Investor Engagement

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Opportunity to Support Milestone Regulations for Corporate Climate Transparency

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For years, investors have been demanding access to clear, consistent and comparable data from corporations on their climate risks and impacts. Last month, the SEC helped bring U.S. capital markets regulations into the 21st century by finalizing the climate disclosure rule, joining global regulators and standard setters in the pursuit of mandated, standardized corporate climate disclosures.

Unfortunately, the rule is now under attack, and impact investors must raise their voices in support at this critical moment. As the Alliance noted in our recent statement, we believe the SEC’s final rule represents an important baseline to build upon in the future, even with some provisions weakened from the original proposal. The SEC struck a careful balance based on significant consultation with investors, companies and other market stakeholders.

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Investors and Asset Managers Cannot Afford to Turn Their Backs on Climate Commitments

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Climate risk is financial risk, a reality acknowledged by investors, asset managers, businesses, and regulators across the globe. As institutional investors, we are concerned by the recent departures of several large asset managers from Climate Action 100+, an essential investor-led initiative improving corporate accountability on climate risks in our investment portfolios.

The authors of this statement are leading foundations committed to practicing and promoting the principles of impact investing – investing for measurable and positive social, economic, and environmental impact alongside financial returns. Read the full statement.

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The Importance of Safeguarding Impact Investing Principles and Accountability Mechanisms in the Face of Legal Challenges

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The past several months have seen a troubling surge of litigation threatening investor rights and the ability of regulators to respond to market imperatives. These attacks stem from the same desire to halt progress by private sector leaders and regulators toward a more transparent and accountable economic system. The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance has been working to counter the anti-environmental, social and governance (ESG) movement, and we see the same anti-ESG forces now mobilizing to undermine everything from climate disclosures to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This piece analyzes the legal challenges that impact investing advocates should be tracking – some more high-profile than others, but all with the potential for significant ramifications for our collective ability to manifest a thriving, competitive economy.

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Responding to Attacks on Investor Freedoms and Corporate Accountability

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Amid what some are calling “ESG July” in the House Financial Services Committee, the U.S. Impact Investing Alliance calls on businesses and investors to take a stand in support of investor freedom and American economic competitiveness.

Over the course of the month, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives will hold at least seven hearings attacking everyone from institutional investors to proxy advisors to insurance executives for leveraging ESG tools and strategies. At the end of the month, it is likely that the Financial Services Committee will advance a slate of legislation that undercuts basic investor freedoms and risks harming the economic security of U.S. retail investors and retirement savers.

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U.S. Impact Investing Alliance Applauds President Biden’s Actions to Protect American Workers’ Financial Security

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The U.S. Impact Investing Alliance is encouraged by the Biden-Harris Administration's continued support for the financial security of American workers. Today, President Biden vetoed a politically motivated attempt to reverse a Department of Labor (DOL) rule that allows the consideration of financially relevant environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in certain retirement savings plans.

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Policy Corner: Reclaiming ESG as pro-business and pro-worker

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By: Fran Seegull

Originally Published In ImpactAlpha’s Policy Corner On September 14, 2022. Read The Article Here.

Right-wing politicians at both federal and state levels have started latching onto the well-known term of “ESG” as the new scapegoat for all things wrong with the economy. While ESG refers simply to an assessment framework for risk and opportunity that is widely accepted and growing in popularity among the investor and business communities, anti-ESG pundits have called it everything from “woke” to “leftist” to “the devil incarnate.”

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Policy Corner: Progress on a dozen policies to mobilize private capital for public good

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[Originally published in ImpactAlpha’s ‘Policy Corner’] There is no shortage of challenges facing leaders in Washington. The coming midterm elections will increasingly dominate the headlines. But impact investors must continue to push for policies that will catalyze private capital to improve the lives of Americans and help address our ongoing social, economic and environmental crises. The principles of impact investing have long captured bipartisan interest.

 

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