Compensation committees at S&P 500 companies are increasingly tying annual bonuses to measures beyond financial performance. The inclusion of environmental, social and governance goals in short-term incentive plans has increased fourfold since 2019, according to data collected from proxy statements. Experts say these nonfinancial metrics can serve as useful motivators as companies aim toward specific… Continue reading How ESG Metrics Are Taking Over Annual Incentive Plans
Tag: ESG
Climate Resolutions See Sustained Support, Despite ESG Backlash
This year investors are emphasizing climate risk as part of their push to get companies to address global warming, while treading more carefully around issues related to pay linked to sustainability goals, according to market watcher. …This year so far, investors have filed 19 climate change-related resolutions that mention climate risk at S&P 500 companies… Continue reading Climate Resolutions See Sustained Support, Despite ESG Backlash
What the SEC Wants Now in ESG
In this opinion piece for Accounting Today, Ron Kral of Kral Ussery uses CompanyIQ comment letter data to suggest that companies need to be ready for ESG disclosures. Below is an excerpt. While the environmental, social and governance arena may soon see a seismic shift in disclosure requirements, there has been no shortage of regulatory… Continue reading What the SEC Wants Now in ESG
Labor Issues Poised to Trigger More Oversight Lawsuits
Shareholder proposals aimed at labor-related issues have more than tripled over the last year, bringing with them additional risks for boards and companies. The growing spotlight on labor could bring battles that unfold on proxies or in court — and a recent Delaware Chancery Court case could further the trend. In 2022, shareholders across all… Continue reading Labor Issues Poised to Trigger More Oversight Lawsuits
As Investors Zero In on Climate Targets, Companies Lag Behind
Investors are ramping up their scrutiny of medium-term emissions reduction targets and are planning to hold boards accountable if they don’t pass muster. Proxy advisory firm ISS’s recent benchmark survey results show that a significant number of 188 investors told ISS that a lack of “realistic” medium-term emissions reduction targets for Scope 1 and 2… Continue reading As Investors Zero In on Climate Targets, Companies Lag Behind
Recent Lawsuits Give Rise to Board-Level Safety Committees
Leonel Rondon was killed in September 2018 after a control line on a century-old natural gas pipeline in Lawrence, Massachusetts, failed, detonating a home and sending its chimney crashing down onto the car he was sitting in. The explosion that killed 18-year-old Rondon was one of several and, as it was later revealed, resulted from… Continue reading Recent Lawsuits Give Rise to Board-Level Safety Committees
Investors Prod Boards on Water Risk Oversight
A group of 64 investors holding $9.8 trillion in assets under management this month formed an initiative aimed at companies with a high water footprint to pressure them on valuing and reducing the material, financial risks linked to water and, in turn, to better guard global freshwater resources. The investor group, led by Ceres, plans… Continue reading Investors Prod Boards on Water Risk Oversight
Companies Under Fire Over Plastic Use
Plastic use and the risks associated with it are garnering more heat from stakeholder groups, including shareholders, the federal government, the United Nations and ESG accounting standard setters, which have targeted single-use plastics. Boards should ensure that appropriate internal stakeholders are prepared for increased focus on the issue, which has generated popular shareholder proposals this… Continue reading Companies Under Fire Over Plastic Use