Climate Governance Initiative’s Post

❓ What impact do you have ❓ 📈 Companies have long had to report on financial impacts and risks facing their businesses... 📌 However, the EU now requires companies to also look at and report on the impact that they have on the environment and other stakeholders through its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. 📚Interested to find out more about how this regulation works and what this means for corporations and how human rights and the environment come into the topic of conversation? Then join our July knowledge session on Human Rights Regulation and Climate Change on 17 July at 6:30 at Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment or online - the link to sign up is below! #climatechange #legalvoicesforthefuture #lawyers #humanrights Ming Zee Tee Sarah Hill-Smith Flora Curtis Yomna Elewa Marina Soares Riley Forson Dominika Leitane Emma Short Harriet Hall Catríona Campbell

Rising global temperatures underscore the urgent need to address climate change, which poses a severe threat to humanity’s survival. 🌡️ Law and policy are crucial in halting temperature increases, mitigating climate impacts, and providing adaptation strategies. . Join us at the WINNER Conference 2024 on September 25 with Ratna Juwita, Marlies Hesselman, and Siti Ruhama as we tackle two critical issues: corruption in the environmental sector and climate change litigation. We’ll explore how corruption undermines environmental rights and the importance of climate litigation in upholding the right to a healthy environment. 🌱 . 📅 Mark your calendars and be part of this vital discussion! Register now to attend on-site at the University of Groningen or online via RingCentral. Don’t miss out! . 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024 ⏰ Time: 14:00-15:15 WIB | 09:00-10:15 CEST 🔗 Registration: 📍 On-site at GRO: bit.ly/winner2024GRO 💻 Online: bit.ly/winner2024reg – hosted on RingCentral. Claim your FREE spot and earn certificates. #WINNER2024 #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalRights #Corruption #ClimateLitigation

🌍✨ 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐔𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! 🎉👏 Their triumph not only marks a significant milestone in the fight against climate change but also holds profound implications for business ethics and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations worldwide. 🌱🌟 The court's ruling, which found Switzerland's climate efforts lacking and its policies in violation of human rights, underscores the urgent need for businesses to prioritize sustainable practices and ethical decision-making. 🛠️💼 As the global community grapples with the escalating climate crisis, it's increasingly evident that 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦. This momentous decision sends a clear message: 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐒𝐆 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩, 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. 📈🌿 By integrating sustainability into their core practices, organizations can not only mitigate risks associated with climate change but also unlock opportunities for innovation, growth, and long-term value creation. Moreover, this ruling amplifies the importance of 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲. 🔄🔍 As stakeholders demand greater accountability from businesses, it's imperative for companies to uphold ethical standards, disclose their environmental impacts, and actively engage in efforts to address climate change. 🌏💡 By fostering a 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, businesses can build trust with consumers, investors, and communities while contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future. As we celebrate this momentous victory for climate justice, let us recommit ourselves to driving positive change through ethical leadership, sustainable business practices, and collective action. Together, we can create a world where businesses thrive in harmony with the planet and society, leaving a legacy of resilience and prosperity for generations to come. 🌱💼 #ClimateJustice #ESG #BusinessEthics #Sustainability #ClimateAction #CorporateResponsibility #ESGStrategicLeader

What do reputation capital and corporate activism have in common? ESG. Whether you are on the side of using the term ESG or the term Responsible Business, when it comes to commitments and progress, join our webinar to learn not only what stakeholders think, but how investors feel about ESG and how businesses should communicate.

🗓️ Tomorrow night - at 7pm AEST - we'll launch SEC Newgate's flagship thought leadership research - the 'Global ESG Monitor: What is the public's view on responsible business in 2024?'. If you're interested you can follow the link below to register. I'll give a short presentation and then we'll have a fascinating panel discussion with Europe-based corporate leaders and journalists. If you're keen to understand the community's expectations when it comes to responsible business conduct and the ESG space, wondering how you should go about communicating what you're up to in a way that's credible and cuts-through, or thinking about whether or not to 'speak out' on an issue - this is for you. This presentation will focus on global results across 14 countries and territories. We do have an Australia-specific presentation so if you'd like to see the results and how the expectations of Australians compare to those in other markets, do reach out to me or your contact at SEC Newgate Australia. Many thanks to the Australian research team for their hard work leading this study - particularly Peter Collingridge, Jasmine Hoye, Yoko Di Benedetto and Leanne Lim.

📢 Board directors - register now to get close to the action at #ClimateWeekNYC There are less than 20 days to go until Climate Week NYC, but still plenty of time to join the discussion on how business can protect profit, people and the planet. Join the Climate Governance Initiative's livestreamed events from New York, either in person or from the comfort of your home or office. You will: 🌎 Hear from global experts on how boards can future-proof their companies. 💼 Access in person networking opportunities and on-site event space. 💻 Get the latest briefing on governance structures, litigation, disclosures, compensation and much more, tailored to your role on the board and for free. 🗣 Join the conversation with speakers from Climate Governance Initiative and our partners Deloitte, Egon Zehnder and Nasdaq's Centre for Board Excellence. Help us drive climate action, fast. It's Time. Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/4gc16UK Climate Group Centre for Climate Engagement Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge #ClimateGovernance #ClimateAction #BoardofDirectors

Issue 41 of our #ESG newsletter, “For What It’s Earth” is now live. In our newsletter we distill ESG-related policy, legal and market developments into a streamlined note, reporting on the issues most relevant for business and industry.   Issue 41 discusses: the US Chamber of Commerce suing California over two new climate disclosure laws, the Global Reporting Initiative revising its biodiversity standard (GR 101) for increased transparency and accountability, the German government expressing concerns regarding the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directives, and EU lawmakers approving a draft proposal from the European Commission to delay sector-specific rules for various industries until June 2026.   Visit our website to read Issue 41 of “For What It’s Earth”: https://lnkd.in/eExsQzwR   Subscribe to “For What It’s Earth” here: https://lnkd.in/eCg-UTHB

👇I had a moment of reflection when I read this climate case last week👇 ▶️ Freedom of expression is being used to challenge Californian legislation that requires companies to disclose their GHGs and climate change risks. ❓Why did I need to reflect❓ ▶️ Because instinctively I felt there was something misaligned with how I have come to understand freedom of expression in my studies and subsequent practice and how it is being used in this case. ▶️ The plaintiffs in the case claim that because the law regulates speech, it breaches constitutionally guaranteed freedom from being compelled to speak. ▶️ Something seemed inherently wrong to me with this argument - yes while I agree that the law is compelling companies to disclose their GHG emissions and climate risks, and thus be open and transparent about them, GHG emissions and climate risks are not ‘speculative, noncommercial, controversial, and politically-charged message’ as the plaintiffs allege. 💡 Yes, certainly the companies would not otherwise disclose these facts. 💡But presumably because it may, in some cases, reveal information about them that may dissuade their investors from investing, and other stakeholders from working/ engaging with their business. 💡Now, we are all entitled to make these choices fully informed. That means informed of the GHG emissions of the business (which can be measured in exact numbers and thus by no means constitute a ‘speculative’ information), as well as climate risks that these companies are going to face in the foreseeable future (read ‘within our lifetimes’).  ❓Can corporate freedom of expression limit our right to access to information❓ ▶️ I do not think so, especially if this information is relevant to our collective future as a species. ▶️ This is just my reflection on the broader principle of freedom of expression,  and how I believe it is being abused to shield us all away from information that matters not only to our monetary, but also to our planetary future. 👇I welcome your thoughts in the comments👇 Design credit: Lané Luyt #greenwashing #climaterisk #climatelitigation #ESG #freedomofexpression #climatechange

As per usual, I am in awe of my colleagues at Human Level who manage to produce high-quality guidance and insights at light speed ⚡ The short version is - climate rights are human rights. For the legal and institutional framework this is grounded in and what it means in practice, have a look at this briefing note.

Join Slaughter and May to discover opportunities that can increase your businesses’ credibility relating to sustainability.(https://lnkd.in/dpScPKih). Learn more about: -  What a transition plan is and where they sit within the broader landscape -  The frameworks for developing and disclosing a robust transition plan, such as the Transition Plan -   Taskforce’s framework -   The risks and how to manage them -   How transition plans might develop and incorporate the ‘just transition’ and nature The panel: Samantha Brady, Head of Environment and Climate Change, Slaughter and May Dr. Sabine Dittrich, MBA HEC Paris, MBA HEC Paris, Head of EU Financial Regulation, Slaughter and May George Murray, Senior Professional Support Lawyer, Slaughter and May Moira Thompson Oliver, Head of Business and Human Rights, Slaughter and May Georgina Terry, Associate, Slaughter and May #LegalPractice #Environment #ClimateChange #Planning #ESG