In our latest round-up of developments in ESG for UK clients, we cover the following topics: North Sea Transition Taskforce Report with recommendations for the UK’s energy transition New B Corp rules unveiled Delay to...more
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released a 132-page draft revision of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard (Version 2.0). Key proposed changes include...more
Over the past several weeks, each of the major US banks have announced their withdrawal from the Net Zero Banking Alliance (presumably in response to the policy priorities of the second Trump Administration). Although...more
Today in the United States, there is no federal comprehensive statute addressing climate change. With the Trump Administration now in power, it is doubtful that any such statute will be forthcoming anytime soon. ...more
Environmental claims are a powerful tool for companies to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and connect with values-driven consumers. However, these claims are facing increased legal scrutiny, as governments and...more
“Net zero” is a topic as hot as the climate these days. With so much regulatory attention being placed on it, companies that do not communicate their net zero efforts appropriately or, worse, intentionally make false and...more
With the pressure to address corporate responsibility increasing, it is easy for organizations to feel overwhelmed with the steps they can take to create a sustainability program that has a tangible impact on their journey...more
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in UK corporate law that you need to know about....more
How to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy is a hot regulatory topic for most major economies around the world – and is set to continue ascending the agenda in the years to come. As sustainability-related...more
Government backing is critical to tilt markets in favour of green energy. But to incentivise the innovation required, we have to reflect on past failures. In his 2021 book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates coined...more
Taxonomies will play a critical role in channelling investment towards sustainable activities. But while alignment between frameworks is critical , a one-size-fits-all approach can never be effective....more
Creating an effective regulatory framework will be critical to deliver Net Zero. But does that mean more – or less – regulation? From trade agreements to taxonomies, carbon adjustment mechanisms to corporate sustainability...more
An Austrian regional court found Austrian Airlines AG (AUA), a subsidiary of German airline Lufthansa, liable for greenwashing for advertisements offering carbon-neutral flights that used 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF),...more
On 16 October 2023, Nikhil Rathi, Chief Executive of the FCA, delivered a speech at the City Dinner at Mansion House which describes the FCA’s work in supporting international competitiveness and growth. Amongst other things,...more
The Mintz Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Working Group developed this ESG primer to provide an overview of the current state of affairs in the United States with respect to the ESG issues that businesses...more
On October 9, 2023, the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT) published the Disclosure Framework providing good practice recommendations for companies to enable them to make “high quality, consistent and comparable transition plan...more
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Hong Kong’s de facto central banking institution, issued a directive for banks setting out high-level principles on planning for a transition to a net-zero economy. In a “Dear CEO”...more
What Is Carbon Offsetting and Why Is It Used? Carbon offsets are used by sustainability managers to make progress toward a company's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. Carbon offsetting allows companies to...more
On May 15, 2023, twenty-three Republican state attorneys general (AGs) sent a letter to members of the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) expressing “serious concerns” about whether the NZIA’s requirements comply with federal...more
A recent letter from 21 state Attorneys General to various asset managers demonstrates a focus on using antitrust and unfair competition laws to oppose ESG efforts. Key Points: ..ESG investing initiatives are not...more
On April 25, the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on ESG (APPG) published a report on environmental, social and governance issues. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of the House of Commons and...more
The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), a European membership body for investor collaboration on climate change, announced the launch of its Net Zero Engagement Initiative (NZEI). A primary goal of the...more
Welcome to the Corporate Briefing, where we review the latest developments in corporate law that you need to know about. In this month’s issue, we discuss...more
A new report by professional services firm EY has found that only 5% of FTSE 100 companies have disclosed “credible” and sufficiently detailed transition plans to become net zero by 2050....more
The government published a new document outlining its existing and proposed objectives to develop the UK’s sustainable economy. On 30 March 2023, the UK government published an updated version of its Green Finance...more