Electronic communications
In 2006 new legislation was introduced in the UK regarding electronic communication, giving companies the opportunity to substantially reduce the number of documents they print and mail. At the 2007 AGM GKN obtained shareholder approval to adopt these changes allowing the Company to use this website as the main way to communicate with shareholders.
The Board regards this as a positive step for both GKN and its shareholders. By reducing the amount of documentation posted to shareholders, we can reduce our impact on the environment, minimise waste and reduce cost.
Shareholders who register for 'electronic communication' will be notified by email as soon as shareholder documentation, such as our annual report and our notice of meeting, is published. This notification includes details of where you can view or download the documents on our website.
Registering also enables you to manage your shareholding online.You can:
This free and secure service – called Shareview Portfolio – is provided by our registrar Equiniti. If you are already registered on Shareview, perhaps because you have other shareholdings, you can simply add your GKN shareholding to an existing Shareview Portfolio and access everything in one place.
Registering for electronic communication
Registration is via our registrar's secure website www.shareview.co.uk
You will need your 8 or 11 digit shareholder reference number (which can be found on your share certificate, dividend cheque, tax voucher or voting card) to complete the registration form. You will then be given a user identification number and asked to create a password.
Equiniti will send you an activation code by post. Once you have received this, you can complete the registration process.
Will I need any specific computer equipment?
You will need internet access, an email address, a web browser and a PDF reader. The PDF reader is necessary as many of our documents are downloadable in PDF format to allow easy printing. You can download a PDF reader called Adobe Acrobat Reader for free at http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/.
The consultation
Consultation documents were mailed to shareholders with the 2006 annual report and 2007 notice of meeting in March 2007. All shareholders on the register of members at that time were asked to select one of the following options:
Option 1: Be notified by email that documents are available on the website.
Option 2: Be notified by letter that documents are available on the website.
Option 3: Continue to receive paper documents by post.
Option 2 was the default option; if shareholders did not respond and Equiniti did not already have their email address, they would (and will continue to*) receive a letter from us advising when documents are available on our website.
* Please note that shareholders can, at any time, change their decision on how they wish to receive shareholder documents by contacting Equiniti on 0871 384 2962. (Calls cost 8 pence per minute from a BT landline; other telephony provider costs may vary. Lines are open 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.)