Governance

ACSI: Investors have confidence in ASX100 boards

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 16 AUG 2013  |  NEWS
Institutional investors have a general level of confidence in the boards of ASX100 companies, believing that boards act in the interests of all shareholders and that they are competent in setting strategy, but have lower levels of confidence in boards' ...

AXA IM: board diversity an issue at EuroStoxx50 companies

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 2 AUG 2013  |  NEWS
Revenue from emerging markets accounts for at least 20% of total revenue for more than half of companies in the EuroStoxx50, yet only 5.6% of board members on those companies are nationals from an emerging market, highlighting a need for increased diversity ...

IIRC CEO favours market-led adoption of Integrated Reporting

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 31 MAY 2013  |  NEWS
The chief executive officer of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) says market-led adoption of the Integrated Reporting (IR) framework, not mandatory compliance, will lead to better corporate reporting.

Australia to consider country-level payment disclosures

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2013  |  NEWS
The Australian government will consider whether mining companies should be made to disclose the payments they make on a country-by-country basis after evaluating the results of the Australian pilot of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative ...

CSA calls for "safe harbour" to encourage IR disclosures

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 22 MAY 2013  |  NEWS
Chartered Secretaries Australia (CSA) has called for a safe harbour provision to allow company directors to make forward-looking statements such those outlined in the Integrated Reporting (IR) framework.

National Sustainability Council issues macro-theme report

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 10 MAY 2013  |  NEWS
The National Sustainability Council has called its first public report a conversation-starter about macro-themes including inequality, education, climate change, sustainable growth through innovation and other factors impacting on Australia's future.

Publish What You Pay reexamining extractive companies

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 26 APR 2013  |  NEWS
Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Australia and CAER are surveying ASX200 listed extractives companies on their reporting standards regarding payments made to governments in the countries where they operate, and are seeking views of investors and analysts ...

Australian boards struggling with climate change adaptation

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 24 APR 2013  |  NEWS
Most large Australian companies are struggling to find strategic responses to climate change adaptation challenges, "apparently paralysed by short-term profit first thinking, uncertain political risks and a corporate culture unused to volatility and ...

European Commission proposes standards for ESG disclosure

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 APR 2013  |  NEWS
Large European companies will be required to disclose environmental, social and governance information as part of their annual reporting under a proposal adopted by the European Commission.

Investor questions about risks, oversight of coal seam gas

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 12 APR 2013  |  NEWS
There have not been any recent, fundamental changes to the identified environmental and social risks of coal seam gas (CSG) production, but there are growing concerns over the risk of fugitive gas emissions and the impact on water supply and if regulatory ...