“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did something extraordinary as a preface to revoking the Endangerment Finding—they revised how they evaluate air pollution rules by not counting the benefits of lives saved and illnesses avoided. The technical term for what disappeared is the ‘value of a statistical life’ (VSL)—previously measured at approximately $11.7 million per person. In its place? Nothing. Zero.”
Read MoreTo investors scanning quarterly earnings, the story appeared straightforward: durable federal counterparties, multi-year contracts, and predictable per-diem payments. But beneath that apparent stability lies a business model exposed to litigation, regulatory volatility, reputational damage, and profound governance risk—much of it tied to alleged abuses inside detention facilities.
Read More“Capitalism is a simple bargain: you provide cash and in exchange you receive a share of ownership. Owning property comes with rights, the right to vote on who will represent you on the board of directors, the right to request and receive information needed to decide if you want to sell or buy more shares, and the right to have a dialogue with management to raise material concerns that affect the value of your asset.”
Read MoreThis ancient species which has survived five mass extinctions over 450 million years, now faces a modern threat: the pharmaceutical industry’s dependence on its blood for drug safety testing, a practice which has depleted horseshoe crab populations.
Read MoreCorporate boards and management face a stark and defining choice this proxy season. Shifting political winds in Washington – and a retreat by the SEC from investor protection and enforcement – will offer companies what might seem like a ‘get out of jail free’ card.
But this proxy season and the three years that follow will be a litmus test for corporate America.
Read MoreIn recent remarks at the “Revitalizing America’s Markets” event, SEC Chair Paul Atkins laid out a plan that would fundamentally redefine what it means to be a public company in the United States.
Read MoreIn 2015, we started Invest Your Values with a simple but radical idea: investors deserve to know what companies are hidden inside their mutual funds and ETFs. Every month, our platform analyzes more than 6,000 funds, making the invisible visible. Investors—from retirees checking their 401(k)s to endowments managing billions—use the data to uncover risks and align their investments with their values.
Read MoreBy soliciting standing proxies that lock retail shareholders into management’s recommendations on every ballot item into the future, the program invites owners to abdicate their oversight power and replace judgment with blind faith in self-interested executives. That isn’t shareholder democracy – it’s a loyalty oath.
Read MoreThat 28-point drop represents a major milestone in the ongoing battle against plastic pollution. It also reflects the growing influence of shareholders who are committed to sustained engagements over several years in shaping corporate sustainability practices.
Read MoreDEI is everywhere these days. Perhaps you attended Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training at work or heard the loaded term “DEI hire” on cable news. Advocates argue diversity initiatives dismantle systemic biases that keep the best workers from being hired and promoted.
Read MoreAs the 2025 proxy season passes its high point, several patterns have emerged in the engagement, filing, and voting outcomes of shareholder proposals. Despite continued anti-shareholder narratives and heightened political and legal scrutiny of Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) issues, information to date indicates that market participants remain actively engaged on ESG[1] issues, with notable strategic shifts in tactics and tone.
Read MoreThere is nothing beautiful about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s obstruction of US clean energy progress and American economic competitiveness.
Investors in public companies are concerned that the proposed bill, now before the Senate after it was passed by House Republicans by a one-vote margin, prioritizes culture war skirmishes over innovation and long-term economic stability and growth.
Read MoreI was recently interviewed byFortune on the debate around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. As the CEO of a nonprofit that represents shareholders, I approach the issue of human capital management from a financial and business perspective. After all, it is the fiduciary duty of investors and their representatives—among them asset and retirement fund managers—to reduce material risk and optimize long-term financial sustainability for all stakeholders
Read MoreWe have many reasons to be grateful this year, but the price of Thanksgiving dinner isn’t one. As voters made abundantly clear, the cost of groceries remains unacceptable. One growing cause of food inflation is perhaps the most fixable and least talked about—the climate.
Read MoreDo you know how your 401(k) funds are invested—the kind of companies they hold, and what those companies are doing to respond to urgent global risks like climate change? There’s a good chance that, like almost half of workers, you don’t. You hand your contributions over to the plan, which puts them in whatever investments your employer and their fund manager have picked.
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