UN-ESG

SEC Reconsiders Implementation of Minerals Rule

March 15, 2017

The Acting Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Michael Piwowar has announced that the SEC is reconsidering the implementation of a "misguided" corporate disclosure rule for the use of "conflict minerals" from war-torn areas of Africa, given the resulting boycott of some African minerals and costs imposed on legitimate mining operations.
NGO Praises French Corporate Reporting Regime

March 01, 2017

The European Coalition for Corporate Justice has praised a recently passed French law requiring large companies to disclose, on an annual basis, their efforts to address human rights impacts in their operations and those of their subsidiaries and calls for the creation of similar but stronger corporate reporting regime at the regional and global level.
NGO Pushes Canadian Corporate Reporting Law

March 01, 2017

Citing multiple examples of mandatory reporting laws from the US, UK, and France, a report from the Shareholder Association for Research & Education calls for Canada to adopt a similar mandatory regime requiring that corporations report to their investors information about labor rights risks in their global supply chains.
Australia Reviews Corporate Reporting on Forced Labor

February 28, 2017

A subcommittee of the Australian Parliament has announced that it is beginning an inquiry into whether the country should pursue legislation, similar to the UK's Modern Slavery Act, imposing requirements on businesses to disclose their efforts to end forced labor in their global supply chains.
Companies Plan Continued Reporting on Foreign Operations

February 21, 2017

Reuters reports that, at a mining conference in Cape Town, corporate leaders asserted that extractives companies will continue to respond to global pressure, from actors ranging from UN officials to human rights activists, to disclose details of their foreign operations despite recent US actions against mandatory reporting of foreign payments and mineral sourcing.
US Congress Passes Repeal of Extractives Disclosure Rule

February 21, 2017

Reuters reports that the US Congress has voted to repeal a Securities and Exchange Commission rule, mandated by the Dodd-Frank financial services legislation, requiring oil, gas, and mining companies to publicly disclose payments they make to foreign governments.
GRI Releases Reporting Guidance for India

February 21, 2017

As part of the organization's efforts to be a global one-stop shop for business guidelines on "sustainability" disclosures, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has released guidance with the Bombay Stock Exchange on how companies can fulfill India's "business responsibility reporting requirements" while following GRI's global reporting standards.
GRI Plans Guidance on EU "Sustainability" Disclosure

February 21, 2017

The Global Reporting Initiative and the business network CSR Europe have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on regional guidance for companies on how to comply with the EU Directive on Non-Financial and Diversity Disclosure, which requires businesses to publicly disclose their impacts on the global "sustainable development" agenda.
NGOs Seek Corporate Support on Foreign Payments Rule

February 16, 2017

A coalition of nongovernmental organizations called Publish What You Pay has released an open letter to companies in the mining, oil, and gas industries calling on them to pressure the US Congress to maintain an Obama Administration rule, targeted for repeal by legislators, requiring these companies to report their payments to foreign governments.
GRI Highlights Focus Areas for "Sustainability" Reporting

February 16, 2017

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and think tank and advisory firm SustainAbility have published the findings of GRI's Corporate Leadership Group on Reporting 2025 on focus areas for future corporate disclosure in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including reporting on climate change, human rights, and wealth inequality.