ESG

US Issues Rule on Disclosure of Government Payments

July 12, 2016

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a rule, as mandated under the Dodd-Frank financial services reform legislation, requiring companies engaged in oil, gas, and mineral development activities to report the amount of any payments they make to US and foreign governments.
NGOs Seek Wide-ranging HRC Resolution on "Rights Defenders"

July 11, 2016

The nongovernmental organizations International Service for Human Rights and Business and Human Rights Resource Centre have criticized a UN Human Rights Council resolution seeking to assist "human rights defenders" in spotlighting violations of the business and human rights agenda for not going far enough in, for example, requiring corporate reporting on BHR issues.
NGO Calls for Expansive Public Disclosure from AIIB

July 11, 2016

An article from Joshua Rosenzweig of Amnesty International asserts that the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank should set out a robust disclosure regime to inform the public of the impacts of the projects it finances on the global business and human rights agenda and how it seeks to address these impacts.
Conflict Minerals Amendment Faces NGO Criticism

July 11, 2016

Sasha Lezhnev and Holly Dranginis of the Enough Project criticize an amendment in US financial services appropriations legislation proposing the de-funding of a provision in the Dodd-Frank financial services reform act requiring companies to publicly report their use of "conflict minerals" from war-torn areas of Africa.
NGO Calls for UK Universal Tax Reporting

June 30, 2016

Christian Aid has called on the British Parliament to adopt a law pressuring multinational companies to provide more funding to countries in which they operate by requiring these businesses to report their financial information on a country-by-country basis.
NGO Criticizes EU Mineral Legislation

June 29, 2016

Swedish nongovernmental organization Swedwatch has published a report criticizing the limited reach of new EU legislation on business use of conflict minerals from war-torn areas of Africa and calling for EU member states to enact more far-reaching regulations on the issue.
HKEX Announces New Reporting Provisions

June 28, 2016

Following new "comply or explain" provisions adopted for companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Global Reporting Initiative has released guidance for businesses attempting to navigate an array of complex, global sustainability reporting provisions.
WWF Pressures Companies on "Sustainable Sourcing"

June 23, 2016

Environmental nongovernmental organization WWF has expressed disappointment that consumer goods companies are not using its recommended standards for sourcing their products "sustainably" and calls on companies to report their timely measures on improving their sourcing.
NGOs Push Stronger Governance of Diamond Industry

June 16, 2016

A press release from a coalition of nongovernmental organizations calls on governments and companies in the diamond industry to strengthen legal due diligence and reporting mandates in line with standards from the UN and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to prevent the funding of conflicts through diamond sales.
Paper Examines Effects of China's "Green Finance"

June 16, 2016

Olaf Weber of the Centre for International Governance Innovation examines the effects of China's Green Credit Policy on the implementation of the global social and environmental agendas by banks in the country.