In the United Kingdom, Articles of Association include crucial information about how your company’s decision-making process operates. When drafting them, here are the key rules you’ll have to outline.
1. Share classes
Companies usually have a single class of shares with unlimited voting rights. The company's controllers, also known as the owners or shareholders, typically own these common shares.
Some companies create additional share classes with different conditions or voting rights to facilitate investment in the company without weakening the voting strength of the original shareholders. The Articles of Association should specify the number of classes and the conditions and rights which pertain to each class.
2. Share redemption
When setting your share classes, your Articles of Association should also mention if these shares are redeemable at a fixed value.
When shares are redeemable at a fixed value, the company can buy them back from shareholders at a set price. Typically, the price is agreed upon by shareholders or determined by the company’s board of directors when the shares are issued. If the company dissolves, redeemable shares will be paid out first at a price that doesn't surpass the agreed redemption amount.
3. Dividends
Dividends are payments made by a company to its shareholders from a portion of the company's profits. Dividends can be either cumulative or non-cumulative.
Cumulative dividends are dividends payable annually at a fixed amount. If no dividend is declared in a year, the dividends will remain owing and will be paid out in a future year when the company declares a surplus.
Non-cumulative dividends are only paid when the company declares a dividend. Typically, dividends are non-cumulative. This allows companies to reinvest the profits towards expanding the business.
4. Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of shareholders present or the percentage of voting shares required before a meeting can proceed.
Generally, when setting a quorum, it’s smart to select a percentage that effectively represents the desired cross-section of shareholders. For example, if one shareholder owns 66 percent of the corporation, setting the quorum percentage below 66 ensures that one shareholding is a quorum. Alternatively, setting it at 67 percent or more ensures at least another shareholder needs to be present.
If your Articles don't address what forms a quorum then, under the Companies Act, a majority of the shareholders present at the meeting is a quorum.
5. Remote communication
There may be instances where it’s more practical for shareholders to attend a meeting remotely. If your Articles of Association allow remote communication, a shareholder can attend a meeting by phone or video conference.
6. Voting trusts
A voting trust occurs when a shareholder temporarily gives their voting shares to a third party known as a trustee. This third party is usually obligated to vote in accordance with the shareholder’s instructions, which are outlined in a voting trust agreement (also known as a Shareholder Proxy).
Voting trusts are useful when a company has minority shareholders with limited interest or voting strength. They can also help resolve conflicts of interest, retain majority control, and prevent hostile takeovers.
7. Cumulative voting
When electing directors, cumulative voting allows minority shareholders to concentrate all their votes on a single director candidate.
For example, suppose a corporation holds five elections for five potential directors, and a minority shareholder has two votes in each election (ten total votes). In that case, cumulative voting allows the shareholder to apply their combined ten votes to a single director's election.
Cumulative voting can help prevent a majority shareholder from choosing all the directors of a company.
8. Meeting notice periods
When a special meeting is called, the Corporate Bylaws should state how much notice is required. LawDepot’s template provides three options: reasonable notice, a number of hours, or a number of days.
What qualifies as reasonable notice is up for interpretation and depends on the established business practices within the company. Select a different option if you prefer more definitive notice for directors’ meetings.
9. Conflict of interest
During directors' meetings, your company may find it appropriate to stop a director from voting on issues where there is a potential conflict of interest.
A conflict of interest occurs when a director’s personal interests clash with the company’s interests. This is a problem because a director must act in the company’s best interest.
10. Officer structure
Directors are the only officers that a company must appoint. However, some businesses choose to appoint additional people for roles in the corporation’s management structure.
When drafting your Articles of Association, you will be asked if your corporation will appoint officers. If so, you can name the leader of your company as either a managing director or a chief executive officer. Next, decide if you will add other roles, such as a company secretary, chief financial officer, or chief operating officer.