On the seventh anniversary of the first piece of legislation signed into law by US President Obama, the White House has announced a series of steps designed to promote work place diversity and equality. According to a briefing produced to the Council of Economic Advisors, the U.S. gender pay gap is currently larger than that of […]
Read MoreCompanies are likely to improve their disclosure of climate-related financial risks in the near future following the creation of the an industry led task force formed by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to develop consistent rules for firms when they provide this information to lenders, insurers, investors and other stakeholders. The task force will be chaired […]
Read MoreThe recent decision by the SEC to adopt a CEO-to-median pay ratio disclosure rule in the US was a near run thing. The SEC commissioners were split on the issue. The vehement opposition to ratio disclosure expressed in the 5 year gap between Dodd Frank legislation and SEC rule adoption has found a new channel. […]
Read MoreThe SEC this week weighed into the proxy advisor debate with Staff Legal Bulletin 20, which provides information on the proxy voting responsibilities of investment advisers (i.e. professional investors) as well as clarification on the exemptions from federal regulation which apply to proxy advisory firms. We welcome the focus placed by the SEC on the role and responsibilities of […]
Read MoreBreaking new ground as the first country in the world to mandate disclosure of gross global emissions for the entire organisation in its annual report the UK government is pushing ahead with its business sustainability commitments and will, with effect from this autumn, make it obligatory for all UK quoted companies to disclose information regarding their CO2 […]
Read MoreCompanies face increasing pressure from governments, investors and other organisations to measure and publish annual greenhouse gas (GHG) production. This rising demand is valuable to encourage disclosure, but is hindered by the lack of a standard international method of reporting. Acknowledgement of the value of such reports is increasing, but as no majority standard currently […]
Read MoreThe SEC is seeking investor input on its proposals to give shareholders a non-binding vote on executive compensation and some “golden parachute” severance arrangements. Under the proposed rules, publicly traded companies would have to provide shareholders with an advisory vote on executive pay and seek input from shareholders as to how frequently the say on pay vote will take place. Draft […]
Read MoreFriends of the UK Sustainable Investment Forum (UKSIF) gathered at the Houses of Parliament on June 28th to celebrate the 10th anniversary of of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) regulation in the UK. UKSIF also launched a report that reflects upon the effects of the regulation and addresses important next steps for environmental, social and […]
Read MoreReaction to the new remuneration disclosure requirements set out by the Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil, or “CVM”), have been mixed, ranging from full and immediate compliance to complete revolt – with some companies filing lawsuits challenging the legality of the new provisions. CVM, the regulatory body for the Brazilian […]
Read MoreComing so late in the life of the current parliamentary term, the City may be forgiven for already turning attention from yesterday’s budget statement to post-election budgetary announcements for substantive financial and fiscal policy developments. However, hidden in the text of yesterday’s Budget Report is a potentially highly significant statement, which could make voting disclosure a […]
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