The European Council has approved the Directive, which offers a temporary relief to companies facing requirements under the CSRD and CSDDD....more
5/5/2025
/ Business Entities ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Time Extensions
The European Council has approved the Directive, which offers a temporary relief to companies facing requirements under the CSRD and CSDDD....more
The announcement follows declarations to simplify regulatory frameworks for businesses, and an overall drive to increase competitiveness in Europe.
On 8 November 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen...more
11/13/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Competition ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD, or the Directive) took effect beginning 2024 and requires mandatory sustainability reporting by a first set of companies in 2025. Under the terms of the CSRD, the...more
10/2/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Infringement ,
Member State ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Assessment ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
On 5 July 2024, the final text of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) was entered into the Official Journal of the EU. The CSDDD will enter force on 25 July 2024. This marks the final key step in the...more
7/15/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Member State ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The CSDDD is set to impose mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence obligations for in-scope companies.
On 5 July 2024, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) was published in the...more
7/9/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Member State ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
For the first time, the Court has confirmed that the adverse impacts of climate change fall within the ambit of human rights protection under the European Convention of Human Rights, obliging States to implement effective...more
The long-awaited rules, already at the center of political debate and litigation, represent another global regulatory effort to integrate climate considerations into financial reporting.
On March 6, 2024, nearly two years...more
The court’s decision is the latest development in the litigation over the SEC’s final rules, which have faced numerous legal challenges since their adoption.
On March 15, 2024, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit...more
3/21/2024
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Annual Reports ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Popular ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
Amid new regulations, increased enforcement and litigation, and higher stakeholder scrutiny, companies will need to adopt an integrated and nuanced approach to ESG.
In some ways, 2023 was a challenging year for ESG. This...more
1/17/2024
/ Advertising ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Business Strategies ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Liability ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Cross-Border Transactions ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenwashing ,
Investors ,
Popular ,
Privately Held Corporations ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Shareholder Activism ,
Strategic Planning ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Trade Policy ,
Transparency
The Private Members Bill, if passed, would establish the UK’s first law mandating business due diligence on human rights and the environment.
On 28 November 2023, Baroness Young of Hornsey (Baroness Young) introduced the...more
Developments span the climate disclosure landscape, risk factor disclosure, and diversity-related efforts.
In advance of the annual shareholder proposal and annual reporting preparation season, we believe that a number of...more
The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which entered into force in January 2023, marks a new era for ESG reporting across Europe (and globally). CSRD is the latest in a wave of new rules...more
7/26/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Member State ,
Portfolio Companies ,
Private Equity ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The Guidelines build on current social, environmental, and technological issues facing businesses following the last update in 2011.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released updated...more
6/27/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
Guidance Update ,
Member State ,
Multinationals ,
OECD ,
Regulatory Agencies ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Transparency ,
UK
The Supply Chain Act poses new challenges to suppliers when conducting business with new or existing German-based customers.
Key Points:
..The Supply Chain Act obliges in-scope companies to identify, address, and...more
Latham lawyers highlight key takeaways and developments in the sustainability space from the second half of the year.
...more
12/22/2022
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) ,
Forced Labor ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Investment Funds ,
Sustainability
Human rights due diligence standards are being negotiated at the international level, which may complement or complicate national and regional regulations.
Latham & Watkins is pleased to introduce a series of Clients...more
Hong Kong’s Core Climate aims to facilitate trading of carbon credits, while the Hub plans to expedite Singapore’s ESG ecosystem growth.
On 28 October 2022, the Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited (HKEX) launched Core...more
11/8/2022
/ Carbon Off-Set Credits ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
FinTech ,
Hong Kong ,
Hong Kong Stock Exchange ,
Singapore ,
Stock Exchange ,
Trading Platforms
The world’s largest asset manager stressed that sustainability issues will continue to be fundamental to companies’ long-term economic outlook.
On 17 January 2022, Larry Fink, the founder and chief executive of...more
Corporate reporting (including SEC developments), climate change, energy transition, supply chain management, and the mitigation of ESG-related litigation risk are expected to be the leading ESG themes of this year.
As...more
1/6/2022
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Risk Assessment ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Supply Chain ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
The association noted that regulators could provide market participants with much-needed additional trust in ESG ratings and data.
On 23 November 2021, the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO)...more
11/30/2021
/ Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Information Reports ,
IOSCO ,
Jurisdiction ,
Market Participants ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Ratings ,
Securities Regulation ,
UK
A new proposal would amend changes made to ERISA less than a year ago that have proved to be detrimental to ESG investing.
In a sweeping reversal of Trump-era policies, the US Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a...more
10/18/2021
/ Benefit Plan Sponsors ,
Biden Administration ,
Comment Period ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Executive Orders ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Investment Management ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Retirement Plan
Green shoots emerge as PE firms consider new ways to incorporate ESG into dealmaking.
Market sentiment and the increasing importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to firms’ competitiveness across the...more
10/7/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting ,
General Partnerships ,
Limited Partnerships ,
Private Equity ,
Private Equity Funds ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
UK
The global asset management community has long been among the leaders in recognising the investment and risk management benefits of tracking the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of the assets it invests...more
10/4/2021
/ Asset Management ,
Business Strategies ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Germany ,
Global Standards ,
Hong Kong ,
Investment Management ,
Multinationals ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Singapore ,
Sustainability ,
UK
On 26 July 2021, the Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) published a consultation report (the Report) that proposes a set of recommendations to mitigate risks flowing from activities of...more