Blogs

With a broad coalition of interests coalescing around the ESG banner, there are many reasons to support boards in developing their ESG understanding and decisions to improve relevant ESG-related activities.

With an ever-growing expectation for companies to know the individuals and partners with which they do business, regulatory penalties have never looked tougher.

The Next Generation NED Network held a lively and wide-ranging discussion on ESG – and particularly, the role of NEDs in steering their businesses through this seemingly ever-changing landscape. There were a variety of viewpoints and areas of expertise spanning finance, communications and academia.

How has the AGM and financial report landscape fared in 2022? What lessons can be carried forward into 2023? What topics are going to be the key drivers of conversations at next year’s AGMs? Are companies doing enough on ESG and executive pay reporting?

Climate change is negatively impacting and threatening human rights, physical and mental health, cultural and educational rights and it could impact our future. With that in mind, the United Nations highlighted the urgent need to respect human rights in climate-related actions.

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP27, will be the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. At COP27, countries will come together to act towards achieving the world’s collective climate goals as agreed upon under the Paris Agreement and the Convention.

With increasing importance placed on boards embedding ESG considerations in their decision-making and operations, stakeholder capitalism has become something of a buzzword du jour. It is intrinsically linked to sustainability as it is grounded in the view that giving consideration to wider interests, perspectives and impacts leads to long-term value creation.

Wherever the pressure for embracing ESG comes from, it is the board that should lead on defining the organisation’s values and aims in tackling ESG issues as part of its legal, ethical and cultural responsibilities. However, with so many other issues competing for the board’s time, it can be difficult to explicitly address ESG in board papers and discussions.

Combining a virtuous circle with a circular economy approach could potentially be beneficial for the organisation, its stakeholders, shareholders and the environment. It may also be one way of approaching the broader ESG agenda.

Unlike in many other countries, anyone who has ‘lost’ an old bank or building society account in the UK remains entitled to the money, however long it takes them to find it again.