In July last year, John Kay released his Review of the UK Equity Markets and Long-Term Decision Making which examined the impact of recent behaviour in the UK equity market on investment performance and corporate governance.

One of the key recommendations was the creation of an Investor Forum, a place where a collective group of institutional investors could discuss issues affecting the companies in which they invest, collectively act on issues and advocate on behalf of savers (the people like you and me who entrust their money to institutional investors).

This recommendation was silent, however, on how these institutional investors may collect and reflect the views and values of these savers so they can advocate on their behalf effectively. It was also silent on how this advocacy and collective action be communicated back to the savers so they can see what the investors are doing and participate in an ongoing conversation about that activity.

Then in June, nearly a year after the release of the Kay Review, a number of these institutional investors, including Schroders, Legal & General, Baillie Gifford and The Wellcome Trust announced that it was setting up a working group to look at the concept of an Investor Forum. The three big industry bodies*, who represent the asset management and institutional investment groups, all back the initiative.

But will this working group consider collating the views and values of those savers or will it be a closed shop for investment professionals? How will they rank the issues on which they act collectively and on which they advocate? What safeguards will be in place to ensure they do what they promise to do and act upon the long-term interest of savers, not just as savers but as citizens, employees, consumers and community members?

A report is due out in November.

*The Investment Management Association (IMA), the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Association of British Insurers (ABI).