Alphasense, Sentio, Tegus, Intelligize, IR Insight, Factset, Capital IQ


• Scheduling: Calendly, WeConvene • CRM: IRInsight, BDCorporate


• Targeting, surveillance, or market intelligence: Innisfree, Morrow Sodali, Irwin, NASDAQ, S&P Global, and Q4


Manage stock-exchange and regulatory compliance requirements


• Exchanges • EDGAR and SEC • Intelligize, Workiva


Support custody and depository processes for efficient trading


Capture, analyze, and report ESG Data


• Transfer agents • Market makers


• Credo ESG Solutions, CSRWare, Enablon, DFIN, Measurbl, Metrio, Novisto, NASDAQ OneReport, and S&P Global Market Intelligence


organized gatekeeper for all security issuances, cancellations, and redemptions to serve as the corporation’s administration agent is so crucial. In addition to the administration being key to trading, so is the marketplace. Working with a market maker to help reduce spreads, increase volume, and foster an efficient marketplace can be a game changer. Cultivating these relationships is important, as these stock transfer agents are critical when it comes time to support your proxy and annual general meeting preparations. Engaging a firm such as Broadridge, ComputerShare, DFIN, and Okapi Partners can help with this process.


• Capture, analyze, and report ESG data. It is vital to capture, analyze, and report ESG data. Between all the rating agencies, reporting frameworks, and standards, it can be challenging to keep up with the ESG landscape. Finding tools that can


ni ri .org/ irupdate


streamline your ESG work can provide real benefits. Some ESG tools include Credo ESG Solutions, CSRWare, Enablon, DFIN, Measurbl, Metrio, Novisto, NASDAQ OneReport, and S&P Global Market Intelligence.


Now, let’s put it all together. Figure 2 is a guide for potential


company partners and technologies that can optimize an IR pro- gram. Companies are not listed in a particular order, and this list is not comprehensive; other companies also offer value. IR


Rebecca Koar is Senior Vice President, Investor Relations at Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc.; rebeccacontikoar@gmail.com. This article presents the independent views of the author, is not an endorsement by NIRI of any product or service, and was not sponsored by any companies.


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