Institutional Shareholder Services, a provider of corporate governance solutions to the financial community, has kicked off its annual global policy formulation process by inviting its institutional investor clients, corporate issuers and various corporate governance market intermediaries to participate in its 2013 proxy voting policy survey.

ISS' policy survey offers an opportunity for a broad universe of market constituents to be active participants in ISS' policy development process.

Each year, since 2005, ISS has undertaken a policy formulation process that includes a broad-based global survey, issue and market-specific roundtables and an open comment period open to all market participants.

During the process, clients and industry constituents are encouraged to provide their views on key governance issues likely to impact the upcoming proxy season.

"Combining the aggregate thinking of ISS' diverse asset management and asset owner institutional client base with input from corporate issuers and other experts in the field, enriched with our own expertise, allows ISS to implement policy guidelines that strike the right balance between shareholder interests and business practicality," says Martha Carter, ISS' head of global research.

The survey period is open until 17 August and will be followed in October by an open comment period after which, ISS publishes its draft policies.