The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its long-awaited climate disclosure mandate for publicly traded companies (Final Rule). While significant portions of the proposed rule have been scaled back or outright...more
On March 6, 2024, two years after the issuance of a proposing release and following more than 24,000 comment letters and 4,500 unique letters submitted in response, by a vote of 3-2, the U.S. Securities and Exchange...more
On March 21, 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed expansive and controversial climate disclosure rules. Two years and 24,000 comment letters later, on March 6, 2024, the SEC voted 3-2 to adopt its...more
On March 6, 2024, in a 3-2 vote along party lines, the SEC adopted the long-awaited final rules on climate-related disclosures. The proposed rules faced intense public scrutiny over the last two years, with the SEC receiving...more
On March 6,2024, in a 3-2 vote, the US Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules requiring registrants to disclose certain climate-related information in registration statements and annual reports....more
Following a nearly two-year wait, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC” or “Commission”) released its Final Rule—The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors—on March 6, 2024. The...more
On March 6, 2024, in a 3-2 vote, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted final rules requiring registrants to disclose certain climate-related information in registration statements and annual reports. ...more
On December 19, 2023, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) released its updates to its Proxy Voting Guidelines. Somewhat unusually, ISS made only one change to its voting recommendation policies for U.S. public...more
2023 saw terms like “ESG,” “greenwashing,” and “circular economy” come into common use. We also saw a tsunami of other environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related developments at the international, federal, and state...more
Welcome to Vinson & Elkins’ Securities and ESG Updates. Our aim is to provide insights into notable developments in securities reporting and the environmental, social and governance space over the quarter and, where...more
The FRC has set out its expectations, in its Annual Review of Corporate Reporting, for the coming reporting season amidst the current economic background of high inflation, high interest rates and ongoing economic...more
Companies Invited to Voluntarily Adopt New Nature-related Financial Disclosure Framework - On 18 September 2023, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) published its final recommendations for...more
On September 18, 2023, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) published recommendations for organizations’ assessment, management, and disclosure of nature-related issues (the Recommendations). These...more
On 26 June 2023, the International Sustainability Standards Board (“ISSB”) issued its first two sustainability standards, IFRS S1 and IFRS S2. These standards, which incorporate the recommendations of the Task Force on...more
On 10 August 2023, the FCA published Primary Market Bulletin 45, which describes its process for developing its policy position in relation to the new ISSB standards and developing climate-related transition plan guidance for...more
The UK standards will aim to increase the comparability and value of reported information for investors. The UK government announced on 2 August 2023 that it will develop standards for company sustainability disclosures...more
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) recently announced plans to change its methodology for its Environmental & Social Disclosure QualityScore (ISS QualityScore). The revised ISS QualityScore is expected to take effect...more
Companies should be thoughtful and strategic about how they structure their voluntary and mandatory climate disclosures. There are many climate disclosure standards – as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG)...more
UK listed companies face regulatory changes and developing market practices in the areas of ESG reporting, executive remuneration, share issuance authorities, meeting formats, and structured digital reporting. Key Points:...more
In a recent live event at our New York office, Venable partner Alex Koff led a panel discussion that explored domestic and international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns....more
Em 21 de março de 2022, a Comissão de Valores Mobiliários dos EUA (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ou “SEC”) propôs suas novas regras de divulgação de informações relacionadas a questões climáticas. As regras...more
Whether it is the announcement of another new policy or regulation, pressure from an activist shareholder, responding to changes in consumer demand, or addressing global political events, environmental, social and governance...more
On March 21, in one of its most significant rulemakings in recent years, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rules that would require public companies to provide investors with extensive, consistent, and...more
In this alert, we provide a round-up of the latest developments in ESG for UK corporates. In this month’s ESG Market Alert, we cover: The SEC’s recent proposal for climate-related disclosure rules in the US. The new carbon...more
A key plank to the Government’s regulatory ESG agenda is simple: investment in sustainable projects and companies will assist the UK in meeting its environmental targets. Consumer interest appears to be aligned: there is a...more