Press Hits - posts — As You Sow

World's Largest Asset Manager Doubles Down Against Climate Change

World's Largest Asset Manager Doubles Down Against Climate Change

Andrew Behar, CEO of As You Sow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing environmental and social corporate responsibility, said in a statement, “It is positive to hear BlackRock make a clear statement on divestment of coal; however we do not see the same rhetoric about oil and gas or the banks that fund continued extraction of fossil fuels. Let’s see if their ESG funds are actually fossil free, including no coal-fired utilities, and if BlackRock votes their shares in support of Paris [climate accord] compliance and net-zero shareholder resolutions.” Read More →

EnergyAsYouSowJanuary 16, 2020Bernice Napach, climate, climate change, BlackRock

Climate Is Changing. Investing Needs to, Too, Says BlackRock

Climate Is Changing. Investing Needs to, Too, Says BlackRock

NEW YORK — A changing climate means dramatic risks for the world — and for investments too, the chief of the world’s largest investment manager said Tuesday. Read More →

EnergyAsYouSowJanuary 16, 2020Stan Choe, Associated Press, climate, climate change, BlackRock

BlackRock’s Fink pressed to take action over words in dumping fossil fuels

“Larry Fink has always had a large megaphone and his pronouncements on climate have been important, [but] we need to see action from BlackRock — from supporting climate-related shareholder proposals, to offering fossil-free options in 401(k) funds, to ensuring wide access to, and promotion of, passive funds that tilt away from fossil fuel-based energy,” said Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel of As You Sow, a nonprofit shareholder advocacy firm focused on environmental issues and social corporate responsibility. Read More →

EnergyAs You SowJanuary 16, 2020Rachel Koning Beals, climate, clim, BlackRock

Shareholders Demand More Climate Disclosures As SEC Moves to Restrict Them

Shareholders Demand More Climate Disclosures As SEC Moves to Restrict Them

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the margins, while continuing business as usual as Exxon and Chevron are doing, is not a successful long-term business plan, especially when competitor companies are implementing new paths to thrive in a low-carbon economy,” said Danielle Fugere, president of As You Sow, sponsor of resolutions demanding Chevron and Exxon align their business models with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Read More →

EnergyAs You SowJanuary 13, 2020climate, climate change, climate resolution, Karen Savage, SEC, exxon, exxon resolution, chevron, Chevron, chevron resolution, Chevron shareholder resolution, Exxon shareholder resolution

How to Get Socially Conscious Funds Into Your 401(k)

How to Get Socially Conscious Funds Into Your 401(k)

If you want to make a big difference in the world using your hard-earned money, you don’t have a lot of tools at your disposal if you’re not extremely wealthy. Read More →

Invest Your ValuesAsYouSowJanuary 13, 2020Ron Lieber, 401(k)

Cutting battery industry's reliance on cobalt will be an uphill task

The Congolese government has promised to pilot regulated areas for artisanal miners. Increasing consumer awareness has also led to supply chain auditing projects such as the Responsible Sourcing Network, run by the nonprofit organization As You Sow, as well as two industry-led bodies, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance and Responsible Mining Initiative, to ensure that suppliers are up to standards set by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development. Read More →

RSNAs You SowJanuary 6, 2020Jasper Jolly, mining the disclosure report, cobalt

Program to prevent plastic pellet pollution criticized as ineffective

Program to prevent plastic pellet pollution criticized as ineffective

Conrad MacKerron, senior vice president of the Berkeley, California-based environmental group As You Sow, said “Some transparency is better than no disclosure.” Read More →

Waste, Circular EconomyAs You SowJanuary 6, 2020Chris Dupin, plastic pellets

Boeing CEO’s Departure ‘Inevitable’

Boeing will start 2020 under a new regime. Dennis Muilenburg is stepping down as CEO and chairman immediately and David Calhoun, who has served on the board for a decade and chaired the board for the past two months, will assume the role of president and CEO on Jan. 13. Calhoun will remain on the board, and Lawrence Kellner will replace him as non-executive chairman of the board. Read More →

CEO PayAs You SowJanuary 6, 2020Stephanie Forshee, CEO Pay

The climate crisis is changing consumer demand — and corporate investments

The climate crisis is changing consumer demand — and corporate investments

“Investors are quite concerned that companies like Chevron that are producing fossil fuels will continually be caught with assets that they can't sell. If utilities can buy solar at a cheaper rate than natural gas, that will impact Chevron,” said Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel of shareholder advocacy group As You Sow. Read More →

EnergyAs You SowDecember 30, 2019climate, climate change, chevron, Chevron, chevron write down, Paul Huttner, Megan Burks

As industry unveils new Operation Clean Sweep rules, critics urge zero discharge standard

As industry unveils new Operation Clean Sweep rules, critics urge zero discharge standard

Washington — The plastics industry unveiled changes Dec. 13 to strengthen its voluntary Operation Clean Sweep program to reduce pellet pollution from its factories, but environmental groups monitoring the issue questioned industry self-regulation and called for a tough zero discharge standard.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowDecember 30, 2019plastics, plastic pellets

From UBS to Goldman Sachs, Major Investors Take a Stand for Climate Action

From UBS to Goldman Sachs, Major Investors Take a Stand for Climate Action

For the global economy to decarbonize quickly, there is no substitute for political leadership from the top.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 19, 2019Tina Casey, exxon, chevron, climate

Blackrock faces shareholder proposal on Business Roundtable commitments

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is being called upon in a shareholder proposal to report on how it plans to “fully implement” the recent ‘Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation’ put out by US trade group the Business Roundtable, which was signed by Blackrock’s Chairman and CEO Larry Fink.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 19, 2019Goldman Sachs, climate, Paul Verney

The coming Wall Street battles over climate change

The coming Wall Street battles over climate change

A pair of events over the past few days offers a preview of upcoming investor efforts to push some of the world's largest companies to get more active on global warming.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 19, 2019Ben Geman, climate, climate change, Goldman Sachs, exxon, chevron

Behind Walmart’s push to eliminate 1 gigaton of greenhouse gases by 2030

Behind Walmart’s push to eliminate 1 gigaton of greenhouse gases by 2030

As the climate crisis facing the planet becomes more immediate — fueled by powerful images that include devastating floods in Venice and uncontrollable wildfires in the Amazon — companies are waking up to the role they play in climate change and announcing plans for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 19, 2019Pippa Stevens, climate, climate change, walmart

Blue Bottle, aiming for 'zero waste' in 2020, could eliminate to-go coffee cups

Blue Bottle's initial pivot to compostables and new moves towards further waste reduction reflects growing trends as companies acknowledge consumer demands.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowDecember 16, 2019E.A. Crunden, blue bottle, plastics

Experts Warn Chevron's $11 Billion Write-Down Portends 'Greater Troubles to Come' for Fossil Fuel Industry

Experts Warn Chevron's $11 Billion Write-Down Portends 'Greater Troubles to Come' for Fossil Fuel Industry

That was the reaction Wednesday from sustainability professional Jessica Davis after oil giant Chevron announced that it was writing down at least $10 billion and as much as $11 billion in assets.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 12, 2019Andrea Germanos, climate, climate change, chevron, chevron write down, Chevron

Exxon escapes fraud charge, but not climate risks

A New York judge found ExxonMobil not guilty of deceiving investors about how it accounted for the cost of future climate-change regulations.

EnergyAsYouSowDecember 12, 2019Dennis Price, climate, climate change, chevron, Chevron, chevron write down, exxon

Southern, Duke, Dominion targeted over CO2 goals

New York City's chief financial officer has called on three large U.S. utilities to institute an independent board chair in a move intended to help them navigate a transition to a low-carbon economy.

EnergyAsYouSowNovember 25, 2019climate, climate change, Carlos Anchondo

One Whopper Jr., Hold the Toy

One Whopper Jr., Hold the Toy

In the climactic scene of “Toy Story 3,” Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the crew narrowly escape death when a remote-controlled claw lifts them from an incinerator just before flames engulf them.

Waste, Circular EconomyAsYouSowNovember 21, 2019David Yaffe-Bellany, plastics

How to tell if you’re invested in gun stocks

How to tell if you’re invested in gun stocks

Even if you haven’t actively been seeking gun stocks, you could still be an investor in them.

Invest Your ValuesAsYouSowNovember 18, 2019Lorie Konish, gff, guns