Supporting Statement: As a long-term shareholder of ITT, I support transparency and
accountability in corporate electoral spending. A company’s
reputation, value, and bottom line can be adversely impacted
by election spending conducted through third-parties.
The Conference Board’s 2021 “Under a Microscope” report
warns “a new era of stakeholder scrutiny, social media, and
political polarization has propelled corporate political activity—
and the risks that come with it—into the spotlight. Political
activity can pose increasingly significant risks for companies,
including the perception that political contributions—and other
forms of activity—are at odds with core company values.”
ITT discloses a policy regarding direct corporate contributions
to candidates and parties but this is deficient because ITT’s
policy does not address all direct and indirect corporatefunded election-related spending, including payments to
501(c)(4) social welfare organizations, payments to 527
groups,
payments to trade associations, independent expenditures,
and payments to influence the outcome of ballot measures.
Information on indirect electoral spending through 501(c)(4)
groups and trade associations cannot be obtained by
shareholders unless the Company discloses it. This proposal
asks the Company to disclose all of its electoral spending,
direct and indirect. This would bring ITT in line with a growing
number of leading companies, including Sensata
Technologies Holding plc (ST), General Electric Co., and
Fortive Corp., which present this information on their
websites.
Without knowing the recipients of ITT’s political dollars
shareholders cannot sufficiently assess whether ITT’s
election-related spending aligns with its policies and core
values. Thus it will be a best practice for ITT to expand its
political spending disclosure.

Filed by John Chevedden