Manulife US REIT - Annual Report 2020

(D) SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AND ENGAGEMENT SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AND CONDUCT OF GENERAL MEETINGS Principle 11 The company treats all shareholders fairly and equitably in order to enable them to exercise shareholders’ rights and have the opportunity to communicate their views on matters affecting the company. The company gives shareholders a balanced and understandable assessment of its performance, position and prospects. ENGAGEMENT WITH SHAREHOLDERS Principle 12 The company communicates regularly with its shareholders and facilitates the participation of shareholders during general meetings and other dialogues to allow shareholders to communicate their views on various matters affecting the company. The Manager is committed to promoting regular and effective communication with Unitholders in order to allow them to make informed and sound investment decisions. The Trust Deed is available for inspection at the Manager’s office (prior appointment would be appreciated). All announcements such as press releases, presentation slides, annual and sustainability reports and financial statements are uploaded onto SGXNet in a timely and accurate manner. This information is concurrently available at www.manulifeusreit.sg. In order to obtain regular updates, Unitholders may also subscribe to the email alert found on the website. The Manager has a dedicated IR team that regularly interacts with Unitholders, analysts, fund managers and the media to engage and facilitate communication. In FY2020, the Manager met with over 1,700 investors, analysts and media within Asia through conferences, conference calls, meetings, non-deal roadshows and webinars in Bangkok, Japan, Korea, Kuala Lumpur, London, Singapore, Taiwan and U.S. The Manager has in place an IR Policy which outlines the principles and practices followed by the Manager to ensure regular, effective and fair communication of accurate and timely information to the investment community such that current and prospective Unitholders are able to make well-informed investment decisions. It also provides a specific IR contact, through which Unitholders are able to ask questions and receive responses in a timely manner, within two business days. The IR Policy is published on MUST’s website at http://investor.manulifeusreit.sg/policy.html. MUST’s distribution policy is to distribute at least 90.0% of its distributable income and distributions are paid on a semi-annual basis in which the Manager determines the actual level of distribution. For every dividend declaration made, Unitholders will be notified via an announcement made through SGXNet. More information of the Manager’s IR and media activities can be found on pages 53 to 56 of this Annual Report. The Manager strongly believes in the principle of encouraging greater Unitholder participation and exercising their votes at the general meetings. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 AGM was held on 18 May 2020 via electronic means pursuant to the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Alternative Arrangements for Meetings for Companies, Variable Capital Companies, Business Trusts, Unit Trusts and Debenture Holders) Order 2020 (COVID-19 Temporary Measures Order). The forthcoming AGM to be held on 30 April 2021, will also be held via electronic means pursuant to the COVID-19 Temporary Measures Order. Alternative arrangements relating to the (i) attendance at the AGM via electronic means (including arrangements by which the AGM can be electronically accessed via “live” audio-visual webcast and “live” audio-only stream); (ii) submission of questions to the Chairman of the AGM in advance of the AGM, addressing of substantial and relevant questions before or at the AGM; and (iii) voting by appointing the Chairman of the AGM as proxy at the AGM, are set out in the accompanying MUST’s announcement released on the SGXNet on 6 April 2021. This announcement may be accessed at MUST's website at http://www.manulifeusreit. sg and will be made available on the SGX website at https://www.sgx.com/securities/company-announcements. The description below sets out MUST’s usual practice for Unitholder meetings when there are no pandemic risks and the COVID-19 Temporary Measures Order is not in operation. 112 MANULIFE US REIT CORPORATE GOVERNANCE