U.S. SEC unveils rules to ensure ESG funds follow through on investments

While the new rules will affect most funds, including index funds, their target is ESG funds which drew a record $649 billion globally through Nov. 30, up from $542 billion and $285 billion in 2020 and 2019, respectively, according to Refinitiv Lipper data. Andrew Behar, president of climate-activist group, As You Sow, said market participants have exploited a loophole in the current rules when naming funds. Read More →

Invest Your ValuesAs You SowMay 25, 2022homepage, ESG, Andrew Behar, sec rule, greenwashing

New SEC guidance emboldens shareholder activists as 2022 proxy season ramps up

"What that did was make it very difficult to bring reasonable proposals and to address issues of concern, like climate change, in a way that really moved the issue forward," said Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel of As You Sow, a shareholder advocacy group. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAs You SowNovember 16, 2021Karin Rives, shareholder advocacy, sec rule, homepage

US Shareholders Better Able to Push Social, Environmental Scrutiny

Shareholder advocacy non-profit As You Sow also welcomed the change, with the organisation’s President, Danielle Fugere, calling it a “timely and necessary” move which would help shareholders play a “critical role in ensuring companies are addressing issues that create risk and opportunity and can affect shareholder value”. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAs You SowNovember 8, 2021homepage, Emmy Hawker, SEC, sec rule, sec vote

SEC Loosens Constraints On Some Shareholder Resolutions

“This guidance, which underscores the [right of] shareholders to raise and vote on important issues, is timely and necessary,” Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, said in a statement. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAs You SowNovember 4, 2021Karen DeMasters, SEC, sec rule, sec vote

Biden ESG Push Converges With Steps to Spur Competition

“As You Sow and the shareholders we represent believe that corporations need to disclose greater detail about their policies and practices to include material environmental, social, and governance” data, Behar said. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAs You SowOctober 12, 2021Andrew Ramonas, Siri Bulusu, SEC, esg, esg funds, sec rule, sec vote, shareholder advocacy

SEC Votes to Restrict Shareholder Proposals

Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, noted that the SEC vote “comes at a time when shareholders are appropriately acknowledging — and asking their companies to address — a wide range of social and environmental issues that have the potential to harm our environment, economy, and companies’ value. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAsYouSowSeptember 28, 2020Bernice Napach, sec rule, shareholder advocacy

SEC approves rule that investing advocates say will ‘crush shareholder voices’ and curbs some whistleblower paydays

“The SEC’s rule demonstrates a failure to comprehend that [Environmental, Social and Governance] issues, including climate change, increasingly have material impacts on company value,” said Andrew Behar of As You Sow, a nonprofit, ESG-issue expert that often represents shareholders on a range of material issues. Read More →

Shareholder AdvocacyAsYouSowSeptember 28, 2020sec rule, shareholder advocacy, Rachel Koning Beals, homepage