ESG

UN Event Seeks Public-Private Action on SDG Finance

August 03, 2018

Government and industry participants in a UN-hosted event on national action plans for fulfilling the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) called for officials and investors to cooperate to ensure private investments are aligned with government SDG plans, aiming to push private finance toward more “sustainable” initiatives.
NGOs Seek Robust Labor Reporting Mandates in Australia

August 03, 2018

In response to advisory committee recommendations on the creation of modern slavery reporting requirements in Australia, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations has called for stronger mandates on what companies must report in relation to their anti-slavery efforts, rules for how they make these reports public, and fines for non-compliant companies.
NGO Publishes “Blueprint” for Governments on Worker Rights

August 03, 2018

The nongovernmental organization Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) has published a “blueprint” for governments to protect workers’ rights through measures including corporate due diligence requirements, public reporting, and public procurement restrictions that pressure companies to ensure labor rights in their global supply chains.
Exxon Leaves ALEC After Clash over Climate Rules

August 02, 2018

The Hill reports that, following pressure from environmental activist groups and a clash over a proposed policy on federal greenhouse gas emissions regulations, energy giant Exxon Mobil has announced that it is following several other large US corporations in withdrawing from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Bodies Issue Guidelines on Corporate Reporting for SDG Finance

August 02, 2018

At the recent Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Business Forum, the Global Reporting Initiative, Principles for Responsible Investment, and the UN Global Compact published global recommendations on how corporate reporting can help expand private investment in the UN’s comprehensive social and environmental SDG targets.
Irish Legislation Requires National Fossil Fuel Divestment

August 01, 2018

The Guardian reports that, in line with the growing global movement for divestment from fossil fuels, the lower house of the Irish parliament has passed legislation requiring the country’s national investment fund to sell its investments in companies with substantial revenue from oil, gas, coal, and peat extraction or refinement “as soon as is practicable.”
Sustainable Palm Oil Group Suspends Nestle

July 31, 2018

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, an industry group that places pressure on businesses to meet a broad range of environmental and social criteria in their palm oil supply chains, has suspended food company Nestle from its ranks over its failure to report on its progress and to pay membership fees.
GRI: Governments Must Monitor Business SDG Contributions

July 30, 2018

An article from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) examines national reports on progress toward achieving the comprehensive UN social and environmental targets contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and encourages governments to pay special attention to the contributions of businesses to the SDGs.
Google Partners with UN on Monitoring SDG Progress

July 30, 2018

NDTV reports that tech giant Google has agreed with the UN Environmental Programme to develop a platform enabling the public, through satellite and other technology, to track government and industry progress toward achieving environmental targets under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sovereign Funds Push Companies to Consider Climate Risks

July 30, 2018

A group of six sovereign wealth funds, organized under an initiative established at the recent One Planet Summit in Paris, has announced that they will only invest in companies that consider risks related to climate change in their long-term strategies and account for the need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to fulfill the UN’s Paris climate deal.