COP28: Key takeaways
A central goal of the summit in Dubai this year has been the publishing of the global stock take. The aim here is to assess the progress on collective implementation of the Paris Agreement and identifying solutions to fill the gaps. Big decisions are still to be taken on the crucial negotiation text between countries […]
Netflix case study
Background Arguably, two of the most pertinent topics for all companies to address within their ESG practices are climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion. As the climate changes, companies face operational, regulatory and reputational risks along with changing consumer demand, and companies that do not value diversity and promote inclusion create regulatory, talent and […]
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 […]
The COP conundrum
We need only take a cursory check of global weather in recent months to remind ourselves of the consequences of climate change. Over the summer, record temperatures in parts of the US, in southern Europe and in China affected the lives of an estimated 110 million people who regularly experienced temperatures above 40°C. In May and […]
Spectrum Q3 2023: No robots were harmed in the making of this report
In a 1962 collection of short stories, sci-fi sage Arthur C Clarke postulated his third law, that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”. Now, as we push through the second decade of the 21st century and into a future seemingly set up for AI, Clarke’s law appears more apt than ever. Through the […]
