JPMorgan Funds Audited Annual Report - JP Morgan Asset ...

JPMorgan Funds
Board of Directors’ Report (continued)
Internal Control
Investment management and all administrative services are provided by the Management Company and custody of assets is provided by J.P. Morgan Bank
Luxembourg S.A. The Board’s system of internal control therefore mainly comprises monitoring the services provided by the Management Company and the
Custodian, including the operational and compliance controls established by them to meet the Fund’s obligations to shareholders as set out in the
Prospectus, Articles of Incorporation as well as all relevant regulations. The Management Company formally reports to the Board on a quarterly basis on the
various activities it is responsible for and in addition shall inform the Board without delay of any material administrative or accounting matters.
Corporate Governance and ALFI Code of Conduct
The Board is responsible for ensuring that a high level of corporate governance is met and considers that the Fund has complied with the best practices in the
Luxembourg funds industry.
In particular the Board has adopted the ALFI Code of Conduct (the “Code”) which sets out principles of good governance. These principles were amended in
August 2013 and are set out below:
1. The Board should ensure that high standards of corporate governance are applied at all times;
2. The Board should have good professional standing and appropriate experience and use best efforts to ensure that it is collectively competent to fulfil its
responsibilities;
3. The Board should act fairly and independently in the best interests of the investors;
4. The Board should act with due care and diligence in the performance of their duties;
5. The Board should ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and with the Fund’s constitutional documents;
6. The Board should ensure that investors are properly informed, are fairly and equitably treated, and receive the benefits and services to which they are
entitled;
7. The Board should ensure that an effective risk management process and appropriate internal controls are in place;
8. The Board should identify and manage fairly and effectively, to the best of its ability, any actual, potential or apparent conflict of interest and ensure
appropriate disclosure;
9. The Board should ensure that shareholder rights are exercised in a considered way and in the best interests of the Fund;
10. The Board should ensure that the remuneration of the Board members is reasonable and fair and adequately disclosed.
The Board considers that the Fund has been in compliance with the principles of the Code in all material aspects throughout the financial year ended 30 June
2013. The Board undertakes an annual review of ongoing compliance with the principles of the Code.
Proxy Voting Policy
The Board delegates responsibility for proxy voting to the Management Company.
The Management Company manages the voting rights of the shares entrusted in a prudent and diligent manner, based exclusively on the reasonable
judgement of what will best serve the financial interests of clients. So far as is practicable, the Management Company will vote at all of the meetings called by
companies in which they are invested.
A copy of the proxy voting policy is available from the Fund’s registered office upon request or on the website:
http://am.jpmorgan.co.uk/institutional/aboutus/aboutus/corporategovernance.aspx
Directors and Officers Indemnity Insurance
The Fund’s Articles of Incorporation indemnify the Directors against expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any claim against them arisinginthe
course of their duties or responsibilities as long as they have not acted fraudulently or dishonestly. To protect shareholders against any such claim, the Board
has taken out Directors and Officers Indemnity Insurance which indemnifies the Directors against certain liabilities arising in the course of their duties and
responsibilities but does not cover against any fraudulent or dishonest actions on their part.
Independent Auditor
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Société Coopérative, has been the Fund’s Auditor since February 2006. The provision of audit services was last put to competitive
tender in 2009. The Board reviewed the services of PwC this year and decided that, subject to any other influencing factor, they should continue to be
proposed to the Shareholders to be appointed as Auditor for the next three years. At the conclusion of this period the Board will consider again whether to
put the provision of audit services out to competitive tender.
Annual General Meeting
The next Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held on 20 November 2013 at the Registered Office of the Company to consider matters relating to the
year ending on 30 June 2013. At this meeting shareholders will, amongst other matters, be requested to consider the usual matters at such meetings including:
1. the adoption of the financial statements and approval of the allocation of the results;
2. the approval of Directors fees;
3. the election of the Directors, all of whom wish to stand for election;
4. the election of the Auditor;
No special business is being proposed by the Board.
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