Royal Bank of Canada case study
Background Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) engages in the provision of banking and financial solutions. It operates through the following segments: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management, Insurance, Investor and Treasury Services, Capital Markets, and Corporate Support. Across these segments, RBC offers a broad suite of financial products and services in Canada with operations in […]
BBVA case study
Background BBVA is a Spanish-headquartered bank with operations in Europe, South America, Mexico and Turkey. We have been engaging with the bank on board independence, skills and experience since 2019 and on environmental, social and governance issues for over a decade. Board composition is integral in enabling good governance, which itself is a foundation for […]
Defenders of a threatened world
Indigenous Peoples are increasingly on the frontline of the climate crisis, and in recent years we have seen major flashpoints erupt between extractives companies and local communities. For example, Rio Tinto’s destruction of Aboriginal heritage sites at Juukan Gorge damaged the company’s social licence to operate while North American oil and gas pipelines have faced […]
A brave new world?
Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) has captured the popular imagination. But while AI has the potential to dramatically increase the productivity of businesses and transform many aspects of our daily lives, it also brings with it considerable risks. As generative AI tools proliferate, the biases they sometimes reflect may […]
Meta Platforms case study
Over the course of our engagement on data privacy and safeguarding policies, we encouraged the company to more clearly outline the steps it would take to solve the issues, and for its quarterly reporting to include information on how it is improving data privacy. We also relayed our concerns with the dual-class share structure and […]
Public Engagement Report Q3 2023
Fast reading A failure to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights can expose a company to business, legal and reputational risks As generative AI tools proliferate, the biases they sometimes reflect may perpetuate stereotypes and stall progress towards greater equality The number of climate-related shareholder resolutions rose in developed Asia and emerging markets this voting season Indigenous […]
Investor dissension mounts as temperatures rise
Shareholders continued to call for change at companies this year, bringing a raft of proposals in the US and Europe on collective bargaining rights, climate lobbying, child safety in the digital realm, animal welfare, racial equity and tax transparency. Executive compensation also came under scrutiny as the cost of living crisis continued. Meanwhile, as Europe […]
Japanese reforms ignite investor optimism
Shareholder activism has been on the rise in Japan over the last few years, as institutional investors have grown increasingly frustrated with some companies’ poor governance practices and the slow pace of change. High-profile scandals, such as that at Toshiba, have heightened the pressure on companies to be more responsive to shareholders. Now an update […]
A deadly harvest?
Synthetic pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides, are designed to kill insects, weeds, fungi or other pests, to protect crops, increase food production and reduce the risk of famine. However, the human health and environmental risks associated with particular chemical compounds have been well documented, perhaps most famously in Rachel Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring. Carson’s […]
Why forever chemicals aren’t going away
We encounter a host of synthetic chemicals in our daily lives, although many of us are unaware how dangerous they can be to our long-term health. There is particular concern about the persistence of certain synthetic long-lasting chemicals called PFAS, which break down very slowly over time, if at all. These substances contain a strong […]
