Event FAQ

CII hosts two exclusive conferences each year, welcoming more than 500+ member attendees and special guests. Our conferences offer unprecedented opportunities to interact, share best practices and learn from representatives from major institutional investors, regulators, legislators and other corporate governance professionals. These events bring together CII members from across the globe. 

What does conference registration include? Conference registration only covers the conference itself. It does not cover hotel rooms or attendance at any training courses taking place alongside the conference. Any training or educational programs require a separate registration.

What does it cost for a current member to attend a CII conference?  CII has two types of members: U.S. Asset Owners and Associate Members:

U.S. Asset Owners: The number of attendees that U.S. Asset Owners may send depends on the organization's membership type and amount of their yearly dues. U.S. Asset Owners may choose either an all-inclusive or "bundled" membership at a slightly higher dues level which includes a certain number of conference passes bundled into the annual dues, or an "unbundled" membership, with lower annual dues and no conference passes included.  U.S. Asset Owners with unbundled membership must pay attendance fees for each conference attendee.  

**Current public pension fund trustees at CII member organizations never pay attendance fees for CII conferences, regardless of the membership type. 

Associate Members: Associate members of CII must pay attendance fees to attend CII conferences. 

What type of member am I? For a detailed description of CII's member types please click here. 

May I attend CII conferences if my dues haven’t been paid? No. CII conferences are open to individuals from member organizations in good standing. If you are unsure about your membership status, please call us at 202.822.0800.

How does CII select conference speakers? CII senior staff leads decisions on topics and speakers for CII conferences, webinars and podcasts. CII’s board of directors plays an “advise and consent” role, particularly with respect to conference programming. Core considerations include institutional investor relevance; application to corporate governance, proxy voting and investor protection; speaker expertise; and speaker contribution to the range of perspectives and backgrounds represented. CII does not compensate speakers for their appearances.
 
Senior staff welcomes suggestions from any CII member, whether through verbal solicitations (e.g. during advisory council meetings and constituency meetings) , written solicitations (e.g. post-conference surveys), or direct outreach to senior staff. As the planning cycle for CII conferences generally spans five to six months, ideas for conference programming are best communicated early in the cycle.  All other factors being equal, CII members receive priority for speaking opportunities over non-members. A history of CII sponsorship confers no advantage over non-sponsors.

Apart from CII programming, each CII conference includes a segment during which CII members self-produce breakout sessions. Interest in these member-hosted meetings typically exceeds available slots, which is resolved by CII staff conducting an application and selection process. Highest priority is given to robust proposals that help ensure a range of subject matter choices for attendees during the member-hosted segment. Proposals featuring a wide range of perspectives receive additional consideration. Proposals directly centered on product and service development are not selected. A fee is involved for selected proposals.

Are there sponsorship opportunities at CII conferences? Yes, on a limited basis. Please see the Sponsorship Opportunities page for more details.

May non-members attend a CII conference? Yes. Prospective members are welcome to attend a conference on a one-time basis as part of the process of "auditing" CII for potential membership. Please contact Melissa Fader for more information.

May I register multiple colleagues to attend events on a rotating basis? No. Conference attendance limits apply to all registered attendees regardless of the length of attendance. Attendees may not register for partial days. 

May I bring materials to the conference? Yes. CII members are free to bring materials to the conference to be distributed to all conference attendees. If you plan to take advantage of this benefit, please email Melissa Fader to obtain the shipping information.

Does CII provide any opportunities for members to host their own dinners, meetings, or events? Yes. Please see the conference event page for details. Members are welcome to coordinate private events in-conjunction with our conference and our staff is always happy to assist. Please communicate any events to CII staff to ensure proper assistance. 

What is the dress code for CII conferences and functions? All CII functions are business professional dress unless otherwise noted.

Does CII have a code of conduct for events? Yes, you can read the code of conduct here. Attendees may be asked to leave sessions or the conference for failing to adhere to CII's code of conduct. 

What sessions during the conference are considered “closed”? Most sessions are open to all conference attendees with the exception of administrative meetings or targeted meetings for constituency groups. The conference agenda denotes which meetings are not open to all conference attendees. 

May I recommend a speaker or topic for a CII event? Yes! Please send suggestions to info@cii.org.

I have a special dietary request for meals at a CII conference. Who do I contact? Be sure to include the information with your registration. We will do our best to accommodate your request.

What type of security protocols are in place during CII conferences? CII takes security at our functions seriously. Security personnel are on site for all sessions and receptions. All attendees are required to check-in at registration upon arrival and show valid photo identification to obtain a name badge and pertinent conference information. All attendees must wear their name badge in plain sight for admission to all conference sessions and receptions. Members and guests not wearing the proper name badge will not be admitted to any CII functions. CII staff/security reserves the right to search large bags or refuse entry into sessions for people with large bags who do not wish to have bags searched.

Are the conferences filmed or photographed? Certain portions of the conference's events may be recorded by the Council of Institutional Investors video, audio and/or photographs, and may be used by CII or its designee, and made available to the public, as part of live, delayed or archived video or audio casts; event transcripts; CII materials or publications; marketing or advertising materials or publications; and other materials or publications, in any media or format now existing or hereafter created. By attending or participating in the conference, you acknowledge and agree that CII may use, reproduce, display, perform and otherwise distribute the recordings, and any portions thereof - including as it may include or feature your name, likeness or biographical information - without any further compensation, permission, or notification to you, and that all recordings captured during the conference or at any of the CII's other events are the exclusive rights of the Council of Institutional Investors. CII prohibits the recording of any sessions, even without the intent to publish or distribute, during CII conferences by members, attendees or guests, including member-hosted sessions, without the written permission of the host prior to the start of the event. 

Question not answered above? Please call us 202.822.0800 for more information.