ESG

UN Launches "Green" Digital Finance Initiative

January 25, 2017

As part of its efforts to divert global investment funds toward climate-friendly projects, the UN Environment Programme and a Chinese financial services provider have launched a Green Digital Finance Alliance that aims to promote global "green finance" for the UN's sustainable development agenda and to encourage climate-friendly lifestyles in China.
UN Official Lobbies for "Women's Empowerment" Action

January 25, 2017

In a recent press release, UN Women outlined how its Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka sought to advance expansive initiatives pushing corporate action toward and public reporting on "women's empowerment" as part of the UN's sustainable development agenda at the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Switzerland.
Companies Launch Investor Tool on Climate Action

January 25, 2017

AP reports that a group of financial companies has launched at the London Stock Exchange an online tool called the Transition Pathway Initiative to permit investors to scrutinize the actions companies have taken to prepare for measures aimed at combating global warming.
G20 Panel Calls for Link Between Climate, Executive Pay

January 24, 2017

According to a report from the G20 group of countries' Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures led by former New York Mayor and climate activist Michael Bloomberg, energy companies should adopt policies informing shareholders how they are linking executive and board member pay to the management of climate change risks facing their industry.
UK Businesses Support Report on Fulfilling SDGs

January 23, 2017

A group of British companies have published a letter supporting a Business & Sustainable Development Commission report asserting that government measures focused on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will contribute to massive economic growth and create a world that is "comprehensively sustainable."
NGO Pushes Scrutiny of "Modern Slavery" Statements

January 19, 2017

The nongovernmental organization Ethical Trading Initiative has called on companies to place their "Modern Slavery Statements," made under a recently passed UK law mandating corporate reporting on forced labor, in a "central registry" maintained by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre for scrutiny by civil society.
GRI, IIRC Establish "Integrated Reporting" Group

January 19, 2017

The Global Reporting Initiative and the International Integrated Reporting Council have formed a "Corporate Leadership Group on integrated reporting" to communicate with companies on how to navigate the "sometimes confusing landscape" of global corporate reporting standards by integrating their disclosure on financial and "sustainability" issues.
GRI, UN Form Group on Corporate SDG Reporting

January 19, 2017

The Global Reporting Initiative explains how it is forming a group of "leading businesses, reporting experts and data users" in cooperation with the UN Global Compact to develop principles of corporate reporting on the fulfillment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and permit businesses to "show leadership in their SDG performance."
GRI Examines Status of Human Rights Reporting

January 11, 2017

The Global Reporting Initiative and two academic institutes have issued a report examining the progress of companies in the mining, energy, and financial sectors on fulfilling the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by publicly disclosing their human rights impacts.
Activist Pressure Yielded Fossil Fuel Divestment in 2016

January 04, 2017

UN officials and environmental activists are celebrating a new report from the investment advising firm Arabella indicating that, under pressure from the growing "divest" movement led by nongovernmental organizations and global institutions, investment firms managing approximately $5.2 trillion have pledged to phase out their financing of fossil fuel companies.