ESG/Social Responsibility

Ask a diversity officer: Creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion program

2021-04-06T13:00:00+01:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

We asked seven prominent diversity leaders across a multitude of industries to share one key message or words of advice for other companies as it relates to creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion program.

More than a fad: The rise of the chief diversity officer

2021-04-06T13:00:00+01:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Protests calling for social justice over the last year have led to more companies appointing diversity, equity, and inclusion officers. The critical role the position plays alongside compliance cannot be overstated, writes Jaclyn Jaeger.

CFTC joins SEC in climate risk push

2021-03-18T18:13:00+00:00By Kyle Brasseur

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced the formation of a “Climate Risk Unit” to support the agency’s efforts to determine the role of derivatives in addressing climate-related risks.

Study: Racial diversity still lacking among Russell 3000 board members

2021-03-15T18:44:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

A new board diversity report by BoardProspects reveals companies in the Russell 3000 are at a major inflection point regarding racial equality on their boards, but most (60 percent) still have no Black board members.

Four ways you can support diversity and inclusion at your company

2021-03-10T16:51:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Diversity and inclusion leaders from Procter & Gamble and The Hartford share key elements for successfully achieving and sustaining a work environment that respects and fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion.

On International Women’s Day, we should ‘Choose to Challenge’

2021-03-08T15:10:00+00:00By Aly McDevitt

International Women’s Day isn’t just about celebrating women. It’s also about challenging norms. As such, CW’s Aly McDevitt challenges you to read this piece without flinching.

SEC task force will scrutinize climate and ESG disclosures

2021-03-05T20:11:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

OK, OK, Securities and Exchange Commission. We get the message. Climate and ESG-related disclosures will be under increased scrutiny in 2021.

How audit can support increased ESG mandates

2021-03-04T17:11:00+00:00By Maria L. Murphy

The Center for Audit Quality and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants released a new roadmap that provides tools for independent auditors to support companies in achieving their ESG reporting goals.

CCOs, take note: ESG is having its moment

2021-03-01T18:22:00+00:00By Dave Lefort

The Biden administration is not so quietly making big moves in the area of ESG regulatory initiatives that should give CCOs the cachet to elevate these issues closer to the top of the priority list at their organizations.

Video: SEC on right path with climate disclosures; alleged privacy lapses at Amazon troubling

2021-02-25T22:39:00+00:00By Compliance Week

Aaron Nicodemus applauds the SEC for taking steps to clarify how companies should disclose economic risks posed by climate change, while Dave Lefort is critical of alleged lapses in data security at Amazon.

SEC takes first step toward new framework for climate-related disclosures

2021-02-24T21:03:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

If there were any doubts the SEC under the Biden administration will increase its expectations of public companies to assess and disclose climate change-related risks, they were laid to rest Wednesday.

Best practices for navigating political discussions among coworkers

2021-02-23T15:32:00+00:00By Amii Barnard-Bahn

It’s not realistic to outright ban talk of politics with coworkers, but in today’s polarized climate it’s smart to set policies and educate employees about lines that should not be crossed.

Murphy Oil, Marathon Oil ESG incentives a positive step for oil industry

2021-02-16T20:44:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

The willingness of Murphy Oil and Marathon Oil to adjust their executive compensation frameworks, in part, to better align with their environmental targets is a rarity in the oil and gas industry and deserving of credit, writes Jaclyn Jaeger.

‘The Empathetic Workplace’ can help you navigate hard conversations

2021-02-16T15:12:00+00:00By Aly McDevitt

Aly McDevitt reviews “The Empathetic Workplace” by Katharine Manning, a practical guide that offers an eye-opening look into how employers should use empathy and soft skills to respond to employees in crisis.

Video: Wirecard’s failings back in spotlight

2021-02-11T21:40:00+00:00By Compliance Week

Jaclyn Jaeger lauds two oil companies for raising the bar on ESG commitment in the industry, while Dave Lefort assesses new developments in the Wirecard saga that point to greater failures in the firm’s internal controls.

Companies not reporting ESG initiatives are in the minority

2021-02-10T21:50:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

Several reports highlight the growing trend of companies recognizing the value of aligning their business models with ESG concerns, acceding to the demands of shareholders, activists, the market, and the public.

Video: What took Facebook so long to name a CCO?

2021-02-04T21:41:00+00:00By Compliance Week

Aly McDevitt gives props to Abercrombie & Fitch and its chief ethics and compliance officer for providing an example of marrying values to work, while Dave Lefort wonders aloud why Facebook is just now naming its first-ever CCO.

New SEC senior advisor will specialize in climate change, ESG

2021-02-01T21:34:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

The acting chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission has created a new senior policy advisor position on climate change and ESG, another signal the agency will prioritize both areas under a Biden administration.

Incoming IIA chief Anthony Pugliese to prioritize technology, D&I

2021-02-01T14:00:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Compliance Week caught up with Anthony Pugliese, the incoming president and chief executive officer of the Institute of Internal Auditors, to discuss his plans for the future of the IIA and the internal audit profession at large.

EPA’s toxic love affair with high-polluting industries needs to end

2021-01-13T21:33:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

A last-minute rule change by the EPA tucked into the Federal Register without a public comment period is the culmination of a years-long chumminess with high-polluting industries that can’t end soon enough, writes Jaclyn Jaeger.

The roles of HR and compliance in driving diversity & inclusion

2021-01-11T21:54:00+00:00By Deborah O’Connor, International Compliance Association

If HR drives diversity and inclusion strategies, the compliance function should play an important part in overseeing related changes in organizational behavior and practices.

Companies don’t get credit for bailing on Trump in Capitol attack aftermath

2021-01-11T21:26:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

It’s shameful that it took searing images of rioters looting the Capitol building for some corporations to act on the danger President Donald Trump has posed to the country all along, writes Aaron Nicodemus.

Video: Apple ties exec bonuses to ESG; Twitter complicit in D.C. riot

2021-01-07T22:33:00+00:00By Compliance Week

In our first Nailed It or Failed It of 2021, Aly McDevitt praises Apple’s decision to link executive bonuses to the company’s values, while Dave Lefort delivers a somber message on Twitter and social media’s role in the riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Poll: More companies linking ESG initiatives to executive incentive plans

2020-12-17T17:02:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Current events have significantly accelerated the need for companies around the world to link ESG initiatives to their executive incentive plans, according to a recent poll conducted by Willis Towers Watson.

Survey: Remote work poses different challenges for men and women

2020-12-16T16:49:00+00:00By Aly McDevitt

A CW survey finds male and female compliance practitioners are processing the pressure points of the pandemic differently, and that fully remote work is leading to a permanently changed future for post-pandemic work schedules.

Women in compliance: Be unapologetic about moving up … but send the elevator back down

2020-12-16T16:36:00+00:00By Julie DiMauro

Over the course of reading two books, Julie DiMauro got some important tips and reminders about taking risks, creating success, and being cognizant of those women following in our career footsteps.

Survey: Remote compliance practitioners feel supported, but for how long?

2020-12-15T20:08:00+00:00By Aly McDevitt

A recent survey of 180 compliance, risk, and audit professionals asked the question: “What’s your back-to-office plan, and does it work for you?” The short answer was there is no plan, and the status quo is faring better for the company than the employee.

Ten things I’d like to see happen in 2021 (2020 in review)

2020-12-09T14:20:00+00:00By Dave Lefort

Many of the things I’d like to see in 2021 are directly related to regulatory changes we anticipate are coming under a Biden administration, but they’re mixed with a few lessons from the pandemic we hope carry into a post-COVID world.

Top ethics and compliance failures of 2020

2020-12-08T13:30:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

From a massive accounting fraud scandal in Germany to deceitful consumer tactics among China-based companies to unethical practices on the environmental front in the United States—CW’s list of the top ethics and compliance failures of 2020 spans the globe.

Zoom & me: Silver linings of 2020

2020-12-07T13:42:00+00:00By Aly McDevitt

Turning the lens on Zoom reveals one possible highlight of 2020: a standout company that helped corporate America transition to remote work.

Video: Praise for Nasdaq diversity push; Vodafone’s GDPR woes prove costly

2020-12-03T21:52:00+00:00By Compliance Week

In our inaugural video edition of Nailed It or Failed It, Dave Lefort praises Nasdaq’s efforts to get the SEC to require board diversity disclosures, while Kyle Brasseur critiques Vodafone’s numerous run-ins with the GDPR.

Biden’s SEC set to require disclosure of ESG, climate change risk

2020-12-03T21:12:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

The SEC under President-elect Joe Biden will push ESG and climate change-related risk alerts, guidance, and rulemaking that will likely require companies to disclose how these risks affect their bottom line.

Nasdaq to SEC: Adopt listing rules requiring board diversity disclosures

2020-12-01T18:19:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Nasdaq has filed a proposal with the Securities and Exchange Commission to adopt new listing rules that would impose board diversity disclosure requirements.

KPMG report: World’s largest companies slow to address climate change risks

2020-11-24T17:21:00+00:00By Aaron Nicodemus

The world’s 250 largest companies are not doing very well in recognizing and measuring financial risks related to climate change, so we’ve got some advice to those who are behind the curve.

How the pandemic and social justice matters have changed the GC role

2020-11-20T20:13:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

General counsel have taken on significantly more responsibility since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and amid the current social climate, solidifying their role as a critical business partner, a recent study on corporate legal departments found.

ISS 2021 proxy voting updates address racial, ethnic, gender diversity

2020-11-16T18:27:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services released updates to its 2021 benchmark proxy voting policy, with the biggest changes this year addressing racial, ethnic, and gender diversity on boards.

U.K. eyes history with climate change disclosure plan package

2020-11-16T17:14:00+00:00By Jaclyn Jaeger

Financial services firms in the United Kingdom must soon begin reporting what material financial impact they experience from climate change under a new disclosure mandate that is the first of its kind in the world.

Apr. 27 | Responsible sourcing: Mitigate ESG risks in your supply chain

2020-11-06T22:47:00+00:00Provided by Genpact

As customer expectations for transparency and ethical approach to business soar, companies that aren’t addressing the environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact of their organizations will get left behind. And that applies to who they work with too.

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ESG/Social Responsibility