Disclosing the Facts 2016: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

While the coal industry used its recent setbacks as an opportunity to shuck off environmental responsibilities, 20 of 28 oil and gas companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) actually improved their scores in an annual investor report card ranking the companies on how they report their policies to reduce risks from fracking operations. Even so, much work remains to be done, with seven out of 10 fracking companies still earning failing scores.

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Clean 200 Q3 2016: Investing in a Clean Energy Future

Over the past year, a growing movement of investors representing more than $3.4tn in assets under management have divested some portion of their fossil fuel investments. But where to invest this capital? The Clean200 ranks the largest publicly listed companies by their total clean energy revenues, with a few added environmental, social, and governance screens to help ensure the companies are indeed building the infrastructure and services needed for what many have called the “Great Energy Transition” in a just and equitable way. Notably, this new report highlights the fact that clean energy investments greatly outperform stagnating fossil fuel stocks.

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Unconventional Risks: the Growing Uncertainty of Oil Investments

Energy markets are undergoing a fundamental transition as the world moves toward a low carbon, clean energy economy. What does this transition mean for the future of the oil industry, including majors like Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, Total, ConocoPhillips, and BP? Are there similarities between changing oil market fundamentals and those causing the recent collapse of the U.S. coal industry?

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EnergyAs You Sow
Proxy Preview 2016

Proxy Preview 2016 covers social and environmental shareholder resolutions filed so far this proxy season, with political spending and climate change driving the majority of the activity. The report provides analysis and expert insight to help you navigate the issues and successfully vote your shares.

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Proxy Voting Guidelines 2016

If you’re an investor seeking to align your voting with your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, download Proxy Voting Guidelines 2016 today. You will find recommendations to help you vote your shareholder proxy ballot, covering critical issues such as climate change, environmental health, and executive compensation.

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The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs 2016: Are Fund Managers Asleep at the Wheel?

CEO pay grew an astounding 997% the past 36 years, vastly outpacing growth in the cost of living, the productivity of the economy, and the stock market.

The second report in the series, The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs: Are Fund Managers Asleep at the Wheel? highlights the forces behind disproportionate pay and the fund managers who continue to approve these pay packages.

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Disclosing the Facts 2015: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Disclosing the Facts 2015 is the fourth in a series of investor reports intended to promote improved operating practices among oil and gas companies engaged in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing operations often use toxic chemicals and high volumes of water, release significant levels of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and have the potential to adversely impact local communities when not properly managed. These issues translate into financial risks to companies and shareholders in the form of fines, regulations, or threats to companies’ social license to operate.

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Green Muni Bonds Playbook

The U.S. branch of the Green City Bonds Coalition, a group of global organizations working to facilitate green bond expansion, has released The Green Muni Bonds Playbook. This fifteen page report provides guidance for cities and other public entities that issue municipal bonds to pay for infrastructure such as energy, water and transportation. It describes the state of the market, the benefits of issuing green bonds, how the market defines what is green and the steps cities need to take to access this growing market. It also includes case studies from a number of cities.

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EnergyAs You Sow
Proxy Voting Guidelines 2015

As You Sow has been filing shareholder resolutions for over 20 years, addressing critical issues like climate change, environmental health, and resource reduction. We’ve worked through pushback from companies by bringing shareholders together to send strong messages with their proxy votes, leading to major industry shifts. Your vote in support of our resolutions sends a powerful message.

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Proxy Preview 2015

Proxy Preview 2015 covers the record-breaking 433 social and environmental shareholder resolutions filed so far this proxy season, with political spending and climate change driving the majority of the activity. The report provides analysis and expert insight to help you navigate the issues and successfully vote your shares.

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The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs 2015

CEO pay has grown nearly 1,000% over the past four decades, far exceeding growth in median worker pay or company share prices. Our new report, The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs: Executive Compensation at S&P 500 Companies, highlights the 100 most overpaid CEOs and examines the forces behind the trend of ever-increasing CEO pay.

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Waste and Opportunity 2015

Waste and Opportunity 2015, a new report from As You Sow and the Natural Resources Defense Council, takes an in-depth look at the packaging practices of 47 fast food chains, beverage companies, and consumer goods, highlighting leaders and laggards in the field.

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Disclosing the Facts 2014: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Disclosing the Facts 2014: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations, an update to our 2013 report analyzing whether companies report their practices and progress in reducing risks of their hydraulic fracturing operations, was released today by As You Sow, Boston Common Asset Management, Green Century Capital Management, and the Investor Environmental Health Network.

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Green Bonds in Brief

Green Bonds in Brief: Risk, Reward, and Opportunity, a new report from As You Sow and the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, offers a look at how green bonds, an exciting financial instrument directing funds to environmental and climate projects, offer an opportunity for both investors and issuers to encourage sustainable growth.

Green bonds are on track to provide forty billion dollars in 2014 and one hundred billion dollars in 2015 to green projects such as energy efficiency, renewable power, and cleaner transit.

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Proxy Preview 2014

Proxy Preview 2014 covers the record-breaking 417 social and environmental shareholder resolutions filed this proxy season, with political spending and climate change driving the majority of the activity.

Visit proxypreview.org to download the newest edition of this report.

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Disclosing the Facts 2013: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations

Companies across the board are failing to report reductions of their impacts on communities and the environment from hydraulic fracturing.

The oil & gas production industry is consistently failing to report measurable reductions of its impacts on communities and the environment from hydraulic fracturing operations, according to a scorecard report released by As You Sow, Boston Common Asset Management, Green Century Capital Management, and the Investor Environmental Health Network.

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CleanTech Redefined

After years in development, cleantech is now going mainstream. Cleantech infrastructure, technology and services are revolutionizing how we make, grow, transport and consume things. They’re helping the world meet energy demands. They’re creating livelihoods and prosperity in uncertain economies. Is there still time for investors to make good returns in cleantech? Yes. Here’s why.

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The Coal Divestment Toolkit: Moving Endowments Beyond Coal

Divestment is the process of selling an asset for either financial or social goals.i Divestment is a powerful way to take a stand against companies involved in an activity that is morally reprehensible. This strategy has been used to send a strong message and to force change in corporate policies and governance. Through divestment campaigns, shareholders (the people and organizations that own corporate stock) take responsibility for the actions of the companies they own and demand change or sell their shares.

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    The Reinvestment Handbook: Green Endowments Initiative

    The Reinvestment Handbook is a resource for the next generation of responsible investors. It is designed to help students better understand their university endowment, the key pillars of SRI funds including screening for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, performance of ESG investments, funds, and portfolios, and basic finance concepts.

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    Proxy Preview 2013

    This ninth edition of the Proxy Preview provides an overview of votes on environmental and social shareholder resolutions—including advocacy sections for 2013´s most prominent issues.

    Our team of issue experts includes Ken Bertsch, CEO and President of the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals, John Ruggie, Professor of Human Rights and International Affairs, Harvard University, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President, Water Keeper Alliance, along with leading voices from socially responsible investors, religious institutional investors, pension funds and unions, foundations, students, and shareholder advocacy organizations.

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