Tag: climate change

Corporate Governance

The Business Roundtable shifts position on action to address climate change

Last year, the Business Roundtable created quite a buzz when it released a new Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation that moved “away from shareholder primacy” as a guiding principle and opted in to a kind of “stakeholder capitalism” (see this PubCo post). Now, just in time for climate week, in another striking sign of changing perspectives, the Business Roundtable has released a new principles-and-policies guide endorsing a new approach to action on climate change. According to the press release, the BRT is now advocating “new principles and policies to address climate change, including the use of a market-based strategy that includes a price on carbon where feasible and effective. Such a strategy would incentivize the development and deployment of breakthrough technologies needed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To combat the worst impacts of climate change, Business Roundtable CEOs are calling on businesses and governments around the world to work together to limit global temperature rise this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement. In the United States, this means reducing net-greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050 as compared to 2005 levels.” As this article in the WSJ observes, it’s not that the principles and policies break new ground—they don’t—rather, “the significance of the statement is that it shows how business is shifting from a source of resistance to a force for action on climate.”

/ September 21, 2020
Accounting and AuditingCorporate GovernanceSecurities

Task force provides framework and guidance for climate-related financial disclosures

The Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) has recently issued its exhaustive final report—Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures—and supporting materials, designed to provide a standardized framework and detailed guidance for “voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders.” To develop its recommendations, the task force spent 18 months consulting with a wide range of business and financial leaders.  According to the press release, “[o]ver 100 business leaders and their companies with a combined market cap of around $3.5tn and financial institutions responsible for assets of about $25tn have publicly committed to support the recommendations.”  The disclosure recommendations are organized around four core elements—governance, strategy, risk management and metrics and targets.  The Task Force also developed supplemental guidance for financial industries along with companies in energy, transportation, materials and building and agriculture food and forest products. This type of information is expected to enable markets to better “price risk” and allow investors to make more informed decisions.  The task force urged companies to include this information as part of their annual SEC or comparable filings to ensure the application of adequate governance processes. Although there is no specific timeframe for adoption, the task force encouraged companies to adopt as soon as possible, keeping in mind that climate reporting will certainly evolve over time.

/ July 17, 2017
Corporate Governance

How do activists get corporate boards to focus on climate change issues? Talk softly and carry a big stick

by Cydney Posner With today’s signing of the Paris climate change accord, one question that now arises is how do activists get corporate boards to focus on climate change issues? They talk softly and carry a big stick. And, according to this article in BNA Accounting Policy and Practice, that […]

/ April 22, 2016