ESG

NGOs Seek Expansive EU Conflict Mineral Rules

February 23, 2016

A coalition of nongovernmental organizations have published a document criticizing a draft proposal, under negotiation among EU institutions, on corporate reporting on the use of "conflict minerals" from war-torn areas of Africa for being limited and voluntary, and calling on EU member states to support rules that require more expansive corporate supply-chain due diligence.
ISO Advances Global Standard on Occupational Safety

February 23, 2016

The International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") has announced that it has secured approval of a worldwide standard on occupational health and safety, which it hopes will provide a "robust and effective set of processes for improving work safety in global supply chains," as a Draft International Standard for public consultation.
UK Plans Reporting on Gender Pay Gaps

February 22, 2016

The Independent reports that the British Government is planning a proposal that would require companies with over 250 employees to publish information on disparities in compensation between male and female employees and that would provide for a table that lists the "worst offenders."
GRI Forms Network to Push SDGs

February 19, 2016

The Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") has announced a GOLD Community to gather businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and intergovernmental agencies that wish to further the UN's Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs") through GRI's reporting techniques.
GRI Plans Next Phase in "Sustainability" Reporting

February 19, 2016

The Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") has published an article describing the influence it has had in encouraging companies to report on social and environmental "sustainability" and calls for a future where companies draw information from such reports "into the heart of operations."
Investor CEO Calls for Focus on ESG Issues

February 12, 2016

CEO of investment management company BlackRock Larry Fink has called for companies to focus on UN-advocated environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") issues to maximize their long-term value and has signaled that the investment company could support activist shareholder proposals that push ESG reforms within corporations.
NGOs Push Correlation Between ESG, Profitability

February 10, 2016

The Global Reporting Initiative reports that a study released by Deutsche Asset Management and the University of Hamburg tends to show that corporate profitability and a focus on environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") principles are aligned, seeking to make the case that businesses must bend to investor and activist demands for more ESG-related reporting.
GRI Sets out Five-year "Sustainable Development Strategy"

February 10, 2016

The Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") has announced that it is building a five-year strategy for the advancement of corporate reporting on the implementation of the UN's agenda on "sustainable development" in business operations and on the use of data from this reporting to place more pressure on businesses to fulfill the UN's environmental and social goals.
GRI Emphasizes Role in Pushing SDGs in Business

February 10, 2016

In the context of the launch of the Global Commission on Business and Sustainable Development, an initiative of businesses, labor, and activists, at the recent World Economic Forum, the Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") is highlighting how it has contributed to business recognition and implementation of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs").
NGO Publishes "Toolbox" for BHR Impact Assessments

February 05, 2016

The Danish Institute for Human Rights has published guidance for businesses to develop "impact assessments" considering how their operations might fuel violations of the UN's business and human rights ("BHR") agenda and for human rights activists to monitor the outcomes of these assessments.