Corporate reporting (including SEC developments), climate change, energy transition, supply chain management, and the mitigation of ESG-related litigation risk are expected to be the leading ESG themes of this year.
By Paul Davies, Nicola Higgs, Sophie Lamb QC, Ryan Maierson, Colleen Smith, Michael Green, Edward Kempson, James Bee, and Anne Mainwaring
As expected, 2021 saw continued emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues on a global scale, by governments, regulators, NGOs, the private sector, and other important stakeholders. Indeed, 2021 has been variously described as “a watershed moment for ESG” and “the year of ESG investing”[1]. We do not expect this interest to recede, and given the societal importance that now appears to be placed on ESG issues, we expect this growth trend to continue throughout 2022.
This third instalment of Latham’s annual 10 Things to Look Out For blog post highlights the ESG-related developments and trends that we expect to remain in the headlines in 2022.
Last month, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) launched its Net Zero Standard, which aims to provide a globally recognised, science-based target for companies that wish to commit to net zero emissions, to ensure consistency in approach and avoid accusations of greenwashing.