In-scope companies would have to publicly identify “actual and potential” adverse impacts of their operations on the environment and/or human rights.
On 23 February 2022, the European Commission (the Commission)...more
The policies aim to provide crucial guidance to public companies amid the growing importance of ESG in proxy voting.
In late 2021, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass, Lewis & Co (Glass Lewis), the two...more
1/12/2022
/ Board of Directors ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Glass Lewis ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) ,
Proxy Season ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
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 House UFLPA aims to clamp down on the import to the US of items produced by alleged forced labor in the XUAR, while offering less guidance for importers than similar July 2021 Senate bill.
On 8 December 2021, the US...more
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
The guidance offers clarification on key aspects of the TCFD’s recommendations on climate reporting.
On 14 October 2021, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) released a new guidance document on...more
10/22/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Green Finance ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
The roadmap introduces sustainability disclosure requirements for UK companies and reveals further developments in relation to a UK Green Taxonomy.
On 18 October 2021, the UK government released a report titled “Greening...more
10/21/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Green Finance ,
IFRS ,
Investors ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
What SEC commentary and the influence of existing frameworks could mean for mandatory climate disclosures in the US.
US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler has publicly stated that the SEC will...more
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
The FCA is consulting on extending its rules to standard listed issuers.
On 22 June 2021, the FCA published a Consultation Paper (CP21/18) on extending the application of the existing climate-related disclosure...more
6/28/2021
/ Asset Management ,
Capital Markets ,
Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Issuers ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting ,
G7 ,
IFRS ,
Listing Rules ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) ,
UK
Board members are expected to have adequate knowledge and understanding of climate-related and ESG risks. Legislators and regulators around the world have long recognised that one of the most effective ways to drive change is...more
6/21/2021
/ Board of Directors ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
European Central Bank ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Risk Management ,
Sustainable Finance
A series of recent developments has driven a rapid increase in sustainability-linked loan and bond issuances in a variety of jurisdictions and industries.
Background: Sustainability-Linked vs. Activity-Based -
The...more
FCA director highlights areas of concern in relation to ESG reporting and provides recommendations.
Richard Monks, Director of Strategy at the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), recently delivered a speech on the...more
In its finalized rule amending ERISA, the DOL makes financial factors paramount in a fiduciary’s responsibility to investors.
On October 30, 2020, the US Department of Labor (DOL) published Financial Factors in Selecting...more
11/10/2020
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Final Rules ,
Investment Management ,
Net Zero ,
Pension Funds ,
Public Comment ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Retirement Plan ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The delay may complicate the regulatory landscape for sustainable finance as the EU moves toward a standardized classification system.
The UK government (government) has delayed a decision on whether it will adopt the...more
Financial services regulators have been particularly vocal in the last 12 months, specifically about the impact on the financial services sector as the world experiences, and attempts to respond to, climate change.
Mark...more
The FCA is moving towards formalising issuers’ compliance with the TCFD recommendations.
Key Points:
..The FCA is proposing that premium listed commercial companies will need to disclose how they have implemented the...more
The message that environmental, social, and governance issues can drive stockholder value resonates ever more clearly today.
In 2017, Latham lawyers discussed how directors can use environmental, social, and governance...more
Sustainable finance and its surrounding infrastructure offers growing potential for deals and green innovation.
The global sustainable finance market has expanded rapidly in recent years, approaching US$320 billion in new...more
12/9/2019
/ Acquisitions ,
Asset Management ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Debt Market ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Green Bonds ,
Green Finance ,
Investment ,
Mergers ,
Private Equity ,
Private Equity Funds ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
Sustainability ,
UK ,
United Nations