Featured Insights

Wednesday the US Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) ruled on its long-awaited climate-risk disclosure proposal, requiring public companies to disclose certain climate-related risks in financial statements. The good news? The ruling closely follows established frameworks like the TCFD and is a great financial benchmark for climate reporting. Want to learn more about what this means for businesses big and small? We pull out the fine print in our article linked here.

It’s 2024 and CA AB-1305 has been signed into law, requiring California companies to disclose voluntary carbon offset purchases and track net-zero or carbon neutrality claims on public-facing websites. The implications for CA businesses? New data collection and assurance practices, as applicable to your business. Read on for more on this new regulation.

We provide an essential guide on how to develop a meaningful supplier ESG engagement strategy and effectively manage your value chain’s social and environmental footprint.

BlackRock recently released their 2024 engagement priorities so we have summarized them and provided hyperlinks for your convenience.

We predict that supply chains will be a focal point for ESG in 20https://www.thirdeconomy.com/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=insight24. Read on for the first installment of our two-part series to learn why a supply chain sustainability strategy is a must-have in 2024.

As we reflect on 2023, our team has compiled stories from the past year that will continue to impact all of us in 2024 and beyond. Wishing you a successful 2024 from Third Economy!

As climate-related regulations become more prevalent, businesses can tackle the challenge of ensuring compliance while proactively leveraging them to your advantage. In our latest Thought Leadership article, we outline how to plan for net-zero targets and the steps you need to take to achieve them.

California Legislature recently passed two new environmental bills, both of which are expected to have a significant impact on California, U.S., and global business. Many of the world’s largest public and private companies will soon be required to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risks. Read on to find out what this means for your organization.

TCFD has emerged as a pivotal force in the global business and regulatory environment, influencing several global climate regulations, frameworks, and proposals including the U.S. SEC’s proposed rule on climate disclosures. But what does TCFD alignment mean in practical terms? In our latest piece, we break down what alignment to the TCFD standards means for large public corporations and small investment firms. Read on.

The news about ESG and Sustainability has been particularly frothy this season. To help our clients and prospects keep track of the key issues on the docket this fall, we’ve created a Top 10 list of rising ESG stories to follow and proactive steps for companies and financial firms to keep their organizations ahead. Read on for our Top 10 Sustainability Stories of Fall 2023.

Whether you are moving to sustainability reporting voluntarily or for mandatory compliance, the choice to report upon climate-related risk first includes navigating a complex landscape of standards and sustainability frameworks. With more than 2200 sustainability reporting provisions, it can be difficult to determine which frameworks and standards are right for your organization. Read on for our primer on some of the most common global standards and frameworks and how they might apply to your business.

The global regulatory landscape for corporate climate disclosures has seen major updates over the past few years. For corporate issuers, while some rulings may seem outside of your immediate jurisdiction, companies big and small will need to consider what long-term compliance might look like. Read on for our analysis of seven global climate-related regulations to keep in mind for your business.

As in year’s past, Larry Fink, Chairman of BlackRock, has penned a letter with his thoughts on the global economy in 2023. While ESG may be under cover in this year’s letter, there is still a strong mandate for companies and investors to take advantage of sustainability trends. So, what does this year’s analysis mean in practice? Read on for our top takeaways from this year’s letter for both investors and companies.

Preparing a CDP questionnaire is a great way for organizations to better assess their climate-related risks and impacts and contribute to one of the world’s largest databases of related information. A CDP score also establishes a valuable benchmark and a quantifiable measure of performance from an objective third-party. Why complete a questionnaire? Read on for Third Economy’s take on the details.

As sustainability consultants, we always have our eyes on the news. We’ve compiled this year’s biggest sustainability stories in a “Year in Review” for our clients and prospects to enjoy. Happy holidays from 3E!

In another big ruling for ESG in 2022, the Department of Labor rolled back restrictions on private-sector retirement plans, allowing 401k and other ERISA-governed retirement plans to consider ESG factors when choosing investments. This ruling is a key step towards recognizing ESG factors as financial risks and viewing ESG factors as an evaluation tool, like any other potential investment factor.

Everywhere you look people are talking about ESG. But in nearly every case, critics use the term inaccurately. The result? Stakeholders often talk past one another. Corporations aren’t sure what to prioritize and even worse, ESG is often hijacked for political ends. We explain the key differences between values-based investing, impact investing and ESG.

In May 2022, the SEC proposed additional disclosure rules for funds claiming to achieve a specific ESG impact. Under the new rules, these funds would be required to disclose the ESG factors considered in their investment strategy, as well as the metrics used to evaluate progress towards the fund’s objectives. How will your fund be affected? Read on for the fine print.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced a landmark proposal to advance and standardize disclosures related to climate change, requiring public companies to disclose certain climate-related risks in their statements and reports. Underneath the 500 page proposal, what does this mean for corporate issuers and investors? We pull out the fine print on today’s announcement and what this means for companies in 2022 and beyond.

Companies are facing headwinds when it comes to board director reelection. In this environment, companies need to be proactive both with shareholder engagement and director preparation. How can your company increase shareholder engagement and promote board reelection? We share the key trends shaping our current environment then explore five strategies for the future.

In August 2022, President Biden signed the historic Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”), the largest climate and energy bill ever enacted in the United States. Under the new bill, $369 billion will be invested in decarbonizing the U.S., through incentives for clean tech and corporate energy procurement. How can your business participate in these historic rebates and credits? Read our analysis here.

Defining the ‘S’ in ESG is not as simple as accounting for carbon output or measuring board representation. But categories like social capital, human capital and product innovation represent unique tools to assess both risk and opportunity for companies to generate long-term value. Looking for more information on how to quantify the ‘S’ for your business? Read on for 3E’s primer on measuring key social issues for your business.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability report. This report draws attention to 127 key risks associated with climate change, and the urgency around taking adaptive measures to build more resilient infrastructure.

The push toward net-zero carbon is putting a lot of pressure on corporations to step up ESG performance. But the link between environmental considerations and durable financial performance is not always clear. Join 3E’s Chad Spitler and a panel of experts on Thursday, 3/31 at 1pm ET for a conversation on strengthening the environmental (‘E’) component of your ESG strategies. This webinar is part of a three part series on learning pragmatic approaches to “E”, “S” and “G”.

The six most important lines from the 2022 State Street and BlackRock Annual Letters.

More businesses are taking the climate pledge: Net zero by 2040. Should your organization step up too? Below, in partnership with Broadridge, we share the case for signing onto the climate pledge and highlight proven strategies to make sure your organization is ready.

Our newest VIA3 rating is focused on global equity and this month’s webinar on how fund managers align their portfolios with the UNSDG’s. This conversation, rather than a technical look at how a fund comes together, will be a look forward at the changes these funds are making in the world.

The storyline emerging from this year’s conference was the pressing need for companies to be proactive in engaging with investors.

BlackRock’s new engagement priorities address traditional areas of investor engagement such as governance, strategy and compensation alongside developing areas like climate risk and human capital management.

The rise of sustainability as a governance imperative is inextricably tied to the growing influence of large institutional investors, particularly index funds, and the governance teams within them.

The Erb Institute, a collaboration between the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability, hosted an event to discuss how businesses can promote sustainability in their work

Letter submitted to the SEC to address the challenges raised in applying the Names Rule to the use of the term ESG in fund names.

CEO response to a Department of Labor proposed rule change affecting ESG investment funds.